Would you like to inspect the original subtitles? These are the user uploaded subtitles that are being translated:
1
00:00:06,970 --> 00:00:10,340
[somber music]
2
00:00:10,440 --> 00:00:17,310
* *
3
00:00:25,050 --> 00:00:25,990
- Hey, Shareen.
4
00:00:26,090 --> 00:00:28,120
- Hi, Scott. How are you?
5
00:00:28,220 --> 00:00:29,460
- I should tell you this
in advance.
6
00:00:29,560 --> 00:00:33,130
I'm looking at the clock here.
It's 1:18.
7
00:00:33,230 --> 00:00:34,960
It's supposed to
be a 1:30 lockup,
8
00:00:35,060 --> 00:00:36,900
so we may only get 12 minutes.
9
00:00:37,000 --> 00:00:38,130
- OK.
10
00:00:38,230 --> 00:00:40,240
- I'm not sure
what they'll do.
11
00:00:40,340 --> 00:00:44,070
- I have a few questions
for you today.
12
00:00:44,170 --> 00:00:47,180
After the world basically
heard your phone calls
13
00:00:47,280 --> 00:00:48,410
with Amber Frey,
14
00:00:48,510 --> 00:00:52,710
they came to the conclusion
that you killed Laci.
15
00:00:52,810 --> 00:00:55,080
How does that make you feel?
16
00:01:03,530 --> 00:01:05,560
- Why didn't you
tell the police right away
17
00:01:05,660 --> 00:01:07,430
about Amber Frey?
18
00:02:06,720 --> 00:02:09,590
[ominous music]
19
00:02:09,690 --> 00:02:12,560
* *
20
00:02:16,730 --> 00:02:19,270
- Police in Modesto,
California, continue searching
21
00:02:19,370 --> 00:02:21,600
for 27-year-old Laci Peterson.
22
00:02:21,700 --> 00:02:23,410
[dramatic music]
23
00:02:23,510 --> 00:02:25,770
- As the investigation
into the disappearance
24
00:02:25,870 --> 00:02:27,610
of Laci Peterson continues,
25
00:02:27,710 --> 00:02:29,580
police are tracking
her husband's movements
26
00:02:29,680 --> 00:02:32,580
outside the Modesto,
California, area.
27
00:02:32,680 --> 00:02:34,480
- Even as the focus
of the search
28
00:02:34,580 --> 00:02:36,690
appears to be shifting
towards Scott,
29
00:02:36,790 --> 00:02:40,760
Modesto Police have still
not named him as a suspect.
30
00:02:40,860 --> 00:02:43,190
* *
31
00:02:43,290 --> 00:02:45,230
- I'm Mike Gudgell.
32
00:02:45,330 --> 00:02:48,530
I've been involved
in the Peterson case
33
00:02:48,630 --> 00:02:51,730
for almost two decades now.
34
00:02:51,830 --> 00:02:54,500
In 2002,
I was working for ABC News
35
00:02:54,600 --> 00:02:57,040
as an editorial producer.
36
00:02:57,140 --> 00:03:01,580
When I first arrived, a couple
of days after Christmas Day,
37
00:03:01,680 --> 00:03:04,680
it was quite a crowd of
media surrounding the house--
38
00:03:04,780 --> 00:03:08,580
police checkpoints,
satellite trucks.
39
00:03:08,680 --> 00:03:14,220
It was what I call a complete
media feeding frenzy.
40
00:03:14,320 --> 00:03:16,560
By then, we really hadn't
established sources
41
00:03:16,660 --> 00:03:17,660
with the police,
42
00:03:17,760 --> 00:03:21,360
but we were hearing they were
focused on Scott.
43
00:03:23,330 --> 00:03:24,530
We heard that the Petersons
44
00:03:24,630 --> 00:03:27,470
had hired
a private investigator.
45
00:03:27,570 --> 00:03:29,670
We understood he was talking
to witnesses
46
00:03:29,770 --> 00:03:32,540
who saw Laci alive
after Scott left.
47
00:03:32,640 --> 00:03:34,340
That might be different
than what
48
00:03:34,440 --> 00:03:36,280
we're hearing from the police.
49
00:03:36,380 --> 00:03:40,150
- A beautiful young lady,
very pregnant.
50
00:03:40,250 --> 00:03:42,220
- Walking across the street.
51
00:03:42,320 --> 00:03:44,450
- Walking, like,
towards the park.
52
00:03:44,550 --> 00:03:48,290
- The fact is,
within a 30, 40-minute time,
53
00:03:48,390 --> 00:03:51,430
there were five or six
witnesses who saw Laci.
54
00:03:51,530 --> 00:03:55,800
So we knew that the police
narrative wasn't solid.
55
00:03:55,900 --> 00:04:00,470
And then we heard that there
had been a burglary next door.
56
00:04:00,570 --> 00:04:04,810
- We had a burglary that was
reported to have occurred
57
00:04:04,910 --> 00:04:08,640
directly across the street from
the residence in question here.
58
00:04:08,740 --> 00:04:11,150
- We're outside the home of
Scott and Laci Peterson's home
59
00:04:11,250 --> 00:04:12,650
in Modesto, 523 Covena.
60
00:04:12,750 --> 00:04:14,750
We want to show you
directly across the street.
61
00:04:14,850 --> 00:04:18,420
That's 516,
known as the Medina home,
62
00:04:18,520 --> 00:04:20,520
that had a burglary happen
right around the time frame
63
00:04:20,620 --> 00:04:23,390
of Laci Peterson's
disappearance.
64
00:04:24,860 --> 00:04:28,400
- The Medinas left December
24th at about 10:30 AM.
65
00:04:28,500 --> 00:04:31,200
They returned home
December 26th
66
00:04:31,300 --> 00:04:33,440
at about 4:30
in the afternoon.
67
00:04:33,540 --> 00:04:35,270
During the time frame
while they were gone
68
00:04:35,370 --> 00:04:37,610
is when Laci was
reported missing.
69
00:04:37,710 --> 00:04:40,280
- When the news of
the burglary came out,
70
00:04:40,380 --> 00:04:42,210
we assumed immediately
that it would be
71
00:04:42,310 --> 00:04:44,580
a big break in the case.
72
00:04:44,680 --> 00:04:47,650
- Really kind of went, oh, OK,
we're getting somewhere now.
73
00:04:47,750 --> 00:04:50,690
This could be the best lead
that we've had.
74
00:04:50,790 --> 00:04:53,790
- The police were now
not only trying to figure out
75
00:04:53,890 --> 00:04:55,420
what happened to Laci,
76
00:04:55,520 --> 00:04:57,360
but they were trying to solve
the Medina burglary,
77
00:04:57,460 --> 00:04:58,690
thinking that this burglary
78
00:04:58,790 --> 00:05:02,460
potentially had something to do
with what happened to Laci.
79
00:05:02,560 --> 00:05:05,430
- The issue around the burglary
is when did it happen?
80
00:05:06,840 --> 00:05:09,740
On the 24th,
the day Laci went missing,
81
00:05:09,840 --> 00:05:14,610
a neighbor of Scott and Laci
was driving home.
82
00:05:14,710 --> 00:05:17,380
- I was coming home
from the hand therapist
83
00:05:17,480 --> 00:05:21,350
and drove by Laci's house.
84
00:05:21,450 --> 00:05:23,920
And I thought,
"Oh, who are those people
85
00:05:24,020 --> 00:05:26,620
on the Medinas' front lawn?"
86
00:05:26,720 --> 00:05:29,990
And they were
right next to a van.
87
00:05:30,090 --> 00:05:32,290
One door was a little open.
88
00:05:32,390 --> 00:05:34,360
They turned around
and looked at me,
89
00:05:34,460 --> 00:05:37,900
and I felt hostility.
90
00:05:38,000 --> 00:05:40,270
But I didn't think
anything of it.
91
00:05:40,370 --> 00:05:43,670
I thought, "Well,
I don't need to be
92
00:05:43,770 --> 00:05:45,640
"looking at them
or waving or anything.
93
00:05:45,740 --> 00:05:47,710
I'll just go on home."
94
00:05:49,510 --> 00:05:50,610
- When she heard about
this burglary
95
00:05:50,710 --> 00:05:53,750
and then the news
of Laci's disappearance,
96
00:05:53,850 --> 00:05:57,920
she came forward and thought,
"Oh, maybe this is important."
97
00:05:58,020 --> 00:06:02,320
- Diane Jackson described
the three men as dark skinned
98
00:06:02,420 --> 00:06:04,630
but not African American.
99
00:06:04,730 --> 00:06:06,660
- A thousand dollars
for someone
100
00:06:06,760 --> 00:06:10,330
that leads us to the persons
responsible for the burglary.
101
00:06:10,430 --> 00:06:12,500
- They had put out a reward.
102
00:06:12,600 --> 00:06:14,800
On the reward flyer,
they used the information
103
00:06:14,900 --> 00:06:18,110
that they'd gotten
from Diane Jackson.
104
00:06:18,210 --> 00:06:19,540
You're looking for a van.
105
00:06:19,640 --> 00:06:21,180
You're looking for three men.
106
00:06:21,280 --> 00:06:24,810
- They put a senior detective
from the Major Crimes Unit
107
00:06:24,910 --> 00:06:28,520
on it, got an informant
almost immediately.
108
00:06:28,620 --> 00:06:32,720
- They've actually made
two arrests in that today.
109
00:06:32,820 --> 00:06:35,820
- Modesto Police arrested
two suspects,
110
00:06:35,920 --> 00:06:39,630
Steven Todd and Donald Pearce.
111
00:06:39,730 --> 00:06:42,900
- Their cooperation level
was off the charts.
112
00:06:43,000 --> 00:06:44,500
- They both polygraphed.
113
00:06:44,600 --> 00:06:47,900
They wanted the polygraphs
released to the media
114
00:06:48,000 --> 00:06:50,940
because they wanted
the people in the jail to know
115
00:06:51,040 --> 00:06:54,440
that they were
not involved in this case.
116
00:06:54,540 --> 00:06:56,310
- Steven Todd and Glen Pearce,
117
00:06:56,410 --> 00:06:59,810
neither one of them is dark
skinned, not African American.
118
00:06:59,910 --> 00:07:01,520
But also,
neither one of them
119
00:07:01,620 --> 00:07:03,490
has ever been associated
with a van.
120
00:07:03,590 --> 00:07:05,520
They said that they used a car
121
00:07:05,620 --> 00:07:07,790
and a bike
to commit the burglaries.
122
00:07:07,890 --> 00:07:10,930
- The informant told police
that up to five people
123
00:07:11,030 --> 00:07:13,960
were involved,
and they didn't look into
124
00:07:14,060 --> 00:07:15,100
any of the others.
125
00:07:15,200 --> 00:07:17,770
- Well, I'd like to see who
these additional people are
126
00:07:17,870 --> 00:07:19,430
and where they came up
with the idea
127
00:07:19,530 --> 00:07:20,940
that additional people
were involved
128
00:07:21,040 --> 00:07:21,900
in the burglary itself.
129
00:07:22,000 --> 00:07:24,770
I don't see anything
that would suggest that.
130
00:07:24,870 --> 00:07:27,740
Diane Jackson
claimed that she saw a van
131
00:07:27,840 --> 00:07:30,610
across the street from the
Peterson house on the 24th.
132
00:07:30,710 --> 00:07:31,880
She couldn't even
really confirm
133
00:07:31,980 --> 00:07:34,450
what the color of the van was.
134
00:07:34,550 --> 00:07:36,650
And when you have
that kind of discrepancy,
135
00:07:36,750 --> 00:07:38,890
when it comes to even
the description of the vehicle,
136
00:07:38,990 --> 00:07:41,520
it calls into question the
reliability of that witness.
137
00:07:41,620 --> 00:07:43,590
- At this point,
there is no connection.
138
00:07:43,690 --> 00:07:45,360
There's no leads to indicate
that they were involved
139
00:07:45,460 --> 00:07:47,430
in the missing of Laci.
140
00:07:47,530 --> 00:07:48,830
- We solved that burglary.
141
00:07:48,930 --> 00:07:51,830
Found out that it, in fact,
occurred on the 26th.
