For almost two years, we've had a morbid fascination with this case. We couldn't believe that a young, handsome fertilizer salesman would murder his adorable, happy, and pregnant wife AND their unborn child, most likely on Christmas Eve. For months we saw pictures of Scott and Laci, both smiling and seemingly happy. We started to believe the defense's story that Laci Peterson had been abducted by homeless people who often slept at a park near the couple's home. We even heard another possibility - that Laci had been murdered as part of a sacrifice by a cult. Then we heard about Scott Peterson's ongoing affair with a Fresno massage therapist, and we looked at the case a bit differently. The prosecution painted a different picture for us - one of a man who had grown tired of family life and was panicking over the prospect of being saddled with a child. They even said he had dreams of being a jet-setting playboy. So he plotted to murder his wife, and get rid of her body by weighing it down with homemade concrete anchors and dumping it off of his newly purchased fishing boat in San Fransisco bay.
I think we were so fascinated with this case because Americans love reality TV. The beautiful, young, pregnant wife murdered by the handsome husband who had an extramarrital affair. With a three-ring circus that included star witness Amber Frey and jurors who kept getting kicked off by the judge, the Peterson case beat anything we could have watched on TV. We were also fascinated by the fact that such an act of violence could happen to an attractive couple living a comfortable life in the suburbrs, while on the verge of starting a family. It showed that it could happen to anyone, anywhere. That made the case all the more riveting.
Just a few days ago, a jury believed beyond a resonable doubt that Scott Peterson murdered his pregnant wife Laci and their unborn son. After the sentencing, hopefully Laci's family can finally have some closure. Now we're waiting for the same jury to decide whether Scott Peterson should spend the rest of his life in prison or die in San Quentin's death chamber.
2 comments:
I believe Scott Peterson will get what's coming to him one way or another. But what about other equally cold and evil cases? For instance, David Camm, who murdered his wife and two children in cold blood. Also white, middle class, attractive family. Former state trooper, lies, deceit. Highly publicized in this city, but the name probably wouldn't ring a bell to someone in the next state, and you certainly won't see their photos on every newstand Rag Mag. Interesting how the media picks certain stories to show the American public and chooses to ignore others. They'll all pay one day. If not in this world, then certainly in the next.
We've had more than our fair share of high profile cases coming from the metro Louisville area over the past few years -- the previously mentioned David Camm case (accused of killing his wife and two kids)the Mel Ignatow case (convicted of the heinous torture and murder of his girlfriend Brenda Sue Schaeffer), etc. Both of those cases received a lot of media attention - they were on 60 Minutes, Prime Time Life, 20/20, and countless other news shows. Like with the Petersons, all of the parties involved in these two cases were common, working middle-class people. This shows that noone is immune.
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