Attorney McAllister
Posted on 05/02/2003 5:48:38 AM PDT by runningbear
Former Attorney Says Defense Is 'Strong'
Kirk McAllister Is Protecting Key Witnesses
Attorney McAllister
Former Attorney Says Defense Is 'Strong'
Kirk McAllister Is Protecting Key Witnesses
Karen Brown
POSTED: 10:25 p.m. PDT May 1, 2003
UPDATED: 10:58 p.m. PDT May 1, 2003
MODESTO, Calif. -- Scott Peterson's former attorney says he has some powerful evidence that will help defend Peterson against charges that he murdered his wife, Laci, and his unborn son.
Scott Peterson's original attorney, Kirk McAllister (pictured left) said his office has uncovered evidence that will exonerate Peterson -- evidence that will be turned over to his new attorney. Defense sources say the new attorney will be Mark Garagos, NBC11's Karen Brown reported.
To send condolences Laci Case(my insert)
Condolences:
1508 Coffee Road
Suite H
Modesto, CA 95355
McAllister told NBC11 that the defense's case is "strong."
When asked why, he said, "because we investigated it instead of calling press conferences like the police did."
The key to Peterson's defense will be the testimony of witnesses uncovered by McAllister, witnesses he says need to be protected, Brown reported.
"I'm protecting witnesses, because I have concerns for them if I go public," he said.
According to defense sources, Los Angeles attorney Mark Garagos -- who has represented high-profile clients like Winona Ryder -- will take over the case Friday morning.
The current public defender says getting Garagos will only strengthen Peterson's defense.
"I think he's going to do a great job," said Kent Faulkner, the deputy public defender. "He's got the resources. He's got the knowledge. He's got the connections. I think it'll change the landscape of the way the case is tried."
Meanwhile, the District Attorney's office issued a statement saying, "We treat all cases as the case needs to be treated. Who the defense attorney is, is not going to change what we do."
In the meantime, Laci Peterson's family is busy preparing for the memorial that will take place Sunday at the First Baptist Church in Modesto.
Scott Peterson has not made an official request to attend that memorial, but the sheriff here says if that request is made, he'll deny it, Brown reported. Sign-up For Breaking News E-mail Alerts Copyright 2003 by NBC11.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast,
Public defender says he believes Geragos will assist Peterson
EXCERPTED:
Public defender says he believes Geragos will assist Peterson
By JOHN COTÉ
BEE STAFF WRITER
Published: May 2, 2003, 05:11:14 AM PDT
Stanislaus County Public Defender Tim Bazar said he expects Los Angeles attorney Mark Geragos to step in today to defend Scott Peterson, who is charged with murdering his wife and unborn son.
"I do anticipate that he is going to come in on the case,"
Bazar said Thursday afternoon. "But I've got to hear it from the judge."
Peterson, 30, is charged with two counts of murder in the deaths of his wife, Laci, and their unborn son, Conner.
Superior Court Judge Nancy Ashley appointed the public defender to the case last week. A hearing scheduled for 8:30 a.m. today before Judge Al Girolami is designated for substitution of counsel.
If Geragos steps in, the public defender's office would turn over the case completely
Bazar said.
"It's just not appropriate for a county agency to take a secondary role," Bazar said. "We wouldn't be in a position to actually control the course of the case."
Bazar said his office has canceled one contract extended to a potential expert, and ceased efforts to retain other experts and investigators.
"I don't think it'd be prudent to spend county money on a case where it appears we would be off the case in a matter of hours," Bazar said.
Geragos said Wednesday on the CNN program "Larry King Live" that he would make a decision on the case Thursday. But Geragos did not return calls Thursday.
In Modesto on Tuesday, Geragos met with Peterson and representatives of the public defender's office.
LA lawyer expected to take case
Laci Peterson
LA lawyer expected to take case
By JOHN COTÉ
BEE STAFF WRITER
Published: May 2, 2003, 05:11:44 AM PDT
About 3,000 people are ex-pected to attend a Sunday afternoon memorial service for Laci Peterson, the Modesto woman whose remains were found last month along the eastern shore of San Francisco Bay.
That turnout would be more than double the estimated 1,200 people who nearly a year ago paid their respects to Chandra Levy, a Modesto woman whose disappearance, like Peterson's, gripped the nation.
