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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[oceanperch]

While watching the court room scene yesterday my mind slipped and I imagined Geragos in the nude and in the romantic sense. What a terror that was.

[windchime]

"(The baby was perfect--in fact, he is nodding his head when I say that! Unfortunately the baby was born with one of those "male ego" things, though.)"

LOL. Most of the boys are. (perfect and having those "male ego" things).

Seriously, you were wise to inquire about what you ingested. I guess I was wrong about thinking that EVERYTHING the mother had in her system was eventually passed, in some degree, to the fetus.

[oceanperch]

Right. A very important one at that. Lost mine at the tender age of 28ish.
The replacement meds. are nothing like the real thing.

[Sandylapper]

And yes, I agree, there seem to be a LOT of people who embrace the Lamaze stuff (usually first-timers), only to go into labor, and scream, "give me something for the pain!"

LOL! How true!

Re the GHB on that computer and who had looked it up. Small point, but IIRC, there were two computers taken from that home. I "assumed" they had "his" and "her" computers.

[oceanperch]

The rest of FR forum is slow and very light topics tonight too. Maybe some folks are on vacation.

[oceanperch]

That weenie guy looks like the weeni guy that Lewinski had an affair with.

He lives/works here in Oregon as a teacher and Lewinski was his student.

He came out on his porch with his wife back at the time for his 15mins. of fame to tell the world about his affair. I think the wife ended up dumping him after it all blew over.

[Queen Jadis]

,i>While watching the court room scene yesterday my mind slipped and I imagined Geragos in the nude and in the romantic sense. What a terror that was.

It's amazing what the mind will do to torture the spirit. It's like when you vomit and you can't help but think of your last meal or the meal that made you sick!

[oceanperch]

Exactly. I walk fast by anything with pork or pork by products in it. Strawberries too.

[RGSpincich]

And just how is the prosecution going to do that?

At trial. Strange rules there, they don't have to limit their case to what you and I think we know about the case.

I believe they have enough evidence to show that Laci was dead at the time these sightings occurred. How about if they show that she was dead (you do believe she's dead don't you?), that SP transported her to the Bay and that SP was spotted at the Marina at a certain time? Spotted at the marina at a certain time that would eliminate the free time necessary for Laci to walk her dog.

Forget about the dog handlers, they won't be important to the case. The eyewitnesses who claim to have spotted Laci are not reliable. The teacher is iffy and says the dog looks like MacKenzie from a distance in the park, the Mitchells have her in a different neighborhood all together while looking for a mystery football game and Maldonando puts her back on Covena going in the opposite direction than what the Mitchells have said. There is no coherent pattern to the so called sightings.

[kcvl]

Where would she even hear about GHB, since it is illegal in most states? It's not exactly something usually discussed in Mother's Magazine, your local Lamaze class or during baby showers.

[kcvl]

GHB is absolutely illegal in the United States. In February 2000, president Clinton signed HR 2130 into law. Also known as the "Hillory J. Farias and Samantha Reid Date-Rape Drug Prohibition Act of 2000," this law designates GHB as a schedule I controlled substance.

Possession of GHB is a crime which can be punished by up to 20 years in prison on the first offense. It is a federal felony, meaning the offender is likely to serve most of his sentence, and upon release will lose a variety of rights such as voting and gun ownership.

The controlled substances act sets the above penalty for people who "manufacture, distribute, or dispense, or possess with intent to manufacture, distribute, or dispense, a controlled substance." Since the standard method of getting GHB is to mix gamma-butyrolactone with sodium hydroxide, your goose is already cooked under the first clause. But more generally, the concept of "intent" covers a huge amount of legal ground. If you have more than a few doses, federal prosecutors can easily make a case that you intended to sell the drug.

Simple possession is also a felony, punishable by up to 1 year in jail or a $1000 fine.

There is no minimum quantity.

Drugs listed on schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act must have no accepted medical use in the U.S., high potential for abuse, and be unsafe even when used under a physician's care. Drugs currently on schedule I include LSD, marijuana (though not pure THC), and heroin. Schedule I drugs may not be sold, prescribed, or possessed, except under strictly regulated circumstances for research purposes.

[antivenom]

Thank you very much...not only am I day older, but a tad wiser. Thanks again for the info...FReepers are the smartest group of people on the internet because we discuss and share info.

[melodie]

EEEEEWWWWWW....OP!!!

[runningbear]

July 16th, and not sure what kind of info will be revealed during these hearing, but I am sure more than we know now... ;o)

[runningbear]

thanks for explaining that RG.... ;o)

[runningbear]

your welcome... ;o)

[runningbear]

Thanks for that FYI... after next week during summer, I'll try to see if I can get it on the net at work.. If the format is other than NT, ;o(

[runningbear]

well, too...for not clearing files and things for such evidence that could be used against him, or drew more from those files in MPD investigations..

[runningbear]

LOL... thanks... ;o)

[Devil_Anse]

OH YEAH!! Andy something! I'd forgotten about him!!

That's a certain type of liberal... it would take me an even longer post than my usual verbose ones, to describe that type... but, well, it's a particular species of liberal that I have noticed.

Unitarian churches are filled with that particular species of liberal... they often have a soft heart, and would NEVER do physical harm to any living thing, and they can't let go of their childhood teaching that going to church is a good thing. Yet, being liberal, they have trouble following any definite doctrine. Anything that smacks of definitive-ness scares them, and they consider it "rigid". So they keep off the guilt of not going to church by going to the Unitarian church, while still not having to really... well, I mean, HELL--you don't really even have to believe in GOD to go to those churches, at least not for the ones I've seen!