As a former prosecutor, Dalton is keenly aware of the laws of evidence. He knows that none of his allusions to a third-party defense had any merit. Otherwise, there would have been a showing at the trial. His book is, at best, glorified tabloid fodder with no nexus established between the behavior of local thugs and dubious statistics on satanic cult activity in the Modesto area and Laci Peterson's murder. Over a third of the repetitive and irrelevant material is devoted to discussing disparate criminal activities in the central valley area and anecdotes about cults; yet, with all the investigation techniques at his disposal, Dalton never finds a single probative issue that would have withstood the scrutiny of a court of law.
The book is filled with misinformation and inaccuracies, not least of which are Dalton's statement that the baby's body was cremated (it was not; he was buried with his mother) and that Amy Rocha had pizza and watched a movie with Laci and Scott the night of December 23. More disinformation, out-of-context exerpts from police reports, anonymous witnesses who are never directly quoted, and impotent defense spin render this book, for those with even a passing acquaintance with the case, a complete farce.
Article comments
1 - Phillip Winn
So, um, you didn't like it?
;-)
2 - Garizmo
I forgot what a URL is, much less what mine is so I don't know if this will get to you.
I liked your review, even though I am 60/40 that Scot is innocent. I can't afford hardbound books, so I read much of it standing at the bookrack in the bookstore. I thought it was poorly written. It seemed stilted; I think maybe because he had to tiptoe so carefully through the legal restrictions he is under as part of the defense team.
He brought up one blockbuster point though, IMO, unless it is a total error of fact. That in studying the police investigation reports; two seperate witnesses, not knowing of the others report, said they saw a older white van with damaged paint on the roof and a wood homemade rack on top. One saw it directly in front of the Peterson home that day. The other saw it speed away with a womans coat hanging out the closed passenger door. These interviews were conducted by two different officers and Dalton is not sure if anyone at LE even connected the two.
The details about the truck would be impossible to concoct by coinsidence, unless the paint and rack had been mentioned in the news media. Do you know that it was?
I feel that many excaulpatory witnesses were no longer willing to testify because of the hateful mood in Modesto. They would be branded as a traitor and Scot lover. Besides, if LE is so sure he is guilty and they were convinced by the one sided news media that he must be guilty, than they would no longer want to testify in his defense. It is hard to get convincing testimony from an unwilling witness.
There were some other good points in the book (some taken from trial transcripts) along with some poor points.
3 - Pamela
I just finished reading, "Presumed Guilty," by Matt Dalton and Bonnie Hearn Hill. All I can say is that it doesn't take a rocket scientist to read this book and discover that important and relevant information, if not "key evidence," was eliminated from the trial of Scott Peterson. WHY? Is all I can ask.
I can not quit thinking about the witnesses who, within a simular time frame and within the same vicinity, all claimed to have seen a young pregnant woman walking a golden retriever on Christmas Eve morning. Come on, how many pregant women, especially as strikingly pretty as Laci, would be seen walking their golden retrievers AND not to mention on the morning of one of the busiest holiday seasons of the year? Not too many if you ask me. Most "very pregnant" women would be at home doing last minute holiday planning, if not saving their energy for both holiday celebration AS WELL AS for the impending birth of a child!!!
Nor can I get out of my mind the sightings of this mysterious white van, AND the sightings of two men who where seen in the same area of this pregnant woman with the golden retriever. Is that not suspicious? How many white vans with such notibally and overwhelmingly simular descriptions be seen by several different witnesses near the "Laci" sightings as well as across the street from the Peterson home?
Did law enforcement, with the help of the media, ever publically attempt to put out a plea to locate the pregnant woman with the golden retriever who was seen walking in the vicinity of the Laci sightings the morning of December 24th in order to determine whether these sightings were either bogus or authentic? If not, why not?
It's heart-breaking really. Because it is apparent that both Laci and Conner suffered un-imaginable horror. And due to such, they deserved the VERY BEST and in-depth criminal investigation into the circumstances leading up to their deaths and from what I read in this book, this did NOT happen by the Modesto Police...ON MORE THAN ONE ACCOUNT surrounding this case!!!
I have no experience with the law or the judicial system other than being an employee of a small town police department as an on-call clerk. HOWEVER, after reading this book, even a lay person can plainly see that too many things just didn't add up and things that should have sparked suspicion, were obviously ignored! Or overlooked? Too many unanswered questions remain.
