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The most important purpose of A DEADLY GAME: The Untold Story of the Scott Peterson Investigation, by Catherine Crier (with Cole Thompson, her associate), is "not merely to chronicle the events that this unforgettable case comprises. It is to take an intimate look at the character and psychology of a man convicted of the most heinous crimes --- the murders of his wife and his unborn son.... Many participants [gave them] in-depth interviews, often sharing with [them] stories that never made the news or reached the jury.... [Crier is] intimately familiar with our criminal justice system, having served as a prosecutor and judge and now a journalist. It is rare to obtain the kind of access that gives rise to such an in-depth look at an investigation and trial." She and Thompson "have also had access to previously unseen police and Justice Department records, photographs, audiotapes, and forensic reports, all of which contributed to the detailed account" that is at the heart of this extremely cogent analysis of the most publicized murder case in the U.S. since the O.J. Simpson trial.
"Ever since Laci Peterson disappeared on December 24, 2002, and the public became galvanized by the story, people have asked … Why? Why was there so much interest in this single murder case? Why did it sustain our attention for so long? Women --- even lovely, very pregnant women --- go missing all too often in this country, and many of them are murdered. In fact, statistics show that homicide is the leading cause of death for pregnant women. And these deaths … are usually the work of the person the woman loves and trusts most --- the father of her child." In this case that person would be Scott Peterson. Ironically, Crier "learned that it was one of Scott's parents, either Jackie or Lee, who had alerted the national media to the story through a connection with the Associated Press. [She believes] that Scott never expected the media attention that the case drew. [She thinks that] he also miscalculated the abilities of the 270 member MPD. He probably thought some small town cops on Christmas Eve were no match for him, and expected the story to disappear rapidly from the news when Laci's body could not be found. If so, Scott Peterson chose the wrong small-town cops. The MPD has a 90% homicide clearance rate, almost a third better than the national average."
And Crier says, "As the story began to unfold … [she began to have doubts about what she was seeing and hearing.] After almost three decades studying, practicing, and reporting on the criminal justice system, [she] felt that something wasn't right in those first news stories about Laci Peterson." The more she watched, and the more she discussed the events of the case with colleagues on her Court TV program, "Catherine Crier Live," the more convinced she became that Scott was not only a pathological liar but that he was a sociopath as well. Early on, she expressed this opinion and backed it up with examples of his behavior and the flat affect he displayed when he should have been at the very least shaken.
Laci Peterson was almost eight months pregnant on December 24, 2002. Her husband was (allegedly) the last known person to have seen her alive on that Christmas Eve morning. He told everyone that Laci was to walk the dog after she mopped the kitchen floor, go shopping and bake gingerbread cookies for the evening celebration at her parents' house.
According to Scott he decided to go to his warehouse office around 9:30 am, then later took off to the Berkley Marina because it was too cold to golf. This sounded absurd, since he admitted that he traveled ninety miles from his Modesto home on a gray, damp, cool day to try out his new, small boat. But the first law enforcement officer to arrive at the Peterson home that night smelled something foul in the air. When the detectives arrived on the scene they too had instinctive gut feelings about Scott Peterson's version of how he spent his day and believed that his fish tale stunk. Later the investigators determined that no one knew he had purchased a boat, and they found a fishing license dated for two days: December 23rd and December 24th --- very strange indeed. Do coincidences like this really happen? Perhaps they do. But not in Modesto, according to the detectives.
Scott Peterson became the prime suspect in the disappearance of Laci almost as soon as she was reported missing. For two years rumors, myths, illogical scenarios, lies, contradictions, suspicion, and strange behaviors floated like balloons over the case. Scott Peterson became his own worst enemy when he started to stumble through public statements. Professional pundits saw his demeanor and attitude as classic symptoms of a personality disorder known as "sociopathy." The talking head shows cablecast hours and hours of the case, which garnered interest on an international scale. A DEADLY GAME shines a light into the dark corners and secret revelations that stymied case watchers. Crier spares no opportunity to inform her readers about everything she found that left no doubt about Peterson's guilt.
Laci's body washed up within a mile of where Scott Peterson said he was fishing the day she vanished; and Conner, their unborn son, washed up there too. By that time Scott had been aware that police investigators were following him and he tried to brazen out the surveillance teams. When the bodies floated to the surface of the bay, law enforcement realized that Scott Peterson had been living only thirty miles from the Mexican border. He was a definite flight risk and thus was arrested the day the DNA reports on his wife and son were released.
In Redwood City, California, Judge Delucci oversaw a six-month trial full of delays and every trick Scott Peterson's attorney could play. But the jury was not fooled and they found Scott Peterson guilty of murder. He was sentenced to death and now resides on San Quentin's death row. His appeals, which could take years, have not started yet. All of this is documented in accessible language and written with the same professionalism Catherine Crier brings to every project. This is a chilling tale but one that is repeated daily throughout the United States. We may never know why this case captured the world's attention, or why Scott Peterson murdered his wife and unborn son, but A DEADLY GAME is certainly the definitive resource for case watchers seeking information that may help answer these questions.
--- Reviewed by Barbara Lipkien Gershenbaum
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