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CNN Live Saturday
High Profile Cases: Scott Peterson, Robert Durst
Aired November 15, 2003 - 14:25 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.
ANDREA KOPPEL, ANCHOR: We'll take a closer look now at the Peterson preliminary hearing and other high-profile cases this week.
Former U.S. attorney Kendall Coffey comes to us now live from Miami.
Mr. Coffey, what is your reaction to Amber Frey's testimony in this hearing?
KENDALL COFFEY, FORMER U.S. ATTORNEY: Well, she hasn't testified yet.
But what the prosecutors have been doing is using, through police detective statements about what Amber Frey has said, selectively bringing in items that they think are helpful to the prosecution case, apparently not planning on calling her herself. Which begs the question, will the defense try to bring in Amber Frey as a witness?
KOPPEL: And do you think they should?
COFFEY: Well, I think they ought to try. Because, if nothing else, they want to get her down in the courtroom under oath, where they can cross-examine her.
If she's going to be a key witness at the trial, why not do everything they can, probe everything they can now at the preliminary hearing so that they can be ready for a blistering cross-examination when she's seated before the jury at the ultimate trial for the murder of Laci Peterson.
KOPPEL: I wanted to talk to you about this police, Modesto police detective Al Brocchini, in which he said that during his Q&A with Scott Peterson, Peterson had led Amber Frey to believe that -- he, in fact, alluded to the fact that his wife was going to be dead in a couple of weeks.
How damning is that kind of testimony?
COFFEY: Well, when Scott Peterson allegedly told Amber Frey on December 9, two weeks before Laci Peterson disappeared, yes, that he'd been married, but his wife was dead, that is not just troubling and incriminating.
That's going to be one of the kinds of things that Amber Frey brings into the testimony that's going to be very troubling for Scott Peterson, not just the motive he was in love with some other woman, but the fact that he acted in many ways like somebody who was guilty of a terrible crime.
KOPPEL: Let's move on to the other kind of wacky story this week, which is the case of the eccentric billionaire -- millionaire Robert Durst.
How surprising was it that he was found not guilty?
COFFEY: Well, maybe words like "amazing," "stunning," "shocking." It's going to be a textbook for defense lawyers on taking high risks in order to win the unwinnable case.
And Andrea, for prosecutors, it underscores the perils of inconsistency. Saying at one point during the trial that Durst shot his neighbor as close range. Later saying that he was shot at some distance. Clearly indicating that when you have two different versions, from a prosecution's standpoint, that can add up to 12 jurors with a reasonable doubt.
KOPPEL: I know. And also one of the things that I know you've said is that Amber Frey and Scott Peterson's attorney will be looking at this case. and trying to get some points from that to help them with their case coming up.
Kendall Coffey, thank you so much for joining us from Miami.
COFFEY: Thanks, Andrea.
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 November 15, 2003 - 14:25 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
ANDREA KOPPEL, ANCHOR: We'll take a closer look now at the Peterson preliminary hearing and other high-profile cases this week.
Former U.S. attorney Kendall Coffey comes to us now live from Miami.
Mr. Coffey, what is your reaction to Amber Frey's testimony in this hearing?
KENDALL COFFEY, FORMER U.S. ATTORNEY: Well, she hasn't testified yet.
But what the prosecutors have been doing is using, through police detective statements about what Amber Frey has said, selectively bringing in items that they think are helpful to the prosecution case, apparently not planning on calling her herself. Which begs the question, will the defense try to bring in Amber Frey as a witness?
KOPPEL: And do you think they should?
COFFEY: Well, I think they ought to try. Because, if nothing else, they want to get her down in the courtroom under oath, where they can cross-examine her.
If she's going to be a key witness at the trial, why not do everything they can, probe everything they can now at the preliminary hearing so that they can be ready for a blistering cross-examination when she's seated before the jury at the ultimate trial for the murder of Laci Peterson.
KOPPEL: I wanted to talk to you about this police, Modesto police detective Al Brocchini, in which he said that during his Q&A with Scott Peterson, Peterson had led Amber Frey to believe that -- he, in fact, alluded to the fact that his wife was going to be dead in a couple of weeks.
How damning is that kind of testimony?
COFFEY: Well, when Scott Peterson allegedly told Amber Frey on December 9, two weeks before Laci Peterson disappeared, yes, that he'd been married, but his wife was dead, that is not just troubling and incriminating.
That's going to be one of the kinds of things that Amber Frey brings into the testimony that's going to be very troubling for Scott Peterson, not just the motive he was in love with some other woman, but the fact that he acted in many ways like somebody who was guilty of a terrible crime.
KOPPEL: Let's move on to the other kind of wacky story this week, which is the case of the eccentric billionaire -- millionaire Robert Durst.
How surprising was it that he was found not guilty?
COFFEY: Well, maybe words like "amazing," "stunning," "shocking." It's going to be a textbook for defense lawyers on taking high risks in order to win the unwinnable case.
And Andrea, for prosecutors, it underscores the perils of inconsistency. Saying at one point during the trial that Durst shot his neighbor as close range. Later saying that he was shot at some distance. Clearly indicating that when you have two different versions, from a prosecution's standpoint, that can add up to 12 jurors with a reasonable doubt.
KOPPEL: I know. And also one of the things that I know you've said is that Amber Frey and Scott Peterson's attorney will be looking at this case. and trying to get some points from that to help them with their case coming up.
Kendall Coffey, thank you so much for joining us from Miami.
COFFEY: Thanks, Andrea.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
