| Opposing sides wrangle if Conner was born alive November 17, 2003 Note: This story contains autopsy information that some readers may find too graphic. Opposing sides in Scott Peterson’s preliminary hearing continued to wrangle late this morning over whether his son could have been delivered by Caesarian section before he died. In gruesome testimony that left the defendant’s mother dabbing her eyes with a tissue, a medical examiner stuck to his opinion that the boy’s body became entangled in ocean debris. Defense attorney Mark Geragos of Los Angeles expressed disbelief, noting that the tiny body of Conner Peterson was recovered with a thin stretch of plastic tape knotted about the head and chest. “The baby had to be swimming like this,” Geragos said, arms stroking the air as he stood next to the witness stand. “Wouldn’t you agree that is extremely unlikely?” Forensic pathologist Brian Peterson, no relation to the defendant, said, “I agree that it is unlikely that baby would swim.”Also, there was no evidence of injury to the boy’s skin under the tape, the medical examiner testified. Scott Peterson faces the death penalty if convicted of double murder. He stayed out of the courtroom this morning, and so did members of his late wife’s family. His own family members cringed as the medical examiner inadvertently and briefly exposed to the audience portions of large autopsy photos. Brian Peterson, a forensic pathologist on contract with Contra Costa County, acknowledged that a small rectangular length of unknown substance showed in a photo taken when Conner’s body was found, but had been removed when another photo was taken in an examination room. Geragos suggested that it was electrical tape - furthering the prospect of foul play aside from the prosecution theory pinning blame on Scott Peterson. But the medical examiner said he thought it might have been kelp. He didn’t remove it and didn’t know what he became of it, he said, adding that that would be up to a police criminalist from Richmond. (Enquirer - Autopsy report) Brian Peterson also acknowledged that Laci Peterson’s skeletal tissue showed traces of caffeine, but said he did not know how long that substance remains in a body after death. A source has told The Bee that a toxicology report on Conner Peterson showed no caffeine. The medical examiner continued to assert that decomposition and tidal action likely released the boy from his mother’s womb after she was submerged in San Francisco Bay. The two bodies washed ashore in mid-April. NE- CYRIL WECHT WILL NOT TESTIFY PRELIMINARY HEARING INDEX TRIAL ALIBI-WITNESS LIST AUTOPSY INDEX HOME INDEX LACI SCOTT EVIDENCE-NEWS |
| LACI & CONNER May The Truth Be Told |
| PRELIMINARY HEARING - DAY 10 Monday - November 17, 2003 |
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