Is it possible that in the hot pursuit of "swift" justice, "rightly served" justice has not been served in this case due to the lack of certian true facts (as presented in this book) being left out of the trial?
What has become of, "...with liberty and justice FOR ALL?" I am not so sure "justice" was served to "all" in this case because the "all" would have to include Scott Peterson as well. Albeit, I am not fond of his extra-marital affairs, BUT un-faithfulness doesn't automatically make Scott Peterson a pregnant-wife killer! It just doesn't! The infidelity rate in this country is extremely high and it would be illogical to assume that infidelity is an automatic pre-requisite to murder!!! So, despite his lust issues, it only seems right that ALL the documented evidence (as strange as it may have seemed) should have been admissible in Scott's trial...ALL, EVERY BIT!!! Not one witness who claimed to have seen Laci Peterson on the morning of December 24th, should have been left out as witnesses at that trial! Not one detail or credible citizen report should have gone without thourough follow-up by the Modesto Police! Anything less would not have been FAIR to Laci or Conner. If, Laci was abducted and terrorized by anyone other than Scott, doesn't Laci deserve the true account of her demise to be made known? Doesn't Conner, if he suffered an even more violent death than what the prosecution has proposed? Doesn't Scott deserve the truth to be known if he is innocent afterall? Doesn't the families of this tragedy deserve truth AND justice? Wouldn't you if YOU were in their places? Think about it...this nightmare could happen to ANYONE!
TRUTH and JUSTICE go hand in hand...without truth, true justice can NOT be served! Without justice, the truth is of NO value!!!
If there is the possibility (and I strongly feel there IS such a possibility) that the real murderer/s of Laci and Conner Peterson is/are roaming free on the streets of America, then absoutely nothing has been done to vindicate Laci and Conner!!!
I would challenge anyone to read this book...but most of of all, I would challenge the Govenor of California, Arnold Schwarzenegger, to read this book and see if the facts presented in it do not lead to reasonable doubt.
4 - Chris
I am still in the process of this book but so far I am still convinced that Scott Peterson did NOT do what he's accused of doing. I am no stranger to Forensics as I am a Forensic, Pre-Law and Criminal Justice student currently. Just because a man doesn't mourn such a tragedy in public does not make him guilty. Many men don't want to be viewed as weak so they don't show their emotions outwardly. There are many things that should have raised suspicion to anyone...client/attorney conversations being recorded and listened to, the fact that all discovery is to be given to the defense BEFORE trial begins, the negative media coverage that no matter what anyone says, had some influence in the decision of this case, very relevant information (the witnesses, etc.) being tossed aside as irrelevant, the Evelyn Fernandez woman who was mutilated in the same way as Laci Peterson, the van, the pawn ticket for the watch, different possibly important videos/surveillance videos being conveniently recorded over, etc. I have always thought that Scott Peterson was not guilty and I think that a better investigation should have been conducted and NOT by the Modesto P.D. There is a difference between a Forensic Investigator and a Police Officer doing an investigation. The police officer will do anything he can to make sure the evidence obtained proves that the person they suspect is guilty. A Forensic Investigator on the other hand will take the evidence and try to prove that the person suspected did not commit the crime. If they can't prove that the person didn't do it, then they are guilty. It just seems that the police in this case only collected things that they could use against Scott instead of looking at everything that had been presented to him. I sure hope that justice prevails and that his conviction is overturned in appeals.
5 - Thinker
"... yet, with all the investigation techniques at his disposal, Dalton never finds a single probative issue that would have withstood the scrutiny of a court of law ..."
But equally, despite an extraordinary expenditure of both time and money, the prosecution was unable to provide any direct or circumstantial evidence that went to guilt and was incapable of innocent explanation. To the converse, their own witnesses and evidence provided overwhelming evidence of the innocence of the accused - and did that repeatedly.
6 - The Truth
I guess some people will believe anything. Are we to except Mr. Dalton's accounts when he has many inaccuracies in his book? In the beginning of the book he claims it was Scott who notified the police Laci was missing when in fact it was the Rocha's. He talks about how broken up Scott was after hearing about the autopsies, yet has nothing to say about when hearing that his wife and son were found dead he showed no emotion at all. To the point of eating a cheeseburger and joking with the cops as they took him back to Modesto.
The book is a joke, filled with half truths and inaccuracies.
