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Jail Report: Peterson Murder Occurred at Home
Aired April 21, 2003 - 15:03 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.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: First we are going to go to Modesto, California, where Scott Peterson has been formally charged with two counts of murder. The victims: his wife, Laci, nearly eight months pregnant when she disappeared Christmas Eve, and their unborn child, a son they were going to name Connor.
CNN's Mike Brooks is at the courthouse now, where Peterson is expected to be arraigned shortly -- Mike.
MIKE BROOKS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good afternoon, Kyra. In about an hour and a half, Scott Peterson will face Judge Nancy Ashley in the Stanislaus County Superior Court, and he will -- he will plead either guilty or not guilty to two counts of murder. Now, we received a copy of the criminal complaint, Kyra. And in count one, it states that "on or about or between December 23, 2002 and December 24, 2002, the defendant" -- they're speaking about Scott Peterson -- "did commit a felony murder, violation of Section 187 of the California Penal Code, in that the defendant did willfully, unlawfully, and feloniously, and with malice of forethought, murder Laci Denise Peterson, a human being."
Then we go down to the count two, the second charge of murder, on or about, between the same dates, December 23 and 24, the defendant did commit a felony murder, violation, again of Section 187 of the California Penal Code in that "the defendant did willfully, unlawfully and feloniously, and with malice of forethought, murder baby Connor Peterson, a fetus."
Now, in the first count, there was an enhancement that basically talks about the termination of pregnancy, and says termination of pregnancy -- during the commission of the murder of Laci Denise Peterson, the defendant, with knowledge that Laci Denise Peterson was pregnant did inflict injury on Laci Denise Peterson, resulting in the termination of her pregnancy, a violation of Section 102 -- 1022.9 of the California Penal Code.
But the interesting thing, Kyra, that besides just the articulation of the criminal complaint, is that in the Modesto Police Department, Stanislaus County Jail Prebooking and Probable Cause -- Declaration Report, it says location of offense: 523 Covena (ph) Avenue, Modesto, California. That is the address of Scott and Laci Peterson's home.
So the police have never come out and said -- they've never said publicly exactly where the murder allegedly occurred, but they are now saying in this report, and they have not said this before, that it did occur at 523 Covena (ph) Avenue in Modesto, their home -- Kyra. PHILLIPS: Mike, meanwhile, we've already heard the two words, death penalty. It's possible that Scott Peterson could face this, right?
BROOKS: That's exactly right. The D.A. has not said whether they will go for the death penalty, but they can, because there are special enhancements with this particular case, and because it is a double homicide. It is considered to be a capital murder case, and he may seek the death penalty against Scott Peterson, but he has not said whether he'll do that or not -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: Our Mike Brooks, working that story from Modesto, California. Thank you.
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 21, 2003 - 15:03 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: First we are going to go to Modesto, California, where Scott Peterson has been formally charged with two counts of murder. The victims: his wife, Laci, nearly eight months pregnant when she disappeared Christmas Eve, and their unborn child, a son they were going to name Connor.
CNN's Mike Brooks is at the courthouse now, where Peterson is expected to be arraigned shortly -- Mike.
MIKE BROOKS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good afternoon, Kyra. In about an hour and a half, Scott Peterson will face Judge Nancy Ashley in the Stanislaus County Superior Court, and he will -- he will plead either guilty or not guilty to two counts of murder. Now, we received a copy of the criminal complaint, Kyra. And in count one, it states that "on or about or between December 23, 2002 and December 24, 2002, the defendant" -- they're speaking about Scott Peterson -- "did commit a felony murder, violation of Section 187 of the California Penal Code, in that the defendant did willfully, unlawfully, and feloniously, and with malice of forethought, murder Laci Denise Peterson, a human being."
Then we go down to the count two, the second charge of murder, on or about, between the same dates, December 23 and 24, the defendant did commit a felony murder, violation, again of Section 187 of the California Penal Code in that "the defendant did willfully, unlawfully and feloniously, and with malice of forethought, murder baby Connor Peterson, a fetus."
Now, in the first count, there was an enhancement that basically talks about the termination of pregnancy, and says termination of pregnancy -- during the commission of the murder of Laci Denise Peterson, the defendant, with knowledge that Laci Denise Peterson was pregnant did inflict injury on Laci Denise Peterson, resulting in the termination of her pregnancy, a violation of Section 102 -- 1022.9 of the California Penal Code.
But the interesting thing, Kyra, that besides just the articulation of the criminal complaint, is that in the Modesto Police Department, Stanislaus County Jail Prebooking and Probable Cause -- Declaration Report, it says location of offense: 523 Covena (ph) Avenue, Modesto, California. That is the address of Scott and Laci Peterson's home.
So the police have never come out and said -- they've never said publicly exactly where the murder allegedly occurred, but they are now saying in this report, and they have not said this before, that it did occur at 523 Covena (ph) Avenue in Modesto, their home -- Kyra. PHILLIPS: Mike, meanwhile, we've already heard the two words, death penalty. It's possible that Scott Peterson could face this, right?
BROOKS: That's exactly right. The D.A. has not said whether they will go for the death penalty, but they can, because there are special enhancements with this particular case, and because it is a double homicide. It is considered to be a capital murder case, and he may seek the death penalty against Scott Peterson, but he has not said whether he'll do that or not -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: Our Mike Brooks, working that story from Modesto, California. Thank you.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
