Scott Peterson's description of Laci using the past tense, even before her body was recovered, was an indication that he knew she was dead according to the police. He knew it because he was the killer was the view that the prosecution has taken. But it's never that simple as Mark Geragos the defense attorney for Scott Peterson pointed out.
In fact a Sacramento reporter contacted the Modesto Police to say she had interviewed Brent Rocha, Laci's brother and he was speaking of Laci in the past tense. As Geragos went on to point out Sharon Rocha, Laci's mom and her sister Amy also did the same.
Geragos was putting all this to Modesto Police Detective and leading investigator Craig Grogan during cross-examination. When Grogan eventually leaves they'll probably give him a watch. Either that or he can take the witness box with him.
The issue of using the past tense is not as strange as it seems here. If Laci had been missing for a very short time it would be strange to speak of her as if she is dead - after a prolonged period it's hard to think of her other than in the past. The only alternative is that she ran away which wasn't even worth considering. The fact that Grogan conceded that almost everyone close to her referred to her in the past tense within a week of her disappearing is strange.
The other version put to Grogan was that Laci may have been attacked by persons who believed her to be someone who looked very much like her. The party concerned was a Merced County prosecutor who gave birth 2 months before Laci disappeared and lived near the Peterson's Modesto home.
This woman had contacted the police to say that the abductors may have mistaken Laci for her. Grogan admitted that they were called but little had been done to follow up on this.
Scott Peterson is being charged with the murder of his wife Laci and their unborn fetus. If he is convicted he may receive the death penalty. The prosecution are set to close their case on Thursday.
Currently Detective Craig Grogan has been in the box for over a week and faces his 3rd day of cross-examination by Geragos. His stay has been protracted but is nothing like the fun and games we had with a certain investigator during the OJ Simpson trial. There issues ranging from racism to incompetence were being hurled at the police.
