University of South Carolina Libraries
Prosecutors present first evidence against Peterson \ BY BRIAN SKOLOFF THE ASSOCIATED PRESS REDWOOD CITY, CALIF. - Prosecutors on Tuesday present ed their first piece of physical evi dence in Scott Peterson’s murder trial—a single strand of dark hair found on a pair of pliers and be lieved to be from his pregnant wife. Detective Henry Hendee testi ■ fied that he noticed the hair while collecting items from the ware house where Peterson stored a 14 foot boat. During Peterson’s preliminary hearing, experts testified that DNA analysis indicated the hair likely came from Laci Peterson, but the defense has not conceded that point. Prosecutors say Peterson killed his wife in their Modesto home around Dec. 24,2002, trucked the body to San Francisco Bay in a large tool box and dropped it over board from the boat. Defense lawyers maintain someone else abducted Laci Peterson, killed her and framed her husband. Peterson, 31, could face the death penalty if convicted. Prosecutors claim Laci never knew about the boat and that her husband bought it weeks earlier for the sole purpose of disposing of her body. Peterson insisted he told his wife about it, and a witness told police Laci Peterson visited the warehouse after the boat had been purchased. The defense contends that could explain how the hair got on the boat. Hendee also said he found sus pected blood samples inside Peterson’s truck. But it was not immediately disclosed in court whether the substance was, in fact, blood. According to earlier testimo ny, Peterson told relatives that he had cut his hand and that police would probably find blood in the truck. Hendee told jurors he collected samples near the driver’s door handle and on the steering wheel. Hendee said he also collected as evidence a hammer and cement chunks from the back of Peterson’s truck. Prosecutors al lege Peterson used homemade ce ment anchors to weight his wife’s body. Hendee testified he was as signed to search the nursery in the Petersons’ home, finding two pairs of black maternity pants in a bag that raised his suspicions. He did not elaborate. Peterson told authorities his wife was wearing black materni ty pants when he left to go fishing the day he said he last saw her. In other testimony Tuesday, an evidence technician who exam ined Scott Peterson after his wife’s disappearance said he found no scratches or bruises or anything else to indicate there had been a struggle. Doug Lovell of the Modesto Police Department testified that the examination took place as po lice became increasingly suspi cious Peterson was responsible for Laci Peterson’s disappear ance. “Did you notice any scratches or marks or anything on his body?” asked defense lawyer Mark Geragos. “No, I didn’t,” Lovell replied. The examination was done more than a week after Laci Peterson was reported missing Dec. 24,2002. rrosecutors at reterson s mur der trial first called Lovell to tes tify about video and pictures tak en of Peterson’s home to show how meticulously authorities doc umented the suspected crime scene. But in yet another example of how defense lawyers have tried to score points using prosecution witnesses, Lovell bolstered Geragos’ claim that scant evi dence implicates Peterson. PHOTO COURTESY OF THE ASSOCIATED PRESS The stepfather and mother of Lacl Peterson arrive at court. A FAMILY TRADITION AT THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROUNA % • A premiere location (walking distance to USC) • Fully furnished apartments • USC Shuttle service to campus • Computer lab • Free movie rentals • Friendly management team • i, 2,3 and 4 bedroom apartments Call 254-7801 I Scientifists recommend NASA pursue shuttle, robot missions to service Hubble telescope BY JOSEPH B. VERRENGIA THE ASSOCIATED PRESS A national panel of scientists recommended Tuesday that NASA proceed with its plan to send astronauts to repair the Hubble Space telescope, even as the space agency solicits propos als for robots to do the work in stead. Without repairs, the 14-year old orbiting observatory is ex pected to stop making observa tions by 2008, effectively ending a spectacular string of discover ies at the furthest comers of the universe. Spacewalking astronauts were scheduled to install new batteries and instruments in 2006. But NASA administrator Sean O’Keefe canceled those plans in January, citing safety concerns following the Columbia shuttle accident in February 2003 that killed all seven crew mem bers. NASA endured months of crit icism after apparently deciding to abandon the telescope. Last month 1,000 astronomers cheered when O’Keefe appeared at their national meeting to reveal the new robot repair option. Robot repairs are an intrigu ing possibility, said members of a special committee for the National Research Council, the investiga tive arm of the National Academies of Science. But robots are complex and likely years from demonstrating the capabilities needed for a diffi cult high-orbit mission such as the telescope repairs. In an interim re port released Tuesday, the com mittee unanimously recommend ed that NASA keep its original as tronaut servicing plan intact, while attempting to develop robot technology. The recommendation appears to contradict O’Keefe’s contention that the space agency is far from proving that future shuttle mis sions would be safe according to new rules recommended by the Columbia Accident Investigation Board. “I do not think the committee necessarily sees a gap between our report and the administrator,” said committee chairman Louis Lanzerotti of Lucent Technologies’ Bell Labs. “Keeping both options open will be pru dent.” NASA officials did not imme diately return calls seeking com ment. For several months, O’Keefe has appeared unwilling to keep the Hubble working at a time when astronaut safety is under scrutiny and plans are under way for an expensive new mis sion to Mars outlined by President Bush.