Laci peterson the favorable the bad plus the ugly
Essay Topic: Criminal offense,
Paper type: Society,
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Did Jeff Petersen really murder his wife and unborn kid or was this a mass misconception bestowed by using an unsuspecting open public by an overly opinionated press?
In accordance to Peterson, his wife, Laci, shut off to walk the dog in December twenty four, 2002, and never returned. His story was verified by a neighbor, Vivian Mitchell, who stated that she found Laci going for walks the dog soon after 10 a. m. when needed she vanished. (KTVU 2002). When Peterson arrived house after his fishing trip, he found the dog in the backyard while using leash nonetheless connected to his collar.
An extensive search was conducted with no success. (KTVU2002).
Enter Amber Frye, the young mom and career masseuse who also saw Jeff on television and immediately known her lover of recent vintage. Jeff had guaranteed her that he was single (CNN2001). Later on, Amber Frye and her famous lawyer were to perform a well-lauded, but entirely irrelevant position in the murder trial of Scott Peterson, as lots of people listened avidly to the transcripts of private phone calls between Silpada Frye plus the defendant.
Shortly thereafter, police acquired a bring about and busted Scott Peterson. Months afterwards, the body of Laci and her baby surfaced from the normal water near the place where Peterson said he had been fishing. (CNN2001).
During the course of the trial, much faulty data was leaked out to the press, and passed in to the community. Although the bogus leads had been quickly discredited, the damage was done. Inspite of a disappointing dearth of direct evidence, Scott Peterson was convicted of murdering his better half and uncreated, unbegotten, unconceived son. (CNN2004). As the case heads pertaining to appeal, it’s time to re-examine the quarrels for, and against Scott Peterson’s sense of guilt.
The Defense’s Argument
Objective
The criminal prosecution never did confirm a viable objective. There were vague suggestions that Scott Peterson was enamored with Ruby Frye, and wanted away of his family responsibilities, so he could be with her, but this kind of idea can be lacking of even the most elementary logic. Scott certainly will not be “freeing himself simply by forming a significant alliance with Amber Frye, who currently had one child and was pregnant with one other. In all likelihood, Emerald Frye was just a short-term diversion.
Another equallyhazy theory was posited that Scott Peterson was not willing to become a father; that he felt buckled by the weight of responsibility that involved to settle in him, and just did apart with the entire problem. This kind of too, is absurd. Various first-time dads are anxious and unsure, but the trepidation flees as soon as they maintain their child in their arms, and this would have recently been the outcome to get Scott Peterson too, in the event that events was allowed to always their fruition.
The Research
It is incumbent upon authorities detectives to produce a plan of investigation. “The plan will need to provide an format of the general direction the case is taking, the types of investigative ways to be used, and list of the time needed to perform and complete the investigation (Class Notes).
The investigation in to the disappearance and murder of Laci Peterson was biased, slipshod and disorganized. For example , the murmullo mill experienced it that a pregnant woman was being kept hostage in a house within the edge of the town proper. Supposedly, the police investigated and determined the story was unfounded. How complete is that investigation? Presented the fact that police officials were previously eying Scott Peterson because their primary subject matter, they may not have felt the necessity of conducting an intensive search with the area. What are the notes to document their particular activity? What witnesses were interviewed? Had been any homes actually searched? Where would be the notes in regard to this business lead?
In another occurrence, Laci was allegedly seen by a clerk in a comfort store in Longview Wa. According to the observe, the woman was pregnant, stated to have recently been kidnapped, and asked for support. This record too, was pronounced phony, but once again, questions weaving loom: Who was this kind of woman? Who was this kind of woman? Was she presented help? Can there be any records of an exploration into this kind of incident?
Generally there had recently been several new robberies reported in the neighborhood, and several citizens reported finding a hunch brown truck. (CNN2001). Performed the regulators look into these events, be observant and execute thorough selection interviews of witnesses? If so , where are the notes and records of interviews?
ScottPeterson’s version of the series of incidents was derided loudly by the police, and strangely enough, even by media. How did the media understand? Were they will there? There was clearly a experience who corroborated Scott Peterson’s account with the events leading up to his wife’s disappearance, although Vivian Mitchell’seye-witness account was peremptorily discounted; the police claimed it had been “another pregnant woman that passed by Vivian Mitchell’swindow that morning. In the event that so , who had been it? Wherever is this pregnant phantom dog-walker? What is her name and why was she certainly not called to testify in Scott Peterson’s trial? In the event Laci Petersen did not go out walking her dog that morning, how come did McKenzie return with no her?
