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CNN Live At Daybreak
Gag Order Issued in Laci Peterson Case
Aired June 13, 2003 - 06:35 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: Hush, hush. More like keep your mouth shut. That is the message for lawyers, witnesses and police working on the Laci Peterson case. A gag order now in effect, and there are more legal moves in the works.
CNN's Rusty Dornin has details for you from Modesto, California.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
RUSTY DORNIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Information has been very tight in this case all along, but mum is now officially the word as the result of this document, which will in effect zip the lips of anyone who is involved in this case. It's a gag order, and it prohibits anyone -- attorneys, their staff, witnesses, any police officers, any agency -- from speaking at all to the media or making any public statements about this case.
Now, the judge cited massive pretrial publicity. He said the leaks that have been happening often favor one side or the other, and without a gag order, it could influence jury selection, because there could be so much talk, of rehashing of gossip and rumor and that sort of thing that it could influence a jury, and they would be unable to find an impartial.
Now, the precedent they used in this case is Shepherd v. Maxwell, that's Sam Shepherd, the subject of the TV show, "The Fugitive." The Supreme Court ruled that Sam Shepherd should be released from prison because of pretrial publicity in that case, and he chided the judge for not issuing a gag order.
On another issue, a different judge released the search warrants in this case, but not until July. There are eight search warrants that involved Scott Peterson before he was arrested. They will be released July 8 unless the prosecution or the defense appeal that decision, and that is also the reason for the delay is because the Fifth District Court of Appeal, they are saying they have a decision coming out on July 7. One day after that the search warrants should be made public.
Also the July 16 preliminary hearing, right now both sides say it could be put on hold.
Rusty Dornin, CNN, Modesto, California.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
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 June 13, 2003 - 06:35 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Hush, hush. More like keep your mouth shut. That is the message for lawyers, witnesses and police working on the Laci Peterson case. A gag order now in effect, and there are more legal moves in the works.
CNN's Rusty Dornin has details for you from Modesto, California.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
RUSTY DORNIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Information has been very tight in this case all along, but mum is now officially the word as the result of this document, which will in effect zip the lips of anyone who is involved in this case. It's a gag order, and it prohibits anyone -- attorneys, their staff, witnesses, any police officers, any agency -- from speaking at all to the media or making any public statements about this case.
Now, the judge cited massive pretrial publicity. He said the leaks that have been happening often favor one side or the other, and without a gag order, it could influence jury selection, because there could be so much talk, of rehashing of gossip and rumor and that sort of thing that it could influence a jury, and they would be unable to find an impartial.
Now, the precedent they used in this case is Shepherd v. Maxwell, that's Sam Shepherd, the subject of the TV show, "The Fugitive." The Supreme Court ruled that Sam Shepherd should be released from prison because of pretrial publicity in that case, and he chided the judge for not issuing a gag order.
On another issue, a different judge released the search warrants in this case, but not until July. There are eight search warrants that involved Scott Peterson before he was arrested. They will be released July 8 unless the prosecution or the defense appeal that decision, and that is also the reason for the delay is because the Fifth District Court of Appeal, they are saying they have a decision coming out on July 7. One day after that the search warrants should be made public.
Also the July 16 preliminary hearing, right now both sides say it could be put on hold.
Rusty Dornin, CNN, Modesto, California.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.
