Presumed Guilty: What the Jury Never Knew About Laci Peterson's Murder and Why Scott Peterson Should Not Be on Death Row

by Matt Dalton

No one knows the story behind the sensational headlines of the Scott Peterson murder trial better than defense attorney Matt Dalton. For six straight months after Peterson's arrest, Dalton was the defense's only full-time investigative attorney on the case. During that time, he lived in Modesto and investigated every element of the case, interviewing scores of witnesses, reviewing more than 35,000 pages of police documents, and meeting almost daily with Scott Peterson in jail. What he has uncovered will astound even the most informed observers of the Laci Peterson murder case and challenge the most deeply held beliefs about what really happened to Laci Peterson on Christmas Eve, 2002. This is the first book to go inside the Peterson defense team, and the only book to detail all the evidence that the jury did not hear -- evidence that might have led to Scott Peterson's acquittal, and that will surely play a crucial part in his pending appeals. Among the revelations in Presumed Reports from numerous witnesses who saw Laci Peterson alive and well the morning of December 24, after the police claim Scott Peterson had already killed her; none of them testified at trial The story of another woman, eight months pregnant, who was harassed by two men the morning of December 24 only five blocks from the Peterson home The burglary that reportedly occurred directly across the street from the Peterson home on the morning of December 24, and the confessed burglars' questionable claims that the burglary happened days later Previously unreported details of the autopsy reports on Laci Peterson and her son, which cast strong doubts on key elements of the prosecution's case The disappearances of six pregnant women, in addition to Laci, reported missing and presumed dead within eighty miles of Modesto between 1999 and 2002 Compelling, provocative, disturbing, Presumed Guilty is the fascinating story of one lawyer's relentless efforts to find the truth behind one of the most complex and notorious murder cases in American history.

Genres: True Crime, Nonfiction, Crime, Memoir

208 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 23, 2005

Reviews

[Kathy * Bookworm Nation · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you had asked me a week about who killed Laci Peterson, I would have said her husband Scott. I remember when this case happened back in 2002 and all the crazy media attention it gained. I admit I was gullible and bought into all the media reports without giving them much thought. I never thought he was a sociopath (its crazy how people can make these diagnosis without actually meeting the person), but I did believe a lot of what was reported and that I'm now finding out wasn't true or never happened.

Jump forward and A&E airs a new documentary mini series based on the case. I happened to be flipping through and started watching and was surprised by what I saw. And so of course, I started reading up on the case, from both sides and I am actually surprised that Scott got convicted since there was so much reasonable doubt. But, I wasn't on the jury so I don't know what all they heard, I know there was a lot of information they didn't have and witnesses that weren't called. It makes me wonder if their decision would have been different if they could have heard all the evidence. I think it would have.

One thing I love about the American justice system is the premise that you're innocent until proven guilty. I do not feel the police or prosecution proved Scott's guilt at all. There just wasn't ANY evidence. This trial was all about Scott's likability and personality and the media along with the police did a great job assassinating Scott's reputation (he didn't do himself any favors there either).

I found this book to be very informative, it's relatively short and I'm sure the author could have included a lot more information, but I appreciated that he stuck with the most important facts. It really shows that he went out of his way to find out what happened to Laci. I wish he would have had the resources (and help from police) to really find out what happened to her and Conner.

Here's the deal...Scott was not the last person to see Laci alive. There were numerous, credible witnesses that saw her after Scott left for the day. There was a lot of suspicious and criminal activity going on at the time of Laci's abduction (serious read the book, its nuts). The disturbing conditions of Laci and Conner's bodies. The lack of evidence, Scott's solid alibi and total lack of motive. Police not following leads, evidence being destroyed or gone missing etc etc. I'm afraid with all the media attention, police/prosecution bias he just was not able to have a fair trial. The prosecution/police built their entire case on guesswork (often times their theories being disproved) and no actual evidence. They set their minds that it was Scott and then tried to fit that round peg into the square whole - no matter what.

Don't get me wrong, I think Scott was a total jerk for cheating on his pregnant wife, but that does not make him a murderer. Unfortunately, infidelity is very common. It seems that this was really what ruined Scott's credibility and chance for a fair trial. Despite the lack of evidence/motive, the jury found him guilty because they didn't like him.

I'm sure lots of people will disagree with me, I bet majority of American's think he's guilty, but I wish everyone would take the time to read this book and research the case and I think you'd come away thinking at the very least there was reasonable doubt and a possibility that something else happened to Laci.

