Death certificates opened for Laci Peterson and son

Contra Costa Times ^ | Posted on Sat, Jun. 07, 2003 | Brian Anderson and Claire Booth

[runningbear]

Death certificates opened for Laci Peterson and son

Posted on Sat, Jun. 07, 2003

Death certificates opened for Laci Peterson and son

By Brian Anderson and Claire Booth
CONTRA COSTA TIMES

MODESTO - The Contra Costa County Coroner's Office could not determine a cause of death for Laci Peterson, but concluded that her son was born dead.

The coroner lists Peterson's manner of death as homicide. Death certificates for the 27-year-old and the son with whom she was eight months pregnant were made public late Friday.

A judge agreed earlier in the day to allow release of the documents, but kept sealed the results of the two autopsies.

During two hours of courtroom wrangling, Stanislaus County Superior Court Judge Al Girolami told Scott Peterson's defense lawyers and the prosecutors who have charged him with the murders of his wife and child that the report will remain sealed until a preliminary hearing.

The death certificates were filed in Contra Costa County on Friday. Signed April 21, they are the official record of Laci and Conner Peterson's deaths.

The filings do not mean the remains will be released to Laci Peterson's family. A court order requires the coroner's office to retain custody of the remains until told otherwise by a judge, said coroner's spokesman Jimmy Lee.

Laci Peterson's family does not know when that will be, said family spokeswoman Kim Petersen. "It's a very tough time for them," she said Friday.

The death certificates contain the time and place of death. For Laci Peterson, the coroner's office specifies the date she was found on the Richmond shoreline, April 14.

Conner Peterson was found a day earlier. That is specified on his fetal death certificate, along with where he was found along the Richmond shoreline. Fetal death certificates have no category for a cause of death. Conner's does specify that he was born dead.

Cable news station MSNBC reported last week that a leaked portion of the autopsy reports showed that Conner was found with 11/2 loops of tape around his neck.

Legal analysts have surmised the information could be used to back a defense theory that a satanic cult played a role in Laci Peterson's disappearance and slaying.

It also was widely believed that the defense team had a hand in leaking the autopsy to bolster its case with the public, an allegation attorney Mark Geragos adamantly denied.

The autopsy had been sealed May 15 at the request of both defense attorneys and prosecutors. After last week's leak, the Stanislaus County District Attorney's Office asked that the entire report be unsealed.

Deputy district attorney David Harris told Girolami on Friday the leaked details provided a "significant slant" in favor of the defense. "We can't discuss inaccuracies or accuracies without violating the court order," he said.

Girolami said the results will not be unsealed. "I don't think that releasing the report at this time is necessary. The mere fact that someone has leaked out part of the report does not justify releasing all of it."

In other matters, Girolami told lawyers for 22 reporters that a state law does not protect calls and conversations they placed to Scott Peterson. Authorities wiretapped Peterson's phone before his arrest and alerted journalists last month that they had been taped.

Scott Peterson, 30, was arrested April 18. His wife, who was eight months pregnant, vanished Dec. 23 or 24 from her Modesto home.

Peterson could be executed if convicted;..................................

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Autopsies Kept Sealed in Laci Peterson Case

Autopsies Kept Sealed in Laci Peterson Case

Fri June 6, 2003 07:19 PM ET

By Tim Wimborne
MODESTO, Calif. (Reuters) - A judge refused on Friday to make public graphic autopsy reports for Laci Peterson and her unborn son, rebuffing press efforts to unseal key documents in a murder case that has riveted the nation.

The parents of the 27-year-old substitute teacher left the Stanislaus County courtroom when Superior Court Judge Al Girolami began discussing whether to release the autopsy, grim details of which have already surfaced in media reports.

Laci's husband, Scott Peterson, 30, who is charged with two murders and could face the death penalty if convicted, has pleaded not guilty.

During the autopsy discussion, Peterson, who has shown little emotion during the proceedings, dabbed his eyes with a tissue and appeared grim-faced, swallowing hard several times.

"This is not about adverse publicity," Peterson's attorney Mark Geragos told the court in opposing the release of the autopsies. "I'm worried about my client's life."

Geragos has argued against releasing many of the documents in the case, saying that to do so would increase the already high public hostility toward his client.

Judge Girolami said leaks to the press of some details from the coroner's reports were not a justification to release the entire document. Prosecutors in the case had withdrawn their objections to the report's release.

The judge, however, refused to authorize a gag order on lawyers in the case and authorized the Contra Costa County coroner to prepare and release death certificates for Laci and her unborn son, that might list a cause of death.

Officials have not publicly stated how they believe Laci Peterson died, and have released few details of the case they have against Peterson.