7 - CAJD
As far as credibility, Mr. Dalton certainly has the credentials to make an informed commentary on this criminal case. Ms. Dillon, to the best of my knowledge, does not seem to possess the education, training, or experience to offer anything more than lay opinion. Put simply, I would tend to put more stock in Bill Parcells' assessment of how the Cowboys played on a given Sunday as opposed to an outspoken fan. JMHO
As to the case itself, I'm in no position to offer anything more than opinion based on media reports. But, as Al Swearengen would say, "I smell cat piss" when Scott speaks about the case...justice was likely served.
8 - fortheprosecution
The author stated that at least 6 women in the area had gone missing of which were pregnant. Dena Raley McClusky could not have been pregnant because in her missing info listed on the missing people network it states that an indentify mark is her hysterectomy scar...another inaccuracy for the defence!!!
9 - Lynda
I live in Modesto and I can guarantee you that the woman that Dalton alleges saw the dog in the park well enough to identify the white on the dog's chest could NOT have seen that from her location ABOVE them. Also, the other "credible" witnesses either saw her walking the dog when Scott was still home or AFTER the dog was placed back in the yard. The famous credible witness, Vivian Mitchell said it was a sunny day an all the dog walkers were out. IT was 41 degrees and gray all morning so I seriously doubt if she saw Laci at all.
This book is a travesty. It is so packed with lies and made up factual information (like the Church of Satan started in Berkeley. It started in 5h3 60s in San Francisco by Anton LeVey. Dalton should not be allowed to spew such lies under the guise of truth. Dan Abrams tore him apart on television on the things he states in the book.
Dalton should be disbarred.
10 - TC
If it makes any difference to anyone--if you go through ALL the evidence, beginning to the bitter end then you'll discover that the pretty, pregnant lady with the golden retriever was found healthy and happy. She was upset to have been the cause of such confusion but due to being at the same gestation as lacy, having the same hair style and maternity clothes as Lacy and the mist that day (check it out for yourselves--try weather services in the Modesto area) it's hardly her fault.
11 - Thinker
"... you'll discover that the pretty, pregnant lady with the golden retriever was found healthy and happy ..."
Where in the transcript is that?
However it doesn't matter. The prosecution had no evidence whatsoever of guilt and knew it - all of the real evidence went to Peterson's innocence. Why else were they so desperate to include a mountain of negative information about him - information with no relationship to the crime he was accused of? I'm sure if he had ever slept with a black woman they would have tried to get that in too at any cost. They certainly tried him for everything except the crime he was accused of.
12 - alicea
what about the womaen at the store being watch by two men in a small white car and give police the tag numbers to the car and the woman smoking near a hospital break stood in view of the park watching two men walking and swaring at a young woman with a dog same bennie hat as the woman from the store saw one of the men had on. or the white van with the crude wooden rack on top of the car see by other witness in the same area of the park and by lacie house. there must be a connection with the men and people who where robbing that house across the stree from scott and lacie home. in my gut i belive lacie was taken near the woman park bathroom and force in to a car or van and let loose of her dog who made it back to the hood by himself standing in front of the home he lived at.
13 - alicea
I always wonder why scott did not take the dog for his walk that morning so cold and dampy and instead took his boat 90 miles away from home just to get in into the water he could have done that when he first brought the boat. why spend that kind of money with a new baby on the way and lacie planning to stay home for sometime before re-turning back to worke. I am wondering if his boss wanted him not to re-new the lease on the ware-house amd move over to the town of fresno where his new girl- friend amber and her friends lived was he afraid to be busted, if he and lacie were to have to move there and leave modesto. I cannot see a man just killing his wife and soon to be born son for a new girl-friend all base on lies that started so soon on the first date. this would mean he had a plan/ premeditated all long on killing his wife and unborn son. He and lacie lived in modesto from December, 1999 upto her death in December,2002. almost two years, Purchase there home in Oct,01 re-fianced on June of 02 , lacie finds out she is pregnant in the month of June ,02 and by December 02, she is gone forever. I wonder when Amber told Scott on December 20th that she ran into a suppose dead wife of her one time friend dave or something of her friend who lied about his wife dying if this was a plant or just a way of letting scott know she found out he was still married and had a wife in modesto. I guess we will never know just wondering.
