Michael Looby (top center) recounts for jurors Tuesday his discovery of the remains of Scott Peterson's son.
Posted on 07/07/2004 5:55:51 AM PDT by runningbear
Grusome Testimony About Baby's Body in Peterson Case
Grusome Testimony About Baby's Body in Peterson Case
Scott Peterson is accused of killing his wife Laci and her unborn child.
Len Ramirez
Testimony in the Scott Peterson double-murder case was so heart-wrenching Tuesday that Laci Peterson's family left the courtroom.
Witness Michael Looby described walking on the shore of San Francisco Bay after a storm in April of 2003 and finding the decomposing body of a baby. Laci's mother and stepfather Sharon Rocha and Ron Grantski and her brother Brent Rocha quickly left the courtroom during the.......
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TESTIMONY TOO MUCH FOR LACI'S KIN, JURORS
TESTIMONY TOO MUCH FOR LACI'S KIN, JURORS
By HOWARD BREUER
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July 7, 2004 -- REDWOOD CITY, Calif. — Laci Peterson's mom, stepdad and brother rushed out of court yesterday as a witness took the stand to describe how he found her fetus washed up on a bay shore.
Even some jurors appeared disturbed by photos of the bodies of the unborn baby boy and Laci that were displayed — cupping their hands over their mouths as if sickened, and rubbing their foreheads.
The body of the unborn boy — whom the Petersons planned to name Conner — was found Sunday, April 13, 2003, a day before his mother's headless torso was discovered nearby.
Both washed ashore in the San Francisco Bay, near where Laci's husband, Scott — who is on trial for their deaths — says he went fishing the previous Christmas Eve. That was the day he reported the eight-months-pregnant Laci missing.
"As you're walking along, does something attract your attention or your dog's attention?" prosecutor Dave Harris asked witness Michael Looby. .......
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Laci's family stunned by large-screen images of decomposed bodies
Article Last Updated: Wednesday, July 07, 2004 - 3:35:40 AM PST
Grisly photos shock trial
Laci's family stunned by large-screen images of decomposed bodies
By Jason Dearen, STAFF WRITER
REDWOOD CITY -- Grim photos of Laci Peterson and her unborn child's badly decomposed bodies were projected on a large screen in the Scott Peterson double-murder trial Tuesday, evoking gasps from the seating gallery and forcing the dead woman's family to flee the courtroom.
When the macabre images were shown, the defendant's mother, Jacqueline Peterson, covered her eyes, slumping down in her chair.
Determining the age and condition of the fetus' remains are instrumental to both sides' theories about how Laci Peterson died -- and could be the deciding factor in the case. Defense attorney Mark Geragos promised the jury during opening statements that he will prove that the baby was 36 to 38 weeks old before it died. .........
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Peterson trial witness describes finding infant's body
Peterson trial witness describes finding infant's body
Stacy Finz and Diana Walsh, Chronicle Staff Writers
Tuesday, July 6, 2004
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Laci Peterson’s family rushed out of the courtroom this morning, minutes before a witness described finding the body of the Modesto woman’s infant on the Richmond shoreline.
Scott Peterson, on trial in Redwood City for allegedly murdering his wife and their unborn child, watched the witness attentively.
Michael Looby said he and his wife were walking their dog along the beach near Point Isabel on April 13, 2003, looking for a good spot for the dog to take a swim. The tide was low, so they decided to take a walk down the coastline instead, Looby testified for the prosecution.
When they got to a point where the sand ended, they climbed over some rocks into a marshy area. It was there, Looby said, that he saw the tiny corpse. ........
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Peterson denied affair, polygraph expert testifies
Peterson denied affair, polygraph expert testifies
Tuesday, July 6, 2004 Posted: 5:07 PM EDT (2107 GMT)
REDWOOD CITY, California (AP) -- A day after his wife, Laci, disappeared, Scott Peterson told a state polygraph expert that he was not having an affair and that his marriage was fine, the expert testified Tuesday at Peterson's murder trial.
