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Ron Grantski
Witness for the People: Guilt Phase June 8, 2004
Direct Examination by Rick Distaso DISTASO: Mr. Grantski, just very brief little background, since we've gone over this with some other witnesses. Before, you met Sharon in 1977? GRANTSKI: Correct. DISTASO: Sharon Rocha. And you and she had been together since that time? GRANTSKI: Yes, her cousin, her cousin Gwen and Harvey set us up on a blind date. DISTASO: And prior to that and I think you were in the Navy at some point? GRANTSKI: Yes, I was, spent four years in the Navy and I worked in naval intelligence. DISTASO: What year was that? GRANTSKI: That was from 66 through 69. I got a Purple Heart, as a matter of fact. DISTASO: And when you met Sharon in 1977, Laci was with her, is that right? GRANTSKI: Well, not the first date, but, DISTASO: Okay. Right. That would be an interesting blind date. GRANTSKI: Yeah. DISTASO: But when you both, when you started a relationship together and started, started living together, Laci grew up in your home, correct? GRANTSKI: Oh, yes. DISTASO: Okay. GRANTSKI: Yes. DISTASO: And you have considered yourself her stepfather since she was about two years old? GRANTSKI: She spent a lot of time with me, and 25 and a half years, and so, yes, she was with me a lot of times. She would go see Dennis, of course, but I saw all of her little...yes, I watched her grow up. DISTASO: And you were present and around the family when Laci met the defendant in this case? GRANTSKI: Yes. DISTASO: Okay. And you, you attended their wedding? GRANTSKI: Yes. DISTASO: Did the normal things that a family does? GRANTSKI: Yes. DISTASO: When Laci and Scott Peterson moved back to Modesto in, in 2000, they lived in your home for a short time? GRANTSKI: A couple of weeks. DISTASO: Okay. And then they moved into the rental house we've heard? GRANTSKI: Yes. Yeah. DISTASO: Go ahead. GRANTSKI: I don't remember exactly, you know, where the rental house was. DISTASO: That's okay. And, and then you were aware, of course, that Laci became pregnant? GRANTSKI: Sure. It was, DISTASO: And were you, your relationship with Laci was probably not the same as Sharon's? GRANTSKI: No, not at all. No. DISTASO: Sharon would talk to her on the phone, GRANTSKI: They were best friends. DISTASO: Okay. GRANTSKI: She would, she would ask her advice. Laci would come to me if there was something that had to do with the world or, you know, people and... DISTASO: And your job is a construction superintendent? GRANTSKI: Correct. Yeah. DISTASO: What company do you work for? GRANTSKI: I work for Dell Engineering. DISTASO: And, GRANTSKI: We build commercial buildings, not houses, and so shopping centers and fast food restaurants. DISTASO: Kind of industrial areas, things like that? GRANTSKI: Yes. DISTASO: And how long have you been doing that? GRANTSKI: Well, I've been in construction 29 years, but superintendent for about 15. DISTASO: Now, let's go to, I want to kind of just jump, jump right into this. Let's go to December 15th of 2002. And we've heard from Sharon that one of your hobbies is fishing? GRANTSKI: Yes, I know. DISTASO: Is that kind of an understatement? GRANTSKI: Well, I like to fish and DISTASO: Okay. GRANTSKI: Yeah. I carry my pole with me. It's in the car right now. DISTASO: All right. GRANTSKI: She knows. DISTASO: And on the 15th you took Sharon fishing. Where did you go? GRANTSKI: There's, Oakdale. It's on Orange Blossom. I'm giving away my fishing spot. DISTASO: I was going to say you don't need to give away your secret spot. But what I'm getting at, don't, GRANTSKI: We went fishing in Oakdale. DISTASO: Okay. GRANTSKI: And, DISTASO: And how far is Oakdale from, from your house? GRANTSKI: I think it's 16.5 miles. DISTASO: All right. And so it takes, what, about 20 minutes or so to get there? GRANTSKI: Yeah. I can make it in 25, depending. DISTASO: And do you remember on the 15th of December of 2002 what you were fishing for, what kind of fish? GRANTSKI: There's, it's black bass. There's catfish and perch in there, but I was fishing for black bass. DISTASO: And how long did you fish that day? GRANTSKI: I think a couple hours. DISTASO: Did you catch anything? GRANTSKI: Yeah. I caught two, but Sharon was reading the paper, and I – DISTASO: Okay. Sharon, Sharon, you were here in court when she testified that she was sitting in a chair