142
00:07:53,200 --> 00:07:57,470
- Steven Todd says that the
burglary was on the 26th,
143
00:07:57,570 --> 00:08:00,440
but that's according
to the burglar.
144
00:08:00,540 --> 00:08:01,940
He changed it.
145
00:08:02,040 --> 00:08:05,410
He picked, "Oh, it happened
on December 27th.
146
00:08:05,510 --> 00:08:06,880
Oh, no, it was the 26th."
147
00:08:06,980 --> 00:08:09,850
So it wasn't very reliable,
that's for sure.
148
00:08:09,950 --> 00:08:12,750
- I thought, "Well,
that's quite interesting,"
149
00:08:12,850 --> 00:08:14,960
because on the 26th,
150
00:08:15,060 --> 00:08:18,490
there was a lot of activity
on Scott and Laci's street,
151
00:08:18,590 --> 00:08:20,830
and how could burglars
get in and out
152
00:08:20,930 --> 00:08:23,600
without anybody seeing them?
153
00:08:23,700 --> 00:08:25,500
I thought it was
highly improbable
154
00:08:25,600 --> 00:08:28,740
that that was the truth.
155
00:08:29,970 --> 00:08:32,570
- They solved that burglary
really quickly.
156
00:08:32,670 --> 00:08:34,580
But there's a distinction
that needs to be made
157
00:08:34,680 --> 00:08:36,040
between solving the burglary
158
00:08:36,140 --> 00:08:37,580
and saying it didn't
have anything to do
159
00:08:37,680 --> 00:08:40,820
with Laci's disappearance.
160
00:08:40,920 --> 00:08:42,950
I find that pretty
unbelievable.
161
00:08:43,050 --> 00:08:46,150
That would be
an incredible coincidence.
162
00:08:46,250 --> 00:08:50,060
One of the lead investigators,
Jon Buehler, often told me,
163
00:08:50,160 --> 00:08:53,460
there are no coincidences
in murder investigations.
164
00:08:53,560 --> 00:08:56,560
[suspenseful music]
165
00:08:56,670 --> 00:08:58,870
- Todd and Pearce,
the two that we know
166
00:08:58,970 --> 00:09:00,900
burgled the house
across the street.
167
00:09:01,000 --> 00:09:04,210
We don't know who else
was in that burglary.
168
00:09:04,310 --> 00:09:05,870
We know there were others.
169
00:09:05,970 --> 00:09:07,910
There was just no desire
to pursue
170
00:09:08,010 --> 00:09:10,110
what the evidence
was telling them.
171
00:09:10,210 --> 00:09:13,620
I mean, it was the evidence
that they just decided
172
00:09:13,720 --> 00:09:15,720
to ignore and go with theory.
173
00:09:20,790 --> 00:09:22,890
- Today marking
the one-month anniversary
174
00:09:22,990 --> 00:09:25,660
of Laci Peterson's
disappearance.
175
00:09:25,760 --> 00:09:27,960
Police right now
expected any moment now
176
00:09:28,060 --> 00:09:29,860
to walk up to the podium
and give us the very latest
177
00:09:29,960 --> 00:09:31,530
on their investigation.
178
00:09:31,630 --> 00:09:33,200
- The press conference of--
179
00:09:33,300 --> 00:09:35,540
of all press conferences
180
00:09:35,640 --> 00:09:38,870
was when they marched out
Amber Frey.
181
00:09:38,970 --> 00:09:43,880
- I am very sorry
for Laci's family
182
00:09:43,980 --> 00:09:47,720
and the--the pain
that this has caused them.
183
00:09:47,820 --> 00:09:49,880
- Amber changed everything.
184
00:09:49,980 --> 00:09:52,320
She became the focus.
185
00:09:52,420 --> 00:09:54,720
- Wow,
what a development that is.
186
00:09:54,820 --> 00:09:56,760
- The missing woman's
apparently perfect marriage
187
00:09:56,860 --> 00:09:58,630
may not have been so perfect.
188
00:10:00,000 --> 00:10:00,760
that he'd been having
an affair.
189
00:10:01,960 --> 00:10:05,100
And we felt that if he had
not been truthful about that,
190
00:10:05,200 --> 00:10:07,540
that possibly
there's other things
191
00:10:07,640 --> 00:10:09,070
he needs to talk to us about.
192
00:10:09,170 --> 00:10:11,010
- Support for Scott Peterson
has wavered
193
00:10:11,110 --> 00:10:12,970
since police
told Laci's family.
194
00:10:13,070 --> 00:10:14,840
- I would like Scott to know
that I trusted him
195
00:10:14,940 --> 00:10:16,310
and stood by him
in the initial phases
196
00:10:16,410 --> 00:10:18,250
of my sister's disappearance.
197
00:10:18,350 --> 00:10:20,850
However, Scott has not been
forthcoming with information
198
00:10:20,950 --> 00:10:22,920
regarding my sister's
disappearance,
199
00:10:23,020 --> 00:10:25,890
and I'm only left to question
what else he may be hiding.
200
00:10:28,390 --> 00:10:29,860
- Scott had been declining
201
00:10:29,960 --> 00:10:32,060
interview requests
consistently.
202
00:10:34,030 --> 00:10:36,970
- Now, when Amber Frey
is out there,
203
00:10:37,070 --> 00:10:38,270
nobody's looking for Laci.
204
00:10:38,370 --> 00:10:39,300
Everybody thinks he's guilty.
205
00:10:39,400 --> 00:10:42,240
So he decided, all right,
I'll do a few interviews.
206
00:10:42,340 --> 00:10:44,240
- Did you murder your wife?
207
00:10:44,340 --> 00:10:46,910
- No, no. I did not.
208
00:10:47,010 --> 00:10:50,610
And I had absolutely nothing
to do with her disappearance.
209
00:10:50,710 --> 00:10:52,710
- In that interview
with Diane Sawyer,
210
00:10:52,810 --> 00:10:55,850
Scott makes
the outlandish claim that...
211
00:10:55,950 --> 00:10:57,850
- I told my wife.
212
00:10:57,950 --> 00:11:00,690
- He told Laci
about the affair,
213
00:11:00,790 --> 00:11:02,620
and she was OK with it.
214
00:11:02,720 --> 00:11:04,960
- There wasn't a lot of anger?
215
00:11:05,060 --> 00:11:06,060
- No.
216
00:11:06,160 --> 00:11:08,760
- Do you really expect people
to believe
217
00:11:08,860 --> 00:11:10,870
that an 8 and 1/2 month
pregnant woman
218
00:11:10,970 --> 00:11:13,370
learns her husband
has had an affair
219
00:11:13,470 --> 00:11:15,600
and makes a peace with it?
220
00:11:15,700 --> 00:11:18,970
- Well, I--yeah,
you don't know.
221
00:11:19,070 --> 00:11:21,710
No one knows our
relationship but us.
222
00:11:21,810 --> 00:11:23,210
- That was the nail
in his coffin.
223
00:11:23,310 --> 00:11:27,220
This is ludicrous, the idea
that Laci knew about Amber.
224
00:11:27,320 --> 00:11:30,850
- He came across as
being disingenuous.
225
00:11:30,950 --> 00:11:33,250
And in a couple of cases,
just lied right out.
226
00:11:33,360 --> 00:11:34,260
- Had you told anyone?
227
00:11:34,360 --> 00:11:35,620
Did you tell police?
228
00:11:35,720 --> 00:11:36,760
- I told
the police immediately.
229
00:11:36,860 --> 00:11:38,960
- When?
- December 24th.
230
00:11:39,060 --> 00:11:41,930
- Laci Peterson's
husband admits he lied
231
00:11:42,030 --> 00:11:44,270
about his extramarital
affair with Amber Frey.
232
00:11:44,370 --> 00:11:46,740
- When you're in a hole,
stop digging.
233
00:11:46,840 --> 00:11:48,770
- He shot himself in the foot
so many times,
234
00:11:48,870 --> 00:11:50,670
he ought to be on crutches.
235
00:11:50,770 --> 00:11:51,740
- That's when the word
"psychopath"
236
00:11:51,840 --> 00:11:54,310
started to creep in
in some of the reports.
237
00:11:54,410 --> 00:11:56,880
- He did four interviews,
I believe, total.
238
00:11:56,980 --> 00:11:59,150
One of the interviews he did
was with me.
239
00:12:00,850 --> 00:12:03,080
- Well, the polygraph is
another one of those things.
240
00:12:03,180 --> 00:12:05,390
I'm not saying I have.
I'm not saying I haven't.
241
00:12:05,490 --> 00:12:06,920
- There's no winning.
242
00:12:07,020 --> 00:12:08,720
You can never
present the reality.
243
00:12:08,820 --> 00:12:10,360
If you go out
and you do an interview,
244
00:12:10,460 --> 00:12:11,730
it's gonna be edited.
245
00:12:11,830 --> 00:12:13,190
It's gonna be awful.
246
00:12:13,290 --> 00:12:17,700
- Amber Frey claims that
you called her on the 24th,
247
00:12:17,800 --> 00:12:19,830
told her that you were
going to Brussels.
248
00:12:19,930 --> 00:12:21,940
- Yeah,
this is a short newscast,
249
00:12:22,040 --> 00:12:22,870
and I don't know how much
of these words
250
00:12:22,970 --> 00:12:25,010
you're going to use or not.
251
00:12:25,110 --> 00:12:27,840
But I'm not gonna waste that
by defending myself,
252
00:12:27,940 --> 00:12:29,940
talking about
irrelevant things.
253
00:12:30,050 --> 00:12:33,650
- He looked like
a narcissistic,
254
00:12:33,750 --> 00:12:36,990
lying killer.
255
00:12:40,960 --> 00:12:43,930
- I've had people spit on me
at gas stations.
256
00:12:44,030 --> 00:12:46,160
I've received death threats
on the phone.
257
00:12:51,930 --> 00:12:54,170
- I had someone
in the front yard
258
00:12:54,270 --> 00:12:55,970
claiming they were a witch,
259
00:12:56,070 --> 00:12:58,170
burying things
in the front lawn.
260
00:12:58,270 --> 00:13:00,040
I wish I could say
I was stronger,
261
00:13:00,140 --> 00:13:03,210
but all that stuff
did take a toll on me.
262
00:13:05,110 --> 00:13:09,350
I just remembered
how insane I was
263
00:13:09,450 --> 00:13:11,020
going with no sleep
264
00:13:11,120 --> 00:13:15,190
and worried about Conner
and Laci
265
00:13:15,290 --> 00:13:18,960
and what seemed like
just a apathetic response
266
00:13:19,060 --> 00:13:21,860
from the police department.
267
00:13:21,960 --> 00:13:23,330
- Scott's behavior
fit into things
268
00:13:23,430 --> 00:13:26,270
that we've seen before
with other murder cases--
269
00:13:26,370 --> 00:13:29,340
limited cooperation level,
his cool, calm demeanor
270
00:13:29,440 --> 00:13:31,870
when everybody else
was just frantic.
271
00:13:31,970 --> 00:13:33,270
And there were too many other
272
00:13:33,380 --> 00:13:36,040
circumstantial evidence items
to ignore.
273
00:13:36,140 --> 00:13:38,780
It started to become
increasingly obvious to us
274
00:13:38,880 --> 00:13:40,980
that they would be found
in the bay.
275
00:13:45,820 --> 00:13:48,690
[tense music]
276
00:13:48,790 --> 00:13:50,790
* *
277
00:13:50,890 --> 00:13:52,130
- The search in the waters
278
00:13:52,230 --> 00:13:55,130
just outside the Berkeley
Marina began early.
279
00:13:55,230 --> 00:13:58,000
17 divers from Alameda County
loaded up on boats
280
00:13:58,100 --> 00:14:00,470
and swept the floor
of the open water
281
00:14:00,570 --> 00:14:02,100
just outside of the marina.