Peterson was, in fact, having an affair with a massage therapist, Amber Frey. Prosecutors have suggested that he killed his pregnant wife so that he could be with Frey.
Douglas Mansfield said he interviewed Peterson on Christmas Day 2002.
"He said there was no third ......
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Peterson looks away as jury sees graphic photos of wife, child
Michael Looby (top center) recounts for jurors Tuesday his discovery of the remains of Scott Peterson's son.
Peterson looks away as jury sees graphic photos of wife, child
By Harriet Ryan
Court TV
REDWOOD CITY, Calif. — Scott Peterson turned away as prosecutors displayed graphic photos of his slain wife and unborn child at his capital trial Tuesday.
The double-murder defendant angled his chair to the side and stared toward away across the courtroom as the gory images of the severely decomposed bodies were flashed onto a giant projection screen.
Several jurors appeared disturbed by the pictures of Laci Peterson and the baby the couple planned to name Conner. One female panelist put her hand to her temple when she first glimpsed a photo of the baby's body. Another woman looked away entirely.
The pictures accompanied testimony about the separate discoveries of the mother-to-be and child on April 13 and April 14, 2003. A dog walker found the boy's remains in grassy marshland on the shores of San Francisco Bay. The next day, about a mile away, another dog owner came across Laci Peterson's body wedged in some rocks on the bayshore.
Story continues ..........
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Exclusive document reveals identity of Peterson defense's 'mystery woman'
Exclusive document reveals identity of Peterson defense's 'mystery woman'
(Court TV) — What do a gold watch, a brown van and an eBay auction have in common?
According to documents obtained by Court TV's Catherine Crier, they resurrect defense attorney Mark Geragos' theory that Satanists in a brown van were involved in the murders of Laci Peterson and her unborn son.
Deanna Renfro pawned a gold watch like one belonging to Laci Peterson.
The host of Court TV's "Crier Live" obtained a pawn shop receipt revealing the identity of a "mystery woman" cited by Scott Peterson's lawyer and her possible connection to the owners of a brown van allegedly spotted in the Petersons' neighborhood before her disappearance.
The document indicates that Deanna Renfro pawned a gold Croton watch six days after Laci Peterson's disappearance — a gold watch almost identical to one Laci tried to auction on eBay weeks earlier, according to the records of the Petersons' eBay account.
Laci Peterson, 27, disappeared Dec. 24, 2002. Four days later, a rape crisis counselor told police that an unidentified woman reported she had been raped by two men and two women in a brown van during a satanic ritual.
A watch Laci Peterson attempted to sell on eBay
According to the counselor's account, the victim said that, during the ritual, the group mentioned a Christmas day death, one she would read about in the papers.
When police tracked down the van to a nearby campsite on Dec. 30, among the four people in the van were Donny and Mary Renfrow. Court TV sources indicated that Deanna Renfro (despite a different spelling in documents) is related to the Renfrows and may be Donny Renfrow's daughter.
The receipt from the pawn shop indicates that, the day after the police visit to the campsite, Deanna Renfro, who has a long criminal history including at least one methamphetamine arrest, pawned the gold Croton watch for $20.
The pawn shop where Deanna Renfo pawned a gold Croton watch for $20.
The bodies of Laci Peterson and her unborn son were found four months later on the shore of San Francisco Bay. Her husband, Scott, faces the death penalty if convicted of both murders.
"Is the pawned watch the same as Laci's? Are the Renfrows related?" Crier said. "Court TV is working to resolve these unanswered questions, but in the meantime, a conspiracy theory is born."...........
If Geragos successfully proves the baby was as developed as that, it could exonerate his client. Prosecutors believe the baby died on Dec. 23 or 24, 2002, which would have made the fetus 33 weeks old. Peterson was under intense surveillance after Dec. 24, so if Geragos proves the baby was alive two or three weeks after Laci's disappearance, it would go a long way to disproving the prosecution's scenario.
