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CNN Live Saturday

Scott Peterson Jailed in California

Aired April 19, 2003 - 18:00   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.


FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Tonight we begin in Northern California, where a husband is behind bars suspected of murdering his wife and the couple's unborn eight-month-old baby. CNN's Rusty Dornin joins us with what's happening there tonight -- Rusty.
RUSTY DORNIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Fredricka, Scott Peterson was arrested in San Diego yesterday morning but did not arrive here at Stanislaus County jail until midnight last night.

He was greeted by a crowd of jeering residents carrying signs.

Now, you can see from this booking photo, it's a very different looking Scott Peterson. He has dyed his hair. He has grown a goatee. He's even lost some weight. Police said that was one of the reasons they wanted to take him into custody. They were fearful of him living down in San Diego, that he might slip across the border, and they might lose their chance to arrest him.

Now, here in Modesto, it's a very different scene. For the past four months, we've looking around and there's always been these "Missing" signs of Laci Peterson everywhere you looked. Those are gone. There's a sense of loss for many people who feel that they knew Laci Peterson personally.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DORNIN (voice over): It's rare to see a photograph of Laci Peterson where you don't see this, the 1,000-watt smile guaranteed to light up a room.

Stacey Boyers went to elementary school with Laci. In January, Boyers told CNN that enthusiasm was Laci's middle name.

STACEY BOYERS, LACI PETERSON'S FRIEND: Laci was always smiling. No matter where we are or what we're doing, she's always bubbly and talkative, and she's usually the center of attention.

DORNIN: Like when she was a cheerleader at Downey High School in Modesto, California, always confident, always charming. Then it was on to San Luis Obisbo and on to college. Her brother says she wasn't your typical college student. Forget the keg parties. Laci would take her big brother wine tasting.

Here at the Pacific Cafe in Morro Bay, Scott Peterson waited on tables. Laci was one of his customers. They dated and two years later were married. Cafe owner Abba Imani says the young woman always seemed very happy.

ABBA IMANI, CAFE OWNER: She was sweet and always smiled and laughed every time they came in here, after even they got married.

DORNIN: Married and still in college, Laci and Scott opened this burger joint, then called The Shack.

Blake and Christine Reed remember Laci and Scott throwing gourmet dinner parties at their home. In this photo, the Reeds say Laci crashed the guys' cigar-smoking huddle on the patio and wanted to be part of the picture. According to the Reeds, Laci and Scott made no secret of the fact they wanted to move one.

CHRISTINE REED, LACI PETERSON'S FRIEND: They wanted to buy a home, and they wanted to go someplace where their family was their to help support them.

DORNIN: Laci's hometown, Modesto, was that place. She was very close to her family, especially her mom, Sharon, for whom Laci's disappearance was pure agony.

SHARON ROCHA, LACI PETERSON'S MOTHER: I love my daughter so much. I miss her every minute of every day. I miss seeing her. I miss our talks together. I miss listening to the excitement in her voice when she talks to me about her baby.

DORNIN: The baby already a name, Connor, and he had a small room painted bright blue in their home on Covena Avenue, ready and waiting just days before Christmas. That's when Laci last spoke to her mother.

ROCHA: She was fine. She was looking forward to Christmas Eve. They were coming to our house for dinner.

DORNIN: It never happened. What did was beyond any mother's nightmare. Now outside the house where Laci Peterson dreamed of a new family, a shrine to her and her unborn son. Tammy Krause, as a family friend, felt she had to come.

TAMMY KRAUSE, LACI PETERSON'S FRIEND: She was great for this neighborhood, let me put it that way. She really was. She was involved in everything, and was just a great little girl. We are going to miss her a lot.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

DORNIN: Since we took those pictures of that shrine at the house just a few hours ago, it's almost doubled in size. People continue to come by and give mementos, light a candle, or leave a note to Laci and her unborn son, Connor. Meantime, the family is being asked -- is asking to be left alone this weekend. But they do say they are going to give a public statement on Monday afternoon -- Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: Now, Rusty, what about Scott Peterson's family members? We never really heard much from them. Anything since his arrest? DORNIN: Nothing since his arrest. We understand Scott has made a few phone calls from inside the jail but, apparently, there have been inquiries that we know of for the family to come visit here. There were some visiting hours this morning. They are ongoing right now, but no one has seen any sign of Scott Peterson's family yet.