My heart goes out to Laci, Conner and all their families. What a tragic story. It was hard reading about such a sad case.

Content: Autopsy reports and findings but not overly detailed/graphic.

Also, this is a great letter written by a CA congressman (I believe)....
http://www.takebackourrights.org/docs...

[Kate · Rating 1 out of 5]

I'm so glad I downloaded this book for free because it was horrible. I really don't have much of an opinion on Scott's innocence or guilt. Years ago, I remember watching the media circus surrounding the case and was hooked. I consider myself a true crime addict and this book was disappointing. A satanic cult killed Laci and her son? Really?! I have read a little bit online on the people who think Scott is innocent. I thought this book would go more in-depth with that. The chapter on local pregnant women who ended up missing and/or murdered is compelling, but other than that, there's no real substantial information here proving Scott's innocence. Basically, this book is an overview of the Laci Peterson murder.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

Trial by media yet again. If you had asked me when poor Laci and Connor were murdered, who did it? I would have instantly said Scott Peterson. That was what was bombarded at us all via tv, radio, internet.
Anyone that has truly looked into this case knows there is no way Scott did it. There is absolutely no evidence to suggest that he did.
In my opinion, Laci interrupted a home burglary across the street at a neighbours. One possibly is that the burglars had to silence her.
Scott only ever lied and constantly looked shit scared, because he knew he was having an affair with Amber. How would it look to the public! Scott’s beautiful, pregnant wife is missing and he’s sleeping with another woman on the side. The only thing Scott ever did wrong was try to cover up his fling.
My heart breaks for Laci and baby Connor. I do hope that someday the real perpetrators are caught. Meanwhile an innocent man is sitting on death row. He’s a prat, but he didn’t murder his wife and child!

So glad to read a book stating the real facts of the case.

[William Lawrence · Rating 5 out of 5]

Matt Dalton shares his experience as an investigator in the Peterson defense case and exposes tons of key missing evidence that never made it to trial. Dalton is repetitive on purpose throughout the book only because there's so much that goes right by you if you don't stop to consider the factual timeline along with all the sightings & alternatives. These disturbing possibilities were never followed up on by police. Along with mishandling of evidence, an egotistical competitive detective, and terrible ethical problems with an out of control jury, a reader would soon be overloaded right into oblivion without Dalton's recurring reminders.

Moreover, this is a book about framing, and I don't mean in being "framed" (though that's always a possibility). The framing of a case takes place in the early discovery phases of an investigation. The police frame the case on an angle and that angle has a pull. If the story gets traction in the news, the media frames it in their own angle. Interactions between the police and media influence that framing of what they think, feel, and believe happened. If that framing of an incident is strong enough, it's already framed for the prosecution and the jury. But thoughts, feelings, and beliefs should not be what we convict people on in American courts.

Sadly, this book is already outdated, with more ethics problems since revealed, but it's still a great starting point to investigate this case. I've now read just about every book, watched just about every documentary, and even read some of the court files on this case, and regardless how we feel about the case, Dalton's book is a much needed recollection and argument.

No one can be 100% sure anyone is guilty or innocent, unless they're caught red-handed on video tape from multiple angles. The problem is what do you do with a person who has already been demonized by society via the police and media, yet there's no forensic evidence, dozens of ignored yet documented possibilities, and a very shaky timeline.

[Ali · Rating 3 out of 5]

Let's be clear: I believe Scott Peterson killed his pregnant wife. I mean, DUH.
That being said, after creepily obsessing over this case for the past week (not to mention the past twelve years), it's clear Peterson was convicted and sentenced to death based purely on suspicious circumstances (e.g., the location of Laci's body), his cold demeanor and multiple infidelities, and the public's insatiable thirst for his conviction. How is it possible that, in the same state and within a single decade, OJ Simpson was acquitted despite copious physical evidence and Peterson was convicted and sentenced to death despite the complete absence of physical evidence?! In the words of legendary Survivor contestant Russell Hantz, "The game is flawed."
Side note: I especially enjoyed immersing myself in this case after reading and watching Gone Girl. Nick Dunne is Scott Peterson. Straight up. Even Gillian Flynn acknowledges the similarities. But these similarities beg several questions: What is the "right" way to respond to tragedy? How can people's indiscretions (e.g., infidelity) be used against them in unrelated situations? What is the distinction between a "personality disorder" and sociopathy?
Similar to the nature of Peterson's trial, I'm left with more questions than answers... *cue music from 48 Hours*

[Katrina · Rating 2 out of 5]

When I read this book I believed it. I believed that Scott Peterson was innocent. Unfortunately, all stories have two sides so I decided to read "For Laci" by Laci's mother (a.k.a. Sharon Rocha). It completely convinced me that this book is bogess. However it was written well and I have to give it that. This book taught me one thing and it never mentioned it: Get both sides of the story before you make a decision.

