Prosecution Witness #157: Det. Ian Frazier, East Bay Regional Park District
Direct Examination: Dave Harris
Cross Examination: Mark Geragos
Frazier responded to the call that human remains were discovered along the shoreline at Point Isabel. He identified the exact location where Laci was found and the search of the surrounding area to look for items of evidentiary value. He did not notice the Target bag at the scene. Geragos made an issue our of Frazier and another patrol officer, Philips, detecting a smell from the Target bag. Frazier said he thought it was said it was the smell of having been in the water for a long time, but Philips commented to Geragos just last month that he noted a smell of decomposition. Frazier couldn't be sure whether Philips made those comments to the coroner or the LE at the time of Laci's autopsy. Geragos also asked about Philip's conclusion that the Target bag was relevant because it had duct tape attached to it and Laci's body also had duct tape attached.
Prosecution Witness #158: Jeffrey Soler, Richmond PD
Soler responded to the call when Conner was found and documented the scene with both photos and diagrams. He documented Conner's autopsy with photographs and collected the items he considered to be of evidentiary value. He viewed the item on Conner's ear, and concluded it was vegetative material, and so he did not collect it as evidence. He explained that the blanket Conner was wrapped for transport was not preserved because it is not standard practice for the coroner to preserve the towels or blankets used for that purpose. He confirmed that Dr. Peterson could not rule out a live birth and judged Conner to be full term.
Soler confirmed that MPD did not ask him to do anything about the tape/twine around Conner's neck until August 13, '03, when Geragos contacted him about it.
Prosecution Witness #159: Detective Craig Grogan, Modesto PD
Grogan was called on December 25, '02, by Al Brocchini to be the lead Detective. Under direct examination, Grogan is detailing the case as it progressed, specifically noting the reasons why next steps were taken. Judge Delucchi said that Grogan's testimony is expected to continue through Monday, with the exception of 3 witnesses to testify out of order tomorrow morning.
Grogan interviewed Scott on Christmas Day from 1:30 till 4:00-4:30, with agent Mansfield from CA DOJ present, which was not taped by video or audio. Grogan said he specifically asked Scott if he or Laci had an extramarital affair, or if there were suspicions of extra marital affairs. Scott said no.
Grogan said he sought a search warrant for Dec 26-27 because there was evidence a cleanup had been done at the house, and the cement mess on the trailer at the warehouse seemed to much for making one anchor.
On Jan. 3, '03, Grogan interviewed Scott and showed him a picture that Amber had faxed to the MPD. He said Scott's response was: "Is that supposed to be me?" Grogan said he told Scott he need to tell him if there were any affairs, and that it didn't mean he had anything to do with Laci's disappearance. Scott replied that he had not dated anyone else since he married Laci.
Prosecution Witness #159: Detective Craig Grogan, Modesto PD
Grogan continued under direct examination today, as DDA Fladager takes us methodically through the investigation and the justification for the MPD concluding so early on that Scott murdered Laci. His testimony began today with a catalog of the volumes of information gathered in this case:
42000 pages of documents
10,000 tips phoned in
300 officers involved
90 agencies assisted
3200 pages of his own documents, includes attachments to reports and transcripts of tapes transcribed
1500 pages of his typewritten material
150 audio tapes
Over 50 tapes he made himself
74 video tapes
Over 300 names in his reports
On January 23, Grogan met with Jon Buehler and together they compiled a list of 41 reasons why they expected to find Laci's dead body in the SF Bay. The could only come up with 10 reasons for expecting to find her in another body of water.
One of the most dramatic moments came when Fladager played the tape recording of Grogan's January 29 phone call with Scott. Scott is confiding in Grogan about his frustrations with the media not helping to find his wife. Grogan asks a couple time if he alright and telling him not to do anything to hurt himself. Then:
G: You and I both know what happened to Laci?
S: You know what happened to her?
G: We both do? . . . Let’s be serious with one another.
S: Craig you know what happened to her, you know where she is?
G: We know where we are looking for her, and I think we are going to find her over there in that Bay, just a matter of time.
S: I had nothing to do with Laci’s disappearance
G: Scott what I’m offering you is an opportunity to end this nonsense. I’m going to find her. Why don’t you come back here and tell me what happened.
S: Craig I’m going to find her. . . . I need your help to find her, I need officers out there, and I just hope you are looking.
G: We have looked at everything that has come in, and trying to eliminate all the stuff coming in. . . . if you want to end all of this nonsense, you can call me, we will sit down, I will not treat you badly, we can get Laci back, think about it.
S: I am not involved . . .
Fladager played 2 media interviews: the Good Morning America interview with Diane Sawyer (also included the replay on Prime Time); and the Gloria Gomez interview. Geragos indicated to Judge Delucchi that he has received an email accepting service on the subpoena for the entire uncut footage of the Good Morning America interview and will be introducing it during his Defense case.
Prosecution Witness #160: Dr. Greggory Russell Devore, M.D.
EXHIBIT 275: DIAGRAM BY DR. DEVORE
EXHIBIT D6V: DIAGRAM OF CALCULATIONS BY MR. GERAGOS (DRS. GALLOWAY/DEVORE)
Prosecution Witness #161: Alex Quick, DOJ CBI
Prosecution Witness #159: Detective Craig Grogan, Modesto PD
Prosecution Witness #159: Detective Craig Grogan, Modesto PD