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CNN Saturday Morning News
Autopsy of Laci Peterson Will Remained Sealed
Aired June 07, 2003 - 07:05 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.
SANJAY GUPTA, CNN ANCHOR: An important day Friday in the Peterson case, as a judge finally ruled on whether to release the autopsy results for Laci and her unborn child.
David Mattingly reports.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DAVID MATTINGLY, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The autopsies performed on Laci Peterson and the unborn child, Conner, are to remain sealed by the court, this in spite of early leaks of portions of the reports to the media.
MARK GERAGOS, PETERSON DEFENSE ATTORNEY: I don't know how to find out where the leaks are coming from. I don't know how to plug the leaks, if you will. But this is a capital case.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The people learn through media report...
MATTINGLY: Just the discussion of the autopsies was enough for Laci's mother to abruptly leave the courtroom. Scott Peterson appeared to become emotional as well, as the court ordered the release of death certificates.
Outside the courthouse, an entire street was blocked off for the media. Scott Peterson's family arrived to a crowd of cameras. During the hearing, dozens watched a courtroom feed set up outside.
The judge, however, did not immediately rule on whether or not to impose a gag order, but leaks and misinformation are still clearly a major concern to the court.
JOHN GOOLD, DEPUTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY: The issues can be misconstrued. None of you have been able to hear any witnesses testify. I doubt that any of you have seen all the police reports. And to go over what people think the evidence is or what they think has been leaked of the evidence can just slant things the wrong way.
MATTINGLY: But in spite of concerns, there continues to be signs that spin still rules outside the courtroom, with new apparent leaks. The latest is a report from affiliate KTVU in Oakland, California, that details how investigators searched Scott's computer and formulated a theory of how he could have killed Laci.
GERAGOS: Unfortunately, it sounds to me like the police are doing some leaking and once again leaking misinformation and false information.
MATTINGLY (on camera): But while both sides complain, official details in the case remain very hard to come by. The death certificates for Laci Peterson and her unborn son, Conner, were released as ordered by the court, but they simply list Laci's death as a homicide, cause undetermined.
David Mattingly, CNN, Modesto, California.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
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 June 7, 2003 - 07:05 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
SANJAY GUPTA, CNN ANCHOR: An important day Friday in the Peterson case, as a judge finally ruled on whether to release the autopsy results for Laci and her unborn child.
David Mattingly reports.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DAVID MATTINGLY, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The autopsies performed on Laci Peterson and the unborn child, Conner, are to remain sealed by the court, this in spite of early leaks of portions of the reports to the media.
MARK GERAGOS, PETERSON DEFENSE ATTORNEY: I don't know how to find out where the leaks are coming from. I don't know how to plug the leaks, if you will. But this is a capital case.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The people learn through media report...
MATTINGLY: Just the discussion of the autopsies was enough for Laci's mother to abruptly leave the courtroom. Scott Peterson appeared to become emotional as well, as the court ordered the release of death certificates.
Outside the courthouse, an entire street was blocked off for the media. Scott Peterson's family arrived to a crowd of cameras. During the hearing, dozens watched a courtroom feed set up outside.
The judge, however, did not immediately rule on whether or not to impose a gag order, but leaks and misinformation are still clearly a major concern to the court.
JOHN GOOLD, DEPUTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY: The issues can be misconstrued. None of you have been able to hear any witnesses testify. I doubt that any of you have seen all the police reports. And to go over what people think the evidence is or what they think has been leaked of the evidence can just slant things the wrong way.
MATTINGLY: But in spite of concerns, there continues to be signs that spin still rules outside the courtroom, with new apparent leaks. The latest is a report from affiliate KTVU in Oakland, California, that details how investigators searched Scott's computer and formulated a theory of how he could have killed Laci.
GERAGOS: Unfortunately, it sounds to me like the police are doing some leaking and once again leaking misinformation and false information.
MATTINGLY (on camera): But while both sides complain, official details in the case remain very hard to come by. The death certificates for Laci Peterson and her unborn son, Conner, were released as ordered by the court, but they simply list Laci's death as a homicide, cause undetermined.
David Mattingly, CNN, Modesto, California.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