282
00:14:02,200 --> 00:14:04,270
- Scott had given us a detailed
description of how he had
283
00:14:04,370 --> 00:14:06,240
gone out of the marina,
and he'd gone to the north,
284
00:14:06,340 --> 00:14:08,040
and he found this island,
which turned out
285
00:14:08,140 --> 00:14:10,150
to be Brooks Island,
with a sign that said,
286
00:14:10,250 --> 00:14:11,510
you're not supposed
to leave your boat
287
00:14:11,610 --> 00:14:12,950
and walk around on the island.
288
00:14:13,050 --> 00:14:15,120
So it seemed obvious
that he probably
289
00:14:15,220 --> 00:14:17,890
let her go in the area
right by Brooks Island
290
00:14:17,990 --> 00:14:19,350
in the Berkeley Marina.
291
00:14:19,450 --> 00:14:21,990
* *
292
00:14:22,090 --> 00:14:23,960
- My name is Danny Lopez.
293
00:14:24,060 --> 00:14:26,160
I was the officer in charge
of the San Francisco
294
00:14:26,260 --> 00:14:28,360
Police Department
Marine Patrol.
295
00:14:28,460 --> 00:14:31,470
We're retracing
Scott Peterson's trip
296
00:14:31,570 --> 00:14:34,000
on the 24th.
297
00:14:34,100 --> 00:14:38,140
Dead ahead
is the Brooks Island.
298
00:14:38,240 --> 00:14:41,010
The reason that it's difficult
to find somebody
299
00:14:41,110 --> 00:14:44,550
in the San Francisco Bay
is the visibility
300
00:14:44,650 --> 00:14:48,320
is probably about this much.
301
00:14:48,420 --> 00:14:53,150
This is the location that we
were spending most of our time.
302
00:14:53,250 --> 00:14:55,920
That's where the grid searches
were done,
303
00:14:56,020 --> 00:14:58,360
the side-scan sonar,
the underwater searches,
304
00:14:58,460 --> 00:15:01,060
cadaver dogs.
305
00:15:01,160 --> 00:15:03,030
- We're continuing
our search today,
306
00:15:03,130 --> 00:15:04,900
and we're concentrating on--
307
00:15:05,000 --> 00:15:06,970
on several different things.
308
00:15:07,070 --> 00:15:08,640
We were on that water
every day,
309
00:15:08,740 --> 00:15:11,170
sometimes with multiple boats,
310
00:15:11,270 --> 00:15:14,510
multiple water cadaver dogs,
311
00:15:14,610 --> 00:15:16,140
helicopters.
312
00:15:16,240 --> 00:15:18,280
The number of searches
in that bay
313
00:15:18,380 --> 00:15:23,450
probably was in
the mid-500 range.
314
00:15:24,990 --> 00:15:26,550
It's a lot of area to cover.
315
00:15:26,650 --> 00:15:31,260
- It was looking for a needle
in the haystack blindfolded.
316
00:15:31,360 --> 00:15:34,000
One of those things that
you just do it.
317
00:15:34,100 --> 00:15:35,860
You have to give closure
to the family.
318
00:15:35,960 --> 00:15:39,400
[tense music]
319
00:15:39,500 --> 00:15:42,540
- I think the way it
started to affect me
320
00:15:42,640 --> 00:15:44,310
and others was the fact that
321
00:15:44,410 --> 00:15:47,080
it was a pregnant mother
that was missing.
322
00:15:47,180 --> 00:15:49,880
We keep searching
till we find her.
323
00:15:49,980 --> 00:15:51,210
I'll just keep
carrying this on,
324
00:15:51,310 --> 00:15:56,080
and my family will understand
why I'm not home.
325
00:15:56,180 --> 00:15:58,590
And I felt like I was
looking for my sister.
326
00:15:58,690 --> 00:16:01,560
[somber music]
327
00:16:01,660 --> 00:16:03,260
* *
328
00:16:03,360 --> 00:16:05,590
You can't help
to get a personal attachment
329
00:16:05,690 --> 00:16:07,900
over a period of time.
330
00:16:08,000 --> 00:16:13,230
* *
331
00:16:13,340 --> 00:16:16,440
- This is a good--
good point of reference.
332
00:16:16,540 --> 00:16:21,080
Another part of the search was
to look for devices, anchors,
333
00:16:21,180 --> 00:16:23,650
homemade anchors,
anything that would
334
00:16:23,750 --> 00:16:26,410
have kept a body submerged.
335
00:16:28,450 --> 00:16:31,890
- We found
two homemade anchors.
336
00:16:31,990 --> 00:16:33,560
They were cylindrical.
337
00:16:33,660 --> 00:16:37,530
They looked like they were
formed in a large coffee can
338
00:16:37,630 --> 00:16:40,300
or maybe a paint can.
339
00:16:40,400 --> 00:16:43,370
It was determined
that they were not connected
340
00:16:43,470 --> 00:16:45,970
to the Scott Peterson
investigation,
341
00:16:46,070 --> 00:16:49,040
so they were thrown
back into the bay.
342
00:16:49,140 --> 00:16:53,210
But I thought it was odd
343
00:16:53,310 --> 00:16:57,050
that we didn't put them
into evidence
344
00:16:57,150 --> 00:16:59,150
and examine them.
345
00:17:00,350 --> 00:17:02,320
After months and months
of searching
346
00:17:02,420 --> 00:17:08,090
with multiple agencies,
they were never recovered.
347
00:17:08,190 --> 00:17:09,490
- The district attorney
at the time,
348
00:17:09,590 --> 00:17:11,060
he said, "Hey, if you
don't bring me a body,
349
00:17:11,160 --> 00:17:12,630
you don't have a filing."
350
00:17:12,730 --> 00:17:14,730
- We're getting to that point
where there really
351
00:17:14,830 --> 00:17:15,930
wasn't anything coming in.
352
00:17:16,030 --> 00:17:18,630
We were resurrecting some old
tips and clearing those out,
353
00:17:18,730 --> 00:17:22,570
but nothing ground shaking
until we get to April.
354
00:17:22,670 --> 00:17:25,570
[ominous music]
355
00:17:25,670 --> 00:17:28,380
* *
356
00:17:28,480 --> 00:17:31,310
- In 2003,
I was a police officer
357
00:17:31,410 --> 00:17:34,180
with the East Bay
Regional Park District.
358
00:17:34,280 --> 00:17:36,250
One day during briefing,
359
00:17:36,350 --> 00:17:38,390
one of our sergeants
made a comment--
360
00:17:38,490 --> 00:17:41,520
"I bet she'll show up
at Point Isabel."
361
00:17:41,620 --> 00:17:45,430
His experience, it was that
the way the tides flow
362
00:17:45,530 --> 00:17:48,300
in San Francisco Bay,
that more than once,
363
00:17:48,400 --> 00:17:51,000
they had had bodies
that had been recovered
364
00:17:51,100 --> 00:17:52,730
from the area of Point Isabel.
365
00:17:52,830 --> 00:17:58,510
* *
366
00:17:58,610 --> 00:18:01,480
- A female adult body was
discovered late this morning
367
00:18:01,580 --> 00:18:04,980
by a woman walking the
shoreline at Point Isabel
368
00:18:05,080 --> 00:18:06,410
in the city of Richmond.
369
00:18:06,510 --> 00:18:09,050
- You could see
a deceased female
370
00:18:09,150 --> 00:18:12,420
lying face down
on the shoreline.
371
00:18:12,520 --> 00:18:14,420
Her body was in terrible,
372
00:18:14,520 --> 00:18:17,090
obviously very decomposed
condition.
373
00:18:17,190 --> 00:18:20,100
One of the things that
I noticed on her body
374
00:18:20,200 --> 00:18:25,330
was a strip of duct tape that
was on the front of her torso.
375
00:18:25,430 --> 00:18:29,000
My first reaction was,
"We better notify
376
00:18:29,100 --> 00:18:32,140
the Modesto Police Department."
377
00:18:32,240 --> 00:18:34,810
- I remember vividly
being in my car
378
00:18:34,910 --> 00:18:37,210
and hearing it on the radio
379
00:18:37,310 --> 00:18:41,420
that a body had been found
380
00:18:41,520 --> 00:18:46,990
and that an infant body had
also been found the day before.
381
00:18:47,090 --> 00:18:50,260
- No word yet on whether the
two bodies found in the bay
382
00:18:50,360 --> 00:18:52,660
are those of Laci Peterson
and her baby.
383
00:18:52,760 --> 00:18:55,530
The lab results could
come any time now.
384
00:18:55,630 --> 00:18:58,400
* *
385
00:19:10,250 --> 00:19:12,150
So frankly,
we thought because
386
00:19:12,250 --> 00:19:15,420
there hadn't been
an announcement...
387
00:19:23,590 --> 00:19:24,760
You know,
it wasn't unheard of.
388
00:19:24,860 --> 00:19:26,430
There was--
389
00:19:26,530 --> 00:19:28,130
there's been other bodies,
you know,
390
00:19:28,230 --> 00:19:31,700
on the bay before.
391
00:19:31,800 --> 00:19:33,900
There's some people
who've driven into the bay,
392
00:19:34,000 --> 00:19:35,440
and their bodies were found.
393
00:19:35,540 --> 00:19:39,110
So it wasn't like
it was the only possibility.
394
00:19:39,210 --> 00:19:43,010
[tense music]
395
00:19:43,110 --> 00:19:46,280
- The bodies hadn't been
confirmed as Laci and Conner,
396
00:19:46,380 --> 00:19:48,420
although it looked
likely that they were.
397
00:19:48,820 --> 00:19:53,190
- We put a team of guys
on Scott right away.
398
00:19:53,290 --> 00:19:55,490
We were gonna just watch him
399
00:19:55,590 --> 00:19:59,460
until the attorney general
released the DNA evidence.
400
00:19:59,560 --> 00:20:01,500
We still had a wiretap
on his phone,
401
00:20:01,600 --> 00:20:04,300
so we could hear what he was
saying, talking to his brother.
402
00:20:23,850 --> 00:20:26,520
[tense music]
403
00:20:27,960 --> 00:20:31,360
[suspenseful music]
404
00:20:31,460 --> 00:20:33,460
- The next day,
all of a sudden,
405
00:20:33,560 --> 00:20:36,830
Scott started moving
very early in the day.
406
00:20:36,930 --> 00:20:39,230
And so the chase was on.
407
00:20:39,330 --> 00:20:41,670
* *
408
00:20:46,240 --> 00:20:48,140
- Yeah, see that tangle?
409
00:20:48,240 --> 00:20:49,280
- I'll be right there.
410
00:20:49,380 --> 00:20:51,250
- Ah, that's nice right there.
411
00:20:51,350 --> 00:20:53,450
The fish, oh, yeah.
412
00:20:53,550 --> 00:20:55,480
All right,
look at that monster.
413
00:20:59,450 --> 00:21:02,260
- I wanted to talk more
about the arrest
414
00:21:02,360 --> 00:21:06,390
and what that day was like
for you.
415
00:21:11,970 --> 00:21:13,700
- Action photo.
416
00:21:29,950 --> 00:21:32,790
- It may seem odd to
other people, but, like...
417
00:21:35,390 --> 00:21:36,590
- Look at the camera.
418
00:21:47,000 --> 00:21:48,400
And be together.
419
00:21:48,500 --> 00:21:52,540
And then when
I got on the road...
420
00:22:02,980 --> 00:22:04,990
- I don't want a picture of me
being taken and, you know,
421
00:22:05,090 --> 00:22:06,550
splashed on a tabloid.
422
00:22:06,650 --> 00:22:09,590
I just could imagine
what the headlines were.
423
00:22:19,900 --> 00:22:22,400
- Scott was very good at
counter-surveillance driving.
424
00:22:22,500 --> 00:22:24,410
As he would drive
along at high speeds,
425
00:22:24,510 --> 00:22:26,780
he would brake heavily
and cut lanes.
426
00:22:32,910 --> 00:22:35,220
- We were concerned that
he was gonna get into a wreck
427
00:22:35,320 --> 00:22:38,290
or he was gonna create
a traffic collision behind him
428
00:22:38,390 --> 00:22:40,790
because of his evasive moves.
429
00:22:40,890 --> 00:22:43,730
- And so we made a decision
that if--
430
00:22:43,830 --> 00:22:46,460
if he hurt somebody,
we're gonna be in trouble.
