| Tue, Jun. 22, 2004
Police tested Scott Peterson's hands for gunpowder the day after his pregnant wife disappeared By Chris Metinko CONTRA COSTA TIMES After interrogating Scott Peterson on Christmas Day 2002, just hours after his wife was reported missing, the first detective called to the Modesto home told Peterson he had some concerns with his story. The jury in the murder trial got to watch a more than hour-long DVD of the interrogation today. In the video clip, Modesto police Det. Allen Brocchini tells a very calm and collected Scott he's concerned with Peterson showering after returning home after a Christmas Eve fishing trip to the Berkeley Marina. Peterson said he showered after he returning home the day of his wife Laci's disappearance, despite saying he had not seen his wife when he got home and the fact that Laci had not answered her cell phone when Scott caller her earlier that day. During the interview, Brocchini also tested Scott's hands for gunpowder residue after police found a gun in the glove compartment of Peterson's truck. Peterson quickly agreed to the test and told Brocchini he hadn't fired the gun in the past year, and had forgotten he had put it there for a hunting trip a month earlier. Brocchini described Scott Peterson as "calm, cool, collected." During the interrogation, Peterson again appears calm and collected as he recounts for Brocchini everything he did Christmas Eve. In the video, Peterson said he recalled waking up around 8 a.m. He said they watched Laci's favorite Martha Stewart TV show. He also said Laci had told him she was going to walk the dog and go to the store to pick up items for Christmas breakfast and to make gingerbread cookies. Peterson told Brocchini he drove from his home to a warehouse, where he kept his boat. He said while there he sent an e-mail to his boss and then left for the marina. Peterson said he thought he had fished for about 90 minutes that day. Upon returning home, he threw his clothes in the washer, made himself a slice of pizza and finally showered before calling Laci's family to ask if they had heard from her. When Brocchini asked if the two had any martial problems, Peterson answered no. Near the end of the interview, Brocchini asks Scott, "You have no idea where Laci is?" Scott, who accused of murdering Laci and their unborn son, calming replies, "No." On the stand, Brocchini told the court his primary role in the case was to try and rule out Scott Petreson in the missing person case. However, Brocchini soon ended up talking to Amber Frey, Peterson's mistress who went to police after Laci disappeared. Brocchini eventually met with Frey and she agreed to cooperate with police without Scott's knowledge. Brocchini told Frey to let him "keep talking to you and telling you what he's telling you." Brocchini said he ordered copies of the Martha Stewart show that aired on both Dec. 23 and 24, 2002. During the Christmas interrogation, Peterson had told Brocchini he watched the show with his wife and it dealt with meringues. Initially after viewing the episodes, Brocchini said the Dec. 24 show made no mention of meringues, the Dec. 23 one did, which furthered Scott Peterson's guilt in some minds. However, Mark Geragos said in opening statements, the Dec. 24 show in fact, also mentioned meringues, and Brocchini admitted in court today he had been wrong and the Dec. 24 show had indeed mentioned it. Before Brocchini took the stand today, Judge Alfred Delucchi announced both the defense and prosecution had agreed on a stipulation regarding Monday's testimony of Debra Wolski, a Modesto yoga instructor who taught Laci. The stipulation, which was read by Delucchi to the jury, said Wolski had never told the prosecution or the Modesto police that Laci had had troubling walking to her car just days before she disappeared or that she had trouble walking on uneven surfaces. In court on Monday, Wolski claimed Laci had trouble walking and even had given up walking her dog. The story seemed to cut a hole in the defense's stance that Laci had gone out to walk the dog before her disappearance Dec. 24, 2002. Defense attorney Mark Geragos immediately called for a recess after hearing Wolski's testimony Monday, and in the afternoon session questioned her repeatedly about why she had not told anyone this before and why her new story contradicted what she had told police. HOME INDEX LACI SCOTT TRIAL ALIBI-WITNESS LIST MAGAZINES |
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