Friends of Laci counter defense

The Modesto Bee ^ | 6/22/04 | Garth Stapely and John Cote'

[runningbear]

Friends of Laci counter defense

Friends of Laci counter defense

By JOHN COTÉ and GARTH STAPLEY
BEE STAFF WRITERS

Last Updated: June 22, 2004, 05:13:22 AM PDT

REDWOOD CITY -- A string of prosecution witnesses testified Monday that Laci Peterson frequently complained of fatigue and had pledged to give up exercise walks in the weeks before her disappearance. Questions in Scott Peterson's double-murder trial also swirled around valuable jewelry Laci Peterson inherited from her grandmother in late 2002 and the revelation that Amber Frey met Laci Peterson's friends when she disclosed her romance with Scott Peterson in January 2003.

Frey spent the night at the Modesto home of one of those friends, Lori Ellsworth, after holding a press conference at police headquarters, Ellsworth testified Monday.

Frey later was an overnight guest in homes of other friends of Laci Peterson's, Ellsworth said.

Partial phone records obtained by The Bee show that Frey phoned people close to Laci Peterson at least 53 times through March 14, 2003, totaling nearly 6½ hours of telephone time.

Scott Peterson's attorneys could try to show Frey -- a key prosecution witness who recorded dozens of calls with Peterson at the request of police -- is tainted by her association with the victim's friends.

The defense spent much of Monday's court session countering testimony damaging to their argument that Laci Peterson likely was abducted while walking the couple's golden retriever.

Four days before Peterson was reported missing, "she could barely walk," her prenatal yoga instructor, Debra Wolski, told jurors at the start of the fourth week of testimony.

"She was in pain," Wolski said, describing Peterson's Dec. 20, 2002, session at Village Yoga Center in Modesto. "She needed help walking back to the car."

Scott Peterson told police he last saw his wife the morning of Dec. 24, 2002, as he left for a solo fishing trip to San Francisco Bay. He said she planned to walk their dog, McKenzie, and go shopping that day, a detective testified at Peterson's preliminary hearing in November.

Peterson told police his wife was gone when he returned........

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THE PETERSON TRIAL
Whether missing wife walked dog is at issue
Friends testify she was feeling too sick to exercise pet

THE PETERSON TRIAL
Whether missing wife walked dog is at issue
Friends testify she was feeling too sick to exercise pet

Diana Walsh and Stacy Finz, Chronicle Staff Writers

Tuesday, June 22, 2004

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Laci Peterson was in so much discomfort from her pregnancy that four days before she was reported missing she had to be helped to her car following a low-impact yoga class, her instructor testified in court Monday.

"Her feet were very swollen and she was very uncomfortable,'' said Debra Wolski, a Modesto yoga teacher, who met with Peterson for a one-on-one yoga session Dec. 20, 2002, four days before she was reported missing.

Stanislaus County prosecutors called Wolski to the stand to discredit Scott Peterson's story that his eight-month-pregnant wife was planning to take the family dog for a walk the day she vanished. Defense attorneys have maintained that Laci Peterson may have been abducted during that walk. ........

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Talking juror kept on panel

Talking juror kept on panel

Friends of Laci counter defense

By GARTH STAPLEY
and JOHN COTÉ
BEE STAFF WRITERS

Last Updated: June 22, 2004, 05:10:24 AM PDT

REDWOOD CITY -- A juror who spoke to players on both sides of Scott Peterson's trial will remain on the panel, and a camera will stay in the courthouse, a pair of judges decided Monday.

A television cameraman videotaped Juror No. 5 saying something to Laci Peterson's brother at a ground-floor security checkpoint Thursday. The same juror last week whispered in defense attorney Mark Geragos' ear during a recess.

"There has been no misconduct," Judge Alfred Delucchi ruled in San Mateo County Superior Court, where the case from Modesto is being heard.

Delucchi ruled after speaking with the juror, who is an airport security screener, and with Laci Peterson's brother, Brent Rocha.

Scott Peterson is accused of killing his wife, Laci, and their unborn son, Conner.

Geragos said the camera itself is what prompted the exchange between Juror No. 5 and Rocha.........

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JUROR CLEARED IN LACI-BROTHER FLAP

JUROR CLEARED IN LACI-BROTHER FLAP

By HOWARD BREUER

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June 22, 2004 -- REDWOOD CITY, Calif. — The judge and defense attorney in Scott Peterson's double-murder trial lashed out at the media yesterday for "fabricated" reports about a juror's brief remarks outside court to Laci Peterson's older brother.

Last Thursday, a TV camera caught Juror No. 5 — an airline security screener — making small talk with Brent Rocha as the two passed through the courthouse's metal detector.

Yesterday, after spending an hour reviewing the matter in his chambers with Rocha, the juror and attorneys on both sides, Judge Alfred Delucchi announced the juror had done nothing wrong and that the media had inaccurately reported the man said, "Could lose today," to Rocha. .......

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Friends of Laci counter
defense

Friends of Laci counter defense

By JOHN COTÉ and GARTH STAPLEY
BEE STAFF WRITERS

Last Updated: June 22, 2004, 05:10:24 AM PDT

REDWOOD CITY -- A string of prosecution witnesses testified Monday that Laci Peterson frequently complained of fatigue and had pledged to give up exercise walks in the weeks before her disappearance. Questions in Scott Peterson's double-murder trial also swirled around valuable jewelry Laci Peterson inherited from her grandmother in late 2002 and the revelation that Amber Frey met Laci Peterson's friends when she disclosed her romance with Scott Peterson in January 2003.

Frey spent the night at the Modesto home of one of those friends, Lori Ellsworth, after holding a press conference at police headquarters, Ellsworth testified Monday.