For what reason was the multimedia allowed to acquire so included? The task from the media is usually to report the news, not to become part of that and certainly not to impact it. Also, who were those people entertaining outside of the courtroom when Petersen was convicted? Didn’t they have jobs to go to? Were they employed yeomen pertaining to the press?
“An investigator can make an effort to prove the case or he can try to reveal the truth, although there is a difference between those two perspectives. (Class Notes).
The researchers in this case had been clearly biased. This is shown from the way the authorities zeroed in on Jeff Peterson because their primary believe from almost the very start. The facts were shaped to slip that realization, almost like a square solid wood peg could be pared to adjust to into a circular hole. Tunnel vision may have caused the police to miss essential evidence, and might have actually cost Laci Peterson her life. Additionally , two of the investigators experienced admittedly recently been offered a movie deal. How would the outcome of the case impact this lucrative opportunity? Had been the stakes so high the particular detectives had been willing to configure circumstantial proof to fit Jeff Peterson?
The Crime Landscape
“Accurate documentation of the crime scene is crucial. Processing a crime scene methodically includes credit reporting the restrictions, securing the location; making drawings, making observations, and taking notes and photographs to generate a record from the scene, looking the boundaries of the area for proof, collecting, control and protecting evidence, and obtaining statements from witnesses, if any. (Class Notes).
- Cautious notes must be taken. The notes should be numbered, and really should include the particular date, agency, case number, brand of investigator, and the inventeur of the examiner to evidently show whom wrote the notes also to which case they are supposed to be.
- Perspective is important when acquiring photographs. Perspective is the ability of the detective to reproduce the picture as it would appear to somebody standing in the photographer’s shoes. It is usually a good idea to include a ruler or various other standard item such as a endroit to provide range.
- Sketches are helpful to acquaint the court with criminal offense scenes. Measurements should be uniformly made and recorded using the same level (inches, foot and inches, centimeters, foot and centimeters).
- Observations of objects, areas, and incidents are very beneficial because who or that which was seen can easily later be identified and described. Start out with general features and go on to specific features, objects, and actions included, as well as the immediate results in the event. (Class Notes).
It is hard to process a crime picture systematically and efficiently at the time you don’t know exactly where it is! In the Jeff Peterson case, several spots, such as the house, warehouse, and boat were discussed as is feasible crime views. Whereas in some instances there can be two or even 3 locations, there is always a primarycrime picture. In this particular case, the investigators appeared to have severe difficulty in determining a specific place where the criminal offense may have been determined. They finally settled on the Peterson’s home, but the actual location inside the home continues to be an uncertain and murky mystery. (NBC2004).
Physical Data
“Physical proof is important since, unlike testimonial evidence, it could stand alone to ascertain the sense of guilt of a person in a court of law. For example , a defendant are unable to usually become convicted on the basis of an uncorroborated confession, while there must be possibly direct or circumstantial evidence that boosts an inference of the fact of the vital facts with the confession. (Class Notes).
There was clearly no immediate physical proof. No bloodstream evidence was found at any of the three places. (CNN2004). There are no eyewitnesses, no homicide weapon, with no forensic data, presented by trial to link Peterson to this criminal offense. (CNN2004).
Documented Evidence
“Investigators often have to refer to many different options to gather documented evidence on a case. Documentary sources of info can include any kind of paper or perhaps electronic sources, such as felony and DMV histories, economical documents, old case data files, court data, court testimony, transcripts, postal mail covers, garbage pulls, medical or internal records, permit, corporate indices, telephone or perhaps utility data, information about the criminal offenses scene, interviews with victims, witnesses, complainants, suspects, the crime landscape, and document archives. The world wide web and web-based archival companies offer detectives a huge array of archival options for information. (Class Notes).
- Accounts from the medical examiner uncovers that no time of fatality and no reason for death can be discovered for either victim. (CNN2001).
- Documents and testimony from your medical examiner also demonstrate no proof of any weapon or weaponry used to kill the victims. (CNN2001).
- The detective’s accounts indicated that when Scott Peterson was caught, his buddy John’s license, some extra clothes, a camp stove, and other gear had been found in his truck. Jeff Peterson went on frequent hunting and sportfishing with loved ones and good friends. (CNN2001). Why wouldn’t this individual have these items in his motor vehicle? As for his brother’s license. John Peterson had left some things in Scott’s car after their last camping trip, and had been searching for his driver’s license ever since. It wasn’t until following Scott’s detain and the succeeding search by simply police, that he realized it had accidentally been kept in the pocket of his hunting clothes.
