Jon Buehler

 

Witness for the Defendant:  Guilt Phase

October 25, 2004

 

Direct Examination by Mark Geragos

GERAGOS: Good morning.

BUEHLER: Good morning.

GERAGOS: How are you?

BUEHLER: Fine.

GERAGOS: Good. The

JUDGE: When you get into that conversation we discussed in chambers, let me know so I can admonish the jury.

GERAGOS: Huh?

JUDGE: When you get into that conversation where you talk what we discussed in chambers, let me know so I can a admonish the jury.

GERAGOS: Yeah. Thank you. I may not go there so

JUDGE: All right.

GERAGOS: If I do, though, I'll tell you.

JUDGE: All right.

GERAGOS: Detective, you had specifically gone to the doctor's medical center, is that correct, in connection with this investigation?

BUEHLER: Yes, connected with this, yes.

GERAGOS: Yes. Okay. And did you get a release of information or did you get a search warrant waiver basically so that Scott Peterson could sign it so that he could get all of the doctor's information?

BUEHLER: Mr. Geragos, I don't remember that. Do you have a number for me on that?

GERAGOS: I do. I've got, it's actually a report talking about you.

BUEHLER: Okay. Yeah, I was involved in the blood draw on that, but as far as going over the information about the medical release, this is the first I've seen of that.

JUDGE: Do you want to read that, see if it refreshes your recollection as to whether or not you were involved in that?

BUEHLER: Okay.

GERAGOS: Okay. Does that refresh your recollection?

BUEHLER: Yes.

GERAGOS: Okay. Did you end up going, did Scott Peterson execute a search warrant waiver basically meaning he would release the information to you?

BUEHLER: I remember the date and we went over to the hospital, but as far as specifically him signing that, releasing that, Mr. Geragos, even reading that, I don't remember that.

GERAGOS: Okay. Did you end up picking up the information?

BUEHLER: I did not.

GERAGOS: Okay. Did you go over to Salon Salon?

BUEHLER: A few times, yes.

GERAGOS: Okay. Specifically, were you trying to find witnesses or find what the witnesses said Laci was wearing before the night she went missing?

BUEHLER: That was one of the reasons we went there, yes.

GERAGOS: Specifically who did you interview?

BUEHLER: Kim Fite, F-i-t-e. I believe Julie Anderson. There was two other gals, and I don't remember their names but I've got them in here. If you give me a Bate number.

GERAGOS: Was Jennifer Anderson one of them?

BUEHLER: I think I just said her.

GERAGOS: Okay.

BUEHLER: Kim Fite.

GERAGOS: Michelle Perry. I've got 1743. And then Erin?

BUEHLER: Avant, A-v-a-n-t, Michelle Perry, P-e-r-r-y, Jennifer Anderson, and Kim Fite again, F-i-t-e.

GERAGOS: Okay. Is it a fair statement that all of these people remembered seeing Laci Peterson there on the 23rd?

BUEHLER: Yes.

GERAGOS: Is it a fair statement that you did not get a consistent description of what she was wearing on the 23rd?

BUEHLER: That's correct.

GERAGOS: Okay. And is it a fair statement that they gave the, how many different people would you say you interviewed total?

BUEHLER: Well, there were four on that date. I believe we went back and talked to a couple more. But the time between the 23rd and when we interviewed them, their recall wasn't that good on what she was wearing.

GERAGOS: Okay. All of them remembered her being there, correct, that you interviewed at least and prepared a report on?

BUEHLER: Yes.

GERAGOS: Okay. And that would include Denise Avant?

BUEHLER: Yes.

GERAGOS: Okay. And that would include Michelle Perry you wrote a report on?

BUEHLER: Yes.

GERAGOS: And that would include Jennifer Anderson, and then is it Erica Texteron?

BUEHLER: That was another visit we made there sometime later.

GERAGOS: Okay. And is it a fair statement that you did not get -- I asked you before. The descriptions vary. They weren't consistent between any of the four, four that you had interviewed, is that correct, ranging from one person saying jeans to another saying long pullover sweater?

BUEHLER: Well, there was a variety of clothing that they said and I don't remember if there were any consistencies between the people that Grogan interviewed at the salon and their clothing description and with any of the ones that I interviewed because I didn't compare my descriptions that were given to me to the ones that he received.

GERAGOS: Okay. What was that date, I've got it here, it looks like your report was February 4th, is that roughly when you did those interviews?

BUEHLER: Well, I'm not sure which ones you're talking about, but on Tuesday, February 4th, we went there on one occasion. I know we went back

GERAGOS: Okay.

BUEHLER: at another time.

GERAGOS: When else did you go back?

BUEHLER: I have to start looking for it. Sorry to do this to the jury. We returned there on February, correction, March 27th of 2003.

GERAGOS: Was that also to interview people regarding what the clothing was that Laci had been wearing on the 23rd?

BUEHLER: That was to re-interview with Michelle Perry and it was to show her some digital photos of some of Laci's clothing that was documented when we were at the home.

GERAGOS: Okay. And is that the last thing that you did in terms of Salon Salon in terms of your, your involvement?

BUEHLER: I believe so. I can at the lunch break if you want to go through the rest of my pages here to see if there was any other times that we went there, but I recall at least two occasions. I remember going there again to look at the floor plan of the location and to document how it was set up and photograph it for you, but other than that I can't remember any other occasion that we went there.

GERAGOS: Thank you. I have no further questions.  

 

Cross Examination by David Harris

HARRIS: Just real briefly. Detective, the individuals that you went out and interviewed at Salon Salon in February, taking you back to December 23rd when the defendant and Laci Peterson had been there, none of them indicated that they were the ones that cut Scott Peterson's hair that night, did they?

BUEHLER: Correct.

HARRIS: And that Scott Peterson and Laci were at different stations than they were at in the building?

BUEHLER: Yes.

HARRIS: The People have no other questions.

JUDGE: May Detective Buehler be excused?

GERAGOS: Yes.

JUDGE: Thank you very much.