431
00:22:46,560 --> 00:22:48,860
So let's arrest him.
432
00:22:48,960 --> 00:22:51,570
[sirens wailing]
433
00:22:52,100 --> 00:22:54,970
- We were stopped at the
entrance to Torrey Pines.
434
00:22:55,070 --> 00:22:57,340
[camera clicks]
435
00:22:57,910 --> 00:22:59,970
- When Scott got out
of the car, he was--
436
00:23:00,080 --> 00:23:01,410
he was Scott.
437
00:23:01,510 --> 00:23:03,280
There was no protest.
438
00:23:03,380 --> 00:23:04,380
"You got the wrong guy.
439
00:23:04,480 --> 00:23:05,480
"Why am I in cuffs?
440
00:23:05,580 --> 00:23:06,750
"What are you doing?
441
00:23:06,850 --> 00:23:08,020
Why aren't you guys
looking for the killer?"
442
00:23:08,120 --> 00:23:09,780
[camera clicks]
443
00:23:09,880 --> 00:23:11,890
- He dyed his hair
to a different color,
444
00:23:11,990 --> 00:23:13,620
grown a goatee,
445
00:23:13,720 --> 00:23:15,520
which further
disguised him slightly
446
00:23:15,620 --> 00:23:18,330
so maybe
he wouldn't be noticed.
447
00:23:18,430 --> 00:23:20,030
- Searched his car.
448
00:23:20,130 --> 00:23:21,460
He had cell phones.
449
00:23:21,560 --> 00:23:23,470
He had Viagra.
450
00:23:23,570 --> 00:23:25,570
He had everything you need
451
00:23:25,670 --> 00:23:28,400
from going to a gala
452
00:23:28,500 --> 00:23:30,110
to a camping trip.
453
00:23:30,210 --> 00:23:32,710
He could dig a gold mine.
454
00:23:32,810 --> 00:23:35,940
Most people don't drive around
with $10,000 cash
455
00:23:36,040 --> 00:23:38,480
and their brother's
driver's license.
456
00:23:38,580 --> 00:23:39,910
- And some people had said
457
00:23:40,020 --> 00:23:42,020
that maybe he was fleeing
to Mexico.
458
00:23:42,120 --> 00:23:44,950
He could easily go anywhere
he wanted and fit in.
459
00:23:51,690 --> 00:23:53,730
- I don't understand that
at all,
460
00:23:53,830 --> 00:23:55,830
because I just want to be
clear.
461
00:23:55,930 --> 00:23:58,500
I was never running
from the police.
462
00:23:58,600 --> 00:24:01,570
I was always in contact
with them.
463
00:24:01,670 --> 00:24:03,970
I'd answer
most of their calls.
464
00:24:04,070 --> 00:24:05,810
There were times
that I was very frustrated,
465
00:24:05,910 --> 00:24:07,940
that I would not
take their calls.
466
00:24:53,960 --> 00:24:57,360
- I found out he was arrested
about 2:00.
467
00:24:57,460 --> 00:25:00,900
It was--
468
00:25:01,000 --> 00:25:02,860
it was just--
we were just in shock.
469
00:25:02,960 --> 00:25:06,770
We were in--we were
in absolute shock.
470
00:25:06,870 --> 00:25:10,470
So we had to make arrangements
and travel to Modesto
471
00:25:10,570 --> 00:25:14,180
and attend his arraignment.
472
00:25:14,280 --> 00:25:16,310
[tense music]
473
00:25:16,410 --> 00:25:19,010
- Police in California
said today that murder suspect
474
00:25:19,110 --> 00:25:22,680
Scott Peterson had $10,000
in cash when he was arrested
475
00:25:22,780 --> 00:25:24,450
near the Mexican border.
476
00:25:24,550 --> 00:25:26,920
- He had some cash in his car.
477
00:25:27,020 --> 00:25:29,720
His brother, John, was gonna
buy Scott's truck from him,
478
00:25:29,820 --> 00:25:32,560
so he gave Scott the cash
479
00:25:32,660 --> 00:25:34,860
to buy Scott out of his truck.
480
00:25:34,960 --> 00:25:37,700
And Scott was still
carrying that cash
481
00:25:37,800 --> 00:25:39,630
at the point
that he was arrested.
482
00:25:39,730 --> 00:25:41,700
- He had changed
his appearance.
483
00:25:41,800 --> 00:25:46,070
Police feared he might be
preparing to flee to Mexico.
484
00:25:46,170 --> 00:25:49,380
- That's a narrative
we still battle to this day.
485
00:25:49,480 --> 00:25:53,420
Scott was spending a lot of
time with family in San Diego.
486
00:25:53,520 --> 00:25:54,580
I live in San Diego.
487
00:25:54,680 --> 00:25:56,480
His parents lived in San Diego.
488
00:25:56,580 --> 00:25:58,990
And San Diego borders Mexico.
489
00:25:59,090 --> 00:26:02,490
So when Scott was arrested,
the national headline was
490
00:26:02,590 --> 00:26:05,130
"Scott was arrested 30 miles
from the Mexican border."
491
00:26:08,130 --> 00:26:12,630
The bodies had been found
five days before,
492
00:26:12,730 --> 00:26:17,770
but we still had not heard
a positive identification.
493
00:26:17,870 --> 00:26:20,540
Then I want to say within
a couple of hours of that
494
00:26:20,640 --> 00:26:21,840
was the press conference.
495
00:26:21,940 --> 00:26:24,710
- There is no question
in our minds
496
00:26:24,810 --> 00:26:28,220
that the unidentified female
497
00:26:28,320 --> 00:26:29,620
is Laci Peterson.
498
00:26:29,720 --> 00:26:32,190
The unidentified fetus
499
00:26:32,290 --> 00:26:34,290
is the biological child
500
00:26:34,390 --> 00:26:37,090
of Laci and Scott Peterson.
501
00:26:43,670 --> 00:26:44,870
- [sniffles]
502
00:26:49,870 --> 00:26:52,810
- We were not notified.
503
00:26:52,910 --> 00:26:56,180
We heard it
like everyone else.
504
00:26:56,280 --> 00:26:58,980
And we were crushed.
505
00:26:59,080 --> 00:27:03,080
All of the fear that we had
in Laci being missing
506
00:27:03,180 --> 00:27:05,920
and the pins and needles that--
you know, and the ups and downs
507
00:27:06,020 --> 00:27:08,720
that we went through
for the past four months
508
00:27:08,820 --> 00:27:10,330
had really--
509
00:27:10,430 --> 00:27:12,290
now, it's hit rock bottom.
510
00:27:12,390 --> 00:27:15,260
[somber music]
511
00:27:15,360 --> 00:27:18,030
* *
512
00:27:23,910 --> 00:27:26,170
- After Scott was arrested,
513
00:27:26,270 --> 00:27:29,180
we started driving back
from San Diego to Modesto.
514
00:27:29,280 --> 00:27:32,180
[somber music]
515
00:27:32,280 --> 00:27:35,720
* *
516
00:27:35,820 --> 00:27:40,060
When Scott received this news,
517
00:27:40,160 --> 00:27:44,030
I just recall Scott making
kind of like a sniffling noise,
518
00:27:44,130 --> 00:27:44,930
and that was it.
519
00:27:45,030 --> 00:27:47,200
There wasn't any hysterics,
no screams.
520
00:27:47,300 --> 00:27:48,060
"No, it can't be!"
521
00:27:48,160 --> 00:27:51,130
No theatrics,
nothing like that.
522
00:27:51,230 --> 00:27:54,170
- He bowed his head
and pushed out a tear.
523
00:27:54,270 --> 00:27:56,300
He was quiet.
He didn't say nothing.
524
00:27:56,400 --> 00:27:58,740
* *
525
00:27:58,840 --> 00:28:00,240
15 miles later,
when we stopped,
526
00:28:00,340 --> 00:28:02,840
he ate a double double,
you know, from In-N-Out,
527
00:28:02,940 --> 00:28:05,080
and a shake and a fries
528
00:28:05,180 --> 00:28:08,850
and gobbled it all down
just like nothing,
529
00:28:08,950 --> 00:28:10,850
just like we're just
coming home from fishing.
530
00:28:31,040 --> 00:28:34,310
- The police report says
that Scott had a tear
531
00:28:34,410 --> 00:28:37,210
coming down his face.
532
00:28:37,310 --> 00:28:40,020
He'd been in custody
for hours at this point,
533
00:28:40,120 --> 00:28:42,280
and he's--he's
going to county jail.
534
00:28:42,380 --> 00:28:44,990
The perception
and the way it's presented is
535
00:28:45,090 --> 00:28:48,160
it's as though Scott was told
his wife and son were dead
536
00:28:48,260 --> 00:28:50,330
and he ordered a cheeseburger
five minutes later.
537
00:28:50,430 --> 00:28:53,160
[ominous music]
538
00:28:58,030 --> 00:29:01,700
- Well,
now we can move forward.
539
00:29:01,800 --> 00:29:03,300
And now justice can be done.
540
00:29:03,410 --> 00:29:06,340
- Soon after Laci went missing,
I made a promise to her
541
00:29:06,440 --> 00:29:09,280
that if she has been harmed,
we will seek justice
542
00:29:09,380 --> 00:29:11,780
for her and Conner and
make sure that that person
543
00:29:11,880 --> 00:29:13,520
responsible for their--
544
00:29:13,620 --> 00:29:15,350
for their deaths
will be punished.
545
00:29:15,450 --> 00:29:18,290
[tense music]
546
00:29:30,300 --> 00:29:34,270
- What became
a fight to find Laci
547
00:29:34,370 --> 00:29:36,810
then became a fight
to save Scott's life.
548
00:29:36,910 --> 00:29:40,010
* *
549
00:29:47,120 --> 00:29:49,050
- Shortly after midnight,
550
00:29:49,150 --> 00:29:51,120
when investigators escorted
Scott Peterson
551
00:29:51,220 --> 00:29:53,250
to the Stanislaus County Jail,
552
00:29:53,360 --> 00:29:56,420
a crowd of 250
taunted and heckled him,
553
00:29:56,520 --> 00:29:58,230
calling him a murderer.
554
00:29:58,330 --> 00:30:00,960
- I just hope he gets the same
death that he gave his family.
555
00:30:14,710 --> 00:30:17,180
- Call the case of The People
versus Scott Lee Peterson.
556
00:30:17,280 --> 00:30:19,210
- Under tight security,
Scott Peterson,
557
00:30:19,310 --> 00:30:21,220
wearing chains
on his wrists and ankles,
558
00:30:21,320 --> 00:30:23,990
was walked into a packed
Modesto courtroom today.
559
00:30:24,090 --> 00:30:25,950
- Once Scott was arraigned,
560
00:30:26,050 --> 00:30:28,090
we were looking
for an attorney,
561
00:30:28,190 --> 00:30:31,790
and my parents had watched
"The Larry King Show"
562
00:30:31,890 --> 00:30:33,330
for the last several months.
563
00:30:33,430 --> 00:30:36,870
That's really where
we first met Mark Geragos.
564
00:30:36,970 --> 00:30:38,970
- This case is intriguing,
if for nothing else,
565
00:30:39,070 --> 00:30:42,170
is that the more there's a
lynch mob mentality out there
566
00:30:42,270 --> 00:30:44,940
for him,
the more that it's intriguing.
567
00:30:45,040 --> 00:30:46,040
- They hired him.
568
00:30:46,140 --> 00:30:47,910
He was media savvy.
569
00:30:48,010 --> 00:30:49,910
He seemed like
he had a good team.
570
00:30:50,010 --> 00:30:52,980
- I just wanted to say that
we're happy that Mark is
571
00:30:53,080 --> 00:30:55,220
in place as Scott's attorney,
572
00:30:55,320 --> 00:30:59,020
and we do look forward
to proving his innocence.
573
00:30:59,120 --> 00:31:00,660
- I'm Lara Yeretsian,
574
00:31:00,760 --> 00:31:05,030
and I'm a criminal defense
attorney of over two decades.
575
00:31:05,130 --> 00:31:08,900
We got the case in 2003.
