Peterson defense enters fifth day of questioning

KESQ ^ | 10/28/04

[runningbear]

Peterson defense enters fifth day of questioning

REDWOOD CITY, Calif. Scott Peterson spent his 32nd birthday in jail over the weekend as his double murder trial nears an end.

Peterson's attorneys were to begin their fifth day of calling witnesses on Monday, a day after his birthday.

Last week, attorneys for the former fertilizer salesman suffered a blow when prosecutors attacked testimony from an expert who estimated when Laci Peterson's fetus died.

The age of the fetus is crucial to the case.

Prosecutors claim it was expelled dead from Laci's corpse, while defense lawyers maintain it was born after she ........

[runningbear]

MORE FOR THE START OF TODAY'S TRIAL:

Prosecution whips weak-kneed witness

can't be a good thing when legal pundits are describing one of your most important witnesses as having had a ``nuclear meltdown'' on the stand, or looking like a fidgety ``mad scientist'' when his hair flopped into his eyes, or, in effect, asking for the prosecution to cut him some slack.

In fact, for Scott Peterson, it might be the absolute worst thing.

A strong argument could be made that prosecutor Dave Harris' scathing cross-examination of fertility specialist Charles March might be the high point of the prosecution case. It was widely anticipated that defense lawyer Mark Geragos would put an expert on the stand to undercut the prosecution's contention that the Petersons' fetus died on or around Dec. 24 -- the same time police believe Peterson killed his wife, Laci Peterson.

Everything seemed to be going well, with March saying he believed based on the evidence that Conner died around Dec. 29, which would almost certainly mean Peterson couldn't be the killer, since he was under constant watch by police .......

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Defense Expert: Laci Peterson Son Conner Died Days After Laci Did

Redwood City, CA (LifeNews.com) -- An expert testified for the defense in the Scott Peterson double murder trial on Thursday, telling jurors that Laci's son Conner died four or five days after she was abducted.

Previous testimony from a prosecution expert said the child died the day of or the day before her disappearance on December 24, 2002.

Dr. Charles March, and obstetrician, said that the previous witness had miscalculated the due date of Conner Peterson. However, under cross-examination, he admitted that his own analysis was based on assumptions.

Laci had called her friend Renee Tomlinson on June 9, 2002, the day after she had thrown Tomlinson's baby shower, to tell her she was herself pregnant.

March said that in his experience a woman would have announced her pregnancy at her friend's shower, so he assumed Laci found out she was pregnant June 9. He also said he assumed that June 9 was the first possible day she could have detected the pregnancy with ........

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Judge throws jurors together
Sequestration could greatly reduce chance of a hung jury, several commentators claim

REDWOOD CITY — No news. No going home to family. Just hours spent deliberating a man's fate. Then you're shuttled to a hotel, where you eat with the same 11 people, go to bed and start all over again the next day.

"Their entire lives will be about this trial," former San Francisco prosecutor James Hammer said after the judge in Scott Peterson's murder case announced that he would sequester the jury during deliberations.

"There's not going to be a break from the intensity of this experience," Hammer said.

That's part of the judge's plan, according to legal analysts, who said sequestering the jury will make deliberations more focused. It also will protect a potential conviction from attack on appeal by minimizing opportunities for the jury to ........

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SCOTT JUDGE TWIST

October 25, 2004 -- REDWOOD CITY, Calif. — The judge in the Scott Peterson trial plans to offer jurors the option of convicting Peterson of second-degree murder, which the defense opposes, The Post has learned.

San Mateo Superior Court Judge Al Delucchi will decide the matter on Friday, as part of a hearing with attorneys to determine the jury instructions he will recite the following week.

Defense attorney Mark Geragos will vigorously oppose the instruction, which enables jurors to convict Peterson of murder without finding the crime was premeditated.

"This is huge because you can see the jury taking the easy way out," said Jim Hammer, former head of the homicide unit in the San Francisco District Attorney's office. "Jurors love to compromise and this gives them a compromise."

Another interesting potential outcome: The jury could convict Peterson of the second-degree murder of Laci Peterson and the first-degree murder of Conner Peterson.

"The jury could conclude he didn't premeditate [murdering] Laci, but he killed her, and instead of calling 911 to save the baby, he instead goes about disposing of the body — that's premeditation and deliberation," suggested ........

