Peterson, Frey had frequent contact

The Modesto Bee ^ | Sept 25, 2003 | John Cote' and Garth Stapely

[runningbear]

Peterson, Frey had frequent contact

Peterson, Frey had frequent contact

By GARTH STAPLEY and JOHN COTÉ
BEE STAFF WRITERS

Published: September 25, 2003, 08:02:39 AM PDT

Scott Peterson exchanged at least 18 telephone calls with his girlfriend in the nine days before his pregnant wife disappeared, according to partial phone records. He also received at least 47 calls from Amber Frey to his cell phones in the three weeks after authorities believe he killed his wife and their unborn son, the records reveal.

All 65 calls -- totaling more than 3 1/2 hours -- were made at a time when Scott Peterson insisted that he didn't have a girlfriend.

Two of them came on New Year's Eve, the day more than 1,000 people attended a commun-ity candlelight vigil for the missing Laci Peterson.

Frey made more than 50 calls to police starting Dec. 30. Some of those calls were made after police were authorized to tap Peterson's phones, and court documents show the wiretaps picked up a call between Frey and Peterson as late as Jan. 20.

Frey figures to be an important prosecution witness in the high-profile case and has been protected by private guards.

Frey was not the only woman with whom Scott Peterson had an affair with, a source said. He had at least one other girlfriend during his five-year marriage, the source said.

The phone records reflect only a portion of the calls between at least four phones known to be used by Frey and Peterson.

The 30-year-old fertilizer salesman has pleaded innocent to murder charges. Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty.

Frey, 28, has said she met and started dating Peterson in November, not knowing he was married.

The phone records from Dec. 14 to Jan. 14 also reveal that:

Frey, a Fresno massage therapist, called Modesto police at 1:43 a.m. Dec. 30. The call lasted 22 minutes. On Jan. 28, when Frey went public about her romantic involvement with Peterson, she cited the pivotal Dec. 30 call.

She made the call immediately after receiving two calls, starting at 1:24 a.m.

In the next three weeks, Frey exchanged at least 48 calls with Modesto police Detective John Buehler. She also called the phones of police Detectives Phil Owen and Al Brocchini twice each.

Frey's attorney said she has cooperated with investigators, who tapped at least two of Peterson's cell phones.

Authorities had an affidavit sealed Jan. 22 for a "search warrant for Scott Peterson's phone records," a Stanislaus County Superior Court order shows. It is unclear whether investigators executed the search warrant for the phone records.

But court documents show that authorities did use a search warrant May 28 in connection with the case for toll and subscriber information from five telecommunications companies: AT&T Wireless, Nextel, Cingular, Sprint and SBC. The companies provided investigators with dozens of pages of information, according to court documents.

Most of Frey's calls to Scott Peterson lasted five minutes or less. Only one, on Jan. 7, was longer; it lasted 100 minutes.

Frey and Peterson called each other an average of two times daily in the week before Laci Peterson was reported missing Christmas Eve. There were at least four calls on Christmas as media descended on Modesto to cover the disappearance. On Dec. 26, while volunteers combed the Petersons' La Loma neighborhood and a park, the number of calls shot up to 14. All calls were made between 3 and 9 p.m.

Frey put in two calls, on Jan. 10 and 14, to a volunteer search center based at Modesto's Red Lion Hotel. It is not known whether she spoke to volunteers or Scott Peterson, who regularly visited the center.

Peterson apparently spoke to Frey on the phone only once on Dec. 23, the day his wife vis- ited her doctor. Laci Peterson accompanied her husband that day to have his hair cut by her sister. Authorities have said they believe Laci Peterson was killed later that day or the next day.

On the day a judge agreed to let police tap Peterson's calls, Frey spoke with him at least twice. She called Buehler's phone number eight times that day. Frey hasn't spoken to the media, aside from the initial news conference revealing the affair and another staged by Gloria Allred, her Los Angeles attorney.

Allred declined Wednesday to comment on specifics surrounding her client's phone conversations with Peterson.