reading the paper? GRANTSKI: I stopped and bought her a pair of, because I've been trying to get her to go fishing with me, maybe one of these days she would go. I stopped and bought her a pair of boots, you know, weather protector boots so she could set, walk around and sit there with me. DISTASO: And it was a typical December day? GRANTSKI: Yeah. DISTASO: Weather was probably pretty cold? GRANTSKI: It was, yeah. To be honest, I don't remember things. When I'm out fishing I just, you know, if I'm out fishing, that's all I'm worried about. DISTASO: Okay. GRANTSKI: And thinking about. DISTASO: And do you remember what type of a bait or lures that you were using that day? GRANTSKI: Yeah. I, black bass, I was fishing for black bass and there's all kinds of different baits you use, but I prefer, depending on the type of year, I use spinner bait and I use plastic rubber frogs. And there's a lot of tules at this place. DISTASO: And those are lures or trying to, GRANTSKI: Yeah, they're, DISTASO: not fishermen on the jury, but those are lures that, specific lures that you use to catch that specific type of fish? GRANTSKI: That's, yeah. DISTASO: Okay. GRANTSKI: That's true. I've never had a perch or anything like that, you know, grab a frog, so there's no way, I'm not going to say it couldn't happen, but it doesn't, so... DISTASO: Okay. And later that night did you go over to Laci's house for dinner? GRANTSKI: Yeah. That was the plan. The way it worked was it was the last episode of Sopranos and I was complaining because it comes on on cable at 9:00 o'clock, and Scott and Laci had satellite, and Laci said Well, we get it at 6:00, why don't you come over for dinner and we'll watch the last episode. So that's what we did. DISTASO: Okay. Coming on at, at 9:00 o'clock, were you, is that, is that a little late in your normal typical schedule? GRANTSKI: Yeah. I get up at 3:30, 4:30 at the latest every day and, so... DISTASO: As part of your job, do you, do you drive to a lot of different locations? You know, wherever your construction projects are going on? GRANTSKI: Yes, I put between 35 and 50,000 miles a year on my car, so I do a lot of driving. DISTASO: So you're up early? GRANTSKI: Yes. DISTASO: And you get to your sites and you do your thing early? GRANTSKI: Yes. DISTASO: And you go to bed early after that? GRANTSKI: Yes. DISTASO: So you went over to Laci's house and the Sopranos came on at 6:00 because they have satellite, right? GRANTSKI: Right. DISTASO: Okay. And did you, did you talk, or did either you or Sharon talk about going fishing that day? GRANTSKI: She, I brought it up. You know, I like to kid quite a bit. I brought it up That can you believe it, I finally got Sharon to go fishing with me. Well, not really fishing. She went watching with me. And that's pretty much, I might have said a few other things, but I don't remember. DISTASO: Okay. And did, at that time a, were Laci and Scott Peterson, the defendant, were they present during this conversation? GRANTSKI: Yes. DISTASO: Okay. Did either, while you were talking about fishing that night, did either party mention that Scott Peterson had just recently bought a boat? GRANTSKI: Not, not a thing. DISTASO: Okay. Did, did, at any time up until the 24th of December, did either Scott Peterson or Laci Peterson talk to you or mention that Scott Peterson had bought a boat there in the month of December? GRANTSKI: No. Not at all. I, I mentioned at times I wished I had a boat, but I couldn't really afford one, so I had a float tube. That's what I have. DISTASO: All right. Let me ask you about that. So had you mentioned to Laci or Scott that, because you're fishing, that you would like to have some kind of boat to use? GRANTSKI: Yeah. There are times I would like, DISTASO: Okay. GRANTSKI: to catch some better fish, probably different areas, so DISTASO: And the type of fishing you do is either from the bank, GRANTSKI: It's always pretty much from a bank. Once in a while, you know, I go out with a friend with a boat or in a float tube. I go out in a float tube. DISTASO: All right. Just for, I know what a float tube is because we've talked, but just for the jury, who are not fisher people, a float tube is, you know, a, like a big rubber ring and you kind of fit it in and you wear fins and you kick out in the water. GRANTSKI: I wear fins and a wet suit and I mean, DISTASO: Waders? GRANTSKI: