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American Morning
Prosecutors in Peterson's Preliminary Hearing Coming to Final Few Witnesses
Aired November 13, 2003 - 07:31 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: You just talked about it, Modesto, California. That's where we're going now. Prosecutors in Scott Peterson's preliminary hearing are coming down to the final few witnesses on their list.
Rusty Dornin live this morning, up early again for us in Modesto -- good morning, Rusty.
RUSTY DORNIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Bill, you know, one half of this eight day hearing has been consumed by very complex DNA testimony. It looks like we're done with DNA for now. That is until the judge rules on that very controversial single strand of hair. Meantime, the police investigator in charge of the scene is back upon the stand being cross-examined by the defense. A lot of questions coming out about exactly when Amber Frey, the other woman, began taping conversations with Scott Peterson.
And defense attorney Mark Geragos is on a rampage about some closed-circuit TV tapes he says he never knew anything about.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DORNIN (voice-over): Defense attorney Mark Geragos made much ado much of the day about surveillance tapes, the so-called poll cam police placed outside Scott Peterson's house, tapes he says he never knew about.
MARK GERAGOS, DEFENSE ATTORNEY: We want to know where the tapes are. We want to know why the tapes weren't mentioned before and why they're not in there. And we'd like to know why it is that at least so far, apparently, a number of the lead investigators don't know about it.
DORNIN: Detectives have already testified that Amber Frey called police December 30 to tell them about her affair with Scott Peterson and she agreed to record her conversations with Scott. During cross- examination of one of the lead detectives, the defense raised the possibility that Frey began recording conversations as early as December 16, nearly a week before Laci Peterson disappeared.
Detective Al Brocchini told the court Frey told him she hadn't recorded any previous phone calls.
Still no word on the hair. The last witness to testify about the reliability of the mitochondrial DNA spent the day on the stand. It's the technique used by prosecutors to link the single hair found on the bottom of Scott Peterson's boat to his murdered wife Laci. The defense wants it thrown out, claiming the technique is inaccurate. The judge will rule whether the hair will be allowed in as what appears to be a key piece of the prosecution's case. That ruling might not come until the end of the preliminary hearing.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
DORNIN: Still on the stand this morning will be detective Al Brocchini. He was the one in charge of the scene. He's still being cross-examined by the defense. Who's left? Well, we're expecting some more police investigators, neighbors, the medical examiner and, of course, the other woman in Scott Peterson's life, Amber Frey -- Bill.
HEMMER: And there is a new twist on that whole Amber Frey appearance, or lack of it. Gloria Allred, her attorney, tells Larry King she won't be called during this hearing.
Do you have anything more on that, Rusty?
DORNIN: Well, it's interesting because she definitely got a subpoena, but as we've been winding down, there has been some question about whether she is going to show up. At this point, you know, the surprise could still come at this point. We're not sure. But if Allred is still saying that she may not show up, that may be the case.
HEMMER: Got it.
Rusty, thanks.
Rusty Dornin in Modesto.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Final Few Witnesses>
Aired November 13, 2003 - 07:31 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: You just talked about it, Modesto, California. That's where we're going now. Prosecutors in Scott Peterson's preliminary hearing are coming down to the final few witnesses on their list.
Rusty Dornin live this morning, up early again for us in Modesto -- good morning, Rusty.
RUSTY DORNIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Bill, you know, one half of this eight day hearing has been consumed by very complex DNA testimony. It looks like we're done with DNA for now. That is until the judge rules on that very controversial single strand of hair. Meantime, the police investigator in charge of the scene is back upon the stand being cross-examined by the defense. A lot of questions coming out about exactly when Amber Frey, the other woman, began taping conversations with Scott Peterson.
And defense attorney Mark Geragos is on a rampage about some closed-circuit TV tapes he says he never knew anything about.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DORNIN (voice-over): Defense attorney Mark Geragos made much ado much of the day about surveillance tapes, the so-called poll cam police placed outside Scott Peterson's house, tapes he says he never knew about.
MARK GERAGOS, DEFENSE ATTORNEY: We want to know where the tapes are. We want to know why the tapes weren't mentioned before and why they're not in there. And we'd like to know why it is that at least so far, apparently, a number of the lead investigators don't know about it.
DORNIN: Detectives have already testified that Amber Frey called police December 30 to tell them about her affair with Scott Peterson and she agreed to record her conversations with Scott. During cross- examination of one of the lead detectives, the defense raised the possibility that Frey began recording conversations as early as December 16, nearly a week before Laci Peterson disappeared.
Detective Al Brocchini told the court Frey told him she hadn't recorded any previous phone calls.
Still no word on the hair. The last witness to testify about the reliability of the mitochondrial DNA spent the day on the stand. It's the technique used by prosecutors to link the single hair found on the bottom of Scott Peterson's boat to his murdered wife Laci. The defense wants it thrown out, claiming the technique is inaccurate. The judge will rule whether the hair will be allowed in as what appears to be a key piece of the prosecution's case. That ruling might not come until the end of the preliminary hearing.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
DORNIN: Still on the stand this morning will be detective Al Brocchini. He was the one in charge of the scene. He's still being cross-examined by the defense. Who's left? Well, we're expecting some more police investigators, neighbors, the medical examiner and, of course, the other woman in Scott Peterson's life, Amber Frey -- Bill.
HEMMER: And there is a new twist on that whole Amber Frey appearance, or lack of it. Gloria Allred, her attorney, tells Larry King she won't be called during this hearing.
Do you have anything more on that, Rusty?
DORNIN: Well, it's interesting because she definitely got a subpoena, but as we've been winding down, there has been some question about whether she is going to show up. At this point, you know, the surprise could still come at this point. We're not sure. But if Allred is still saying that she may not show up, that may be the case.
HEMMER: Got it.
Rusty, thanks.
Rusty Dornin in Modesto.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Final Few Witnesses>