- Scott Peterson was not looking to change his appearance to evade law enforcement officials; he was simply trying to disguise himself via members in the media who was simply hounding him. He was already suffering due to his wife’s death and the press was making his life much more miserable.
- The cement deposits allegedly seen in Scott’s storage place did not match the types of cement obtained from his property. According to the American Heritage Dictionary, cementcomprises of ground limestone, mixed with sand, or clay-based. (AHD2000). The particular prosecution can be sayingis that bits of dirt and grime were found in Scott Peterson’s warehouse that did not meet the components of dirt found at his home! The truth is that “cement residue is simply a reddish colored herring and has no bearing on this circumstance at all.
Prosecutors keep that a solitary hair seen in the teeth of the pair of huge pliers in Peterson’s boat is not his and canbe his wife’s. (CNN2001). The locks obviously would have belonged to anyone.
Conclusion
“After months of trial in the Scott Peterson case, the prosecution shows no objective, no eyewitnesses, no killing weapon, simply no blood, zero reliable reason for death with out solid forensic evidence relating Peterson for the murders of his partner and kid. Nevertheless, Jeff Peterson was convicted and sentenced to death (CNN2004).
Scott Peterson his case because a crew of properly selected “personalities, engaged by the case and riding high on their particular ratings, they kept up a barrière of criticisms, innuendos, and thinly veiled accusations against Scott during the trial and shouted straight down anyone who disagreed. The mass media flexed it is muscles within a show their power, pulled the public in a frenzy, and convicted an innocent person
.
Prosecutor’s Argument:
Scott Peterson killed his wife inside their home simply by either strangling or suffocating her. The next morning, this individual transported Laci’s body in his truck, first to a stockroom, then to his fishing-boat. He put his wife’s body in the boat and traveled to the San Francisco These types of where he threw her is still into the drinking water. It was an act of God, a feat of divine retribution when the systems of Laci and Connor emerged in almost the precise spot in which Scott Peterson claimed to obtain been fishing the day his wife vanished. Scott Peterson is responsible.
The Purpose
Peterson was at love with Amber Frye, and desired out of his relatives responsibilities, therefore he could be with her. To a few, this may are most often a trivial motive pertaining to homicide, nevertheless a look at history reveals that people sometimes consider very drastic steps in the name of love.The causes for murder are never rational, and the state does not have to prove the logic at the rear of motive, just the motive by itself.
The Research
“It is definitely incumbent upon police investigators to develop a strategy of analysis. The plan ought to provide an describe of the general direction the case is taking, the kinds of investigative ways to be used, and list of the resources needed to execute and complete the investigation. (Class Notes).
Allegations the investigation was “biased, slipshod and messy. are merely the result of rhetorical posturing by defense. The analysis into the disappearance and killing of Laci Peterson was as well prepared as possible within the circumstances, and it was most certainly not skewed or biased at all. To refute the defense’s arguments:
- There was a report which a pregnant girl was being placed at a place just beyond the town limits. A thorough search was done of that certain area, plus the surrounding location, and the gossip was determined to be unproven.
- Laci was allegedly noticed by a attendant in a convenience store in Longview Washington. Once again, law enforcement department gets many phony leads and later keeps a record of those which have been pertinent. This report was shown to be with out merit.
- Right now there had also been several new robberies reported in the area, and several citizens reported seeing a hunch brown van. Documentation of the two, quite possibly inter-related information was duly recorded, nevertheless there is apparently no connection between these kinds of incidents and the homicide.
- The witness, who have corroborated Jeff Peterson’s account of the situations leading up to his wife’s disappearance, was located to be hard to rely on. “The most critical consideration with regards to human resources is stability. When a source can not be proved trusted, then everything he or she says or will becomes sketchy and suspect, especially in the courtroom. The reliability of the data and the backdrop of the witnesses must be checked out. Another important element in determining witness reliability is usually motive. People provide information for a number of reasons. (Class Notes).
- As for the allegation which the police were biased and “eyed Scott Peterson by almost the start of the investigation this is simply not true. We were seeking at many possible potential foods at the beginning of this kind of investigation; although we did not have a primarybelieve.
