Motherhood cut short: When pregnancy ends in murder
Mark Hacking is accused of killing his pregnant wife, Lori, in Salt Lake City. Scott Peterson is accused of killing his pregnant wife, Laci, in Modesto, Calif. Meanwhile, as their cases play out before a national audience, countless other husbands and boyfriends stand accused of the same crime in courtrooms across the country.
Roger McBeath, 22, for example, is charged with murdering his pregnant girlfriend, 18-year-old Ashley Lyons, in Georgetown, Ky.
"People are interested in Laci Peterson and Lori Hacking because they seemed so normal and happy in their relationships. People wonder, 'Where is this coming from?'" said Dr. Diana Cheng, director of women's health at the Maryland Dept. of Health and Medical Hygiene.
"The reality is there are a lot more of these cases that either aren't reported in the news or we just don't know about," Cheng said.
Story continues .......
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Another Peterson Juror On The Way Out?
Judge Talks With Criminal Investigator
REDWOOD CITY, Calif. -- The Veterans Day holiday Thursday meant jurors in the Scott Peterson trial did not deliberate. And with two jurors booted in just two days, many legal experts say the turmoil may be far from over.
The big concern is that a criminal investigation somehow involving the jury may be under way. Judge Alfred Delucchi has reportedly met with the top criminal investigator for the District Attorney's Office in San Mateo County.
"There is perhaps some discussion of jury tampering, some sort of problem with the jury," said legal analyst Paula Canny.
In the meantime, jurors stayed sequestered..........
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MODESTO - And so the city waits.
For nearly two years, the murder case has bedeviled this Central Valley town, put it on the world map of tabloid trash, angered and rallied its residents, and turned its reborn downtown and shaded streets into a real-life backdrop of a made-for-TV movie.
``I went to Hawaii on vacation and when I said I was from Modesto, they all said, `Oh, you're from that Peterson town,' '' said Sam Moreno, a gravedigger at Acacia Memorial Park, not far from where Laci and Scott Peterson once lived.
He remembers watching the TV helicopters clustered like locusts above Covena Avenue, back when the town still hoped she might turn up alive.
``Now we're just tired of it,'' he said. ``People here want a verdict and want it now.''
So while the jurors in Redwood City play musical chairs and the families of the deceased ......
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Veterans Day Gives Peterson Jury One-day Break
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Peterson Deliberations to Resume Today
REDWOOD CITY, Calif. - Two dismissed jurors and a boat-turned shrine for Laci Peterson (news - web sites) have added this week to the circuslike atmosphere surrounding the murder trial of Scott Peterson (news - web sites). Deliberations were set to resume Friday after the jury took Veterans Day off. The holiday break came after two straight days of juror dismissals. .......
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Amid tumult, Peterson jury takes a day off
Break comes after two jurors dismissed
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Peterson jury set to resume deliberations
REDWOOD CITY, Calif. - Two dismissed jurors and a boat-turned shrine in honor of Laci Peterson this week have added to the circuslike atmosphere surrounding the murder trial of Scott Peterson.
Deliberations were set to resume Friday after taking Veterans Day off. The holiday break came after two straight days of juror dismissals.
On Wednesday, Judge Alfred A. Delucchi dismissed the foreman, a man in his mid-40s who has medical and law degrees. The judge did not disclose his reasoning. Juror No. 5 was replaced by an alternate whose future son-in-law now owns a restaurant that Scott and Laci Peterson once owned in San Luis Obispo..........
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Peterson Replica Boat Stirs Drama Blocks From Courthouse
Jury Deliberations Resume Today
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SNIP IT:
"Geragos' actions are certainly not drawing praises from spectators on this case. Even Geragos supporters were deeply offended by the display. A constant stream of people went to look at the boat. Some even got into the boat and rocked it side-to-side. By late afternoon, a shrine started developing with people leaving candles, flowers and messages on the boat. One message said "R.I.P. Laci and Conner," but many others sharply criticized Geragos – one of them even said "Murderer, murderer, you're as guilty as he is."
Of course, Amber Frey's attorney, Gloria Allred was extremely upset. She had vicious words for the defense attorney: "It's appalling, it's sickening, it's disgusting! If this is a publicity stunt, I think it's another one that backfired. I think he owes an apology to the family of the murder victim. How many of us would want our murdered daughter to be portrayed as a dummy with anchors around them." ........
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Boat Replica Becomes Shrine to Laci
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Publicity Stunt With Boat Makes Waves In Peterson Case
Boat Becomes Memorial
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Replica turned into shrine for Laci
REDWOOD CITY - A publicity stunt by Scott Peterson's attorney apparently intended to sway public opinion in favor of Peterson's innocence backfired when it became a focal point of sympathy for the victims, experts said Thursday.
While deliberations went on this week, the drama shifted from the courtroom to a parking lot a few blocks away where attorney Mark Geragos parked a boat the defense had hoped to use to persuade jurors that Peterson couldn't have dumped his wife's body overboard into San Francisco Bay without capsizing........
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Boat removed near Peterson trial site
Tumultuous jury deliberations break for Veterans Day
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Peterson court prop an impromptu shrine
The boat replica was intended as an aid to the defense
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Peterson replica boat stirs drama blocks from courthouse
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THIS ONE IS BEAUTIFUL!
Boat Tribute to Laci and Conner----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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"...quit the jury after his fellow jurors said they wanted another panelist to lead them..."
Man... you are hard to live with if even a jury in California doesn't like you.
What is going to happen with this jury? I smell appellate court all over this one...
Dozens of flowers were moved and arranged to read "not guilty."
Is this a typo? I thought all the signs were accusatory.
Court administration announces that San Mateo District Attorney's Office investigator Bill Cody — who raised eyebrows Wednesday after meeting privately with the judge and attorneys in the case — investigated an anonymous tip of juror malfeasance but determined it was baseless. Officials won't elaborate on the accusation.—Harriet Ryan"
Verdict will be announced today - breaking now on Fox News
sw
That's a shocker a first degree conviction, I thought it would be second degree if anything but the jury has spoken and it's bye bye Scott.
Sure is nice to see the cocky smirk wiped off his sorry face . Now we get to witness justice that was denied O.J.!
Thank you, runningbear, for all your work during this trial keeping us updated. While I read here frequently, RL duties kept me from commenting much about this case.
I rejoice with all of you at the verdict reached today.
Justice has prevailed for Laci and Conner!