576
00:31:09,000 --> 00:31:10,330
I was a young attorney.
577
00:31:10,430 --> 00:31:13,200
This case was on
a whole new level.
578
00:31:13,300 --> 00:31:16,770
- 27-year-old mom-to-be,
eight months pregnant.
579
00:31:16,870 --> 00:31:19,910
- As the investigation into the
disappearance of Laci Peterson
580
00:31:20,010 --> 00:31:22,110
continues, police are--
- Though neither the victim
581
00:31:22,210 --> 00:31:24,450
nor the accused
was famous before,
582
00:31:24,550 --> 00:31:29,050
the Peterson case has now
taken on celebrity status.
583
00:31:29,150 --> 00:31:30,790
- I'd handled
a number of cases,
584
00:31:30,890 --> 00:31:35,190
but nothing that came close
to the magnitude of this case.
585
00:31:37,560 --> 00:31:43,160
The interest was so intense
in this case.
586
00:31:43,260 --> 00:31:46,970
I just remember walking
with Mark Geragos
587
00:31:47,070 --> 00:31:48,440
towards the courthouse.
588
00:31:48,540 --> 00:31:50,910
People would come up to us
with questions.
589
00:31:51,010 --> 00:31:52,310
And it wasn't just the media.
590
00:31:52,410 --> 00:31:54,240
- Mark, can we get
a quick word with ya?
591
00:31:54,340 --> 00:31:57,280
- Right now? How about after?
- OK.
592
00:31:57,380 --> 00:32:00,180
- People would even ask
for Mark's autograph.
593
00:32:00,280 --> 00:32:02,820
I mean,
he had become a celebrity.
594
00:32:02,920 --> 00:32:03,950
- Thank you very much.
595
00:32:04,050 --> 00:32:05,290
I'll see you guys on Thursday.
596
00:32:06,520 --> 00:32:09,920
- Come on. Come on,
be human beings right now.
597
00:32:10,030 --> 00:32:13,090
- There was a lot of anger,
palpable anger,
598
00:32:13,190 --> 00:32:14,930
towards Scott Peterson.
599
00:32:15,030 --> 00:32:18,170
[suspenseful music]
600
00:32:18,270 --> 00:32:20,370
And everybody had an opinion
about this case.
601
00:32:20,470 --> 00:32:23,640
Every single person I knew
had an opinion.
602
00:32:23,740 --> 00:32:25,370
And I can tell you,
603
00:32:25,470 --> 00:32:28,810
every single person believed
that he was guilty.
604
00:32:28,910 --> 00:32:31,850
* *
605
00:32:31,950 --> 00:32:32,950
- Michael Cardoza.
606
00:32:33,050 --> 00:32:34,320
Top defense attorney
in the area,
607
00:32:34,420 --> 00:32:36,120
who was in the courtroom today.
608
00:32:36,220 --> 00:32:38,090
- I'm Michael Cardoza.
609
00:32:38,190 --> 00:32:41,520
I've been a criminal defense
attorney for over 45 years.
610
00:32:41,620 --> 00:32:45,960
And at that time, I was
doing some legal commentary
611
00:32:46,060 --> 00:32:47,360
on "The Larry King Show."
612
00:32:47,460 --> 00:32:48,960
Here's what this case
boils down to, Larry.
613
00:32:49,060 --> 00:32:50,270
There are three things.
614
00:32:50,370 --> 00:32:53,030
The defense team
came to me and asked me
615
00:32:53,130 --> 00:32:56,600
if I would do
a mock cross-examination
616
00:32:56,710 --> 00:32:59,240
of Scott Peterson.
617
00:32:59,340 --> 00:33:01,080
I went into jail.
I walked in.
618
00:33:01,180 --> 00:33:04,210
I sat down.
They brought Scott in.
619
00:33:04,310 --> 00:33:07,250
And I began
my cross-examination.
620
00:33:07,350 --> 00:33:09,380
I cannot tell you how
and what happened,
621
00:33:09,480 --> 00:33:14,620
but you can imagine, you know,
what questions were asked.
622
00:33:14,720 --> 00:33:18,560
And they made a decision
he wasn't going to testify.
623
00:33:18,660 --> 00:33:21,300
- I hope he goes to prison
for the rest of his life.
624
00:33:21,400 --> 00:33:23,600
- I'm just glad that
the animal got caught.
625
00:33:23,700 --> 00:33:26,200
- What you have to remember is
you're putting a man up there
626
00:33:26,300 --> 00:33:29,340
who was hated by America.
627
00:33:29,440 --> 00:33:32,970
And then you witnessed
the previous interviews
628
00:33:33,070 --> 00:33:36,180
and how poorly he did there.
629
00:33:38,710 --> 00:33:39,750
- You know what?
630
00:33:39,850 --> 00:33:43,550
It's a positive to allow us
to go on to search for Laci.
631
00:33:43,650 --> 00:33:47,220
- Why would you expect
he's gonna do a 180
632
00:33:47,320 --> 00:33:50,030
and come across convincing
633
00:33:50,130 --> 00:33:52,530
the jury that he didn't do it?
634
00:33:54,230 --> 00:33:57,330
I think if you put
Scott Peterson on the stand,
635
00:33:57,430 --> 00:33:58,970
he would have been
eaten alive.
636
00:33:59,070 --> 00:34:02,200
* *
637
00:34:05,710 --> 00:34:08,940
- Opening statements begin
today in the double-murder
638
00:34:09,040 --> 00:34:11,250
trial of Scott Peterson.
639
00:34:11,350 --> 00:34:14,920
- Scott Peterson's case
is a character evidence case
640
00:34:15,020 --> 00:34:16,380
and nothing else.
641
00:34:16,480 --> 00:34:18,520
But the smoke and mirrors
to it
642
00:34:18,620 --> 00:34:21,160
is the suggestion
that there's a great deal
643
00:34:21,260 --> 00:34:23,220
of circumstantial evidence.
There isn't.
644
00:34:23,320 --> 00:34:26,230
There's an affair, and there's
the location of the bodies.
645
00:34:26,330 --> 00:34:27,630
That's the entire case.
646
00:34:27,730 --> 00:34:29,600
- People don't wrap themselves
in duct tape
647
00:34:29,700 --> 00:34:31,700
and then go jump in
the San Francisco Bay
648
00:34:31,800 --> 00:34:32,700
in the middle of winter.
649
00:34:32,800 --> 00:34:35,300
- The state knew
the problems with their case.
650
00:34:35,400 --> 00:34:38,270
They didn't know how
he did it, when he did it,
651
00:34:38,370 --> 00:34:43,240
but they knew that he
was a liar, a cheater.
652
00:34:43,350 --> 00:34:46,180
And they relied on that.
653
00:34:46,280 --> 00:34:48,150
- All of these things
were impossible.
654
00:34:48,250 --> 00:34:49,520
If those things
were impossible,
655
00:34:49,620 --> 00:34:52,390
then this man murdered
Laci Peterson.
656
00:34:52,490 --> 00:34:54,620
- They just didn't have
anything of substance.
657
00:34:54,720 --> 00:34:57,630
So we felt very good
and very confident.
658
00:34:57,730 --> 00:35:00,230
- If the court wants to talk
about prejudicial publicity,
659
00:35:00,330 --> 00:35:04,130
having poster-sized pictures
of him labeled as a monster
660
00:35:04,230 --> 00:35:06,330
in chains, I don't think is--
661
00:35:06,430 --> 00:35:09,440
is somehow conducive
to getting a fair trial.
662
00:35:09,540 --> 00:35:11,370
- My first impression
was that the Geragos team
663
00:35:11,470 --> 00:35:12,840
was very professional
664
00:35:12,940 --> 00:35:15,110
and were prepared for this.
665
00:35:15,210 --> 00:35:16,440
- Mark Geragos comes out
666
00:35:16,540 --> 00:35:18,010
in his opening statement
and says,
667
00:35:18,110 --> 00:35:19,450
"Yes, he's a cheater.
668
00:35:19,550 --> 00:35:22,150
Yes, he's a 14-carat A-hole,
669
00:35:22,250 --> 00:35:23,350
but he's not a killer."
670
00:35:23,450 --> 00:35:25,120
- Now, on the prosecuting
attorney side,
671
00:35:25,220 --> 00:35:26,390
I didn't feel that way.
672
00:35:26,490 --> 00:35:28,420
I thought that
they were bumbling it.
673
00:35:33,500 --> 00:35:34,700
- Scott Peterson's
tone and demeanor
674
00:35:34,800 --> 00:35:37,600
following Laci's disappearance
are being called into question.
675
00:35:37,700 --> 00:35:40,340
This after prosecutors played
a taped police interview
676
00:35:40,440 --> 00:35:41,870
with him describing
what he did
677
00:35:41,970 --> 00:35:43,470
the day Laci disappeared.
678
00:35:43,570 --> 00:35:46,570
- Day one,
there was a mistake made.
679
00:35:46,680 --> 00:35:50,450
Scott says that the morning
of Laci's disappearance--
680
00:35:55,520 --> 00:35:58,150
- The prosecution claims
that Martha Stewart
681
00:35:58,250 --> 00:36:00,690
wasn't talking about meringue
that morning,
682
00:36:00,790 --> 00:36:04,790
that they say this is evidence
he was lying.
683
00:36:04,890 --> 00:36:06,490
- Geragos brings it in.
684
00:36:06,590 --> 00:36:09,300
He says, "Let's roll the tape,"
and you see it.
685
00:36:09,400 --> 00:36:11,370
- Ooh, you want to
make little meringues?
686
00:36:11,470 --> 00:36:13,470
- Oh, that would be nice.
687
00:36:13,570 --> 00:36:15,470
- The prosecution
got it wrong.
688
00:36:15,570 --> 00:36:17,640
And this happens
at the jump of the trial.
689
00:36:17,740 --> 00:36:21,680
- Did you check these windows?
- Yeah.
690
00:36:21,780 --> 00:36:23,580
- You don't commit
a violent crime
691
00:36:23,680 --> 00:36:25,150
without getting
your hands dirty.
692
00:36:25,250 --> 00:36:26,720
The police executed
693
00:36:26,820 --> 00:36:29,120
more than 10 search warrants
on the home
694
00:36:29,220 --> 00:36:30,490
and his place of business.
695
00:36:30,590 --> 00:36:32,220
- Officers began a search
of the couple's home
696
00:36:32,320 --> 00:36:33,760
late last night.
697
00:36:33,860 --> 00:36:37,430
- After they found pretty
much zero physical evidence
698
00:36:37,530 --> 00:36:39,190
in the house or in the truck
or in the boat,
699
00:36:39,290 --> 00:36:43,830
the theory had to become
that this was a soft kill.
700
00:36:43,930 --> 00:36:49,270
- A soft kill is a murder
that doesn't involve a weapon,
701
00:36:49,370 --> 00:36:51,540
that doesn't leave
behind essentially
702
00:36:51,640 --> 00:36:53,580
obvious forensic evidence.
703
00:36:53,680 --> 00:36:56,710
- The coroner has yet to
determine the cause of death.
704
00:36:56,810 --> 00:37:00,120
- Unless there is a pretty good
cause of death in the torso,
705
00:37:00,220 --> 00:37:01,320
they're stuck.
706
00:37:01,420 --> 00:37:03,080
- How was this person killed?
707
00:37:03,180 --> 00:37:04,720
We don't know.
708
00:37:04,820 --> 00:37:07,560
And throughout the trial,
we never found out.
709
00:37:07,660 --> 00:37:12,160
- Even a soft kill leaves
behind some sort of trail.
710
00:37:12,260 --> 00:37:13,630
If he kills her
711
00:37:13,730 --> 00:37:16,460
and is dragging her around
to his workshop
712
00:37:16,560 --> 00:37:19,200
and then
to the San Francisco Bay,
713
00:37:19,300 --> 00:37:20,500
how did he pull that off?
714
00:37:20,600 --> 00:37:23,640
- It's what you say when you
have absolutely no evidence
715
00:37:23,740 --> 00:37:25,670
that there was a crime
that occurred in this home.
