Ed Caudillo

Witness for the Defendant:  Penalty Phase

December 8, 2004

Direct Examination by Pat Harris

HARRIS: Good morning, Ed.

CAUDILLO: Good morning.

HARRIS: We have heard earlier from Scott's sister Susan Caudillo. Is that your wife?

CAUDILLO: Yes.

HARRIS: How long have you been married to Susan?

CAUDILLO: 17 years, I think. Close to that.

HARRIS: And how many children do you have?

CAUDILLO: We have two.

HARRIS: How did you actually meet Susan?

CAUDILLO: We met through her brothers. Her brothers and I went to school together. And we would meet at parties and get together with my school friends and stuff. And I know it was kind of a far away, you know, I have this admiration for her. I always thought she is a beautiful lady. And I -- but I was always a shy type, never really approached her, and stuff.

HARRIS: How were you about meeting her family?

CAUDILLO: Oh, the first time I met her family, Susan kind of warned me that her dad is very protective, and just be aware of it. He's a joker. He likes to have a good time with people. And just kind of follow in his steps and everything will be fine.

HARRIS: Did everything turn out okay?

CAUDILLO: Yes, they have.

HARRIS: How old was Scott when you actually met him?

CAUDILLO: Gosh, I believe he was just getting into high school. You know. He was probably 14, 15 range, somewhere around there.

HARRIS: As you know, we have had a lot of witnesses from the family talk about home life and things. I won't go into a great deal of detail. But you told me last night something that if you had not married into the family you would have probably still ended up being friends with Scott Peterson some way.

CAUDILLO: Yes.

HARRIS: Why?

CAUDILLO: Scott and I, we share a lot of things that are alike. Our birthdays are 11 days apart. Both in October. And we both -- both of us always -- we like to make sure that people are comfortable around us, that we want to make sure they are okay if we're at parties, or what not. We want to make sure everybody is having a good time. That we're, you know, both very outgoing, always wanting to help people. I think I get in trouble a lot with that when I'm always helping my friends and not finishing stuff up at the house.

HARRIS: Was there something about Scott that sort of his -- personality-wise that made it easy for you to become friends?

CAUDILLO: Yeah. He would -- you know, he -- you know, when you first meet a family, you meet the siblings and what not. Your fear is they may not accept you. Scott accepted me right from the git-go. We have a really good relationship. We -- whenever he would call the house he would also call me "Brother Ed". And I don't think too many brother-in-laws do that. But Scott would do that.

HARRIS: You also had some issues with being misperceived as being arrogant because you are quiet. Would you tell the jury the story that you told me last night about baseball?

CAUDILLO: Yeah. You know, like most young men who -- and children who have the aspiration to play baseball, you go out there, and you give it your best. You do the best you can. You work hard. In my case, going through high school and college, there was a rumor of me being arrogant because I wouldn't go talk to scouts. My feeling is, you know, if you work hard and people see what you are doing, that you are doing a good job, hopefully someone will come talk to you. I was always kind of shy. And I just didn't have it in me to go up and introduce myself to the scouts. So after a while, not getting the looks -- I got a few looks, but I saw the political side of it, and I was done. I got out at college.

HARRIS: You said you have two children?

CAUDILLO: Yes.

HARRIS: What are their names?

CAUDILLO: I have a 14 year old daughter named Danika, and a ten-year-old daughter named Rachel.

HARRIS: I want to just talk about Scott's relationship with Danika and Rachel. Overall, would you say he was a good uncle?

CAUDILLO: Yes, very good. He's always willing to do the crazy things that dads sometimes think are a little overboard. He would -- definitely would take them out, go get them ice cream. They like to go to the Cold Stone Creamery. They made some really weird concoctions, and bring them home and eat them. I remember a particular time when they went out one evening, and all three of them came home with this plastic jewelry that you get out of a vending machine. The girls were all excited that Uncle Scott had the bling-bling hanging around his neck, you know. A lot of uncles may not do that.

HARRIS: Did he also go to their sporting events, those type of things?

CAUDILLO: Yes, he would go to volleyball tournaments with my older daughter Danika. He would go to soccer tournaments also. He would go to watch my little Rachel play soccer also.

HARRIS: Did they enjoy times, spending time with him?

CAUDILLO: Yes, they did. Like I said, they would go out and do things together and it meant a lot to them.

HARRIS: Since his arrest -- since his arrest, did they continue to correspond with him?

CAUDILLO: Yes, they do. They still write letters to Uncle Scott. They look forward to receiving letters from Uncle Scott. My oldest daughter Danika has, you know, they have built this relationship that she can talk to him in ways that she can't talk to us parents. You know. She tells him things, and he gives her the advice, and what she needs to do.

HARRIS: Have you even seen one of those letters?

CAUDILLO: Yeah, I have seen a few of the letters.

HARRIS: Does she -- do you like to listen to -- do you feel like they listen to Scott when he gives her advice?

CAUDILLO: Yes. Yes, she does. But she won't tell us what the advice is.

HARRIS: You had a chance to marry into this family?

CAUDILLO: Un-hun.

HARRIS: You told me something interesting about you could just pick a family --

CAUDILLO: Yes. You -- I look at this family and, you know, we don't get to pick our siblings, and what not. But if we had the chance, I definitely would be part of that family, without a doubt.

HARRIS: You also told me the story about your mother -- your own mother, her feelings about the family. Would you share that?

CAUDILLO: Yeah. My mom passed away back in 1992 of brain cancer. And she was about two days away from passing away. The family was there, and some of the Petersons were there. And I think it's what she said to them was probably the ultimate compliment anybody could give to a family. And that is, you know, when you are leaving this world, and you only have one son, you want to make sure they are okay. And she leaned over and told the family that, you know, I know I can leave this world, because I know you will take care of my son.

HARRIS: Part of that family has been your brother-in-law Scott?

CAUDILLO: Yes.

HARRIS: And you obviously know the situation he's in, what we're facing.

CAUDILLO: Yeah.

HARRIS: And when we talked, you have had a chance to write and talk to him. You told me that Scott, in your mind, has a purpose on this planet still.

CAUDILLO: Yes.

HARRIS: What do you mean by that?

CAUDILLO: Scott means the world to the family, to my daughters, to a lot of people. And if he were to get the ultimate penalty it would basically kill the entire family.

HARRIS: Do you think he still can contribute?

CAUDILLO: Yes, I think he can contribute to society. I know he can. He's very helpful with a lot of people. I know he's -- I'm sure he's probably met a few people in jail and probably have helped them.

HARRIS: Thank you, Ed. I appreciate it.