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CNN Live At Daybreak
'Coffey Talk'
Aired May 30, 2003 - 06:52 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.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: So, a blockbuster development or not? Do details in the Peterson autopsy report seem to point towards that satanic cult that defense attorneys are talking about? You know it's one theory Scott Peterson's attorneys want to public to believe.
Time for some Coffey talk now.
Kendall Coffey joins us live by phone from Miami.
Good morning, Kendall.
KENDALL COFFEY, CNN LEGAL ANALYST: Hey, Carol.
COSTELLO: So, who's the leak?
COFFEY: Well, most people are going to assume it's the defense camp. It certainly wasn't the prosecution. But these kind of things are never proven, so ultimately there will be no direct accountability and while it was a horrible day for Laci Peterson's family, frankly it was a big boost for the defense, because this raises some fascinating questions.
COSTELLO: Fascinating questions like about this satanic cult since the baby was found with plastic tape around its neck and some are even saying it resembles a noose?
COFFEY: Well, I'm not convinced that people are waking up today buying into the satanic cult theory. But anything that suggests that this could have been some kind of sadistic or ritualistic killing by, frankly, a psychopathic predator, is important for Scott Peterson because whatever he may have been -- lying scoundrel, cheating on his pregnant wife -- he simply doesn't match the profile of some kind of deranged axe murderer.
COSTELLO: From what you've heard about the details in the autopsy report, does it say anything to you about how Laci Peterson or her baby died?
COFFEY: Still big question marks, and that's, in many ways, a defendant's best friend, question marks that can lead to a duel between experts at trial and, from the defense standpoint, however they talk about waiting to actually prove who did it, they'll be mighty glad and mighty lucky if they can convince a jury that all these questions raise a reasonable doubt.
COSTELLO: So, prosecutors are, in essence, calling defense attorneys' bluff? They want the autopsy results unsealed. Is the judge likely to grant that motion?
COFFEY: Well, I think the judge should grant the motion for at least two reasons. One is some of the -- the key victims here, Laci Peterson's family, who were obviously horrified yesterday, stand by the prosecutor's decision to, among other things, unseal the autopsy result. The other thing is on July 16th, there's going to be a preliminary hearing, Carol, and at that point the evidence is going to come out anyway.
Fair is fair, the autopsy should be unsealed at this point.
COSTELLO: All right, Kendall Coffey live from Miami.
Thanks for your insights this morning.
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 May 30, 2003 - 06:52 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: So, a blockbuster development or not? Do details in the Peterson autopsy report seem to point towards that satanic cult that defense attorneys are talking about? You know it's one theory Scott Peterson's attorneys want to public to believe.
Time for some Coffey talk now.
Kendall Coffey joins us live by phone from Miami.
Good morning, Kendall.
KENDALL COFFEY, CNN LEGAL ANALYST: Hey, Carol.
COSTELLO: So, who's the leak?
COFFEY: Well, most people are going to assume it's the defense camp. It certainly wasn't the prosecution. But these kind of things are never proven, so ultimately there will be no direct accountability and while it was a horrible day for Laci Peterson's family, frankly it was a big boost for the defense, because this raises some fascinating questions.
COSTELLO: Fascinating questions like about this satanic cult since the baby was found with plastic tape around its neck and some are even saying it resembles a noose?
COFFEY: Well, I'm not convinced that people are waking up today buying into the satanic cult theory. But anything that suggests that this could have been some kind of sadistic or ritualistic killing by, frankly, a psychopathic predator, is important for Scott Peterson because whatever he may have been -- lying scoundrel, cheating on his pregnant wife -- he simply doesn't match the profile of some kind of deranged axe murderer.
COSTELLO: From what you've heard about the details in the autopsy report, does it say anything to you about how Laci Peterson or her baby died?
COFFEY: Still big question marks, and that's, in many ways, a defendant's best friend, question marks that can lead to a duel between experts at trial and, from the defense standpoint, however they talk about waiting to actually prove who did it, they'll be mighty glad and mighty lucky if they can convince a jury that all these questions raise a reasonable doubt.
COSTELLO: So, prosecutors are, in essence, calling defense attorneys' bluff? They want the autopsy results unsealed. Is the judge likely to grant that motion?
COFFEY: Well, I think the judge should grant the motion for at least two reasons. One is some of the -- the key victims here, Laci Peterson's family, who were obviously horrified yesterday, stand by the prosecutor's decision to, among other things, unseal the autopsy result. The other thing is on July 16th, there's going to be a preliminary hearing, Carol, and at that point the evidence is going to come out anyway.
Fair is fair, the autopsy should be unsealed at this point.
COSTELLO: All right, Kendall Coffey live from Miami.
Thanks for your insights this morning.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