716
00:37:25,770 --> 00:37:29,540
But if they were
being fair about it,
717
00:37:29,640 --> 00:37:31,510
they'd also have to
acknowledge, "By the way,
718
00:37:31,610 --> 00:37:33,380
"given the state and condition
of the bodies
719
00:37:33,480 --> 00:37:35,520
"when we finally found them,
there's no evidence
720
00:37:35,620 --> 00:37:37,250
that it was a soft kill."
721
00:37:37,350 --> 00:37:38,750
[upbeat music]
722
00:37:38,850 --> 00:37:41,520
- Tonight, day nine of
Scott Peterson's murder trial,
723
00:37:41,620 --> 00:37:43,260
and his attorney,
Mark Geragos,
724
00:37:43,360 --> 00:37:45,090
grills police on the stand.
725
00:37:45,190 --> 00:37:47,700
- Detective Al Brocchini
was the first investigator
726
00:37:47,800 --> 00:37:51,270
on the scene the day Laci
Peterson was reported missing.
727
00:37:51,370 --> 00:37:53,170
- He was pretty hard on me.
728
00:37:53,270 --> 00:37:54,170
You know, Geragos was.
729
00:37:54,270 --> 00:37:56,670
I was the bad guy.
730
00:37:56,770 --> 00:38:01,380
Every mistake I made,
he turned it into a whole day
731
00:38:01,480 --> 00:38:02,810
of talking about it.
732
00:38:02,910 --> 00:38:04,880
- Detective Brocchini was
a little forgetful
733
00:38:04,980 --> 00:38:05,780
from time to time.
734
00:38:05,880 --> 00:38:08,380
In cross-examination,
the defense already
735
00:38:08,480 --> 00:38:10,650
questioning his motives.
736
00:38:10,750 --> 00:38:13,790
- I testified that nobody
knew Scott had a boat.
737
00:38:28,800 --> 00:38:32,840
- He says Laci knew he had
a boat, but we can't ask her.
738
00:38:32,940 --> 00:38:36,280
- Brocchini felt like it
will strengthen his case
739
00:38:36,380 --> 00:38:37,510
if he makes it look like Laci
740
00:38:37,610 --> 00:38:38,480
didn't even know
about the boat.
741
00:38:38,580 --> 00:38:39,610
She didn't even know.
742
00:38:39,710 --> 00:38:42,180
That hugely backfired on him.
743
00:38:42,280 --> 00:38:46,620
Geragos scored the most points
when Brocchini took the stand
744
00:38:46,720 --> 00:38:51,430
because Brocchini had redacted
a piece of his report.
745
00:38:51,530 --> 00:38:53,360
- We interviewed everybody
in all those shops
746
00:38:53,460 --> 00:38:54,960
near the warehouse,
747
00:38:55,060 --> 00:38:57,600
and I interviewed a man
748
00:38:57,700 --> 00:39:01,370
that said Laci used
the bathroom of a lady
749
00:39:01,470 --> 00:39:03,300
that owned a shop on the 23rd,
750
00:39:03,410 --> 00:39:05,870
the day before Laci
was actually missing.
751
00:39:05,970 --> 00:39:10,710
So when I got my report back,
I deleted that line.
752
00:39:10,810 --> 00:39:12,610
Geragos, he's like,
"What happened?
753
00:39:12,710 --> 00:39:15,350
Who took that line out
of your police report?"
754
00:39:15,450 --> 00:39:16,820
And I said, "I did."
755
00:39:16,920 --> 00:39:18,220
Ah.
756
00:39:18,320 --> 00:39:19,620
That's a big moment.
757
00:39:19,720 --> 00:39:23,260
I--I eliminated
some exculpatory evidence
758
00:39:23,360 --> 00:39:24,990
from my police report.
759
00:39:25,090 --> 00:39:26,490
I can't reply.
760
00:39:26,590 --> 00:39:28,400
I can't say, "Well,
it's in Holmes's report.
761
00:39:28,500 --> 00:39:29,700
He's got it all in there."
762
00:39:29,800 --> 00:39:32,300
- All it takes,
one juror to say,
763
00:39:32,400 --> 00:39:33,970
"I don't believe
that detective.
764
00:39:34,070 --> 00:39:37,570
He had an agenda."
765
00:39:37,670 --> 00:39:39,540
- Legal analysts say
they've heard nothing yet
766
00:39:39,640 --> 00:39:42,910
that they think would convince
a jury to convict Peterson.
767
00:39:43,010 --> 00:39:44,850
- We believed that there
was no way they were gonna
768
00:39:44,950 --> 00:39:46,180
be able to show this case,
prove it,
769
00:39:46,280 --> 00:39:49,450
because the jury is gonna see
that this was nonsensical.
770
00:39:49,550 --> 00:39:50,820
It made no sense.
771
00:39:50,920 --> 00:39:52,920
- It felt to me like
the Modesto Police Department
772
00:39:53,020 --> 00:39:54,920
had basically put their
sights on Scott Peterson
773
00:39:55,020 --> 00:39:58,690
and that they put
all their eggs in one basket.
774
00:39:58,790 --> 00:40:03,670
- Geragos was able
to just seed
775
00:40:03,770 --> 00:40:05,570
each one of these state
witnesses
776
00:40:05,670 --> 00:40:07,670
with reasonable doubt.
777
00:40:07,770 --> 00:40:10,070
- The analytical research
studying micro-expressions
778
00:40:10,170 --> 00:40:11,640
of people's faces.
779
00:40:11,740 --> 00:40:14,640
- It was unbelievable
780
00:40:14,740 --> 00:40:18,050
how Mark Geragos took over
that courtroom.
781
00:40:18,150 --> 00:40:19,850
The defense was winning.
782
00:40:19,950 --> 00:40:22,250
- We've set the bar
extremely high.
783
00:40:22,350 --> 00:40:25,490
And that's to prove that Scott
is not only factually innocent,
784
00:40:25,590 --> 00:40:27,690
but to figure out
exactly who it is
785
00:40:27,790 --> 00:40:29,560
did this horrible thing
to Scott's wife
786
00:40:29,660 --> 00:40:31,960
and to Scott's son.
787
00:40:32,060 --> 00:40:34,660
- By its nature,
a defense attorney's job
788
00:40:34,760 --> 00:40:36,630
is not to prove anything.
789
00:40:36,730 --> 00:40:39,430
It's simply to demonstrate
that this package
790
00:40:39,530 --> 00:40:41,600
with the bow on top
791
00:40:41,700 --> 00:40:43,510
that the state is trying to
create for you,
792
00:40:43,610 --> 00:40:45,440
it--it--it doesn't exist.
793
00:40:45,540 --> 00:40:47,910
It's not real.
794
00:40:48,010 --> 00:40:50,810
But Mark Geragos's
statements said,
795
00:40:50,910 --> 00:40:53,450
"We're not just going to plant
reasonable doubt.
796
00:40:53,550 --> 00:40:55,550
"We're going to prove
that Scott Peterson
797
00:40:55,650 --> 00:40:57,350
is stone-cold innocent."
798
00:40:57,450 --> 00:40:58,720
Those were the words.
799
00:40:58,820 --> 00:40:59,820
- The actual perpetrator
is still out there.
800
00:40:59,920 --> 00:41:01,620
We plan on finding that person.
801
00:41:01,720 --> 00:41:03,090
- Experts say, normally,
802
00:41:03,190 --> 00:41:05,890
a defense attorney wouldn't
make promises to a jury,
803
00:41:05,990 --> 00:41:08,630
but defense attorney
Mark Geragos made several.
804
00:41:08,730 --> 00:41:09,830
- That's what sticks
with the jury.
805
00:41:09,930 --> 00:41:12,170
But the problem is,
he overpromised
806
00:41:12,270 --> 00:41:14,000
and under-delivered.
807
00:41:20,840 --> 00:41:23,310
- Mark Geragos is great
on cross-examination,
808
00:41:23,410 --> 00:41:27,050
and he's tripping the police up
in a lot of little details.
809
00:41:27,150 --> 00:41:30,550
The reality is that those
little details
810
00:41:30,650 --> 00:41:33,090
may not add up
to a not guilty verdict.
811
00:41:33,190 --> 00:41:38,060
- If you had a graph in terms
of the strength of the defense
812
00:41:38,160 --> 00:41:41,500
and the persuasiveness
of the cross-examination,
813
00:41:41,600 --> 00:41:44,500
it wanes over time.
814
00:41:44,600 --> 00:41:46,870
- Tonight,
Scott Peterson's former lover,
815
00:41:46,970 --> 00:41:48,870
Amber Frey,
finally takes the stand
816
00:41:48,970 --> 00:41:50,740
at his double-murder trial.
817
00:41:50,840 --> 00:41:52,610
- There was a major shift
in this case
818
00:41:52,710 --> 00:41:54,110
when Amber Frey appeared.
819
00:41:54,210 --> 00:41:56,910
- Jurors heard Amber Frey
accuse Scott Peterson
820
00:41:57,010 --> 00:41:59,550
of planning the murder
of his pregnant wife.
821
00:41:59,650 --> 00:42:01,120
- It wasn't what
she testified to.
822
00:42:01,220 --> 00:42:03,720
It was that through her
testimony and in her testimony,
823
00:42:03,820 --> 00:42:05,150
we heard all of those tapes.
824
00:42:15,930 --> 00:42:19,830
- The prosecution did something
I'd never seen before or since.
825
00:42:19,930 --> 00:42:22,600
They had printed out
the transcripts
826
00:42:22,700 --> 00:42:23,670
of every single phone call.
827
00:42:23,770 --> 00:42:27,240
It was so compelling
828
00:42:27,340 --> 00:42:28,680
not to just hear it,
829
00:42:28,780 --> 00:42:30,550
but to be able
to make notes on it.
830
00:42:30,650 --> 00:42:32,650
And you could see the jurors
making notes.
831
00:42:32,750 --> 00:42:35,550
You know, here's where
he said, "I lost my wife."
832
00:42:35,650 --> 00:42:37,190
Here's the date.
Here's this call.
833
00:42:37,290 --> 00:42:38,720
Here's this call.
834
00:42:38,820 --> 00:42:41,860
- The Amber tapes were clearly
835
00:42:41,960 --> 00:42:44,930
one of the worst pieces
of evidence in the case.
836
00:42:45,030 --> 00:42:49,930
It showed a side of him
that was comfortably lying.
837
00:42:50,030 --> 00:42:52,000
- If you could have heard
this testimony today,
838
00:42:52,100 --> 00:42:57,110
the credibility of Scott
Peterson is now on the line.
839
00:42:57,210 --> 00:42:59,940
- The defense made a decision
not to bring up
840
00:43:00,040 --> 00:43:02,710
any of these
dog-walking eyewitnesses
841
00:43:02,810 --> 00:43:04,680
that thought they saw Laci.
842
00:43:04,780 --> 00:43:06,680
- The prosecution
and law enforcement
843
00:43:06,780 --> 00:43:08,920
had done a beautiful job
844
00:43:09,020 --> 00:43:11,690
of trying to discredit
these people.
845
00:43:11,790 --> 00:43:14,520
They made these people think
that what they were saying
846
00:43:14,620 --> 00:43:15,960
was not accurate.
847
00:43:16,060 --> 00:43:17,830
Some of them thought,
"Are we going crazy?
848
00:43:17,930 --> 00:43:19,930
Is it possible
that it wasn't her?"
849
00:43:20,030 --> 00:43:21,200
And guess what happens
to that witness?
850
00:43:21,300 --> 00:43:24,030
That becomes a weak witness
for the defense.
851
00:43:24,130 --> 00:43:27,840
- Had anybody put witnesses on
the stand that would support
852
00:43:27,940 --> 00:43:31,870
the claim that Laci was
walking the dog,
853
00:43:31,970 --> 00:43:34,040
that would have made
a lot of difference.
854
00:43:34,140 --> 00:43:36,950
- If somebody actually
really saw Laci,
855
00:43:37,050 --> 00:43:39,110
then, yes,
that would be important.
856
00:43:39,210 --> 00:43:40,020
- Didn't happen.
