Return to Transcripts main page
American Morning
Scott Peterson's Parents Convinced Son Innocent
Aired May 23, 2003 - 08:07 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: Heidi, Scott Peterson's parents are convinced their son is innocent and they want the world to know about it. Peterson is accused of murdering his wife Laci and their unborn son.
In the new issue of "People" magazine just on stands today, Scott's parents, Jackie and Lee Peterson, say their son is not the monster the media has made him out to be.
So, why, then, the preemptive P.R. strike?
Anne Marie O'Neill, senior editor for "People," is here to tell more about the Peterson interview.
Good morning to you.
ANNE MARIE O'NEILL, SENIOR EDITOR, "PEOPLE" MAGAZINE: Hi.
HEMMER: Their only son of Jackie and Lee.
Why did they agree to talk?
O'NEILL: I think they're doing what any loving parents would do. They think their son is innocent. He's really being given a bad rap in the press, rightly or wrongly we won't know until the trial. But they're basically coming out and trying to say that he really was a good husband and father.
HEMMER: What you will find in this issue of "People" is a lot of pictures Scott as a kid. You say these strike you. Why?
O'NEILL: I think it's really striking to look at Scott growing up and to just see a really normal boy, from a very happy family. And obviously that's why the pictures are out there, from the parents' point of view. But, you know, it really does portray, you know, incredible normality in his upbringing. You look at it and you think, well, OK, could this guy kill his wife?
HEMMER: Mark Geragos is the attorney right now. We know he's very media savvy. He's been here on CNN many, many times. There he is in video.
Is he training the parents right now on how to address reporters like yourself?
O'NEILL: I would suggest he is. You know, I don't know. I haven't been witness to any of that. But I'd suggest he is because, you know, as you said, he's really media savvy. He knows the questions we're going to ask. He knows the answers he wants out there.
HEMMER: What is his, what is he basing this theory about a satanic cult? Where does he get this information and what is the facts that he believes could support such a theory?
O'NEILL: What he believes and what he is floating out there is this theory of the brown van that was on the street before Laci Peterson disappeared. There is a woman who he says he has who claims she was almost abducted by the guys in the brown van. And the other piece of evidence that he has come up with is that Laci Peterson and another woman who was abducted more than a year ago, a woman by the name of Hernandez, both disappeared on what he says are high holy days in the satanic church.
HEMMER: So he's done his research?
O'NEILL: He's done his research, yes.
HEMMER: Even though it sounds a bit farfetched, would you not agree?
O'NEILL: Yes, oh, well, I mean, you know, believe him or not, people are listening.
HEMMER: Let's talk about the suit, the clean shaven Scott Peterson that we now see right now in court.
Did the parents address the possibility, if he is found guilty, he could pay for this crime with his life? Have they thought about that yet?
O'NEILL: I think they've probably thought a lot about that and I think that's part of what's motivating them to get out there and talk.
HEMMER: If you want to be cynical, Laci was doing yoga while pregnant, correct, before she was killed?
O'NEILL: Umm-hmm.
HEMMER: And he is doing yoga right now behind bars. Had he ever done that before?
O'NEILL: It is something that he has just taken up, apparently. He was asking them for books on yoga and telling them that he's done some pretty difficult positions. But, you know, once again this is a family trying to make connections between Scott and Laci to make the world believe that they had this really tight and loving marriage. They may have. We don't know.
HEMMER: What did they say about Stanislaus County? Eighty percent of the people surveyed believe Scott's guilty.
O'NEILL: That's true. There have been polls and about 80 percent is the figure. So, you know, if you're looking at your jury pool, that's a lot of people who think your client's guilty.
HEMMER: And when Mark Geragos, involved in this interview, sometimes stopped it and redirected the questions...
O'NEILL: There...
HEMMER: Does he believe that he can get this trial moved?
O'NEILL: I think he believes in himself, frankly. I certainly think Mark Geragos believes in himself. As far as stopping our interview, he did stop our interview once and that was when the questions turned to Amber Frey. We asked whether the parents knew that Scott had been having an affair with Amber and they said he had told them and he'd said "I'm ashamed." And at that point, Geragos redirected the interview.
HEMMER: "People" magazine's Anne Marie O'Neill.