Waders. And you put your fins on and it's got a place to put your gear. DISTASO: And you can kind of kick out off shore? GRANTSKI: Yeah, just kick out off shore. DISTASO: Okay. GRANTSKI: It's very relaxing. DISTASO: So was the fact that you were a very avid fisherman, was that fact known to Scott Peterson and Laci? GRANTSKI: Oh, yeah. DISTASO: I mean, that wasn't a secret? GRANTSKI: Oh, no. Scott knew. DISTASO: What was that? GRANTSKI: Scott knew. DISTASO: Okay. And, now, as part of your, of fishing, you said that you keep a, how many fishing poles do you have? Do you have any idea? GRANTSKI: Eight or ten. DISTASO: Okay. GRANTSKI: Different, depending on the type of fishing I go, so DISTASO: All right. Do you do all types of fishing? GRANTSKI: I do. I have some heavy gear for ocean or big fish, but, DISTASO: Like for saltwater fishing? GRANTSKI: Yes. DISTASO: What's the main type of fishing that you do, though? GRANTSKI: Freshwater. I go reasonably close to the house, so within an hour and 20 minutes at the farthest, I would guess. DISTASO: Are you familiar with the areas around Modesto where you can, you can go freshwater fishing? GRANTSKI: I think every one. DISTASO: Okay. GRANTSKI: Might be a couple of them DISTASO: Can you tell the jury, can you just start, you told us about this place in Oakdale where you went. GRANTSKI: Yeah. Here again, if you don't fish, some lakes are stocked, you know, by the Department of Fish and Game, and they're stocked more at certain times of the year than other times of the year. So if you fish a lot, you get to know which are the best times to go to those lakes. And so I go to McSwain, especially in the summer, you know. DISTASO: Okay. Let me just ask you about some. Are you aware of a place called the Modesto Reservoir? GRANTSKI: Yes. DISTASO: Okay. That's a place you can fish? GRANTSKI: Yes. It's not very good there. DISTASO: Okay. And what about Fox Grove fishing access, do you know where that is? GRANTSKI: Yeah. That's only good a couple times of the year, though, is my opinion. DISTASO: All right. And is there another lake called Lake Tulloch? GRANTSKI: Yeah, Tulloch Lake. I haven't fished that enough. It's a little bit farther away, and I, if I go to fish that, I want to get there early and stay late. So I, I don't fish that one too often. DISTASO: And you said you go to Lake McSwain? GRANTSKI: Yeah. DISTASO: How far is McSwain? GRANTSKI: It's 44 minutes from my house. DISTASO: Okay. And what about, and we've all, we've heard that your house is fairly close to 523 Covena, Laci's house? GRANTSKI: It's about a mile away. DISTASO: All right. And, and then let's see. Lake McClure, is that another one? GRANTSKI: Yeah, that's right up by McSwain. DISTASO: Okay. So about the same distance? GRANTSKI: Yeah. Seven miles farther. DISTASO: Okay. What about Lake Don Pedro? GRANTSKI: Yes, I fish that one a lot. DISTASO: How far is that one? GRANTSKI: That's about 45 minutes away. DISTASO: So there's, you know, I've run through, I don't know five, six, seven lakes here. They're all within an hour or so of your home? GRANTSKI: Right. DISTASO: And some of them are much closer than that, right? GRANTSKI: Yeah. DISTASO: Like Turlock Lake, how far, GRANTSKI: Turlock, that's about 30 minutes away. DISTASO: Okay. And those are the main areas where you fish? GRANTSKI: Yes. DISTASO: Okay. The, do you own a year-long fishing license? GRANTSKI: Oh, yeah. As a matter of fact, I get it, normally Sharon buys me one at Christmastime, or somebody will. If they don't, I buy it the next day, so that's usually the way it works. DISTASO: How many years in a row do you think you've owned a year-long fishing license? GRANTSKI: Well, probably ten. I did go to Memphis, Tennessee, and I was back there for 18 months, so I had, DISTASO: Did you do any fishing back there? GRANTSKI: Oh, yeah. But back there, because I was out of state, you get a couple day license back there, so... DISTASO: Okay. And now, you said you keep a fishing pole in your car? GRANTSKI: Yeah. Yeah. DISTASO: Why is that? GRANTSKI: Well, because I travel a lot, due to, you know, basically through the valley, and when the job is over and you go by a stream or a lake or you see a sign that says, you know, fishing, sometimes I pull in, check it out. If it looks good, then I want to fish. DISTASO: All right. Now, have, we've talked about you've known Scott Peterson