[Angela · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting read. I still have some questions, though, and I should have written them all down. But these other scenarios of what "might have" happened, the author keeps saying "The witnesses weren't called by the defense" or "The jury never heard from these witnesses." WHY??? He never says why. Probably because it's a bunch of BULLSHIT! That's the defense's job, to dream up all these other scenarios of what could have happened. Well, unless you have evidence of it, you can't bring it into court. That's most likely why it wasn't brought in. Even if I was a juror and they presented all this to me, I would probably find it all very "unreasonable" in the doubt department.

I admit that I presumed SP guilty even before his trial, like everyone else. So I wanted to read his side to see if it changed my mind at all, even the slightest bit.....Nope, still think he is guilty.

I could not stop thinking of the book Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn while reading this book. Although, Laci was murdered and Sarah Dunne was not, Nick Dunne is totally Scott Peterson with the way he reacted to the news of his missing wife, the mistress, and the media and the public presuming him guilty from the get-go.

[Ice · Rating 3 out of 5]

No one knows the story behind the sensational headlines of the Scott Peterson murder trial better than defense attorney Matt Dalton. For six straight months after Peterson's arrest, Dalton was the defense's only full-time investigative attorney on the case. During that time, he lived in Modesto and investigated every element of the case, interviewing scores of witnesses, reviewing more than 35,000 pages of police documents, and meeting almost daily with Scott Peterson in jail.

What he has uncovered will astound even the most informed observers of the Laci Peterson murder case and challenge the most deeply held beliefs about what really happened to Laci Peterson on Christmas Eve, 2002.

This is the first book to go inside the Peterson defense team, and the only book to detail all the evidence that the jury did not hear -- evidence that might have led to Scott Peterson's acquittal, and that will surely play a crucial part in his pending appeals.

Among the revelations in Presumed Guilty:

Reports from numerous witnesses who saw Laci Peterson alive and well the morning of December 24, after the police claim Scott Peterson had already killed her; none of them testified at trial

The story of another woman, eight months pregnant, who was harassed by two men the morning of December 24 only five blocks from the Peterson home

The burglary that reportedly occurred directly across the street from the Peterson home on the morning of December 24, and the confessed burglars' questionable claims that the burglary happened days later

Previously unreported details of the autopsy reports on Laci Peterson and her son, which cast strong doubts on key elements of the prosecution's case

The disappearances of six pregnant women, in addition to Laci, reported missing and presumed dead within eighty miles of Modesto between 1999 and 2002

Compelling, provocative, disturbing, Presumed Guilty is the fascinating story of one lawyer's relentless efforts to find the truth behind one of the most complex and notorious murder cases in American history.

[Erica · Rating 4 out of 5]

Compelling read. There is indisputable evidence of flagrant police, prosecutorial, and juror misconduct. Peterson may or not be guilty (I am about 50/50 after conducting my own research, which tells a very different story than was presented by the media), but he most certainly did not receive a fair trial. That is the right of all, whether guilty or innocent. There needs to be a new trial where all evidence is heard.

[Tricia Burns · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a firm believer of the guilt of Scott Peterson, this book made me question other aspects of the case. I have to admit there were some other fishy things going on in Modesto at the time of Lacy's murder that point away from Scott. Good book to add to the collection if you have read all of the Peterson books like I have.

[Heather Lowry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting to read about a case I thought I knew. I don't know if he is innocent or guilty, but I definitely think he deserves a new trial after reading this book. Highly recommend to anyone interested in true crime.

[Sydney Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

This case happened while I was still living in California, but I was too young to know too much about the details, just that the husband must have done it. After reading this, I'm not so sure.

I will start out by saying that (if it wasn't clear by the title), this book is very biased towards Scott Peterson being innocent. The author, who was one of Peterson's attorneys, does, however, present his case very well. I came away at the end of the book flabbergasted that Mr. Peterson was convicted. I haven't looked into where he's at now, if he's gotten any appeals or anything, but I feel like it would be certainly warranted.

A good and quick read, although some parts get a little "technical" with the legalese, but either was it's a fascinating and informative read about a case I distinctly remember.

[Ashley Trueblood · Rating 4 out of 5]

Re-read and just as compelling. This man should not be on death row for the evidence (or lack of evidence) presented.