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More defense witnesses take the stand in Scott Peterson's murder trial

REDWOOD CITY, Calif. More defense witnesses are scheduled to take the stand today in Scott Peterson's double-murder trial.

Peterson's attorney Mark Geragos is expected to present the forensic expert who examined the remains of Laci Peterson and her baby. They were found in the San Francisco Bay four months after Laci Peterson disappeared.

Geragos also is expected to call law enforcement officials in an attempt to show that Scott Peterson was targeted as the prime suspect early in the case while other leads were ignored.........

[runningbear]

PINGING........

[runningbear]

PINGING........

[runningbear]

PINGING........

[blondee123]

Thanks for the ping RB. It's getting interesting again!

[Tijeras_Slim]

Happy Birthday Scotty!

[mombonn]

March said that in his experience a woman would have announced her pregnancy at her friend's shower . . .

Only a very selfish woman would do that.

[oceanperch]

Let's Play Hangman.





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[Sacajaweau]

Most women I know don't announce to the world that they are pregnant until a little time passes. They do tell their husband, their best friend and call the doctor for an appointment.

When did Laci first call her doctor and had she missed a menstrual cycle. That should all be in the doctor's records.

The fact remains that the umbilical chord was still attached and the bodies wound up in the same area which was Scott's big fat alibi......

His alibi was the ONLY tale that was absolutely provable.

The why's of all his other stories are not. Why did he wash his clothes immediately? Why did he never mention the boat? Why did he continue with Amber? Why did he go to the Bay several times after saying that they were wasting 82 investigators on searching: "She's not there", said Scott.

Scott: Me thinkest thou protest too much.

[Constitution Day]

Maybe Scott was part of some Blue Öyster Cult...

[Jackie-O]

Sweet! That one was perfect TS!!!

[fiesti]

Wonder if when the verdict is given "Guilty with premediation x2" Scott will throw himself to the floor and crying " Ma ma they lieing on me" throwing a real temper tantrum. LOL at least we would have it on camera

[MEG33]

I heard on Fox the defense has added 12 witnesses..including Amber's "handler" officer.

[Canadian Outrage]

Well Detective Beuhler, Amber's handler, is a very good witness. Geragos is going to hang himself yet!! The guy's ego is bruised. He just doesn't know when to quit.

[Jackie-O]

I had a feeling that MG would do something to drag this case out longer that the Judge had proposed to the Jury last week. There is a Juror that is asking off for medical reasons that cannot wait much longer. (surgery?)
So now all of a sudden MG adds 12 witnesses??
The Juror that is looking to go home is reported to be pro-Pros. The replacement Juror is thought to be leaning towards the Defense....IMO this is just a ploy from Geragroid.

[MEG33]

I would not doubt it....I think putting on Buehler to say he did not monitor every call ,etc..will just anger the jury.

[Sacajaweau]

I agree. The jury didn't hear ALL the tapes to start with and some evidence (like the viagara in the getaway car) was not given to the jury.

To say they left out various tapes means nothing. Would additional tapes change anything IN the tapes played IN FAVOR OF Scott? Don't see how.

The tapes just show that he continued on with Amber, wooing her with more lies and stabalize the fact that Scott didn't give a damn that Laci and Connor were dead. He wanted to get on with Plan B...figuring out how to keep Amber from going to the cops, continue with his Prince Charming Fantasy and collect all the monies and jewelry, sell the house and leave.

He must have been stunned when Amber showed up on TV (I don't think he knew beforehand) but HAD TO keep in touch with her to know where she was and anticipate what she was going to do. I do think that perhaps her coming forth saved her life.

Another thing: Scott told Amber that Christmas would be the first holiday since he "lost" his wife. That was about Dec 6th. Thanksgiving was November 28th. So that would mean Laci would have died within the last week according to Scott's story.

[Searching4Justice]

I think putting on Buehler to say he did not monitor every call ,etc..will just anger the jury

I think Hollywood Mark needs Ferris Buehler to get him out of this jam....he wants to delay now so the Jury will forget this last clown.

[MEG33]

Jackie Peterson just took the stand!

[runningbear]

did you get the www.ktvu.com on Jackie Peterson's testimony? What!!! I can't believe they can say this up on the stand and think that is true!