WASHED ASHORE

The two decaying corpses washed out of San Francisco Bay in April, prompting Peterson's arrest. Coroners worked for weeks on the bodies, saying the advanced state of decomposition made their job especially difficult.

A law enforcement official told Reuters on Friday that plastic was wrapped in the area of the neck of the unborn baby when it was found along the Contra Costa high-tide shoreline, but said it could well have been from trash rather than a clue to the murder.

"There is a lot of junk in the sea, maybe that's what it is," the official said.

San Francisco television station KTVU quoted law enforcement sources on Friday as saying Laci Peterson may have been drugged with a so-called date rape drug to weaken her before being strangled........

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Media Won't Hear Scott Peterson Wiretaps

Media Won't Hear Scott Peterson Wiretaps
Judge Rejects Reporters' Requests to Hear Wiretaps of Husband in Laci Peterson Murder Case

The Associated Press

MODESTO, Calif. June 6 —

The judge in the Laci Peterson murder case on Friday rejected requests by reporters to listen to wiretaps of phone calls they made to Scott Peterson.

Attorneys representing 22 reporters had asked to review to tapes of their calls to Peterson so they could determine if they might be barred from becoming evidence.

The lawyers said those conversations were protected under the California Shield Law, which protects reporters from turning over unpublished work. They claimed the wiretaps are the same as journalists' notes.

But Stanislaus County Superior Court Judge Al Girolami said he did not think journalists were entitled to any privilege protecting their phone calls. He did, however, delay for 10 days the release of the tapes.

Girolami's ruling came during the first hour of a hearing in which he also set a June 19 date to rule on defense motions regarding wiretaps of Peterson's calls. The judge was also expected to begin considering a prosecution motion to unseal results of an autopsy on the bodies of Laci Peterson and her unborn son, Conner.

Scott Peterson's lawyers want the judge to dismiss the prosecutors assigned to the case and to toss out the results of two wiretaps that monitored thousands of Peterson's calls after the disappearance of his pregnant wife, Laci.

During the court-approved wiretaps, the first of which began two weeks after Laci Peterson vanished when investigators thought they had exhausted normal evidence-gathering techniques, police logged 3,858 phone calls made to her husband, according to court papers.

Some of those conversations will be questioned by defense lawyers, who claim police eavesdropped on protected conversations between Scott Peterson and his lawyer.

Girolami will also consider issuing a gag order to prevent evidence leaks in the case and he may decide whether to release autopsy results of Laci Peterson and her unborn son. Prosecutors have said they support some form of a gag order, while defense lawyer Mark Geragos said in court paper that he opposes any effort to curtail discussions about the case.

Peterson, 30, has pleaded innocent to two counts of murder for ....................

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Judge keeps documents sealed in Peterson case

Judge keeps documents sealed in Peterson case

BEE STAFF REPORTS

Published: June 6, 2003, 12:49:07 PM PDT

A judge kept under wraps many documents and other evidence in the Peterson double-murder case Friday. During a discussion of autopsy reports, defendant Scott Peterson - who is charged with killing his pregnant wife, Laci, and their unborn son, Conner - dabbed his eyes with a handkerchief.

Stanislaus County Superior Court Judge Al Girolami:

Kept sealed autopsy reports on both bodies.

Ordered the Contra Costa County coronor’s office to issue death certificates.

Kept sealed wiretap recordings. He allowed prosecutors and defense attorneys to get copies of the tapes, but temporarily prohibited the handing over of calls between Peterson and journalists. Prosecutors also are not allowed to hear calls between Peterson and his defense team.

Delayed a decision on a potential gag order preventing principals ...................

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[fiesti]

GHB leaves the body's system relatively quickly( in the urine for about 12 hours), and it is not easily detected by medical tests. GHB breaks down quickly in the body, and is extremely difficult for laboratories to detect even before it breaks down.



To my way of thinking there would have been alot of it in her system if this is true. Scaught did not wait 12 hours to strangle her but immediately. The body functions would have stopped nd maybe plenty still in tissues?? Of course I don't know if this is plausable but just another slant on this idea

[hergus]

RFLMAO

All it took was some semi-nude photos of Amber to get a radio mention after 54 years....I hope that's not my "legacy" ;-)

Laci Peterson Disappearance

[MizSterious]

It would sure make a lot of wives suspicious! Especially if there was other evidence--such as his history of womanizing!

[Queen Jadis]

you're too phunnie!

P.S. It's better than nothin'

[Queen Jadis]

but suspicion alone doesn't make wives call the POLICE on their husband. You need proof.

[Queen Jadis]

BTW It's a great site! I do web design with my husband...I know it takes a lot of time...

