Laci Peterson family seeks items from home

Laci Peterson family seeks items from home
Relatives hire lawyers to retrieve wedding dress, baby crib, other personal belongings.

MODESTO -- Laci Peterson's family has hired attorneys in an attempt to retrieve her wedding dress, a baby crib and other personal items from her Modesto home, according to a statement released Wednesday.

In the murder case against her husband, court documents made available Wednesday assert the defense team's contention that investigators violated the law by monitoring privileged communications and that Deputy District Attorney Rick Distaso "misled" defense attorneys and the judge about it. Scott Peterson, 30, has pleaded not guilty to two counts of murder in the deaths of his 27-year-old wife and their unborn son, Conner.

Scott Peterson's parents and his attorney have prevented his wife's family from entering the couple's Covena Avenue home and retrieving personal items, according to the statement from attorneys Adam J. Stewart and Albert G. Clark.

The statement came with a 22-point list of items that family members want, including Laci's diplomas and journals, and a watering can that says "Laci's Garden." But family members said that being inside the home that Laci decorated and lived in was more important than retrieving personal items.

According to the statement, lead defense attorney Mark Geragos wrote a letter in response to the request for access. The Laci Peterson family attorneys, in their statement, say that Geragos said it would be "unthinkable to allow anything to be moved or disposed of" until his team had completed its investigation.

Meanwhile, the newly available court documents show that defense attorneys have requested a closed hearing to question prosecutors about wiretaps used to intercept calls between Scott Peterson and his defense team.

The defense drafted the documents before Superior Court Judge Al Girolami on Tuesday ordered prosecutors to turn over "all calls intercepted involving defense counsel or the defense investigator." Also, the defense has asked for a transcript of a Jan. 17 wiretap discussion among Judge Wray Ladine, prosecutors and investigators, the documents reveal.

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MODESTO — A Modesto law firm says it has been hired to help Laci Peterson's family visit their daughter's house and collect her wedding dress, jewelry and other mementos.

Lawyers Adam Stewart and Albert Clark say they were hired after Scott Peterson's family prevented his in-laws from entering the house the couple shared before Laci Peterson vanished just before Christmas.

Scott Peterson has pleaded innocent to murdering his wife and unborn son. The remains of the 27-year-old pregnant substitute teacher and the infant they planned to name Conner were found on the shore of San Francisco Bay last month.

Defense lawyer Mark Geragos says he has worked out an agreement to let Laci Peterson's family visit the house and remove her journals, a food processor and a watering can that said "Laci's Garden."

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(05-27-2003) - The judge overseeing the murder case of Scott Peterson ordered Tuesday that police records of telephone calls made between Peterson and his lawyer and investigator be turned over to his new defense attorney.

Prosecutors had not contested the release of the conversations, which they said they had not heard or seen and had ordered sealed when they realized police investigators had been listening to or recording calls.

At least two of the 69 calls between Peterson and Modesto attorney Kirk McAllister were included in the widespread monitoring that also taped Peterson's calls with reporters. Police also listened in on a call between Peterson and a private investigator.

Peterson's new attorney, Mark Geragos, said he expected to receive the police records Tuesday afternoon.

"Once we see exactly what was taped, we'll file the appropriate motions," the Los Angeles attorney said.

Peterson, 30, is accused of killing his pregnant wife, Laci Peterson, and unborn son, Conner, last Dec. 23 or 24. Stanislaus County prosecutors plan to seek the death penalty.

Peterson, arrested April 18, maintains his innocence, saying he last saw his wife when he left for a Christmas Eve fishing trip.

Stanislaus County prosecutors this month notified McAllister, private investigator Gary Ermoian and 64 other people that their conversations were intercepted from Jan. 10 to Feb. 4 under a court-ordered wiretap to gather evidence in the Peterson investigation.

Police are not supposed to listen to talks between attorneys and their clients, which are considered privileged conversations. McAllister said earlier this year he was skeptical of claims that police recording equipment was turned off when it became clear that Peterson was talking with his lawyer.