The Crime Picture
“Processing against the law scene systematically includes confirming the limitations, securing the area; making drawings, making findings, and taking notes and photographs to produce a record in the scene, searching the limitations of the region for data, collecting, processing and protecting evidence, and obtaining assertions from witnesses, if virtually any. (Class Notes).
The Evidence
“Investigators have to go to many sources to collect as many with the pieces as it can be in order to force them together to form the done “picture with the crime, just like victims, witnesses, complainants, suspects, the criminal offense scene, and document archives. (Class Notes).
Physical Evidence
“Physical evidence is very important because, as opposed to testimonial evidence, it can standalone to establish the guilt of any person in a court of law. For instance , a accused cannot generally be found guilty on the basis of an uncorroborated admission, as there should be either immediate or circumstantial evidence that raises an inference with the truth from the essential information of the admission. (Class Notes).
In regard to the Peterson circumstance, we were unable to find direct evidence. Peterson cleaned up the crime picture (s), and there was simply no blood data found at the Peterson home, in the factory, or in Scott’s motorboat (NBC2004). Nevertheless , we were capable to gather very much documentary and human evidence.
Documentary Facts
“Documentary sources of information consist of “any sort of paper or electronic sources, such as legal and DMV histories, economic documents, older case files, court data, court accounts, transcripts, snail mail covers, garbage pulls, medical or internal records, licenses, corporate indices, telephone or utility documents, or different archival information. The web and internet-based archival services afford researchers with a variety of archival sources of information. (Class Notes).
The following is a brief introduction to the prominent evidence presented in court:
- Paperwork and account from the medical examiner indicating that the criminal offense took place between Dec. 3 and Dec. 24, 2002.
- The exact reason behind Laci Peterson’s death has not been established, however it is surmised from the autopsy results that she died from both strangling or perhaps suffocation. Paperwork and account from the medical examiner who conducted the autopsy. The x-rays indicated no proof of bullets inside the victim’s body; there were zero signs of rotor blades, tool markings or gnawing at the joint parts. Two still left ribs had been broken and one for the right got abrasions, but due to the severe decomposition of the victim’s dismembered body, it could not end up being determined destruction came just before or after death.
- Medical documents of the deceased, showing that the fetus the girl carried was approximately thirty-two weeks older, based on a sonogram considered on Sept. 24, 2002. (Both pieces of continues to be were identified separately along San Francisco Bay’s eastern coastline in greatly different says of decomposition. )
- Peterson’s statement that he had attempted to call his wife after returning residence from his fishing trip, but was unable to reach her. He reported her lacking shortly just before 6 l. m., in December 24, 2002.
- Records of two of Peterson’s cell phone conversations between himself and family members.
- Documents of Peterson’s cell phone conversations between him self and Ruby Frye.
- Testimony from a police private eye indicating that when ever Scott Peterson was busted, he had jaunatre hair and goatee. Four cell phones, numerous clothing, almost $15, 500 cash, his brother John’s driver’s license, a water cleaner, camp range, hammock and other camping gear were discovered in his car.
- Also presented were a large number of pages of phone information, satellite traffic monitoring data, evidence photos, four televised selection interviews in which that they contend Peterson repeatedly humiliated, and accounts from Ruby Frye, and family members, and neighbors.
- Concrete residue present in his warehouse, which they say doesn’t meet cement selections taken from his house. Prosecutors maintain that DNA checks show that a single hair found in teeth of a set of needle-nose pliers in Peterson’s boat is usually not his and could end up being his wife’s.
Conclusion
Scott Peterson has been convicted of eradicating his wife and his unborn child. Evidence supports that outcome, and the conviction need to stand.
Bibliography
Works Cited:
American Heritage Dictionary (2000). [On line]. Accessed
December 10, 2005 by: http://education.yahoo.com/reference/dictionary/
‘Peterson Search goes High-Tech (2002). KTVU. COM On line]. Accessed
December twelve, 2005 via http://www.ktvu.com/news/1928425/detail.html
“No Blood Evidence in Peterson House (2004). NBC 4 TV SET News [On line]. Accessed
January 8, 2005 from http://www.nbc4.tv/news/2274121/detail.html.
“Scott Peterson Doing Murder (2004). CNN. COM [On line]. Seen December almost eight
2005 via http:// www.cnn.com/2004/LAW/11/12/peterson.verdict.
“Transcripts (2001). CNN. COM [On line]. Accessed January 10, 2005 from
http://edition. cnn. com/TRANSCRIPTS/0411/12/acd. 01. code.
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