[windchime]

Dr. Henry Lee on Rita Cosby FNC confirming he's been contacted for the Peterson case. Rita is hinting at the defense side contacting him. Lee won't confirm one way or the other and won't say what will influence his decision.

[fiesti]

please post link to your website ty

[Queen Jadis]

On Larry King he didn't deny it so that is as good as a confirmation. IMHO he is already hired by the defense...

[Canadian Outrage]

I didn't hear him say that Laci's liver was gone but the baby was intact. If it's in his little liver (remember he was far less decomposed because Laci's uterus WAS intact) then that is extremely incriminating. There is NO rational explanation for that. PERIOD Also this Satanic cult and loop of tape around the neck is bogus. The baby was INSIDE Laci and the Uterus was not cut. That baby was expelled much later through the birth canal. And remember she had duct tape between her legs. The visual in my head is grotesque. We need to remember this when looking at Snott!!

[Canadian Outrage]

Hi CG: Wasn't that pathetic? The Prosecution could take him down pretty quick.

[Canadian Outrage]

Your post #102 - very interesting thought Rusty. I know that GHB can be contained in Ecstacy pills and they can be dyed ANY color. He could have gotten some viagra, dumped them and put the (ecstacy/GHB) tabs in something. If so, I'm sure the police have already tested to see if they really were Viagra. But very good point. You know, honestly, I CANNOT see the Prosecution going ahead with a case this big with JUST a theory. There has to be some EXTREMELY incriminating pieces to tie a tight noose around his neck. After all Geragos is having to make up his theory from the Police investigation. I hope that woman is mentally ill. Not tooooooo reliable huh? Not to mention that she filed NO police report.

[Canadian Outrage]

Well it looks like our time schedules aren't working out today. Think I'll go watch a movie. I work full time so on the weekend must catch up with housework etc. Also, picked up groceries and noticed int the checkout line Snott's mug saying that his "gay lover" had been found. LOL Suffer Snott, suffer. This is NOTHING compared to what happened to Laci and their baby.

[windchime]

I saw him on LKL and he actually was more forthcoming on the topic tonight IMO. The defense attorney Mickey Something or Other (can't remember his name) asked Lee some questions and framed all of them around working for the defense. He denied committing to either side, but I think the same as you. He definitely leans toward the defense.

[RGSpincich]

SP in his dress reds with the likely architect
of SP's brilliant defense, MD Dalton.

Old article here, just refreshing my memory. Oh, they are going to solve the Hernandez case, too. Zowie! So, I guess Donny the drug dealer committed both crimes. Mystery woman gave you up, Donny! Come on out, bring Evelyn's kids with you. Tick, tick, tick...

___________________________________________

Strange New Twist in Peterson Case

LOS ANGELES — ABC7 has learned there are reports of a strange new twist in the Laci Peterson murder investigation.

Reports indicate a source for Scott Peterson's defense team claims they have a found the mystery woman they were looking for, who they say will prove Scott's innocence.

Laci's husband is being held for the murder of his wife and unborn child.

The source told a news network the mystery woman will confirm Laci was murdered by a satanic cult in the Central Valley, that is also responsible for the death of 24-year old Evelyn Hernandez, whose torso was found in San Francisco bay in July of last year.

Prosecutors called the report "laughable."

[RGSpincich]

Last article originally published May 22nd.

[EastCoast]

You don't really mean "for a gag" do you? LOL!

BTW, I'll trade you weather: your 83 degrees for my daytime 50 degrees. It IS cold over here!

[windchime]

Dr. Cyril Wecht stated that Laci's liver was gone, but I, too, have wondered if any substance would have had time to reach Connor (and HIS liver) before supply to the baby would have ceased because of Laci's murder.

If the duration of GHB in the system is about 12 hours, it may have dissipated OR if metabolic action comes to a halt maybe residual amounts would remain. I don't know the answer, am just speculating/questioning.

You've gotten stuck with the same impression that I have on the duct tape on Laci. It was indeed a cold individual that sent Laci and Connor to their deaths and I think Scott's eyes indicate he could be that individual. Instead of Clinton-like tears, he might be better off wearing sunglasses in court.

[windchime]

"--is it just gbh on computer with no link to laci, i.e., no gbh found in remains?
--has anything been said about baby's tissue testing for gbh?"


The GHB story is a leak from somewhere(?) and is connected to information on Scott's computer. In discussions I've heard, Laci's organs that might have shown GHB residue were missing. Autopsy results have not been released, so everything is speculation.

I was wondering about detection of GBH in Connor's system, too. I haven't seen anything to indicate what, if any, tests were done on Connor. He was in much better condition than Laci and, as far as I know, his liver was intact. I mentioned this in another post a few minutes ago. More questioning than providing answers.

Hope this is helpful. Catching up on these threads is darn near impossible!!