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American Morning
Peterson Hearing
Aired November 12, 2003 - 07:17 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.
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: In a Modesto, California, courtroom today, the detective who launched the investigation into Laci Peterson's disappearance last Christmas Eve will be cross-examined. Then, the prosecution is expected to put a DNA expert on the stand.
As Rusty Dornin reports, he'll be needed to support a key part of the case against Scott Peterson.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
RUSTY DORNIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It's the nagging question that has dogged Scott Peterson's preliminary hearing since day one: Will that single strand of hair found in pliers at the bottom of Scott's boat and linked by prosecutors to Laci Peterson be in or out as evidence?
Now, another FBI DNA expert for the prosecution will be on the stand. Then, it's up to the judge to decide whether what could be a key piece of evidence for the prosecution will be admitted.
Defense attorney Mark Geragos believes after that, prosecutors will present a few more witnesses.
MARK GERAGOS, DEFENSE ATTORNEY: They've got a couple more civilian witnesses. They have some more police officers. They have not indicated, but I expect that they will have Ms. Frey testify. And then, I think they're going to have potentially the medical examiners.
DORNIN: Last week, the detective in charge of the scene the day Laci Peterson disappeared said Scott Peterson denied having an affair, and described how Amber Frey called police a week later. Frey told police Peterson told her on December 9 he was widowed, the same day he bought the fishing boat, two weeks before his wife disappeared.
Frey's attorney, Gloria Allred, says Frey, who agreed to let police tape phone calls between her and Peterson, has been under intense pressure since this all began.
GLORIA ALLRED, FREY'S ATTORNEY: If she is called to testify, she will testify, even though it will take an enormous amount of courage to come in and potentially, you know, be attacked for doing the right thing.
DORNIN: If called to testify, Frey would likely take the stand later this week.
(END VIDEOTAPE) This is only the eighth day of testimony, but we're into the third week of this preliminary hearing. It stopped and started so many times, because defense attorney Mark Geragos had to leave because of another court case. And we've had holidays and a number of other delays.
On the stand today, that FBI DNA expert is expected to take most of the day, but the way things are going it looks like this preliminary hearing is going to spill into a fourth week -- Soledad.
O'BRIEN: Unusually long, I think it's fair to say, even if you consider the travel on the attorneys' part and the various holidays in between, right?
DORNIN: That's right, Soledad. I think also this judge is being very careful. Of course, this is a capital case. He is being -- taking each and every detail and considering it -- again, like this piece of hair. Also that this piece of hair has been four days' worth of testimony, because it's been extremely complex and the defense is taking its time on the cross-examination.
O'BRIEN: Rusty Dornin for us in Modesto, California, this morning. Rusty, thanks.
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 12, 2003 - 07:17 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: In a Modesto, California, courtroom today, the detective who launched the investigation into Laci Peterson's disappearance last Christmas Eve will be cross-examined. Then, the prosecution is expected to put a DNA expert on the stand.
As Rusty Dornin reports, he'll be needed to support a key part of the case against Scott Peterson.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
RUSTY DORNIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It's the nagging question that has dogged Scott Peterson's preliminary hearing since day one: Will that single strand of hair found in pliers at the bottom of Scott's boat and linked by prosecutors to Laci Peterson be in or out as evidence?
Now, another FBI DNA expert for the prosecution will be on the stand. Then, it's up to the judge to decide whether what could be a key piece of evidence for the prosecution will be admitted.
Defense attorney Mark Geragos believes after that, prosecutors will present a few more witnesses.
MARK GERAGOS, DEFENSE ATTORNEY: They've got a couple more civilian witnesses. They have some more police officers. They have not indicated, but I expect that they will have Ms. Frey testify. And then, I think they're going to have potentially the medical examiners.
DORNIN: Last week, the detective in charge of the scene the day Laci Peterson disappeared said Scott Peterson denied having an affair, and described how Amber Frey called police a week later. Frey told police Peterson told her on December 9 he was widowed, the same day he bought the fishing boat, two weeks before his wife disappeared.
Frey's attorney, Gloria Allred, says Frey, who agreed to let police tape phone calls between her and Peterson, has been under intense pressure since this all began.
GLORIA ALLRED, FREY'S ATTORNEY: If she is called to testify, she will testify, even though it will take an enormous amount of courage to come in and potentially, you know, be attacked for doing the right thing.
DORNIN: If called to testify, Frey would likely take the stand later this week.
(END VIDEOTAPE) This is only the eighth day of testimony, but we're into the third week of this preliminary hearing. It stopped and started so many times, because defense attorney Mark Geragos had to leave because of another court case. And we've had holidays and a number of other delays.
On the stand today, that FBI DNA expert is expected to take most of the day, but the way things are going it looks like this preliminary hearing is going to spill into a fourth week -- Soledad.
O'BRIEN: Unusually long, I think it's fair to say, even if you consider the travel on the attorneys' part and the various holidays in between, right?
DORNIN: That's right, Soledad. I think also this judge is being very careful. Of course, this is a capital case. He is being -- taking each and every detail and considering it -- again, like this piece of hair. Also that this piece of hair has been four days' worth of testimony, because it's been extremely complex and the defense is taking its time on the cross-examination.
O'BRIEN: Rusty Dornin for us in Modesto, California, this morning. Rusty, thanks.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.