"I can only make a general statement that when .........

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Nude photos of Amber Frey posted on for-profit Web site

Nude photos of Amber Frey posted on for-profit Web site

By John Coté
The Modesto Bee
(Published Thursday, September 25, 2003, 5:12 AM)

MODESTO -- A broker of photos for men's magazines has posted nude photos of Amber Frey on his Web site, and the Fresno massage therapist has talked with her attorney about suing him.

The broker, David Hans Schmidt, said he bought the photos and release rights from a Fresno photographer earlier this year. The Web site, where Schmidt charges $19.95 for access, came to light Wednesday.

Attorney Gloria Allred, who is representing Frey as she prepares to be a witness in the Scott Peterson double-murder case, said her client has never relinquished rights to the photos.

Allred said her job is to defend Frey from attacks on her credibility that may come from Peterson's defense team and elsewhere.

Allred called the Web site "disgusting and an attempt to exploit Amber simply because she may be an important witness in a high-profile murder case."

"We have advised Amber of all of her legal rights against Mr. Schmidt and anyone who is involved in the sale and distribution of her images, and she will seriously consider her legal options," Allred said in a written statement released Wednesday.

When reached by phone, Allred declined to say what options were discussed or whether Frey would sue Schmidt.

"I hope she sues," Schmidt said Wednesday while traveling in New York. "You can print that. I hope she sues me."..........

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PETERSON PAL EXPOSED

PETERSON PAL EXPOSED

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September 25, 2003 --

The other woman in the Laci Peterson murder investigation was fully exposed yesterday - after a Web site started charging $19.95 for more than two dozen racy pictures of her.

Web site operator David Hans Schmidt posted 27 pictures of Amber Frey, 28, a massage therapist who had a fling with murder suspect Scott Peterson.

The photos were taken in 1999, Schmidt said.

"She responded to a local ad for nude models," said the Internet entrepreneur.

Frey is involved in the mystery surrounding Laci Peterson, a pregnant Modesto, Calif., woman who vanished last Christmas Eve.

Her body and the remains of her unborn child washed ashore near San Francisco in April, leading to Scott Peterson's arrest........

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Frey may sue porn broker over online photos

Frey may sue porn broker over online photos

By JOHN COTÉ
BEE STAFF WRITER

Published: September 25, 2003, 07:02:55 AM PDT

A pornography broker has posted nude photos of Amber Frey on his Web site, and the Fresno massage therapist and her attorney have discussed suing the man.

The broker, David Hans Schmidt, said he purchased the photos and release rights from a Fresno photographer earlier this year. The Web site, where Schmidt charges $19.95 for use, came to light Wednesday.

Attorney Gloria Allred, who is representing Frey as she prepares to be a witness in the Scott Peterson double-murder case, said her client never has relinquished rights to the photos.

Allred said she is representing Frey to defend her from attacks on her credibility from Peterson's defense team and elsewhere.

Allred called the Web site "disgusting and an attempt to exploit Amber simply because she may be an important witness in a high-profile murder case."

Peterson could face the death penalty if convicted of killing his wife, Laci, and their unborn son.

"We have advised Amber of all of her legal rights against Mr. Schmidt and anyone who is involved in the sale and distribution of her images and she will seriously consider her legal options," Allred said in a written statement released Wednesday.

When reached by phone, Allred declined to say what those options were or whether Frey would sue Schmidt.

"I hope she sues," Schmidt said Wednesday while traveling in New York. "You can print that. I hope she sues me."

Allred contends that Schmidt never has produced an original document signed by Frey releasing her rights to the photos. Schmidt contends that he has a signed, legally binding release.

"Do you think I would enter into a contract.........

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Peterson Informer Convinces Ex-Cop

Peterson Informer Convinces Ex-Cop

Wednesday, September 24, 2003

The inmate who claims he overheard double murder suspect Scott Peterson (search) talking about kidnapping his wife Laci convinced the ex-cop who gave him a polygraph test that he is telling the truth, the officer told Fox News in an exclusive interview.