[Readaholic Jenn · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are really no new facts here. They are just trying to twist the facts and ignore others. It is interesting how his lawyer tries to twist the truth.

[AMANDA · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well this book was a trip.

I'm well aware that America's justice system is far from perfect, but it never fails to blow my mind reading accounts of just how strange and terrifying it really is, particularly regarding the death penalty. Within Presumed Guilty, one of Scott Peterson's former defense lawyers offers a compelling look at the other side of the story in the case of Laci Peterson's murder. Some of what he shares/reveals is really telling - not only about the way the Modesto police were convinced right off the bat of Scott's guilt to the point of ignoring or not following up on other potential leads, but also in regards to evidence and theories the defense's investigators uncovered but were never able to use at trial for various reasons. Regardless of whether Scott Peterson did or didn't do it (and, let's be real -he did do it), I thought the book and its contents were both fascinating and frustrating. It's hard for me to accept that people can be given a death sentence without all evidence having been made available for the jury. That just scares me.

[Tabitha Rohm · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very interesting book. The Scott Peterson trial was a tad bit before I started watching trials and reading books about murders ... so, that being said, I am unaware of anything that was brought up in the trial as evidence. I have caught bits and pieces here and there about the case, but honestly, his attorney brings up some very valid points. Read this book and let me know how you feel.

[Thomas Colder · Rating 5 out of 5]

Soooo I was 6 years old when all this happened so I had no idea what was going on. My dad introduced me to this book just because, and I couldn’t read it all in one sitting because it frustrated me, it took me 3 months to read this book. It has so much detail and it’s so nail biting & almost makes you wanna rip your hair out. If you happened to keep up with this case & think Scott Peterson is guilty, read this book, and see if it changes your mind. You might just be surprised...

[Carol Lynn Scherling · Rating 5 out of 5]

Matt Dalton dissects the facts of Laci Peterson's murder without bias, unlike the jury of Scott Peterson's trial. This book convinces me that 1) although Scott appeared to be guilty because of his behavior, he should not be on death row 2) don't presume anything.

[Chicken Little · Rating 2 out of 5]

LMAO

[Cjremund · Rating 2 out of 5]

Creepy.

[Deb Snyder · Rating 5 out of 5]

Scott Peterson is innocent

[Tami Urbanek · Rating 3 out of 5]

I went into this book thinking like I am sure MANY have/do...but after reading this I realy question what actually happened.. I do still believe in his guilt but it sure does make you think

[Jamie Fullerton · Rating 2 out of 5]

Did not like how this was written and I'm still not convinced that he is not guilty. If there was so much support to show he wasn't guilty, then it should've been used during his hearing.

[Ritz · Rating 1 out of 5]

Laundry list of investigative work done by the author (one of Peterson’s original attorneys but he was no longer involved in the case at time of trial) that was not presented at trial. We never hear why most of it didn’t make it into the trial though, which is frustrating. He’s also very critical of the prosecution’s investigation, saying it was only focused on Peterson. It’s not the prosecution’s job to hunt down alternative theories and suspects - that’s the defense’s job! And I’ve actually heard many of these items before. None of them make me think Peterson’s not guilty.

[Iris Mentus · Rating 5 out of 5]

Makes you rethink this case...

So many details were not revealed to the public in this case. I was honestly shocked and rather surprised by the information in this excellent book. It will make you think and reconsider whether or not Scott received a fair trial. The police bungled so much evidence and leads in this case, and that makes me now have a reasonable doubt myself.

[Rachel Kennedy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is not the first book I've read concerning this case, and I've watched several interviews and/or documentary-styled shows over the years as well. While I do not share the author's view, the book is well written and objective, although it is certainly from the viewpoint of the defense. However, if the point was to show what Garagos did not do at trial, that was accomplished.

[Janeen Gibson · Rating 2 out of 5]

The book was ok. I still think Scott Peterson is guilty and the few facts that were not considered according to the author are flimsy at best. It is upsetting that the cops apparently ignored some leads that could have dispelled this author’s theory of the what happened.

[Jacki · Rating 3 out of 5]

presented evidence that wasn't shown at trial which was interesting. I would have liked to see more of the claims and rumors against Scott addressed.

[Mariah Lirette · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fantastic read! Glad I read this. Lots of great information that was never brought to the courts.

[Kayla · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a twist to the case. It is normally assumed that the spouse is guilty when the other is killed/murdered. All signs pointed to Scott.