The 24-year-old Levy was the subject of a major search and intense media coverage after she disappeared in 2001 in Washington, D.C., where she had just completed a federal internship. Her remains were found almost 13 months later in a District of Columbia park.
The body of Peterson's unborn son, Conner, washed ashore about a mile from his mother's body. Scott Peterson, 30, has pleaded not guilty to two counts of murder in the slayings of his wife and son. He faces the death penalty.
The memorial service is set to take place on what would have been Laci Peterson's 28th birthday.
"The family wanted it to be on her birthday," spokeswoman Kim Petersen said.
Family and friends are slated to speak at the memorial service, which will include a video tribute, choir performance and other music.
"There will be songs that were some of Laci's favorites and ones that had a lot of meaning to the family," Petersen said.
The memorial service is set to start at 3 p.m. at First Baptist Church, and is expected to last an hour.
Streets near the large church generally are closed for Sunday services, but there will be more closures this week, and they will be longer, police said.
The city will have 17 officers on duty around the church Sunday, Lt. Gary Watts said. Four will be working overtime, and another four will be reserves.
The extra police were required because several scheduled officers already are assigned to other events on the Cinco de Mayo weekend, he said. The city will absorb the approximately $1,200 extra cost, Watts said.
(Excerpt) Read more at nbc11.com ...
Good to see you too! Asking for room service eh? That doesn't surprise me. I still get a kick out of inmates blaming the officer for not waking them up when they're late for programs. I say to them: "Sorry, but this isn't the Holiday Inn. We don't do wake-up calls."
BINGO!! And that is what the prosecution will ask as well!!
But when you watch these pundits, watch the body language as they talk, they say one thing, the body language does another. Not all believe MG is taking the right card here.
His aim, to convince the jury that his client is either guilty, not guilty, or no proof, or ??? He just needs to get there, and doesn't care as long as he is in the legal rhelm...(just my opinions)
LOL...listen to re airing of Peterson case on MSNBC, Gloria Allred is on. She slips and calls Susan McDougal, Susan Mcdodo...ah...Mcdougal....lol...
Any potential sighting of Lacy on the 24th is meaningless in that it does not exonerate Scott. The only thing it does is cast doubt on the time of desth theory.
There are always eye witnesses that claim to see people and later it is proven they were dead at that time. I also do not believe the Mitchells in this instance. If this is all Geragos has then Scott is in very deep trouble. as I believe he should be. Watch for the defense to try and seat the least educated jury they can. Much like O.J.
These defense attorneys are something else. They will say anything to win and do not give a hoot about the accused getting a fair trial. It's all about them. They are a narcissistic, despicable breed apart. No wonder they stick together!
Speaking of the Skakel trial, that one did a lot of good in helping to restore some of my faith in the justice system. The best and only real evidence was not forensics but simple logic. The jury recognized that the one and only reason Skakel would change his story and come up with the ridiculous "masturbating in the tree" statement was because he was guilty. A lame attempt to explain away the possibility of his DNA being at the scene. That was an intelligent jury. Scott's goose is cooked if we get one here.
The prosecution needs to put up a statisticion to point out the absolute incredible and miniscule odds of Lacy being found 80 miles from her home near the exact spot Scott said he was that day. A coincidence way too far fetched to be believed. Combine that with the affair, the cement mixing, the unaccounted 50 pound drum and weights, the neighbor that saw him with what looked like a tarp, the life insurance, change of appearance, the sudden boat purchase, etc. and with a smart jury he's toast.
Intelligent people look at too many coincidences for what they are, as much evidence of guilt as DNA or forensics. I knew O.J. was guilty as soon as I heard the limo driver's testimony and saw the cuts on his hands. Already too much coincidence for me.
"I'm protecting witnesses, because I have concerns for them if I go public," he said.
When some lawyer scumbag says he has "new evidence" in a case like this, it means he's going to come out with some outlandish theory slandering Laci, like tying her to drug dealers (isn't that what those creeps did to Nicole Brown Simpson?)
OH GOD! Please get that quote right! It was, "laci knew about the affair, and well...it wasn't something she was ok with or anything but it wasn't going to break....."
I heard on that Primetime special that was shown recently that the police DID go into the home when they responded to the phone call. also, if they did NOT enter how'd they smell the bleach?
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