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American Morning
Prosecutors Want Autopsies of Laci, Unborn Son Unsealed
Aired May 30, 2003 - 08:04 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.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: We do want to move on to these details that have been leaked in the Laci Peterson case. Prosecutors want the autopsies of Laci and her unborn son to be unsealed. The male fetus reportedly had a shoulder to shoulder cut and plastic tape wrapped around the neck. It was found near Laci's body. Both washed ashore in April.
Laci's husband Scott is facing two counts of murder.
What do these developments mean for the prosecution and the defense?
With us now, Court TV reporter Beth Karas to shed some light on all of this for us.
Thanks for being here this morning.
BETH KARAS, COURT TV REPORTER: Thank you.
COLLINS: We'd like to know the answer to that very question, what does all of this mean, keeping in mind sort of a warning to everyone that this is just a small bit of all of the information that has been collected and could be being taken out of context.
KARAS: Absolutely. First of all, the prosecution doesn't have anything to hide. They just wanted these reports to remain closed until the preliminary hearing in July, when it will properly be introduced at the hearing. But now the information is coming out, they said forget it, we want the whole thing unsealed, and the judge will take that up next Friday, a week from today.
But they said the information that's being released now is little bits and pieces that's skewed in favor of the defense. And they want people now to see the entire autopsy report so that they can understand everything.
COLLINS: Well, what in particular does, do these details that we're learning about this cut and about the tape around the neck, what does that mean for the defense?
KARAS: Well, these things seem to play into the defense theory that Scott Peterson didn't do it, that perhaps people involved in some sort of satanic cult did it.
COLLINS: Right. And we've been hearing a little bit about that.
Any possibility that these leaks that we've also been hearing so much about could be coming from the defense? Or way too early to tell?
KARAS: Well, it's possible, and it would be in violation of the court order because these documents are sealed. Even though there's no gag order, I think there will be a gag order a week from today throughout the duration of the case, at least until trial.
But it's possible. But it could come from other sources, as well. And we'll probably never know.
COLLINS: And what about the scenario that these things could have happened to the infant after the baby died? What would that mean?
KARAS: Well, it's my understanding from what's been released in the autopsy report that the cut on the baby is a post-mortem cut. So the baby was already dead when that cut was inflicted. With respect to how the tape got around his neck, I don't know if it could have happened during a coffin birth, if she had been wrapped in tape, debris in the bay could have caused this or if it was something intentionally placed around his neck.
COLLINS: So tell us then what you think will happen in these next two hearings that are scheduled for next week.
KARAS: Tuesday's hearing is before a different judge, not the one who presided last week, and he's going to deal with the pre-arrest search warrants and whether they should remain sealed. There are eight of them. And they'll probably remain sealed. Peterson may not even be in court. In fact, the court is saying he probably won't be.
Friday there's a lot on deck. This issue of the unsealing of the autopsy report, the media request to view wire inter -- hear, at least, the wire intercepts. There may be testimony, also, from an investigator regarding how they conducted the wiretap evidence.
COLLINS: Right. And speaking of the wiretap evidence, I read somewhere from some of the legal experts who have really been looking at this case that the key to this whole case should really be about the evidence that they found in the Peterson home and what is going to be heard on those wiretaps.
Do you agree with that?
KARAS: Well, I don't expect that Scott Peterson made any real incriminating admissions on the telephone, because these wiretaps are all post the disappearance of Laci Peterson. Probably the most significant will be what he said to Amber Frey, not what he said to reporters. And, in fact, I think they're just snippets that were intercepted with reporters. The police had to turn the recorder off once they realized it was a reporter.
COLLINS: Right.
All right, and, of course, we will be hearing all about it next week with those next two hearings.
KARAS: That's right.
COLLINS: Thank you so much.
KARAS: My pleasure.
COLLINS: Beth Karas of Court TV.
Appreciate it.
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 30, 2003 - 08:04 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: We do want to move on to these details that have been leaked in the Laci Peterson case. Prosecutors want the autopsies of Laci and her unborn son to be unsealed. The male fetus reportedly had a shoulder to shoulder cut and plastic tape wrapped around the neck. It was found near Laci's body. Both washed ashore in April.
Laci's husband Scott is facing two counts of murder.
What do these developments mean for the prosecution and the defense?
With us now, Court TV reporter Beth Karas to shed some light on all of this for us.
Thanks for being here this morning.
BETH KARAS, COURT TV REPORTER: Thank you.
COLLINS: We'd like to know the answer to that very question, what does all of this mean, keeping in mind sort of a warning to everyone that this is just a small bit of all of the information that has been collected and could be being taken out of context.
KARAS: Absolutely. First of all, the prosecution doesn't have anything to hide. They just wanted these reports to remain closed until the preliminary hearing in July, when it will properly be introduced at the hearing. But now the information is coming out, they said forget it, we want the whole thing unsealed, and the judge will take that up next Friday, a week from today.
But they said the information that's being released now is little bits and pieces that's skewed in favor of the defense. And they want people now to see the entire autopsy report so that they can understand everything.
COLLINS: Well, what in particular does, do these details that we're learning about this cut and about the tape around the neck, what does that mean for the defense?
KARAS: Well, these things seem to play into the defense theory that Scott Peterson didn't do it, that perhaps people involved in some sort of satanic cult did it.
COLLINS: Right. And we've been hearing a little bit about that.
Any possibility that these leaks that we've also been hearing so much about could be coming from the defense? Or way too early to tell?
KARAS: Well, it's possible, and it would be in violation of the court order because these documents are sealed. Even though there's no gag order, I think there will be a gag order a week from today throughout the duration of the case, at least until trial.
But it's possible. But it could come from other sources, as well. And we'll probably never know.
COLLINS: And what about the scenario that these things could have happened to the infant after the baby died? What would that mean?
KARAS: Well, it's my understanding from what's been released in the autopsy report that the cut on the baby is a post-mortem cut. So the baby was already dead when that cut was inflicted. With respect to how the tape got around his neck, I don't know if it could have happened during a coffin birth, if she had been wrapped in tape, debris in the bay could have caused this or if it was something intentionally placed around his neck.
COLLINS: So tell us then what you think will happen in these next two hearings that are scheduled for next week.
KARAS: Tuesday's hearing is before a different judge, not the one who presided last week, and he's going to deal with the pre-arrest search warrants and whether they should remain sealed. There are eight of them. And they'll probably remain sealed. Peterson may not even be in court. In fact, the court is saying he probably won't be.
Friday there's a lot on deck. This issue of the unsealing of the autopsy report, the media request to view wire inter -- hear, at least, the wire intercepts. There may be testimony, also, from an investigator regarding how they conducted the wiretap evidence.
COLLINS: Right. And speaking of the wiretap evidence, I read somewhere from some of the legal experts who have really been looking at this case that the key to this whole case should really be about the evidence that they found in the Peterson home and what is going to be heard on those wiretaps.
Do you agree with that?
KARAS: Well, I don't expect that Scott Peterson made any real incriminating admissions on the telephone, because these wiretaps are all post the disappearance of Laci Peterson. Probably the most significant will be what he said to Amber Frey, not what he said to reporters. And, in fact, I think they're just snippets that were intercepted with reporters. The police had to turn the recorder off once they realized it was a reporter.
COLLINS: Right.
All right, and, of course, we will be hearing all about it next week with those next two hearings.
KARAS: That's right.
COLLINS: Thank you so much.
KARAS: My pleasure.
COLLINS: Beth Karas of Court TV.
Appreciate it.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