14 - hayley
I totally agreed with this book. I think if all this info was presented to the jury, Scott would not be where he is now. I have read all the books about this case, and this one was my favorite by far. The main thig tha was said in all the book was about the "affair" just because he had an affair does not make him a killer. I think that everyone assumed he was guilty from the begining. I think if they jury heard only half of this stuff, things would have turned out differently.
15 - GEORGE K.
WHAT PEOPLE DO NOT KNOW IS THAT JUROR RICHELLE NICE NEVER DISCLOSED THAT FOR WELL OVER 17 YEARS HAS BEEN IN & OUT OF MENTAL INSTITUTIONS & ON PSYCO-TROPIC MEDS PERSCRIBED BY HER PSYCHIATRIST. EVEN DURING SUCH A DETRIMANTAL DEATH PENALTY CASE AS SCOTT WENT THROUGH SHE WAS HIGH AS A KITE. ALL ANYONE HAS TO DO IS LOOK & LISTEN TO RICHELLE NICE AFTER THE VERDICT, SLURRING HER WORDS AND ACTING CRAZY. I HAVE TRIED TO LET EVERY MEDIA OUTLET KNOW THIS BUT THEY DO NOT RESPOND NOR PRINT THIS VITAL PIECE OF INFORMATION. THE HOUSE ACROSS THE STREET FROM SCOTT & LACI WAS BROKEN INTO THE DAY BEFORE SHE DISAPPEARED. JUDGE DELUCCIA SAID THAT WHEN ONLY THE ATTY'S & SCOTT WERE PRESENT,"WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO IF HE WALKS?" THIS WAS NO CONTESTED PARKING LOT TRIAL. AFTER THE TRIAL RICHELLE NICE CHECKED HERSELF BACK INTO AN INSTITUTION FOR THE MENTALLY IMPAIRED. THIS IS ALL FACT! RICHELLE NICE EVEN ADMITTED THIS MENTAL PROBLEM ONLY AFTER SCOTT WAS CONVICTED. WHOMEVER READS THIS PLEASE SEND TO EVERY CONGRESSMAN, PAPER, ANYONE WHO WILL LISTEN! IF WE DO NOT ACT NOW SCOTT WILL BE SITTING ON DEATH ROW FOR THE NEXT 20 YRS. JUDGE DELLUCIA WAS TOTALLY INCOMPENENT TO THE MAX KEEPING VITAL INFORMATION OUT SO THE JURY WOULD NOT HEAR EVERYTHING, AT THIS POINT IT WOULDN'T HAVE MATTERED WITH A MENTAL PATIENT ON THE JURY! PLEASE HELP BY SENDING A PENNY OR ANYTHING YOU CAN AFFORD TO GET SCOTT'S APPEAL TO MOVE FOREWARD A.S.A.P PLEASE. [Personal contact info deleted] THANK YOU ALL.
16 - mike
In at least 1 out of every six marriages a person is being unfaithful. So according to the jury 1 out of every 6 people in this world is a killer? Get out of here. Scott peterson is innocent.
17 - Cindi Burkey
This book is explosive.
The jury kicked off three people who were not convinced of Peterson's guilt. If you read the facts of this case, as reported in this book, it is painfully clear that justice has not been done. There is a killer/murderer walking free. There is far too much circumstantial evidence, along with the eyewitnesses to the van and to Laci walking in the neighborhood, including the reports to police--all documented in police records, but which did not make it to trial---of numerous disturbances, burglaries, and suspicious vehicles in the neighborhood where Laci disappeared. Add in the fact of all those other pregnant women missing within an 80 mile radius of Laci's home, including one other who washed up within sight of where Laci's body washed up, who also had her hands and head and feet missing---and you have overwhelming evidence of a trial hijacked by Television and local hysteria.
This is a huge story. I hope it comes out. There are too many facts that get in the way of Peterson's supposed guilt, including that there was absolutely no hint of domestic violence. I can tell you something about domestic violence, because I lived it: there are always clues to it; there are always people who want to believe the victim is guilty; there are always people who don't know who to believe; there are always people who believe the abuser; but no matter what, there is always evidence of violence.
there was absolutely no evidence of violence in the Peterson's marriage, which Laci's own mother states herself in her book.
This trial was a mockery. Someone should do something.
18 - Pauline
Matt Dalton Is My Teacher Yay Yay he played usc football in 1999 coolio
19 - Pauline
Comment More He Rocks