Scott Petersen - Why should I care?

[Sandy V.]

Hillbeans - you're exactly right. We see people with seemingly "perfect" lives, and then we see the ugliness when the layers get peeled away. That's why we watch and read all about it.

Maybe it's just bad luck, hopefully not the company I keep - but I've known 3 murderers quite well in my life (I'm 44 now).

I went to college with one (murdered a classmate's ex-husband; had warped fantasy about being with the classmate if he did this).

The second office-shared in the law firm I worked for in law school (lawyer that murdered his wife, who was my law school classmate, and their three kids before killing himself).

I worked with the third, yet another lawyer (strangled his girlfriend who was going to leave him). We were even partners in a CPR class!

So strange!!

 

[snoopy]

Its got all the makings of a really good made for TV movie. Scott Peterson certainly didn't appear to be a monster to those who knew him. It shakes our assumptions about who resorts to murder and why.

That being said, I haven't religiously followed the case like I did the OJ Simpson case, but I still find it fascinating. I remember another murder case that got a lot of media attention many years ago that I followed religiously, the murder of Jeff McDonald's wife and children. He was the Green Beret doctor who by all accounts was a good husband and father, yet little by little the details came out that pointed to a completely different man. He reminds me a bit of Scott Peterson, very charming. They tried and convicted Jeff McDonald, we'll have to wait and see with Scott Peterson.

 

[Kitty 34]

My favorite books are written byAnn Rule. She writes about true murders that take place. Gosh! Maybe she'll write about the Scott Peterson case. In which case (no pun intended ) I can hardly wait to read it!!

Having said this.......I feel a daily blurb about the trial could be mentioned at the END of the evening news, not at the beginning. Or save it for Entertainment Tonight episodes!!


Just my 2 cents.

 

[snoopy]

Oh, I like Ann Rule too, Kitty! She really has the ability to draw the reader into the world she is writing about.

I wonder what it is about us that fascinates us to true crime stories?

 

[workinggal]

While I feel bad for the victim and her family, the truth is this is a crime that happened 3,000 miles away from me amongst people who were not famous or important for any national reason.

I'm sure Laci and her baby were important to those who knew her!

 

[Growin'upDisney]

Ok - well I have a little bit different perspective on this case becasue of a couple of things.

I live in the SF bay area and have family that lives in Modesto. I was there the week between Christmas and New Years' in 2002 and saw how desparate the community was to find her. Scott was on the TV constantly seeming to agonize over the disappearance of his wife. Now the more we learn about the case the more we realize what a horrible person he really was. It's like watching a train wreck or gawking at the scene of an accident. Morbid curiosity. He duped so many people - people I know who were out searching for her. Murderer or not - he was and is a sleezebag.

I am an attorney and am interested in the handling of the case. The prosecution has done a horrible job to this point presenting the case and if the trial were to end today - he would go free.

I work in San Mateo which is a stones throw from Redwood City. So we have billboards in the area for local new stations touting their coverage. We are bombarded with it everyday and I am tired of seeing all over the place as well. I guess I didn't realize it was still being as widely covered.

I didn't realize just how many stations were covering this until I had to attend a conference at the courthouse in Redwood City yesterday. Hundreds of cameras outside just waiting for glimpses of anyone involved in the case. It was a circus. Made me feel sad that it has turned into this.

Our courtroom was right next to the trial. Long story short- we were in a hallway near the judges chambers when two officers brought Scott Peterson back to the courtroom for the afternoon session. I was two feet away as they passed by. Not sure why - but it sickened me to be in his presence and just made the reality of it all hit home.

I am cannot say why the media grabs a hold of some stories and not others. Men kill their wives everyday - wives kill their husbands. Why is one more important than others? Hard to say. But if no one cared - the media outlets wouldn't bother. for the most part I think the public really wants to see justice in this case and it continues to make them interested in the outcome.

 

[Carl]

Why is reality TV so popular? There is your answer to why these cases have so much coverage.

 

[goin2disneyagain]

snoopy-they have already made one TV movie out of it but it was since the trial had not even begun yet I am sure then can and may do another.

Sandy V-since you are an attorney, what is your opinion. Do you think he will be convicted or will he walk?

 

[hulabird]

I am always interested in any case that there is as I am working on my Bachelor's Degree to become a Paralegal. But I get most of my news from Court TV and a couple of other cable news programs like Larry King Live and the Abrams Report.

I see no difference in people being fascinated by this case than those who have to make sure they watch every episode of survivor or other reality shows.

 

[Dan Murphy]

I agree, 100%, Steve, all your points, exactly.

 

[goin2disneyagain]

I am sitting here watching Studio B on Fox News and the main story that they have been covering for almost the entire 35 minutes has been the 2 hurricanes in Florida. Yes they have mentioned the Peterson case but they didn't even do that until 20 minutes into the show. My point is that they are still covering the more urgent and important stories and giving them the time needed.

 

[Sandy V.]

goin2disneyagain - You know, I really have no clue what the jury will do here. Not being in court to hear the evidence yourself is so different than the daily dog and pony show the media puts on with their "analysis".