Frey later was an overnight guest in homes of other friends of Laci Peterson's, Ellsworth said.........

[sissyjane]

Well from what I've heard, this judge is no Lance Ito, so I don't think the defense will get away with the crap.

This is also one time that I'm glad it's not televised, because I think that's one good reason the Fuhrman junk stuck. Johnny Cochran and company ran with the media outrage over fuhrman.

[Arthalion]

Hey RB, can you add me to your ping list again?

Oh, and Don Pedro is a great lake, but it can be a killer on windy days. There's a 3 man canoe sunk about 150 feet off the shore at Fleming Meadows...a friend and I made the mistake of trying to fish out there when the wind was blowing (we made it back to shore, but the canoe and our tackle didn't).

[runningbear]

sure can... thanks...

nice to read your posts...

[Diver Dave]

Mornin' Arthalion. It was great to read your insightful comments last night.

My s-i-l has been stranded on his jet ski multiple times on Don Pedro. When the wind blows, it's almost impossible to make any headway when one has to paddle.

[juzcuz]

She was in pain," Wolski said, describing Peterson's Dec. 20, 2002, session at Village Yoga Center in Modesto. "She needed help walking back to the car."
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Hope MG had his defends/depends on.. He said days before that they have a witness that says Laci got in the boat on this same day... "Laci climbed in the boat"
HAAAA....

[MEG33]

Beth just on saying the stipulation about the yoga instructors testimony was that she had not told anyone on the prosecutors side that Laci had trouble walking that day(20th) and had not told them about uneven ground statement..

.My assessment: This is not going to to discredit her whole testimony in the eyes of the jury as the THs defense lawyers were assuring us on LKL last night.

[Searching4Justice]

It would help the public be more comfortable with the juror if they would just tell us what the juror DID say.

I think he said you are going to be on the news since the cameras were on them at the moment so the Judge let it go.

[cherry]

can you add me too, RB......I didn't want to follow this trial because I just know Geragos will raise my blood pressure and give me a stroke, and I fear a stupid jury again, as in OJ and as in Durst, but you only live once.....lol...

to soothe my anxiety, I think of Grenedier behind bars .......

[Jackie-O]

Thanks Meg...I have to leave work now and have a few errands to run...can you please keep me pinged to updates?? I'm hoping to get home in time for Crier, or at least Abrams. Thanks! BBL.

[runningbear]

sure....

[Canadian Outrage]

Are you home today rb???

[runningbear]

off topic on this case, there was this trial in Union City, Ca on Eddie "Gwen" Araujo Mistrial Declared In Araujo Case

Araujo

two known attorneys, pundits, jury deadlocked...

Snip from a prior online news

"Outside court, Gloria Allred, the attorney for the Araujo family, called that blaming the victim. She said Araujo was living honestly as the woman she believed herself to be.

"The real betrayal was by the defendants," said Allred.

Also speaking outside court was Tony Serra, Cazares' attorney. Serra said he agreed the case was a crime of passion but said that is not his defense. Serra maintains Cazares did not strike Araujo, instead trying to protect her. He said Cazares helped bury the body only out of loyalty to his friends."

DA: Araujo's Death Is 'Classic Manslaughter,' Not Murder
Attorney For One Alleged Killer Pursues Crime Of Passion Defense

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Just to note, juries can be real strange for finding a verdict or not.

[runningbear]

yeah, went 16 miles out...viewed nearly the whole lake... Yahooie louie was that nice!!! Someone posted some pics on a webpage, showing a natural water swimming hole. In the rocks by the island near hwy 120, and I think we found it, only it was dry.... lol...drats... it looked nice! Went from Flamming Meadows, to Moccasin....then out towards the T. river until it was too shallow, and tree stumps sticking out of the water areas... Maybe going camping on the water one weekend... ;o)

[runningbear]

LOL.... bet it was a huge smile! ;o)

This Bayliner, a 2250 cuddy, just about the best toy investment hubby and I did last year. It is used, but we did a do-over on it... can gain speed to nearly 60 mph... before the 'redline'.....lol... 5.7 283 horsepower engine..
I know, there are racing engines, but we don't need them....lol...

[runningbear]

LOL... lunchtime at work, and at work, I am stuck drafting nearly 40 intersections within this city, (san jose) for updating purposes... so, have to take a break, pencil is and drawing is getting to me....cross-eyed........LOL....

[Howlin]

Some notes from today:

A Hydrologist will testify that in order for Laci's body to wash up where it did, the body would have to be dropped off at Brooks Island. Scott told detectives that he was at Brooks Island. This info came from Beth Karas


They found snorkle gear along with his campin gear when they thought he was running for the border.


Beth just reported that the package of lures scott says he bought to go fishing were found in the warehouse...unopened.

**My note: Maybe that's where the sand came from?

Vinnie just brought up a good point, too. *IF* Scott left Laci on the 24th, and she was going to mop three rooms, walk the dog, do shopping and then make gingerbread, why didn't Scott *help* her do any of it? Oh, he did help; I forgot he carried a bucket of water for her that she couldn't lift!

[Peach]

I haven't been paying terribly close attention to this matter, but it was reported on FNC today that her yoga instructor said that Laci was concerned her dog would be mad at her because she hadn't walked him in 4 days and didn't think she could do it going forward either.

[Eva]

I want to know why Laci would have been mopping floors if the cleaning woman had just done that the day before. Also didn't the cleaning woman say that Laci was so tired that she was just lying on the couch while she cleaned?

[Eva]

I also remember that some of the women who claimed that they saw Laci had been discredited for different reasons. Like one of the women said it was a rainy day when it wasn't (or vice versa).