857
00:43:40,120 --> 00:43:42,920
And--and I think
that people second guessed
858
00:43:43,020 --> 00:43:45,720
Mark Geragos specifically
for that decision.
859
00:43:48,090 --> 00:43:50,990
- The judge believed that
the burglary and Laci's
860
00:43:51,090 --> 00:43:52,860
disappearance were unrelated
and wouldn't allow
861
00:43:52,960 --> 00:43:55,030
any evidence in the trial.
862
00:43:55,130 --> 00:43:57,070
- Everyone discounted
the burglary
863
00:43:57,170 --> 00:43:58,900
because they believed
that it happened
864
00:43:59,000 --> 00:44:01,070
after Laci's disappearance.
865
00:44:01,170 --> 00:44:04,510
- It meant the jury didn't hear
evidence about the burglary.
866
00:44:04,610 --> 00:44:07,180
- Without the Medina burglary
being admitted into evidence,
867
00:44:07,280 --> 00:44:10,680
there's no other alternate
theory that can explain
868
00:44:10,780 --> 00:44:12,980
Laci Peterson's disappearance.
869
00:44:13,080 --> 00:44:15,780
- Part of the problem was they
wanted to get the trial over
870
00:44:15,880 --> 00:44:18,690
as soon as possible
so he would be exonerated
871
00:44:18,790 --> 00:44:20,220
and continue with his life.
872
00:44:20,320 --> 00:44:23,220
And I think that was a mistake
because I really don't think
873
00:44:23,320 --> 00:44:27,700
the defense had enough time
to really understand the case
874
00:44:27,800 --> 00:44:29,100
to defend it properly.
875
00:44:33,170 --> 00:44:35,700
And, gosh,
I look back on that now,
876
00:44:35,800 --> 00:44:37,640
and I wonder if that
was the right decision.
877
00:44:37,740 --> 00:44:40,710
We had the evidence
of my innocence.
878
00:44:40,810 --> 00:44:44,110
It was a nightmare
being stuck in county jail.
879
00:44:56,160 --> 00:44:58,760
And I kind of wonder,
gosh, if I--
880
00:44:58,860 --> 00:45:04,030
If I had been more prudent
or patient or whatever,
881
00:45:04,130 --> 00:45:07,140
maybe things
would've been different.
882
00:45:07,240 --> 00:45:10,970
- The Scott Peterson murder
trial may go to the jury today.
883
00:45:11,070 --> 00:45:13,140
- This man murdered
Laci Peterson.
884
00:45:13,240 --> 00:45:15,880
- The prosecutor,
in his closing argument,
885
00:45:15,980 --> 00:45:19,250
says, look at this
as a jigsaw puzzle.
886
00:45:19,350 --> 00:45:22,220
You need to put the pieces
of the puzzle together.
887
00:45:22,320 --> 00:45:24,850
Is it a coincidence
that Scott Peterson
888
00:45:24,950 --> 00:45:26,960
was looking at tide charts?
889
00:45:27,060 --> 00:45:29,990
Is it a coincidence
that Scott Peterson
890
00:45:30,090 --> 00:45:32,060
told Amber Frey
he lost his wife
891
00:45:32,160 --> 00:45:34,130
the same month that she died?
892
00:45:34,230 --> 00:45:36,870
Is it a coincidence
that there was cement found,
893
00:45:36,970 --> 00:45:39,770
anchor circles
in his warehouse?
894
00:45:39,870 --> 00:45:43,370
All these things
add up to murder.
895
00:45:43,470 --> 00:45:47,910
- The prosecution came with
this very deliberate argument
896
00:45:48,010 --> 00:45:50,080
that it's open and shut.
897
00:45:50,180 --> 00:45:54,180
This is a man who was
staring down the barrel
898
00:45:54,280 --> 00:45:58,020
of domesticity with his wife
and this child on the way,
899
00:45:58,120 --> 00:46:00,360
that he wanted nothing
to do with any of that.
900
00:46:00,460 --> 00:46:04,590
The facts are borne out in
the extramarital relationship
901
00:46:04,690 --> 00:46:07,600
he's having and the things that
he is saying to his mistress.
902
00:46:07,700 --> 00:46:10,670
- In his closing argument,
defense attorney Mark Geragos
903
00:46:10,770 --> 00:46:14,340
told jurors that prosecutors
wanted them to hate Peterson,
904
00:46:14,440 --> 00:46:18,140
but that was not reason
enough to convict him.
905
00:46:18,240 --> 00:46:21,680
- It's hard to be critical,
but I was uncomfortable
906
00:46:21,780 --> 00:46:24,180
when the defense rested.
907
00:46:25,410 --> 00:46:28,150
- You must not be biased
against the defendant
908
00:46:28,250 --> 00:46:30,350
because he has been arrested
for this offense,
909
00:46:30,450 --> 00:46:33,020
charged with a crime,
or brought to trial.
910
00:46:33,120 --> 00:46:36,090
- After being instructed by
the judge for nearly an hour,
911
00:46:36,190 --> 00:46:38,790
the six men and six women
of the jury
912
00:46:38,890 --> 00:46:41,630
will now decide
Scott Peterson's fate.
913
00:46:41,730 --> 00:46:45,000
- We went through things that
were key points to each person.
914
00:46:45,100 --> 00:46:47,170
- We did take polls
to find out
915
00:46:47,270 --> 00:46:49,840
what people
were concerned about
916
00:46:49,940 --> 00:46:53,140
and what we needed answers to.
917
00:46:53,240 --> 00:46:55,110
Are we ready
to make a decision,
918
00:46:55,210 --> 00:46:58,150
or are there other things
that need to be answered?
919
00:46:58,250 --> 00:47:01,320
What questions do we have?
920
00:47:01,420 --> 00:47:04,250
- That's why our deliberation
took the time it did
921
00:47:04,350 --> 00:47:06,050
because everybody
had questions
922
00:47:06,150 --> 00:47:08,920
and different opinions
of things.
923
00:47:09,020 --> 00:47:11,930
- I was counting on a jury
that would come back
924
00:47:12,030 --> 00:47:13,430
with an acquittal
925
00:47:13,530 --> 00:47:15,800
because I thought,
there's no evidence here.
926
00:47:15,900 --> 00:47:16,970
There's no forensic evidence.
927
00:47:17,070 --> 00:47:19,170
There's nothing to tie him
to the murder.
928
00:47:19,270 --> 00:47:21,940
- Everything in this case
you can look at
929
00:47:22,040 --> 00:47:23,810
from a different lens.
930
00:47:23,910 --> 00:47:25,940
Take one piece of evidence
and look at it
931
00:47:26,040 --> 00:47:27,210
from the state's side.
932
00:47:27,310 --> 00:47:30,250
And then you take
that exact same fact
933
00:47:30,350 --> 00:47:33,210
and look at it
from Scott Peterson's side.
934
00:47:33,310 --> 00:47:35,350
And you can make an argument
935
00:47:35,450 --> 00:47:39,690
of those components
of this case.
936
00:47:39,790 --> 00:47:42,790
- 116 people waited to get
the chance at witnessing
937
00:47:42,890 --> 00:47:44,230
the verdict being read.
938
00:47:44,330 --> 00:47:46,800
- The decision coming
after more than 40 hours
939
00:47:46,900 --> 00:47:48,400
of deliberations.
940
00:47:48,500 --> 00:47:50,400
- Across the country,
millions of Americans
941
00:47:50,500 --> 00:47:53,440
familiar with the faces
of this unfolding drama
942
00:47:53,540 --> 00:47:55,770
could only listen
to its final moments.
943
00:47:55,870 --> 00:47:58,140
* *
944
00:47:58,240 --> 00:48:00,480
- We walked back
into the courtroom.
945
00:48:00,580 --> 00:48:03,350
* *
946
00:48:03,450 --> 00:48:05,550
I just remember
I was really, really--
947
00:48:05,650 --> 00:48:06,780
I was perspiring.
948
00:48:06,880 --> 00:48:07,920
I mean, I was--
949
00:48:08,020 --> 00:48:09,350
I could feel my heart pounding.
950
00:48:09,450 --> 00:48:13,190
- One of the toughest moments
for any lawyer
951
00:48:13,290 --> 00:48:15,890
is the moment right before
952
00:48:15,990 --> 00:48:18,760
the jury foreman
953
00:48:18,860 --> 00:48:21,030
reads the verdict.
954
00:48:21,130 --> 00:48:23,930
It almost feels like
your heart is gonna stop.
955
00:48:25,170 --> 00:48:27,340
- A crowd outside
the Redwood City Courthouse
956
00:48:27,440 --> 00:48:29,440
waited in tense silence
for the verdict.
957
00:48:29,540 --> 00:48:31,810
- We find the defendant,
Scott Lee Peterson,
958
00:48:31,910 --> 00:48:32,970
guilty of the crime of murder.
959
00:48:33,070 --> 00:48:36,180
[cheering]
960
00:48:36,280 --> 00:48:38,050
- There were cheers, too,
in Modesto,
961
00:48:38,150 --> 00:48:39,810
Laci Peterson's hometown.
962
00:48:39,910 --> 00:48:41,420
[cheering]
963
00:48:41,520 --> 00:48:43,920
Inside the courtroom,
even the judge
964
00:48:44,020 --> 00:48:45,220
seemed to choke with emotion.
965
00:48:45,320 --> 00:48:47,290
Laci Peterson's family sobbed.
966
00:48:47,390 --> 00:48:51,760
But Scott Peterson showed
no obvious reaction.
967
00:48:51,860 --> 00:48:55,430
- I looked at my dad, and he
had a shocked look on his face.
968
00:48:55,530 --> 00:48:56,530
I had a shocked look.
969
00:48:56,630 --> 00:48:57,630
I couldn't even cry.
970
00:48:57,730 --> 00:48:59,170
I was just, like, stunned.
971
00:48:59,270 --> 00:49:01,970
- A lot of people
are not fooled by--
972
00:49:02,070 --> 00:49:04,840
by what went on here.
973
00:49:04,940 --> 00:49:07,040
This is just a travesty.
974
00:49:07,140 --> 00:49:08,310
- When the clerk
read the verdict,
975
00:49:08,410 --> 00:49:11,180
I just remember thinking that--
976
00:49:11,280 --> 00:49:13,480
that I'd just missed
the word "not."
977
00:49:13,580 --> 00:49:16,320
She must have just
said "not guilty."
978
00:49:16,420 --> 00:49:18,050
I missed it.
979
00:49:18,150 --> 00:49:21,090
And you could hear a crowd
980
00:49:21,190 --> 00:49:24,890
outside the courthouse erupt.
981
00:49:24,990 --> 00:49:26,860
- Oh, we got him.
That's it.
982
00:49:26,960 --> 00:49:28,500
I'm happy.
Thank God!
983
00:49:28,600 --> 00:49:29,330
Thank God!
984
00:49:29,430 --> 00:49:31,000
- I don't know how else
to describe it
985
00:49:31,100 --> 00:49:33,200
other than absolute shock.
986
00:49:33,300 --> 00:49:35,140
- Our family's
going to make it.
987
00:49:35,240 --> 00:49:39,110
We're stronger because of this.
988
00:49:39,210 --> 00:49:40,610
And Scott got what he deserved.
989
00:49:45,180 --> 00:49:48,650
- I don't think that
Amber Frey was--was the issue.
990
00:49:48,750 --> 00:49:50,120
I think that this--
991
00:49:50,220 --> 00:49:51,890
this had been planned
before Amber Frey
992
00:49:51,990 --> 00:49:53,360
even got in the picture.
993
00:49:53,460 --> 00:49:55,890
I've had people after the trial
come up to me and say,
994
00:49:55,990 --> 00:49:57,060
"Was he really guilty?"
995
00:49:57,160 --> 00:49:58,460
And I go, are you serious?
996
00:49:58,560 --> 00:50:01,130
I would find somebody
that was innocent guilty?
997
00:50:01,230 --> 00:50:02,400
I would never do that.
998
00:50:02,500 --> 00:50:04,330
- We just said a man
was guilty of killing
999
00:50:04,430 --> 00:50:05,970
his wife and unborn child.
1000
00:50:06,070 --> 00:50:07,240
That's a terrible thing.
