Posted on 10/20/2004 5:27:39 AM PDT by runningbear
Will Scott Peterson Take the Stand?
Scott Peterson has taken part in mock cross-examinations by a former California prosecutor in an apparent attempt to determine if he should testify in his on defense in his double-murder trial for the deaths of his pregnant wife, Laci Peterson.
Michael Cardoza, a former Alameda County prosecutor, told The Modesto Bee that he twice conducted mock cross-examinations of Peterson last week in the San Mateo County jail in sessions that lasted for hours.
Lead attorney Mark Geragos observed the sessions, but did not ask for a recommendation on whether Peterson should testify, Cardoza said. "I’m not recommending anything," Cardoza said.
Meanwhile, the defense opened its case in the trial by calling a expert on concrete who testified that concrete from the side of Peterson's driveway was consistent with the concrete Peterson used to make an anchor for his boat.......
Media 'analyst' helping prep Peterson will possibly testify
REDWOOD CITY — Throughout Scott Peterson's murder trial, attorney-slash-legal analyst Michael Cardoza has never met a mike he didn't like.
He's been a regular on NBC's "Today," CNN's "Larry King Live" and other network gabfests. He's been among the bevy of legal eagles who flock to Sound Bite City, the media tent outside the San Mateo County Courthouse, to put their spin on the trial during every court recess.
But instead of dissecting the prosecution's approach — as he has done regularly since June — Cardoza now finds himself embroiled in a controversy that puts in question his credibility as an analyst for the remainder of this case.
As recently as Sunday, Cardoza portrayed a prosecutor in a mock cross-examination — actually questioning Peterson in jail. Cardoza did so at the invitation of Mark Geragos, Peterson's lead attorney. These practice sessions totaled several hours and were done, Cardoza said, in the event "that (Peterson) might actually testify." Chances of Peterson taking the stand are just slightly better, say, by a nose, than of Seabiscuit's coming back from the grave to win again at Bay Meadows.
Still, it's common for defense attorneys to conduct mock trials to see how their clients would hold up under questioning, Cardoza told the media. And he cited attorneys who did the same during the O.J. Simpson trial. But he couldn't name any cases where the practice prosecutor also was a practicing media legal analyst for the same trial..........
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LACI 'WORTH MORE ALIVE' TO SCOTT
October 20, 2004 -- REDWOOD CITY, Calif. — Laci and Conner Peterson were worth much more to Scott Peterson alive than dead, an accountant testified for the defense yesterday.
Laci had $160,000 and a bounty of jewelry coming from the sale of her grandmother's house, said accountant Martin Laffer, adding that the dimply, 27-year-old substitute teacher was in line for a third of her grandparents' $2.4 million estate when she turned 30. ........
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WHAT'S NEXT
Philipps' testimony will resume today........
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Petersons were well off, financial analyst says
By Jason Dearen, STAFF WRITER
REDWOOD CITY -- Scott Peterson would not have profited from the death of his pregnant wife and his finances were in good shape, a financial analyst called by the defense testified Monday in Peterson's double-murder trial.
The much-awaited defense of Peterson began slowly and methodically Monday morning as defense attorney Mark Geragos and prosecutor David Harris wrangled over the composition of a concrete sample from Peterson's driveway.
But the defense case picked up in the afternoon as Geragos took aim at other areas of the prosecution's case.
Throughout the 4 1/2-month trial, prosecutors Rick Distaso and David Harris have presented witnesses who testified that Peterson was under intense financial pressures and that his business was failing due to poor management.
But Martin Laffer, a certified public accountant and former IRS fraud investigator called by the defense, said prosecutors have it all wrong. .......
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Juror's note aids cross-examination of money expert in Scott Peterson trial
REDWOOD CITY (Court TV) — A prosecutor cross-examining a defense expert who claims Scott Peterson (news - web sites) had no money problems got unexpected help Tuesday from the jury box.
Prosecutor Dave Harris was questioning forensic accountant Martin Laffer about the double-murder defendant's finances when a male juror in the front row passed a note through a court officer to Judge Alfred Delucchi........
