Not my Peers.
I don't have anything to say about the Scott Peterson verdict. I haven't followed the case very closely, and I don't have much use for courtroom armchair quarterbacking. However, after catching some footage of a couple of jurors getting some face time this morning, I have to say: What the hell? They looked like the happiest folks in the world, like they'd caught Peterson in the act of killing his wife and unborn son. The guy acted like the kind of buffoon you'd meet at a bar who spent the entire day talking about how people continually stole patents from him, and the woman- well- come on. Her name is "Richelle Nice." Should I ever find myself on trial and learn that one of my jurors had such a name, I'd have my lawyer file about 8 million objections. "IT'S A PSEUDONYM. SHE MUST BE HIDING SOMETHING." That said, I think she's kind of hot in a punk-rock-dyed-hair-fake-name kind of way.
One of the main things I got from their press conference was that they didn't care much for Scott Peterson's smirk. They saw the smirk day one, and from that point on, it was curtains. Game over. So, if there's a lesson to be learned from any of this, it's that if ever you're subjected to a trial by jury:
1) Don't smirk.
2) Be aware that your definition of "peers" and that of the justice system is probably not the same.
Before I consider commission of any crime, I will take a moment to remind myself that there's a good chance my jury will not consist of handsome young fellows who enjoy drinking beer, playing videogames, and have the Damned's "Neat Neat Neat" continually playing in their heads.
posted by Adam @ 4:04 PM
1 Comments:
"All happy families resemble one another; but each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way." -- Tolstoy
If the prosecution is correct, how do we go from soul mate and lover to cold-blooded killer?
It's a good question, and the answer is contained in a bizarre story of greed, deception and murder, that is far stranger than fiction.
When he called 9-1-1, he thought she'd fallen down the stairs. As far as I know, that's what happened. Just consider the transcript from the trial:
=================
2:46 AM
Tonya Pierce -- operator
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911: Durham 9-1-1. Where is your emergency?
PETERSON: Where are they?! This is 1810 Cedar -- wh --. She's not breathing! Please! Please would you hurry up!
911: Sir?
PETERSON: Can you hear me?
911: Sir? Sir, calm down. They're on their way. Can you tell me for sure she's not breathing? Sir...? (dial tone) Hello…? Hello…?
Look, he's not guilty. This is EXACTLY what happened. Peterson learns that his wife had an affair but even though it's over, he decided to kill her but chose to bide his time. He waited until Mark Halliday, his wife's boyfriend, returned to town. He then placed his plan in order. He summoned a man, whose reputation is a bit shady, and reveals that he knows his secrets but also tells him about his wife and her boyfriend and that they are each the beneficiary of their estates. He gets the man to agree to kill his wife and he has laid out what appears to be perfect plan. Only thing is the man was the one who was killed. Peterson trying to cover everything up, decides then to make it appear that his wife had an ulterior motive for killing the man. And it appears to be working except Halliday doesn't believe she's guilty and the police uncover a few anomalies.
We saw the relationship between Michael and Kathleen as idyllic. We saw how they interacted; even when they disagreed, they laughed about it. We never saw the ugliness that one often sees in couples. Kathleen was full of energy and was very bright and was the perfect foil for Michael. They were a couple who would finish each other's sentences. In many ways Kathleen completed Michael and it is hard to imagine Michael going on without Kathleen. It is impossible to believe that Michael Peterson would commit the crime with which he is charged.
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