(Excerpt) Read more at cbs5.com ...
Not according to this Dr. Spunky. In fact, he stated that due to cold and the strength and thickness of the uterine muscle that there would have been very minimal bacterial activity in the uterus. The wall of the uterus at the fundus began to deteriorate and the baby floated out from there. I didn't get the impression that he was exploded out by built up gases. Coffin birth, is when they are forced through the birth canal which obviously didn't happen here.
I guess I better go fold my laundry. I'm so sore from the gym I'm in pain. LOL I really needed to get back to going to the gym. My sister and I are going together. It always makes it easier if you go with somebody. 3 times a week!! I'll be worse tomorrow I can feel it. Sweet Dreams freeper friends. CO!
"You have to wonder where drifters like this got what was once a very expensive watch"
Same place I found an 18kt yg bangle, and 2 14kt yg rings when I was a teenager. In a park, under a picnic table buried in the sand.
The possiblilties are endless, if you think about it. I wonder if the clasp was broken or defective? I lost a good watch that way, and several bracelets.
Ya just never know what the Dems will do now a days Gregaros may be running for the Senate after this and then for President.
I wont leave my mindset in the hands of an author with a mindset of money, and more money.
CO, thanks for the information. It is hard to understand how it could be propelled through the cervical bone without having gone through contractions to widen the birth canal. I can visualize the gases building up and exploding it through soft tissue, but how would gases make the cervix widen? I guess maybe the bones just soften.
OMG - Perish THAT thought!! LOL
Not so sure Laci wasn't in stress for the last bit ???minutes of her Life? Dr. DiMaeo reckoned that the broken ribs were sustained from a kick, punch or blow with an object (a broken oar perhaps?). He actually stated an axe handle but I have not heard or read anywhere about an axe handle. I just personally have a feeling that Laci went through a struggle just before she was overcome. I have no proof of that the broken ribs ALWAYS bothered me. Combine the fractured ribs with the vomit and specks of blood on the mop and makes me think of a blow to the ribs causing her to be winded and then vomit. That's just my "take" tho.
Pinz, I agree that the meconium DESTROYS the defense theory. The meconium is a key factor in Dr. DiMaeo's opinion also. He was really impressive. I wish you could have seen and heard him.
I guess the fact that it may have been on her wrist escapes you ?
I got to see a few minutes of him. Your summations yesterday were spot on.
I hope I'm right and your wrong about HOW she died. :-) I guess we'll never really know. :-(
But she didn't spend hours slowly dying while Connor struggled to stay alive. That's what I meant. By definition, Laci could not have had a 'good' death. On that we agree completely.
Glad to see the defense shut down cold on the ridiculous notion that Connor was born and kept alive.
Pinz
This irks, you, me and a couple of the CTV anchors this morning!! I honestly think the Judge should have said NO!!
The facts may destroy the Defense's theory but I'll betchya they are STILL going to go with it!! After all, WHAT do they really have? I read on WS from someone who HONESTLY does know, that the wiretap evidence IS damning to Snott!!
Yeah, WHY couldn't Harris have carried on??? This was a mistake by the Judge imo. However, Geragos is the lead Attorney and I don't suppose he wants to miss "any" of the witnesses at this point. The witnesses appear to be becoming more and more important to the heart of this case.
Geragos is the lead Attorney and I don't suppose he wants to miss "any" of ...
Can you believe that Grandeos had the nerve to imply (Lady in the boat test subject) that she wasn't stiff enough from rigormortis...chuckles... Could you imagine Grandeos putting on his own court demonstration complete with pictures of a stiffened female test subject or a boat tipping over from a weighted lady test subject? I wouldn't put it passed him to try....
I think we can all agree that logic and good taste will never stop Geragos. Not when there's money to be made, sheeple to dupe or Clintons to please.
Pinz
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