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Clothing discovered near Laci not tested
REDWOOD CITY -- A dog trained to find the scent of corpses was "alerted" by pieces of clothing wedged between rocks near Laci Peterson's remains -- but authorities never had the materials tested for forensic evidence, testimony revealed Tuesday in Scott Peterson's double-murder trial.
In Mark Geragos' second day of presenting the defense's case, he called East Bay Regional Park police officer Timothy Philipps, the first officer to arrive at the site where Laci's remains were found in April 2003.
Philipps testified that a cadaver dog searching for clues found the clothing in an area just north of Laci's decomposed body. Geragos argues that the lack of testing shows that police had already made up their minds about Peterson's guilt.
But Philipps' testimony was cut short Tuesday after the judge excused the jury because an alternate became sick with influenza. .........
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Ill juror prompts early recess
JUDGE HOPES FLU HASN'T HIT ALTERNATE, OTHERS
The judge presiding over Scott Peterson's double-murder trial sent everyone home early on Tuesday, when an alternate juror fell ill.
``If the flu spread to other jurors,'' Judge Alfred Delucchi said, ``I'd really be in a pickle.''
The alternate juror held her hand over her mouth as she left the courtroom just before noon. And that was before the witness on the stand -- an East Bay Regional Parks officer -- had a chance to testify about the ``smell of decomposition'' he apparently whiffed on a tarp found near Laci Peterson's body.
The murder trial, which is in its fifth month in Redwood City, is in its home stretch. After the prosecution rested its case, the defense started its case -- expected to last two to three weeks -- on Monday. Closing arguments ..........
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REDWOOD CITY — Scott Peterson's oft-interrupted double-murder trial produced only 70 minutes of testimony Tuesday before an alternate juror fell ill, prompting the judge to call another delay.
"We're concerned if the flu will spread to other jurors, then we'll really be in a pickle," Judge Alfred Delucchi said on what turned out to be a short second day of defense testimony in the four-month-plus trial.
The judge is trying to stick to a schedule that would have jurors begin to deliberate Nov. 3. The trial has been delayed four times, each lasting two to three days.
Delucchi directed jurors to return an hour later than usual today. Sources said the judge needs the extra time to work through a dispute over recordings agents made of Peterson's phone calls before his arrest in April 2003...........
I wonder if Greta van Susteren will talk about this tonight!
PINGING.......
PINGING.......
PINGING.......
Yeah, I saw that! Those shows are so stupid--all they do is interrupt each other when they're talking. I get so sick of the way they cut people off. Or, some of the interviewers do nothing but interview themselves. Chris Matthews and Sean Hannity are two that do this.
I've said it before, but... all most of us want is just to get the occasional fact about whatever subject we're interested in. And they make us wade through all the other garbage to get it.
Today, hopefully a better day... but the trial seems to linger.... and take the zap out of a bang..
Oops! Geragos hasn't proved a bang yet!!!!
Did you watch Greta's show last night? That's about all they talked about ... !
Stopped watching Greta a long time ago. If I hear about Scott Peterson on FNC in the middle of this crucial election one more time, I'll likely flip out.
Never gonna happen. Gerragos is too good a laywer to put his client on the stand - especially since the prosecution only has a circumstantial case.
Did you see it? On either LKL or Greta VS last night, they said Juror 8 passed a question to the judge during the cross of Geragos' finance guy. The guy had testified that Scott and Laci had "$2000 of disposable income" each month--meaning, apparently, that that was what was left after they'd paid their monthly expenses. The question, which was passed by Delucci to the prosecutors, and which the prosecutors asked, was, "But how much did they have left after taxes?" Answer: about $700. What a difference.
Wire the stand and pump about 1000 amps throught him.
Is this news? Why waste time with this story? Are all of you morbid or something? What a waste of bandwidth! THIS IS NOT A NEWS STORY! </ sarcasm>
There. It's out of the way now. Nobody has to stop by unless they are interested...:-)
Ok, so can we assume Scott wasn't paying his quarterly business taxes?
Anybody from California, including this Juror #8, knows that you don't have $2000 of disposable income a month, or even $700 of disposable income a month on a salary of $65,000 when you live in CA in a nice home with a pool (or without a pool for that matter).
Juror #8 smells a rat.
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