But John Goold, a chief deputy district attorney for Stanislaus County, told reporters Tuesday that prosecutors have never seen or heard anything from the Peterson-McAllister calls monitored by police.

Also Tuesday, Judge Al Girolami said he was also considering a gag order on lawyers in the case to prevent leaks fueling news stories, and indicated he would wait until July to decide whether to unseal court records reporters are seeking.

Girolami said he would rule by the end of the week whether to unseal police reports and arrest warrants, as well as autopsy results of Laci Peterson and her unborn son.

But the Modesto judge told Charity Kenyon, a Sacramento lawyer representing The Modesto Bee and four other California newspapers, that he would most likely order that the documents remain impounded until a July 15 preliminary hearing, held to determine whether Peterson should go to trial.

Girolami wondered aloud, given the great amount of publicity in the case, whether 12 fair jurors could be found anywhere in California if the information was unsealed.

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June 10The NE

CRUEL SCOTT ABUSED LACI

By Michael Hanrahan, David Wright and Don Gentile

synopsis

Laci's smile hid a tragic secret: Her cold hearted husband Scott cruelly abused her and flagrantly cheated on her with a series of other women.

"Scott would be sweet to Laci in public, but when he was alone with her, he was an SOB. He continually abused her," friends revealed.

When he raged at Laci, Scott got physically violent with his petite wife.

"One time, before she was pregnant, Scott shoved her into a wall," the friend said.

"Scott was a monster to her. He told her she was stupid, that she was fat, that she was ugly. He would tell her he met other women who were attracted to him and that they were prettier than she was."

Scott admits Laci knew about Amber, but friends say she knew about other women as well. Scott did not bother to hide his infidelities from Laci, which devastated her, sources say.

He had a long history of cheating the NE has learned. He was already running around on Laci in 1996 while they attended classes at Calif. Poly Tech. in San Luis Obispo.

Scott had a job in the pro shop at the Morro Bay Golf Club and co-workers watched with growing anger as the handsome young college student carried on with other lovers- all while pledging his love to his unsuspecting fiancee.

"He was a brazen womanizer," one former colleague told the NE. "He would pick up a girl at the drop of a hat, and it was common knowledge that he was having affairs with them. Everyone felt sorry for Laci."

"When Laci was around he would act madly in love with her., so attentive and lovey-dovey." But when she was out of sight no girl was safe from Scott's advances. "He was such a jerk." He had a huge ego and loved no one but himself."

During their marriage Scott would take off on business trips, not telling Laci where he was going or how long he would be gone.

"Laci was convinced that Scott no longer loved her as much as she loved him," the friend said. "She knew about alot of women but didn't know their names."

Then just befor Christmas , Laci found out about Scott's affair with Amber Frey.

"A few days before she was killed, Laci found a picture of Scott and Amber," a family insider said. "She told friends it was almost as if Scott deliberately wanted her to find the picture. "She didn't want to ruin Christmas for her family, so she didn"t tell them about his infidelity."

"Behind closed doors of their little house in Modesto, Scott made life a living hell for Laci", insiders say. He was a demanding and self-centered husband who believed his wife should wait on him hand and foot- and he was never satisfied." "He'd come home and get all worked up if his dinner wasn't ready to be served," said the family insider. "He treated Laci like a servant."

"Scott's lavish spending was another source of trouble within the marriage," the friend said. "Scott wanted people to think he was a millionaire. Laci complained about him spending $25,000 for his golf membership in the Del Rio Country Club on Dec.1, 2002. Laci didn't know where the money was coming from. "When he bought the boat on Dec.12, she didn't know about it for several days." She said, "He treats himself better than he treats me."

Her husband cheating on her and his non-stop abuse began to take a toll on Laci. The bubbly, confident young woman gradually lost faith in herself, Laci's friend revealed. "At the beginning Laci was so happy about the pregnancy. She beamed with delight, determinded to be the best mother any woman could be, but as months passed, Laci was becoming increasingly unsure that she would be a great mother. "But she was always the optimist and she put up with the abuse because she hoped it would all change." She wanted her child and she really wanted to believe that their marriage would get stronger and the abuse would pass.

"It never did."

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