1001
00:50:07,340 --> 00:50:08,870
What's there to cheer about?
1002
00:50:08,970 --> 00:50:12,510
Nobody on that jury wanted to
find Scott Peterson guilty
1003
00:50:12,610 --> 00:50:14,310
just for the sake
of finding him guilty
1004
00:50:14,410 --> 00:50:16,010
or because of public opinion.
1005
00:50:16,110 --> 00:50:18,310
My decision
1006
00:50:18,410 --> 00:50:21,120
was nothing more
than what I found
1007
00:50:21,220 --> 00:50:24,020
based on evidence
and testimony.
1008
00:50:24,120 --> 00:50:27,090
- Seeing what we saw,
I'm a mother of four.
1009
00:50:27,190 --> 00:50:29,260
Goddamn, that was his son.
1010
00:50:29,360 --> 00:50:31,190
He'll never come clean.
1011
00:50:31,290 --> 00:50:32,830
He'll never admit it.
1012
00:50:32,930 --> 00:50:36,000
He'll go to his grave with it,
and then he'll go to hell,
1013
00:50:36,100 --> 00:50:37,530
straight to hell and rot.
1014
00:51:19,240 --> 00:51:20,410
- Peterson has been
found guilty
1015
00:51:20,510 --> 00:51:22,640
of first and second-degree
murder.
1016
00:51:22,740 --> 00:51:26,750
Now, Scott Peterson is eligible
for the death penalty.
1017
00:51:26,850 --> 00:51:29,250
[tense music]
1018
00:51:29,350 --> 00:51:31,550
- The jury finds him guilty.
1019
00:51:31,650 --> 00:51:34,290
And then the question is,
what's the penalty?
1020
00:51:34,390 --> 00:51:35,520
Do you get life in prison?
1021
00:51:35,620 --> 00:51:38,390
Do you get the death penalty?
1022
00:51:38,490 --> 00:51:42,130
- We're gonna have to
ask this jury,
1023
00:51:42,230 --> 00:51:46,000
who thinks that he murdered his
wife and unborn son,
1024
00:51:46,100 --> 00:51:47,740
to not take his life.
1025
00:51:55,540 --> 00:51:57,350
- Hi, everyone.
First up on the docket,
1026
00:51:57,450 --> 00:51:59,580
while you were eating your
Thanksgiving turkey at home,
1027
00:51:59,680 --> 00:52:02,520
Scott Peterson
was eating his behind bars,
1028
00:52:02,620 --> 00:52:05,320
waiting for the penalty
phase of his trial to begin.
1029
00:52:05,420 --> 00:52:07,920
- Witnesses reminded the jury
the emotional toll
1030
00:52:08,020 --> 00:52:10,590
a death verdict would have
on Scott's parents.
1031
00:52:10,690 --> 00:52:13,160
The defense is hoping
for an ounce of sympathy
1032
00:52:13,260 --> 00:52:15,330
peppered with lingering doubt.
1033
00:52:15,430 --> 00:52:17,570
- This afternoon,
customers gathered at the bar
1034
00:52:17,670 --> 00:52:20,700
to watch the jury's penalty
decision on TV.
1035
00:52:23,770 --> 00:52:26,510
[applause]
1036
00:52:26,610 --> 00:52:29,540
- After calling him cruel,
uncaring, and heartless,
1037
00:52:29,640 --> 00:52:31,610
the judge in Scott Peterson's
murder trial
1038
00:52:31,710 --> 00:52:33,580
sentenced him to death
for killing his wife,
1039
00:52:33,680 --> 00:52:36,720
Laci, and their unborn child.
1040
00:52:57,610 --> 00:53:00,540
- This is a box of letters
and cards
1041
00:53:00,640 --> 00:53:05,410
that was sent to our family,
mostly from 2003 to 2004.
1042
00:53:05,510 --> 00:53:07,420
"You must be in
so much pain seeing
1043
00:53:07,520 --> 00:53:09,580
"your child going through this.
1044
00:53:09,680 --> 00:53:12,290
"Your grief has to be
beyond words.
1045
00:53:12,390 --> 00:53:15,460
"You have lost a
daughter-in-law and a grandson.
1046
00:53:15,560 --> 00:53:18,290
"And your son is
facing challenges
1047
00:53:18,390 --> 00:53:20,900
"like he has never known.
1048
00:53:21,500 --> 00:53:26,740
"I cannot even comprehend
the pain you have to bear.
1049
00:53:26,840 --> 00:53:29,540
"Hold on to each other
with all that you have.
1050
00:53:29,640 --> 00:53:31,840
Your strength will
pull you through."
1051
00:53:39,210 --> 00:53:40,480
"Dear Lee and Jackie,
1052
00:53:40,580 --> 00:53:43,280
"I realize
that this case did not involve
1053
00:53:43,390 --> 00:53:45,420
"just one family but two.
1054
00:53:45,520 --> 00:53:48,360
"I'm the mother
of a seven-year-old boy,
1055
00:53:48,460 --> 00:53:50,690
"and if I were in
your situation,
1056
00:53:50,790 --> 00:53:54,960
I would have stood by my son,
as you did yours."
1057
00:53:55,060 --> 00:53:56,530
Getting letters
like this really,
1058
00:53:56,630 --> 00:53:59,200
really did make the difference
1059
00:53:59,300 --> 00:54:01,770
and make us feel like
we weren't alone.
1060
00:54:01,870 --> 00:54:05,340
We--we thought the whole world
thought Scott was guilty,
1061
00:54:05,440 --> 00:54:08,640
but even to fill up
1062
00:54:08,740 --> 00:54:11,880
just a few boxes of letters
at that time
1063
00:54:11,980 --> 00:54:13,620
really made a big difference.
1064
00:54:15,480 --> 00:54:18,090
"Tonight, my heart is
filled with deep sadness.
1065
00:54:18,190 --> 00:54:21,520
"After watching so long to see
Scott go home with his family,
1066
00:54:21,620 --> 00:54:23,560
"your son did not
get a fair trial,
1067
00:54:23,660 --> 00:54:26,630
and there is no city in the USA
where he could."
1068
00:54:32,870 --> 00:54:35,740
- Not long after
his conviction,
1069
00:54:35,840 --> 00:54:38,410
as the dust settled,
1070
00:54:38,510 --> 00:54:40,580
everyone started to realize,
1071
00:54:40,680 --> 00:54:44,110
this doesn't feel
like this is right.
1072
00:54:44,210 --> 00:54:47,280
This doesn't feel like it was
a powerful, compelling case.
1073
00:54:47,380 --> 00:54:49,820
[tense music]
1074
00:54:49,920 --> 00:54:51,690
- There have always been
a lot of questions
1075
00:54:51,790 --> 00:54:55,660
about how, when,
where, and why.
1076
00:54:55,760 --> 00:54:58,830
They were never answered
in the trial itself.
1077
00:54:58,930 --> 00:55:03,300
- We depend upon the police
to turn over every stone
1078
00:55:03,400 --> 00:55:04,600
and to examine every clue.
1079
00:55:04,700 --> 00:55:06,800
If they don't do that,
1080
00:55:06,900 --> 00:55:09,470
if they disregard
every piece of evidence
1081
00:55:09,570 --> 00:55:10,670
that doesn't fit their theory,
1082
00:55:10,770 --> 00:55:12,940
then their conclusions are
gonna be tainted
1083
00:55:13,040 --> 00:55:13,980
and likely wrong.
1084
00:55:14,080 --> 00:55:17,610
- The Modesto Police
Department were absolutely
1085
00:55:17,710 --> 00:55:19,550
laser-focused on Scott
1086
00:55:19,650 --> 00:55:21,550
because they thought
he did it.
1087
00:55:21,650 --> 00:55:23,790
- There are a slew
of eyewitnesses
1088
00:55:23,890 --> 00:55:26,960
who saw Laci Peterson
walking her dog
1089
00:55:27,060 --> 00:55:28,920
in and around the neighborhood.
1090
00:55:29,020 --> 00:55:32,290
- There's probably 12 to
13 people that never had
1091
00:55:32,390 --> 00:55:33,860
a face-to-face interview
with a detective
1092
00:55:33,960 --> 00:55:35,700
while Laci was missing.
1093
00:55:35,800 --> 00:55:38,570
- I have forever been
bothered by the fact
1094
00:55:38,670 --> 00:55:41,400
that the jury didn't hear
about those witnesses.
1095
00:55:41,500 --> 00:55:43,370
- I've always believed
that the burglary
1096
00:55:43,470 --> 00:55:44,770
had something to do with it.
1097
00:55:44,870 --> 00:55:47,510
- I think the police
decided very early on
1098
00:55:47,610 --> 00:55:49,910
that Scott was guilty.
1099
00:55:50,010 --> 00:55:53,450
And I think because of it, they
didn't effectively investigate
1100
00:55:53,550 --> 00:55:54,750
the Medina burglary.
1101
00:55:54,850 --> 00:55:56,890
- The prosecution position
was at the time
1102
00:55:56,990 --> 00:55:59,290
that the burglary didn't
even happen on the day
1103
00:55:59,390 --> 00:56:00,590
of Laci's disappearance.
1104
00:56:00,690 --> 00:56:03,120
If that burglary happened
1105
00:56:03,220 --> 00:56:05,660
when Laci was around
and still alive,
1106
00:56:05,760 --> 00:56:09,360
it could not have been
a coincidence.
1107
00:56:09,460 --> 00:56:11,700
- I don't think
the police looked
1108
00:56:11,800 --> 00:56:15,670
at the burglary enough
to understand the tie-ins
1109
00:56:15,770 --> 00:56:17,910
to Laci's disappearance.
1110
00:56:18,010 --> 00:56:19,340
- There's so much
reasonable doubt,
1111
00:56:19,440 --> 00:56:20,880
we're still talking
about it now.
1112
00:56:20,980 --> 00:56:23,880
- There are so many instances
where there is evidence
1113
00:56:23,980 --> 00:56:26,850
that didn't fit
the detective's theory.
1114
00:56:26,950 --> 00:56:29,920
They just assumed
she was dead.
1115
00:56:30,020 --> 00:56:32,650
Well, what if they
talked to these people,
1116
00:56:32,750 --> 00:56:33,820
and they found out
where she was
1117
00:56:33,920 --> 00:56:35,620
and they learned
information from them
1118
00:56:35,720 --> 00:56:37,890
which could have
brought her home?
1119
00:56:41,360 --> 00:56:44,570
- Here we are 20 years later
trying to piece this together.
1120
00:56:44,670 --> 00:56:47,700
I don't know that we ever felt
like we could look up and--
1121
00:56:47,800 --> 00:56:50,940
and see that light
at the end of the tunnel.
1122
00:56:51,040 --> 00:56:53,440
But to have the
Los Angeles Innocence Project
1123
00:56:53,540 --> 00:56:54,680
come on board and file motions
1124
00:56:54,780 --> 00:56:56,880
that are being
actively litigated,
1125
00:56:56,980 --> 00:56:58,650
I think it gives us
great hope.
1126
00:56:58,750 --> 00:57:01,980
- You know, the Los Angeles
Innocence Project believes
1127
00:57:02,080 --> 00:57:03,820
that there is a case here.
1128
00:57:03,920 --> 00:57:06,320
This isn't about
one side winning or losing.
1129
00:57:06,420 --> 00:57:07,320
This is about justice.
1130
00:57:07,420 --> 00:57:08,990
This is about the fairness
of a trial.
1131
00:57:09,090 --> 00:57:13,760
An innocent man has been
in jail for 20 years now.
1132
00:57:13,860 --> 00:57:17,470
And where is the justice
in that?
1133
00:57:17,570 --> 00:57:18,930
Somebody has to fight for him.
1134
00:57:19,030 --> 00:57:21,270
People have fought for him
for years.
1135
00:57:21,370 --> 00:57:24,910
And now we've got a new group
fighting for him.
1136
00:57:25,010 --> 00:57:27,840
[ominous music]
1137
00:57:27,940 --> 00:57:34,950
* *
86875
Can't find what you're looking for?
Get subtitles in any language from opensubtitles.com, and translate them here.