Lt. Melvin King (search) told Fox News' Geraldo Rivera Wednesday that he was skeptical of inmate Cory Lee Carroll's (search) story at first, but changed his mind after their two-hour session.

"Mr. Carroll was able to convince me that he truly believes what he's saying has some validity to it," King said.

King, who has dealt with numerous inmate witnesses in the past, said they typically ask to cut some sort of deal for a plea bargain. But Carroll was different, he said.

"He was just the opposite," King told Fox.

Peterson, 30, is accused of killing his wife Laci Peterson, 27, and unborn son, Conner.

Carroll, a self-described petty property criminal, told investigators he first met Peterson last November at the City Lights strip club in Fresno, Calif...........

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[runningbear]

;o)

[runningbear]

I think one must of been that investigator she knew that said he can find some background on Scott, when Amber was talking to him about Scott...... ? The other, maybe the primary informant told a close relative, kinfolk, then the informant told Amber?

[Devil_Anse]

Exactly! It's hard to believe, but whoever did all that taping seems to have been doing it to prevent the baby from coming out. Sick and weird!!

[runningbear]

gasp..... awful..

[Devil_Anse]

Makes sense to me! We have to remember that Scott may not (almost surely does not?) think like we do.

Also, isn't it possible that he is so infantile that he can't defer gratification by sacrificing his calls/contacts to Amber? I mean, the way he called her so frequently, it reminds me of a child calling its mommy. I can't see him steeling himself, or saying to himself, "Okay, I've got to lay low for a while and not call her." For one thing, he'd be afraid he'd lose one of his "worshippers". He strikes me as the type who sees something he wants, and no way can he wait patiently or plan, but he just has to grab. Like a baby.

[runningbear]

been on strange work schedule so I log on here and there... this case gets more gruesome .....

[Velveeta]

It almost sounds like Laci's killer knew about the phenomenon of coffin birth, and strove to prevent it from happening.

Or, it could be a sign of ignorance of the decompostion process. The killer may have thought that's the only exit for the baby cause everything else is wrapped in plastic.

[runningbear]

spinning?..... hehee..

[runningbear]

part of the evidence of webbing the case for conviction.

[runningbear]

More on Dalton:

Peterson defense team loses attorney Dalton

Peterson defense team loses attorney Dalton

Matthew Dalton has left LA law firm.
THE BEE

By GARTH STAPLEY
BEE STAFF WRITER

Published: September 26, 2003, 04:50:50 AM PDT

One of Scott Peterson's attorneys has left his defense team -- and no one associated with the double-murder case is saying why.

Matthew Dalton, whose role in the high-profile case mostly was confined to behind-the-scenes legwork, is no longer employed by the Los Angeles law firm of Geragos & Geragos, a receptionist confirmed Thursday.

She referred questions to managing partner Mark Geragos -- Peterson's lead defense attorney -- but Geragos did not return messages during business hours Thursday.

The separation comes in a week filled with rumors, some published and aired in various media, that Peterson is unhappy with his legal representation.

The 30-year-old fertilizer salesman is scheduled to appear at a preliminary hearing Oct. 20 on charges that he killed his wife, Laci, and their unborn son, Conner. Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty.

"It's damaging to Scott Peterson to have an important part of his defense team suddenly disappear," said Gloria Allred, a Los Angeles attorney representing Peterson's former girlfriend. Amber Frey could provide crucial testimony in court proceedings and Allred, attempting to preserve Frey's credibility, has crossed swords with Geragos.

"To have division in the ranks at a time when it's important to put together a good case, I can't see how that would be a benefit to Scott Peterson," Allred said.

Peterson's father, Lee Peterson, confirmed Thursday that Geragos continues to represent his son. He declined to say why Dalton left the firm.

Geragos' firm refused to provide a forwarding number for Dalton. The Bee was unable to reach him at other numbers.

Though Dalton largely was relegated to third-tier status behind Geragos and co-counsel Kirk McAllister of Modesto, he figured in a series of public moves since his former boss came on the scene in late April:

In May, Dalton suggested to reporters that Laci Peterson's family members were burglarizing the Petersons' La Loma-area home.

