| Amber Frey's role during investigation questioned Scott Peterson’s girlfriend may have started taping their telephone conversations as soon as Dec. 16 - at least a week before his pregnant wife disappeared, courtroom drama revealed this afternoon. Fresno massage therapist Amber Frey began cooperating with police Dec. 30. Modesto police Det. Al Brocchini testified that she said she didn’t tape her chats with Peterson before then. Defense attorney Kirk McAllister intimated that was “a lie,” and asked Brocchini if he had heard that she began recording Dec. 16. The detective said no. Frey, who has yet to testify at Peterson’s preliminary hearing, has said she didn’t know he was married when they met Nov. 20. Brocchini last week testified that Peterson told her about Dec. 9 that he had “lost his wife.” Brocchini said he gave Frey his tape recorder Dec. 30 and bought her equipment at a Radio Shack store so she could tape phone conversations. Investigators hoped Peterson would not realize she was cooperating with authorities, the detective said. “Peterson wasn’t talking about Laci” in chats with Frey, Brocchini testified. “He was talking about himself,” including a trip he faked to Europe in late December, the detective said. Brocchini said he and other detectives coached Frey on what to say to Peterson. Responding to questions from defense attorney Kirk McAllister, Brocchini acknowledged urging Frey to paint herself as a possible suspect, in the event Peterson would admit guilt to deflect blame from her. McAllister asked Brocchini about another tack, with Frey suggesting to Peterson that “maybe there was an accident, something happened and you (Peterson) panicked.” The detective responded, “It could have happened. I don’t remember it.” A state Department of Justice officer sat in on some strategy meetings, Brocchini said. He said she was “not a psychologist,” but he did not pin down her position and McAllister moved on. Brocchini also acknowledged urging a friend of Scott Peterson’s to read false information in The Bee regarding an insurance policy on Laci Peterson. But the detective said he didn’t know the information was false at the time. “You were trying to poison his mind against Scott Peterson,” McAllister charged. A member of Laci Peterson’s family had provided the information to The Bee, saying Scott Peterson had taken out a $250,000 policy on his wife in the summer of 2002. In reality, he had obtained the policy in January 2001. The detective said he questioned as many friends of both Petersons as he could find. McAllister asked if Brocchini was willing to lie to them, but Judge Al Girolami agreed with a prosecutor’s objection and the detective did not answer. Brocchini also testified that he did not know whether a surveillance camera captured neighbor Kimberly Ann McGregor breaking into the Peterson’s Covena Ave. home Jan. 18. Sources have said she drank alcohol and took Laci Peterson’s wedding dress, though it was later returned. No charges have been filed. The detective said the camera, mounted Jan. 3 on a pole across the street from the home, allowed detectives in a nearby van to see when Scott Peterson was leaving, alerting investigators to follow him. PRIOR TESTIMONY BY DETECTIVE BROCCHINI HOME INDEX PRELIMINARY HEARING TRIAL VERDICT WITNESS LIST LACI SCOTT AMBER INCONSISTANT STATEMENTS EVIDENCE-NEWS |
| PRELIMINARY HEARING - DAY 7 Wednesday, November 12, 2003 |
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| LACI & CONNER Forever in Our Hearts |
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