| July 6, 2004
Closed door session delays start of Scott Peterson trial this morning By Brian Anderson CONTRA COSTA TIMES Lawyers in the Scott Peterson murder trial spent more than an hour behind closed doors with Judge Alfred Delucchi this morning as a Modesto police detective important to the case returned to the courtroom. They emerged shortly after 10 a.m., but did not discuss in open court what transpired. Delucchi apologized to jurors for the delay, saying only that he had to deal with legal issues outside of their presence. While it was impossible to know exactly what was being discussed, controversy surrounding Det. Al Brocchini once again surfaced last week. A source told the Associated Press that at least part of a tip Brocchini told jurors about last week was inaccurate. Brocchini testified that Peterson once described how he would dispose of a body. Peterson, according to the friend, said he would duct tape a plastic bag around the head of the victim, Brocchini testified. The body would be dumped in the sea and animals would consume the remains, making identification and evidence pointing to the killer hard to come by, Brocchini said he was told. Brocchini added that he did not put much stock in the tip. But the source who talked to AP said a tape of the conversation between Brocchini and the tipster revealed discrepancies in the detective's testimony regarding the duct tape. Brocchini appeared in court this morning, but left after a short conversation with prosecutor Rick Distaso, who emerged from chambers about 10:05. It was believed Brocchini might again take the witness stand to clarify the tip. The controversy around Brocchini was sure to delight defense attorney Mark Geragos, who spent days firing questions at the investigator during cross examination. Brocchini admitted at one point that he omitted a witness statement that benefited the defense. He later said that another detective included the information in his report. Geragos has accused police of botching the investigation of the disappearance of Laci Peterson. Her body later surfaced along the Richmond shoreline, not far from where her husband told police he was fishing the day she disappeared. Police also discovered duct tape on Laci's remains as well as tape knotted in a loop around the remains of the fetus. HOME INDEX LACI SCOTT TRIAL ALIBI-WITNESS LIST |
 |
 |
| LACI & CONNER Forever in our Hearts |
|
|