The dead woman's family entered the Covena Avenue home without coordinating with Scott Peterson's parents and removed truckloads of items, including her wedding dress, a rocking chair and a crib. The methodical moving was widely reported and touched off an emotional debate over property rights of victims' survivors vs. those accused of heinous crimes.

In June, Dalton told a judge in open session that the defense team had evidence pointing to "real killers" and offered to present it behind closed doors. The judge scheduled a private hearing; Dalton was seen banging on the door after it began but was not admitted.

After the meeting, Stanislaus County Superior Court Judge Roger Beauchesne wrote in a decision, "No evidence on the investigation of 'other suspects' was presented."

Outside the courtroom after the initial June hearing, Dalton cryptically referred to shoes allegedly removed by Laci Peterson's family in May. Though Dalton called them "important evidence," television pundits criticized the statement, saying investigators on both sides would have taken possession of them long ago if they figured in the murders.

In August, Dalton -- despite a court-imposed gag order barring discussion of most aspects of the case -- outlined a theory involving kidnapping and human sacrifice, in full view of two Bee journalists.

Dalton, using a map and laptop computer, showed two forensics experts artwork that he said depicted ritualistic killings. The paintings are on a peninsula near where Scott Peterson said he fished alone on Christmas Eve, the day his pregnant wife was reported missing.

Remains of mother and son were recovered within miles of the point in April. Dalton -- as a photographer snapped flash pictures and a reporter took notes -- said the defense team placed floats in the water near the paintings and they drifted near where the bodies were found.

Stanislaus County Superior Court Judge Al Girolami wanted a hearing on whether Dalton violated the gag order. But prosecutors, who also faced a contempt-of-court accusation by Geragos, called a truce on those issues in late August.

Legal scholar Michael Vitiello said it's not uncommon for lead attorneys to use other lawyers as "fall guys."

In a high-profile case two decades ago, a first-chair attorney wanted to disassociate himself from a noncredible witness by having Vitiello, a legal consultant, question the witness in court, he said. Vitiello now is a professor with Sacramento's McGeorge School of Law.

Perhaps, Vitiello said, Geragos hoped to use Dalton to "float a trial balloon, and if (it) turns out to be a dud, (Geragos) says, 'It was that (guy) over there.'"

[runningbear]

Amber Frey's lawyer says she fears for client's safety

Amber Frey's lawyer says she fears for client's safety

By GARTH STAPLEY
BEE STAFF WRITER

Published: September 26, 2003, 04:50:24 AM PDT

Attorney Gloria Allred said Thursday she fears for the safety of her client Amber Frey, murder suspect Scott Peterson's former girlfriend. But she stopped short of saying whether she asked police to protect her. Frey, who had a romantic relationship with Peterson, is living in a gated community in Fresno and is being protected by private security guards.

"I know what can happen out there," Allred said. "Only after a terrible event occurs do you know how justified your fears are."

Modesto police, citing a court-imposed gag order in the Peterson case, refused to say whether anyone had asked them to put a police guard on Frey, a potentially important witness in Scott Peterson's double-murder case.

A Fresno police spokesman confirmed Thursday that his department is not officially guarding Frey. The spokesman did not know if Modesto police had requested protection for the 28-year-old massage therapist.

Frey has said she was romantically involved with Peterson, not knowing he was married, before the disappearance and death of his pregnant wife, Laci.

Earlier this week, a source said Frey had moved to the gated community and hired guards after learning of a report that Scott Peterson had discussed having his wife kidnapped by members of a vicious neo-Nazi gang.

Modesto police Sgt. Ron Cloward, the department's acting spokesman, said Thursday that witnesses requiring protection in local cases over the years have been few and far between.

Speaking generally, Cloward said local authorities wanting protection for someone living in another area normally would request help from the FBI, the state Department of Justice or other area authorities. But he refused to say whether that had happened with Frey.