A lot depends on the "wild card" jurors that find their way onto the panel. These types want to serve on a jury panel so bad that they hide their true selves during jury selection until they're seated in the jury box - or you don't see what kind of wackos they really are until the panel starts to deliberate.

I've seen a black man on trial for passing counterfeit money in a Korean bar. The evidence was overwhelming - what prosecutors call a "slam dunk" case. The jury deadlocked 11 to 1 - the holdout smirked as he walked out of the deliberation room. Said that he wasn't going to convict a (submit racial slur for black person) on the testimony of a (submit racial slur for a Korean person). Geesh! How 'bout looking at the EVIDENCE, sir?

I know these "Rambo" juror-types are the exceptions, but they happen with alarming frequency. Hopefully not in the Peterson trial.

My gut reaction is that Scott Peterson will walk - but I personally hope that I am dead wrong on this! I believe that he's guilty, but you have to remember, I'm a former district attorney, so I'm biased towards the State of California here.

 

[goin2disneyagain]

Originally posted by Sandy V.
I've seen a black man on trial for passing counterfeit money in a Korean bar. The evidence was overwhelming - what prosecutors call a "slam dunk" case. The jury deadlocked 11 to 1 - the holdout smirked as he walked out of the deliberation room. Said that he wasn't going to convict a (submit racial slur for black person) on the testimony of a (submit racial slur for a Korean person). Geesh! How 'bout looking at the EVIDENCE, sir?

I know these "Rambo" juror-types are the exceptions, but they happen with alarming frequency. Hopefully not in the Peterson trial.

My gut reaction is that Scott Peterson will walk - but I personally hope that I am dead wrong on this! I believe that he's guilty, but you have to remember, I'm a former district attorney, so I'm biased towards the State of California here.

I tend to agree with you on Scott Peterson. I believe he is guilty but I think he will walk.

As are as the other case you mentioned, a similar case happened here in Atlanta about 10 or 11 years ago. A guy confessed to his uncle that he killed this woman and had blood all over his clothes and I think he even confessed to the police and he walked because the jurors were trying to prove a point. The evidence was overwhelming and they still let him off.

 

[Sandy V.]

Well, goin2disneyagain, let's hope we're both wrong in our predictions about what's going to happen to Scott Peterson. The man just emits some sort of evil aura!

Growin'upDisney - I would also feel sickened just being so close to Scott Peterson. You have a unique perspective by being there. Have you heard any "talk" from the courthouse on how they think it will all go down? I agree with your thoughts about how the prosecution has presented its case - their presentation and organization have been horrible by most descriptions. Sad really.

 

[Kitty 34]

Originally posted by snoopy
Oh, I like Ann Rule too, Kitty! She really has the ability to draw the reader into the world she is writing about.

She sure does, Judi!! Just finished Heart of Lies! Very good! I wonder what title she'd come up with for Scott P.'s case!

 

[Growin'upDisney]

Sandy V. - I haven't really heard any talk. I usually don't have to go to court as I am a corporate attorney and just happened to have a case against us filed there. But the general consensus from all of my lawyer colleagues is that he will walk - the prosecution has bumbled this case worse than the OJ prosecution team did.

 

[Sandy V.]

Growin'upDisney - Thank you for the response. Unfortunately, you're just confirming my gut instincts about the slim chances for conviction.

I guess I'm even more alarmed when you say that they've most likely bungled this case worse than Marcia Clark and crew bungled the OJ prosecution. I had hoped that this District Attorney's office wasn't as "Hollywood" as the one prosecuting OJ Simpson was - they seemed to be more style than substance. But we seem to be seeing a lot of the same lapses in investigation here.

Sigh . . . the saga continues.

 

[Rutt and Tuke]

I've found most of the network news too sensational-- I guess they must be trying to compete with MSNBC and the other cable shows. I only watch the news on PBS and haven't seen any coverage of the Scott Peterson case.

 

[disneysteve]

Originally posted by workinggal
I'm sure Laci and her baby were important to those who knew her!

Of course, and I certainly didn't mean to imply otherwise. That's why I said the people involved "were not famous or important for any national reason."

If I lived in the area where the murder occurred, I would fully expect it to be all over the local news. What I don't get is why it was on (and is still on) the national news and even the local news reports in Philadelphia and, I suspect, everywhere else. I don't mean any disrespect to anyone involved. I just don't think a guy in California killing his wife warrants the type of coverage this case and others like it get in the national media.

 

[Dan Murphy]

Originally posted by disneysteve
Of course, and I certainly didn't mean to imply otherwise. That's why I said the people involved "were not famous or important for any national reason."

If I lived in the area where the murder occurred, I would fully expect it to be all over the local news. What I don't get is why it was on (and is still on) the national news and even the local news reports in Philadelphia and, I suspect, everywhere else. I don't mean any disrespect to anyone involved. I just don't think a guy in California killing his wife warrants the type of coverage this case and others like it get in the national media.

Again, ITA, Steve, so right on with your thought there