Thanks for talking.
O'NEILL: 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 May 23, 2003 - 08:07 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Heidi, Scott Peterson's parents are convinced their son is innocent and they want the world to know about it. Peterson is accused of murdering his wife Laci and their unborn son.
In the new issue of "People" magazine just on stands today, Scott's parents, Jackie and Lee Peterson, say their son is not the monster the media has made him out to be.
So, why, then, the preemptive P.R. strike?
Anne Marie O'Neill, senior editor for "People," is here to tell more about the Peterson interview.
Good morning to you.
ANNE MARIE O'NEILL, SENIOR EDITOR, "PEOPLE" MAGAZINE: Hi.
HEMMER: Their only son of Jackie and Lee.
Why did they agree to talk?
O'NEILL: I think they're doing what any loving parents would do. They think their son is innocent. He's really being given a bad rap in the press, rightly or wrongly we won't know until the trial. But they're basically coming out and trying to say that he really was a good husband and father.
HEMMER: What you will find in this issue of "People" is a lot of pictures Scott as a kid. You say these strike you. Why?
O'NEILL: I think it's really striking to look at Scott growing up and to just see a really normal boy, from a very happy family. And obviously that's why the pictures are out there, from the parents' point of view. But, you know, it really does portray, you know, incredible normality in his upbringing. You look at it and you think, well, OK, could this guy kill his wife?
HEMMER: Mark Geragos is the attorney right now. We know he's very media savvy. He's been here on CNN many, many times. There he is in video.
Is he training the parents right now on how to address reporters like yourself?
O'NEILL: I would suggest he is. You know, I don't know. I haven't been witness to any of that. But I'd suggest he is because, you know, as you said, he's really media savvy. He knows the questions we're going to ask. He knows the answers he wants out there.
HEMMER: What is his, what is he basing this theory about a satanic cult? Where does he get this information and what is the facts that he believes could support such a theory?
O'NEILL: What he believes and what he is floating out there is this theory of the brown van that was on the street before Laci Peterson disappeared. There is a woman who he says he has who claims she was almost abducted by the guys in the brown van. And the other piece of evidence that he has come up with is that Laci Peterson and another woman who was abducted more than a year ago, a woman by the name of Hernandez, both disappeared on what he says are high holy days in the satanic church.
HEMMER: So he's done his research?
O'NEILL: He's done his research, yes.
HEMMER: Even though it sounds a bit farfetched, would you not agree?
O'NEILL: Yes, oh, well, I mean, you know, believe him or not, people are listening.
HEMMER: Let's talk about the suit, the clean shaven Scott Peterson that we now see right now in court.
Did the parents address the possibility, if he is found guilty, he could pay for this crime with his life? Have they thought about that yet?
O'NEILL: I think they've probably thought a lot about that and I think that's part of what's motivating them to get out there and talk.
HEMMER: If you want to be cynical, Laci was doing yoga while pregnant, correct, before she was killed?
O'NEILL: Umm-hmm.
HEMMER: And he is doing yoga right now behind bars. Had he ever done that before?
O'NEILL: It is something that he has just taken up, apparently. He was asking them for books on yoga and telling them that he's done some pretty difficult positions. But, you know, once again this is a family trying to make connections between Scott and Laci to make the world believe that they had this really tight and loving marriage. They may have. We don't know.
HEMMER: What did they say about Stanislaus County? Eighty percent of the people surveyed believe Scott's guilty.
O'NEILL: That's true. There have been polls and about 80 percent is the figure. So, you know, if you're looking at your jury pool, that's a lot of people who think your client's guilty.
HEMMER: And when Mark Geragos, involved in this interview, sometimes stopped it and redirected the questions...
O'NEILL: There...
HEMMER: Does he believe that he can get this trial moved?
O'NEILL: I think he believes in himself, frankly. I certainly think Mark Geragos believes in himself. As far as stopping our interview, he did stop our interview once and that was when the questions turned to Amber Frey. We asked whether the parents knew that Scott had been having an affair with Amber and they said he had told them and he'd said "I'm ashamed." And at that point, Geragos redirected the interview.
HEMMER: "People" magazine's Anne Marie O'Neill.
Thanks for talking.
O'NEILL: 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
