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David Brooks
Witness for the People: Guilt Phase June 17, 2004
Direct Examination by David Harris HARRIS: Mr. Brooks, can you tell us what your occupation is? BROOKS: I'm a pawn broker. HARRIS: Do you have a pawn shop in the City of Modesto? BROOKS: I do. HARRIS: What's the name of your pawn shop? BROOKS: Brooks Pawn and Jewelry. HARRIS: And whereabouts is that located in Modesto? BROOKS: It's on Coffee Road. HARRIS: What I want to direct your attention back to December 10 of 2002. Were you working in your capacity as a pawn broker back then? BROOKS: Yes. HARRIS: How long have you been a pawn broker? BROOKS: Since 1981. HARRIS: And on December 10th of 2002, did a person by the name of Laci Peterson come into your store? BROOKS: Yes. HARRIS: Did you talk with Miss Peterson? BROOKS: Yes. HARRIS: And did she indicate to you what the purpose for the visit was, or did some transaction take place? BROOKS: Yes. HARRIS: What took place? BROOKS: She sold some jewelry. HARRIS: When you say she sold some jewelry, she comes in with some jewelry and presents it to you? BROOKS: Correct. HARRIS: Do you look at it, or she tell you what the price is? How does that work? BROOKS: No. Anybody comes in, we just evaluate the item, and tell them what we would be willing to pay. They decide whether they wish to sell it or not. HARRIS: Did you look at what she brought in? BROOKS: Yes. HARRIS: Now, after a person comes in and wants to sell you something, you start this pawn process, do you actually, do you go through a process of obtaining identification from the individual? BROOKS: Yes. HARRIS: And did Miss Peterson present you with identification? BROOKS: Yes. HARRIS: What do you do with the identification? BROOKS: We scan it into a computer, and it prints out an acquisition form. HARRIS: And after you have got this printed out, do you have them sign this particular document? BROOKS: Yes. HARRIS: Do you obtain any other identifying information from them? BROOKS: Just their current address and thumbprint. HARRIS: So you get a thumbprint as well? BROOKS: We did. HARRIS: Did Miss Peterson come back into your store on a second occasion? BROOKS: Yes. HARRIS: Moving forward to that point in time, around December 14th. Is that the date she came back? BROOKS: I think so. HARRIS: Would it be easier if you were to look at your records? Would that help on the dates? BROOKS: Yes. HARRIS: If I could have this marked as next in order. JUDGE: That will be People's Number 65. HARRIS: Two photographs. JUDGE: Mark them in sequence 65-A and B? HARRIS: Do it 65 and 66. JUDGE: Pawn shop receipts. HARRIS: Photographs of jewelry and pawn shop receipts. HARRIS: Start by showing you, take your glasses out. Show you what's been marked as 65. If you can look at that. Do you recognize what's depicted in that photograph? BROOKS: Yes. HARRIS: And can you definitely us what that is? BROOKS: That's the form I was telling you about. And that's the jewelry that we purchased. HARRIS: And then looking at the next photograph, Number 66. Do you recognize that one as well? BROOKS: Yes. HARRIS: And what is depicted in that photograph? BROOKS: It's also a purchase with some different jewelry. HARRIS: And when Miss Peterson came in, date for that second transaction was December 14th from looking at your pawn slip? BROOKS: Yes. HARRIS: When Miss Peterson came back in on the second date, was she by herself, or did she come with someone else? BROOKS: No. She came with someone else. HARRIS: And did she have her identification with her on the 14th? BROOKS: No, she didn't. HARRIS: Did, what happened when she didn't have her identification? Could you complete the transaction? BROOKS: Since it was her husband, I said yes. HARRIS: Her husband was with her? BROOKS: That's correct. HARRIS: And the person that was with her on the 14th, did that person present their identification? BROOKS: Yes. HARRIS: And identification said that that individual was Scott Peterson? BROOKS: Yes. HARRIS: Did that person fill out the information and also give you a thumbprint or fingerprint? BROOKS: Yes. HARRIS: And did you make a purchase from the Petersons that day? BROOKS: Yes. HARRIS: Okay. Let me back up. How much, what was it that Miss Peterson was selling on the 10th? BROOKS: Just some chains, jewelry. HARRIS: Like gold chains? BROOKS: Yes, gold chains. HARRIS: And how much was the purchase price? Or what did you pay her? BROOKS: We paid 140 on the 10th. HARRIS: And on the 14th what was being sold? BROOKS: The 14th was some rings, a charm, and some chains. HARRIS: And what was the purchase price, or how much did you pay then? BROOKS: 110. HARRIS: At some point in time, did you become aware that Miss Peterson was missing? BROOKS: Yes. HARRIS: And did the Modesto Police Department come out and talk to you about these two particular transactions? BROOKS: Yes. HARRIS: Was your paperwork and the jewelry that you had turned over to the police at that time? BROOKS: Yes. HARRIS: People have no other questions.
Cross Examination by Mark Geragos GERAGOS: Mr. Brooks, you run the pawn shop? You own the pawn shop? BROOKS: Yes. GERAGOS: And in dealing with Laci Peterson, were you, there appears that there was two times that she came in? BROOKS: Yes. GERAGOS: On December 10th and December 14th? BROOKS: Yes. GERAGOS: And was she alone on the 10th? BROOKS: Yes. GERAGOS: Okay. When she was alone on the 10th, so that I understand it, which items did she bring in? BROOKS: Just the 10th? GERAGOS: And that's People's 65. And those are the items that she pawned by herself on the 10th, correct? BROOKS: Yes. GERAGOS: Then on, if I understand correctly, on the 14th, she comes in, and she doesn't, she wants to pawn some other items? BROOKS: Correct. GERAGOS: Okay. And these are the items that are marked People's 66? BROOKS: Yeah. GERAGOS: And she tries to do it, but she doesn't have any identification? BROOKS: Yes. GERAGOS: And since she doesn't have any identification, there is certain things, legal requirements that you have to go through in order to pawn jewelry; isn't that correct? BROOKS: Yes. GERAGOS: Isn't one of them is a fingerprint? BROOKS: Yes. GERAGOS: And the other is valid California ID? BROOKS: Yes. GERAGOS: Scott Peterson, was with her, you say it's okay if he shows his ID and uses his fingerprint? line BROOKS: I did. GERAGOS: And these are the items, People's 66, that were pawned on the 14th? BROOKS: Yes. GERAGOS: You work there with somebody named Tory? BROOKS: That's correct. GERAGOS: Who is Tory? BROOKS: That's my wife. GERAGOS: I'm going to show you another item. I'm going to show you another item. I'm not sure if this is yours. Could you tell me, is this pawn ticket a pawn ticket used by your pawn shop? BROOKS: No, it's not. GERAGOS: Okay. Do you recognize, or can you tell me what pawn shop would have -- BROOKS: No, I can't. GERAGOS: You never, Laci Peterson never pawned a Croton watch with you, did she? BROOKS: No, she did not. GERAGOS: Are you familiar with what a pawn ticket looks like? BROOKS: Yes. GERAGOS: What I just showed you a pawn ticket? BROOKS: It is a pawn ticket. I'm not familiar with that form. GERAGOS: Okay. That's not from your store? BROOKS: No, it is not. GERAGOS: Okay. When the police came, did they interview both you and Tory together? BROOKS: Yes. GERAGOS: And did they take possession of the jewelry that were in the pictures of 65 and 66 which I showed you and put up on the screen? BROOKS: Yes. GERAGOS: Thank you. I have no further questions. HARRIS: No other questions. JUDGE: Mr. Brooks, thank you for your time. |