WHITFIELD: All right, Rusty, thank you very much.

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 19, 2003 - 18:00   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Tonight we begin in Northern California, where a husband is behind bars suspected of murdering his wife and the couple's unborn eight-month-old baby. CNN's Rusty Dornin joins us with what's happening there tonight -- Rusty.
RUSTY DORNIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Fredricka, Scott Peterson was arrested in San Diego yesterday morning but did not arrive here at Stanislaus County jail until midnight last night.

He was greeted by a crowd of jeering residents carrying signs.

Now, you can see from this booking photo, it's a very different looking Scott Peterson. He has dyed his hair. He has grown a goatee. He's even lost some weight. Police said that was one of the reasons they wanted to take him into custody. They were fearful of him living down in San Diego, that he might slip across the border, and they might lose their chance to arrest him.

Now, here in Modesto, it's a very different scene. For the past four months, we've looking around and there's always been these "Missing" signs of Laci Peterson everywhere you looked. Those are gone. There's a sense of loss for many people who feel that they knew Laci Peterson personally.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DORNIN (voice over): It's rare to see a photograph of Laci Peterson where you don't see this, the 1,000-watt smile guaranteed to light up a room.

Stacey Boyers went to elementary school with Laci. In January, Boyers told CNN that enthusiasm was Laci's middle name.

STACEY BOYERS, LACI PETERSON'S FRIEND: Laci was always smiling. No matter where we are or what we're doing, she's always bubbly and talkative, and she's usually the center of attention.

DORNIN: Like when she was a cheerleader at Downey High School in Modesto, California, always confident, always charming. Then it was on to San Luis Obisbo and on to college. Her brother says she wasn't your typical college student. Forget the keg parties. Laci would take her big brother wine tasting.

Here at the Pacific Cafe in Morro Bay, Scott Peterson waited on tables. Laci was one of his customers. They dated and two years later were married. Cafe owner Abba Imani says the young woman always seemed very happy.

ABBA IMANI, CAFE OWNER: She was sweet and always smiled and laughed every time they came in here, after even they got married.

DORNIN: Married and still in college, Laci and Scott opened this burger joint, then called The Shack.

Blake and Christine Reed remember Laci and Scott throwing gourmet dinner parties at their home. In this photo, the Reeds say Laci crashed the guys' cigar-smoking huddle on the patio and wanted to be part of the picture. According to the Reeds, Laci and Scott made no secret of the fact they wanted to move one.

CHRISTINE REED, LACI PETERSON'S FRIEND: They wanted to buy a home, and they wanted to go someplace where their family was their to help support them.

DORNIN: Laci's hometown, Modesto, was that place. She was very close to her family, especially her mom, Sharon, for whom Laci's disappearance was pure agony.

SHARON ROCHA, LACI PETERSON'S MOTHER: I love my daughter so much. I miss her every minute of every day. I miss seeing her. I miss our talks together. I miss listening to the excitement in her voice when she talks to me about her baby.

DORNIN: The baby already a name, Connor, and he had a small room painted bright blue in their home on Covena Avenue, ready and waiting just days before Christmas. That's when Laci last spoke to her mother.

ROCHA: She was fine. She was looking forward to Christmas Eve. They were coming to our house for dinner.

DORNIN: It never happened. What did was beyond any mother's nightmare. Now outside the house where Laci Peterson dreamed of a new family, a shrine to her and her unborn son. Tammy Krause, as a family friend, felt she had to come.

TAMMY KRAUSE, LACI PETERSON'S FRIEND: She was great for this neighborhood, let me put it that way. She really was. She was involved in everything, and was just a great little girl. We are going to miss her a lot.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

DORNIN: Since we took those pictures of that shrine at the house just a few hours ago, it's almost doubled in size. People continue to come by and give mementos, light a candle, or leave a note to Laci and her unborn son, Connor. Meantime, the family is being asked -- is asking to be left alone this weekend. But they do say they are going to give a public statement on Monday afternoon -- Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: Now, Rusty, what about Scott Peterson's family members? We never really heard much from them. Anything since his arrest? DORNIN: Nothing since his arrest. We understand Scott has made a few phone calls from inside the jail but, apparently, there have been inquiries that we know of for the family to come visit here. There were some visiting hours this morning. They are ongoing right now, but no one has seen any sign of Scott Peterson's family yet.

WHITFIELD: All right, Rusty, thank you very much.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com