The Fresno woman met and started dating Scott Peterson in November, when Laci Peterson was about seven months pregnant. Frey contacted Modesto police Dec. 30, according to telephone records obtained by The Bee, and reportedly cooperated with authorities when they tapped Scott Peterson's cell phones a few days after.

Last week, jail inmate Cory Lee Carroll said he heard Peterson discussing the kidnapping of his wife with two members of the Nazi Low Riders, a street and prison gang steeped in drugs and violence. Carroll passed a lie detector test, said a retired police lieutenant who administered the examination.

Jared Lewis, a former Modesto police officer and gangs expert now living in Wisconsin, called Carroll's story "an interesting new piece of the puzzle."

"Is an organization such as this capable of carrying out (a kidnap and murder)? I'd say definitely," Lewis said. "This is one of the most up-and-coming violent gangs."

The gang emerged in the mid-1990s, is linked to Aryan Brotherhood white supremacists and is believed to have about 3,000 members, Lewis said. He left the Modesto department in November.

Scott Peterson, 30, is charged with killing his wife and unborn son, Conner. Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty.

A preliminary hearing has been scheduled to start Oct. 20, though sources say main players may attempt to delay it a third time.

Allred has firsthand experience with high-profile witnesses in jeopardy.

Carlo Ventre, who abducted his daughter from California and acknowledged killing her mother in Italy, tried to put a $100,000 hit on the dead woman's parents, who were potential witnesses against Ventre. A Los Angeles judge in November cited the plot in a ruling to deport the man.............

[drjulie]

It indeed may be difficult for him to defer gratification, especially when other people (the police, media, etc.) are starting to question him. It appears in his planning that he did have some idea, though, of the need to stay away from Amber. Didn't he tell her he would be away for a month or two? In Europe? When the time came he apparently couldn't contain himself. The police pick at him, and, in defense, his invincibility beliefs become even stronger. He also needs Amber to stoke the self-esteem fires. I can't be sure of any of this - just an assessment from afar. Off to work - have a good day everyone!

[Velveeta]

In June, Dalton told a judge in open session that the defense team had evidence pointing to "real killers" and offered to present it behind closed doors. The judge scheduled a private hearing; Dalton was seen banging on the door after it began but was not admitted.

Couldn't happen to a nicer guy! Bbbwwwwaaaaahhhhaaahahahah!!!

[Devil_Anse]

Yeah... if there's one thing a person learns from reading about gruesome stuff like this, it's that poor murdered bodies don't always rot in peace!

Not that Scott would be an avid reader of anything, I'm guessing. Narcissistic emotional infants such as he is can't usually just occupy themselves by doing something solitary, like long reading. They are too needy for attention from others.

[Devil_Anse]

Now let's see if Dalton is sleazy enough to start giving interviews on the case.

Michael Vitiello was a torts professor of mine.

[Devil_Anse]

"banging on the door"

Yes, isn't that perfect??

Hey, maybe Dalton should run as a democrat candidate for governor of California! "Party of Buffonery".

[Devil_Anse]

Or even better, "Party of Buffoonery".

[Devil_Anse]

in defense, his invincibility beliefs become even stronger

And perhaps it was that feeling of invincibility that made him actually believe that he could communicate w/ Amber via cellphone over about a month at Christmas, w/o her ever figuring out that he was not really "in Maine visiting relatives" and then "in Belgium on business".

Also, there was his unbelievably unrealistic way of wearing the cap any time he was on camera, and shaving the hair off the sides of his head so determining his hair color would be difficult--all apparently in the belief that that way, he could be seen on national TV and not be recognized by Amber or by any of their mutual running buddies!

He was VERY camera-shy when all this first started. I remember everyone wondered about that!

[Spunky]

Spunky, are you sure the article said the pants were light BLUE? All I could find was "light colored".

Ooooppppps! My bad.

I just got it in my mind light blue and didn't take time to go back and read the article to make sure if that was correct.

[SheLion]

cute tag line... ;o)

Oh! Thank you! I just found your post! :)