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American Morning
New Details About Deaths of Laci Peterson, Unborn Child
Aired April 22, 2003 - 08:33 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: More now on that Scott Peterson matter. Investigators say the search for evidence continues again today. But new details about the deaths of Scott's wife, Laci, and her unborn child were revealed yesterday in a criminal complaint.
Mike Brooks back on the scene, Modesto police headquarters, with more on all of this.
Mike, good morning there.
MIKE BROOKS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Bill.
Yesterday, just after files were -- charges were filed in the courthouse, the clerk of the court gave out to the news media a number of different reports. One of those was the Modesto Police Department Stanislaus County jail, prebooking probable cause declaration report. In the report, Bill, it has a block that says, location of offense, and that is 523 Kovena Avenue, Modesto, California. And right next to that, it has date and time of offense, and it's the same date and time they talk about in count one and two of the criminal complaint.
Now, we've talked to Jim Brazelton. I talked to him again this morning, and he was fairly upset that they even gave that out. Because if prosecutors can't prove that the murder actually took place at that location, it could come back to bite them.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JAMES BRAZELTON, STANISLAUS CO. D.A.: That information came from a probable cause statement filed by the police. It was given out by the court administrator for I don't know what reason. it had nothing to do with the complaint we filed in this case. And that may or may not be accurate.
As I said, we haven't gotten all of the evidence, all of the reports yet. I think that probably, in my opinion, the most likely scenario is that it did occur at the residence.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BROOKS: And, Bill, sources close to the investigation say that they believe it did happen at 523 Kovena Avenue, and that they believe that they do have evidence to prove that.
Now yesterday evening, there was an emotional, emotional press conference held by the Rocha family at Modesto police headquarters. Mrs. Sharon Rocha, Bill, was one of the most emotional press conferences, emotional statements, I have ever seen, including my 26 years as a detective in D.C. I've never seen victims that were that upset. And you know, how can they not be? You look at the million- dollar smile of Laci Peterson, and she will be surely missed by the Modesto community.
HEMMER: You're not alone in your opinion of what we all witnessed and heard last night.
Mike, thanks. Mike Brooks there live in Modesto, California.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired April 22, 2003 - 08:33 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: More now on that Scott Peterson matter. Investigators say the search for evidence continues again today. But new details about the deaths of Scott's wife, Laci, and her unborn child were revealed yesterday in a criminal complaint.
Mike Brooks back on the scene, Modesto police headquarters, with more on all of this.
Mike, good morning there.
MIKE BROOKS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Bill.
Yesterday, just after files were -- charges were filed in the courthouse, the clerk of the court gave out to the news media a number of different reports. One of those was the Modesto Police Department Stanislaus County jail, prebooking probable cause declaration report. In the report, Bill, it has a block that says, location of offense, and that is 523 Kovena Avenue, Modesto, California. And right next to that, it has date and time of offense, and it's the same date and time they talk about in count one and two of the criminal complaint.
Now, we've talked to Jim Brazelton. I talked to him again this morning, and he was fairly upset that they even gave that out. Because if prosecutors can't prove that the murder actually took place at that location, it could come back to bite them.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JAMES BRAZELTON, STANISLAUS CO. D.A.: That information came from a probable cause statement filed by the police. It was given out by the court administrator for I don't know what reason. it had nothing to do with the complaint we filed in this case. And that may or may not be accurate.
As I said, we haven't gotten all of the evidence, all of the reports yet. I think that probably, in my opinion, the most likely scenario is that it did occur at the residence.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BROOKS: And, Bill, sources close to the investigation say that they believe it did happen at 523 Kovena Avenue, and that they believe that they do have evidence to prove that.
Now yesterday evening, there was an emotional, emotional press conference held by the Rocha family at Modesto police headquarters. Mrs. Sharon Rocha, Bill, was one of the most emotional press conferences, emotional statements, I have ever seen, including my 26 years as a detective in D.C. I've never seen victims that were that upset. And you know, how can they not be? You look at the million- dollar smile of Laci Peterson, and she will be surely missed by the Modesto community.
HEMMER: You're not alone in your opinion of what we all witnessed and heard last night.
Mike, thanks. Mike Brooks there live in Modesto, California.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
