Laci Peterson family seeks items from home

The Fresno Bee ^ | Published Thursday, May 29, 2003, 4:15 AM | John Cote'

[runningbear]

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.

By John Coté
The Modesto Bee

(Published Thursday, May 29, 2003, 4:15 AM)

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.

Defense attorneys have a Friday deadline to file a motion on the wiretap issue.

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Laci Peterson's Family Hires Lawyers to Collect Mementos

Laci Peterson's Family Hires Lawyers to Collect Mementos

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."

Copyright © 2003 KABC-TV and the Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Last Updated: May 28, 2003

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DEFENSE LAWYER TO GET PETERSON PHONE LOGS

DEFENSE LAWYER TO GET PETERSON PHONE LOGS

(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.

"Our requirement is to not listen in on privileged phone calls," Goold said.

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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Another Peterson trial

Nurse becomes seventh member of Peterson jury

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[RightWingMama]

I can't get used to living in a world where I look forward to hearing Geoffrey Feiger.

LOL! I know exactly what you mean.

[Devil_Anse]

Good! As the commercial says, "There's always room for Velveeta!"

(What? Isn't that what the commercial says?)

[runningbear]

Do you think JimRob got that memo? ;o)

[Devil_Anse]

LOL! Stop that!

[runningbear]

Ah, not sure how I got to do what I do, but learned from the pros, and watch liability... lol...

[uvular]

Get ready, gals, he's up next on Greta!

Gloria Allred said Amber will do nothing for $, focused on private life and giving testimony.

[Devil_Anse]

LOL! Scott seemed to want to see her nude! (But we know she would not have allowed that until after marriage!)

I think they should post nudie pictures of Amber all over the inside of Scott's cell--juxtaposed with the autopsy pictures.

[fiesti]

Gloria Allred denies that Playboy has been in contact with her or Amber

[runningbear]

wow. I hope so... I also hope maybe Sharon or Amy may find something(s) else.... Sad what the Peterson resorted to! Thanks for the update...

[Devil_Anse]

Good idea. Because now, seeing Geraldo on O'Reilly, we hear that it may have been "fishing line". And we hear that it may well have just been marine trash which got entangled around the baby due to his floating in the water.

[Canadian Outrage]

Hi guys, I have been SOOOOO busy in our Law Office. Please sorta get me up to date for today. I don't have time to read the whole thread. I read that bit above about how Scott treated Laci. Doesn't surprise me at all. Just look at the look on his face in pretty much ALL of the pictures. He's a perfect psychopathic Sh-thead!!

[An American In Dairyland]

>>I don't know what you were doing, but you were not "thinking" --- imagining, maybe, but definitely not "thinking" as in "reasoning." I've read some stupid posts, but yours' has floored me. Obviously, you neglect to read the comments posted by others! <<

I have had no prior direct contact with you. Your remarks are out of line. Below this box I am typing in is the following comment from FreeRepublic:

"NO personal attacks"

What you said about me above is nothing BUT a personal attack. Consider yourself reported.

[Devil_Anse]

ROFL!!! Some people just HAVE to find fault with the wine! Ask 'em what kind of cheese they have with their wine in heaven!

My grandmother drank a small glass of port every evening before going to bed. She lived to be 98.

[runningbear]

they better not give him that viagra, or bubba might show up... LOL....What a sight to see...second thought, NOT!!! ;o)

[Canadian Outrage]

Too bad for Maldano (sp) because ALL of Laci's friends said that on the 14th she was having trouble breathing and her ankles were swollen. there is NO WAY she took that walk. He's a camera hungry POS. The exact things that the Geragos slime are looking for or should I say advertising for?!!

[runningbear]

bookmarking....

[Canadian Outrage]

fiesti - please tell me about the tape>> I never heard it. I will catch the second showing of LKL tho.

[Devil_Anse]

Yes, Geraldo is definitely singing a different tune all of a sudden. He sounded like a shill for the prosecution this time. That's fine with me, since the prosecution probably needs a voice about now.

It's easy for them to say Geragos didn't "personally" do this or that. Because he probably personally does very little regarding this case. But it's probable that he's set the wheels in motion for all the apocryphal stories, such as the ludicrous "satanic cult" story. It's just the Clintonian method in action. The top guy doesn't put his hand into the actual dirt-spreading. That way he can keep his "plausible deniability."

And a few of the stories may actually not have come from the Geragos camp at all. Tough luck if he is blamed for them. If he hadn't been throwing out all sorts of garbage, people wouldn't think that about him.

[Velveeta]

I wouldn't know, I watched TV once and it didn't work out to be an event in my favor.

[uvular]

Did you see the 'path' to the park shown earlier this week on Greta? I wouldn't go down that in the best of health!