SORRY ON THE LARGE IMAGE, IT WAS THE BEE'S FAULT.....;o)
Judge seals autopsy report on Peterson and unborn son
By JOHN COTÉ
BEE STAFF WRITER
Published: May 16, 2003, 06:16:50 AM PDT
At the request of prosecutors and defense attorneys, a judge sealed the completed autopsy reports for Laci Peterson and her unborn son Thursday.
"What we're trying to do is protect the defendant's right to a fair trial," Chief Deputy District Attorney John Goold said. "That's our major concern, the case itself. Nobody wants to see this stuff splashed across the Internet."
Court documents filed Thursday indicated that neither side had received the reports.
A statement from the Contra Costa County coroner's office said the reports would be delivered to the Stanislaus County district attorney's office within the "next few days."
The reports were completed earlier than expected, and Contra Costa officials were preparing to release them Thursday afternoon, Stanislaus County prosecutors said.
Prosecutors requested that the coroner withhold the documents until "further investigation" could be completed, Stanislaus County Superior Court documents show.
"We don't have a legal right to withhold these documents without a court order," said Jimmy Lee, a spokesman for the Contra Costa Sheriff's Department. "We have to follow the law."
Thursday morning, Judge Al Girolami ordered the reports conditionally sealed, pending a May 27 hearing on the matter. He also directed the coroner's office to provide the report to prosecutors, who would give a copy to the defense.
Girolami also ordered the remains held at the Contra Costa coroner's office until further notice.
Papers' challenge to be heard
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