basically since he and Laci got together? GRANTSKI: Not as well as Sharon, but I, you know, her and her mom, like I said, they, they'd get into the meat of everything. DISTASO: Right. That's kind of a normal mother/daughter relationship? GRANTSKI: Yes. DISTASO: Is that what you're describing? GRANTSKI: Right. DISTASO: After Scott and Laci moved back to Modesto, did you ever ask Scott Peterson to go fishing with you? GRANTSKI: Yes. DISTASO: How many times do you think from the time he moved back until December 24th, 2002, that, do you think that you'd asked him to go? GRANTSKI: I don't know. Eight, ten, twenty. I really don't know. DISTASO: Okay. Over ten times do you think? GRANTSKI: Probably, but he was busy and, you know, something happened, something. DISTASO: All right. Did he, of those, you know, ten, eight, ten, you know, whatever amount of times, did he ever take you up on that? GRANTSKI: Yes. Once. DISTASO: One time. And do you know when that was? GRANTSKI: I can't remember exactly, but it was either, fishing at, at Lake Almador they have some real big trout, and I wanted him to catch a big trout. And you never go there in the summer because it's way too hot, so it was either November or December of oh one, or February, March of oh two, so...I, you know... DISTASO: And other than that one time did you, did you ever go fishing with Scott Peterson? GRANTSKI: No. DISTASO: And was your relationship with him prior to December 24th, I mean did you consider it a good one? GRANTSKI: Yes. DISTASO: Did you consider you had any problems with him? GRANTSKI: Not at all. DISTASO: Do you remember that one time that you went fishing with him, do you remember what you were fishing for, what type of fish? GRANTSKI: With Scott you mean? DISTASO: Uh-huh. GRANTSKI: Oh, yeah. DISTASO: What was that? GRANTSKI: Big trout. They have black bass and catfish and perch in there, but, and I caught black bass and trout, but they, oh, God, I'm giving away all this stuff. DISTASO: That's all right. You don't have to give me too many secrets. GRANTSKI: Okay. I won't give you too many. DISTASO: That's enough. What, do you remember what type of bait or lures you were using that day? GRANTSKI: Well, I usually use Power Bait, or they make a lure called Cast Master, and sometimes Rooster Tails, but mainly Cast Masters or a silver lure or Power Bait. I go fishing to relax. DISTASO: Okay. GRANTSKI: Kind of clears my head, and watch nature. I sit on the bank. You're allowed to have two poles on a lake. In a river you're not. So I set up one pole with Power Bait, and I kind of walk up and down and all around with different lures. DISTASO: And fish? GRANTSKI: Yes. DISTASO: Did you guys, did either one of you catch any fish that day? GRANTSKI: No, it wasn't a very good day. That's why they call it fishing. DISTASO: Uh-huh. GRANTSKI: Not catching. DISTASO: Not catching. Did, do you remember if Scott Peterson brought his own fishing pole? GRANTSKI: Yes. DISTASO: Okay. After the trip was over, did he take that fishing pole home with him? GRANTSKI: No, we got, we got back to the house and he had to leave early, and I loaded everything, we put, we put his pole in my garage. And, as a matter of fact, it's still in my garage. DISTASO: So from November of '01 or so to, or February of '02, whenever that winter period you went, GRANTSKI: Right. DISTASO: to, to I guess the date, the date was the defendant was arrested in April of '03, he never asked you for his fishing pole back? GRANTSKI: I think I told him once that I had it in my garage. He said Ahh, that's all right, just leave it there. I said okay. DISTASO: Okay. Was this kind of a cheap pole that you would want to just kind of chuck away and not worry about? GRANTSKI: Well, I don't think it was. It's, you know, this will probably sound silly, but it's a six ball-bearing reel. It's a Quickreel, and the more ball bearings in a reel, the more money they cost. DISTASO: All right. GRANTSKI: So mine are two, so if that gives you any indication. DISTASO: Okay. So this particular pole, was it designed for freshwater fishing? GRANTSKI: Yes. It's a nice pole, too. DISTASO: And after this one time you went fishing with him, it sat in your garage until today? GRANTSKI: Yeah. Still there. DISTASO: Still there? GRANTSKI: Right. DISTASO: In all the time that you have known Scott Peterson, did he ever ask you to go fishing? GRANTSKI: No. DISTASO: Did he ever say, you know, Ron, I'm going out fishing today, you know, you want to come along? GRANTSKI: No. DISTASO: On the 24th of December of oh two, when the defendant says he went fishing out of the Berkeley Marina, did he call you up at all that day and say Hey, Ron, you know what, it's Christmas Eve, let's go out and go fishing? GRANTSKI: No. DISTASO: Now, on the 24th, let's go to the 24th now. Did you work that day? GRANTSKI: I got up early, like I always do, and I had to go to the office in Lodi, and so I left my house about 6:30. And the boss was giving us the rest of the week off, so I went to get my paycheck and fill him in on what had been happening. And then I had to go from there to Los Banos because of a shopping center I was building was in Los Banos, and it was right at the finishing touches. DISTASO: Let me stop you. Since we're not in Modesto and these are all valley towns, let's just put it in perspective a little bit. Modesto is kind of in the middle of these two areas, correct? GRANTSKI: Correct. DISTASO: And Lodi is what, about 50 miles or so up the 99 freeway? GRANTSKI: It's 45 miles to our office. DISTASO: Okay. And then you left, you picked up your check, you were getting the rest of the holiday week off? GRANTSKI: Right. DISTASO: Then you went from there down to, what did you get on the 5 freeway? GRANTSKI: Yeah, I went over to 5. DISTASO: Okay. GRANTSKI: I drove the bypass there at 4, cut off at 4 and stopped and took 5 all the way into Los Banos. DISTASO: Okay. And Los Banos is, what, 30 miles south of Modesto? GRANTSKI: It's 50 miles from Modesto, but from the office it's a hundred and four miles, DISTASO: Okay. GRANTSKI: from Lodi to, DISTASO: So, GRANTSKI: I drive a lot, so I keep track of stuff like that. DISTASO: So basically Modesto is right in the middle of these two places? GRANTSKI: Right. DISTASO: More or less. And you swung by Los Banos, you checked the job site there. GRANTSKI: Yeah. DISTASO: What time do you think that that was? If you don't know the exact time, that's okay, but, GRANTSKI: Probably around 11:00, 11:30, 12:00. I wished everybody a Merry Christmas and said I would see them afterwards. DISTASO: And then you left the job site. And on the way home did you do any fishing? GRANTSKI: Yeah. I, I believe I called Sharon and, you know, that was a Tuesday. A lot of people had to kind of work part of the day or you had to get things ready, and I, I told her I was getting ready, and she said she was going to the show, I believe with Sandy, so I figured well, I've got a few hours, so I decided to drive and go fishing. DISTASO: Okay. And did you go fishing at the same place in Oakdale where you had gone on the 15th? GRANTSKI: Yes. DISTASO: Okay. And do you remember what you were fishing for that day? GRANTSKI: Black bass. DISTASO: And do you remember what type of lures you used on the 24th? GRANTSKI: The same type. I, I'm trying to perfect using frogs, so I believe I used frogs most of the, DISTASO: Okay. These are like little plastic frogs? GRANTSKI: Yeah. You pull them along the paddies, the top of the paddies. DISTASO: And the bass, I guess, think it's alive and, GRANTSKI: Yeah, the bass just jump right up out of there. It's kind of fun to watch. DISTASO: Okay. And do you remember that day if you caught any fish? GRANTSKI: I caught one. It wasn't, you know, a great day. It was a little cold, so DISTASO: And what time, let me ask you this: How long do you think you fished for? GRANTSKI: I know I got home somewhere between 2:30 and 3:30. So, I don't know. Hour and a half maybe. DISTASO: Okay. GRANTSKI: Couple hours tops. DISTASO: Now, when you got home, was Sharon home, on the 24th? GRANTSKI: Yes. DISTASO: All right. And did Sharon ask you to do anything, to make a phone call? GRANTSKI: Well, I was sitting down, getting ready for dinner, and she asked me to call Laci and tell her to bring some whipped cream for, Sharon makes a great chocolate pie, so we were having a chocolate pie, so... DISTASO: And did you do that? GRANTSKI: Yes. DISTASO: And you didn't, well, you didn't talk to anybody, right? GRANTSKI: No, I got the recorder. DISTASO: Did you leave a message? GRANTSKI: Yes, I did. DISTASO: Was it basically just Hey, Laci, can you bring some whipped, GRANTSKI: Yeah. Hi, Laci, bring some whipped cream, DISTASO: Okay. GRANTSKI: for chocolate pie. DISTASO: What's the next thing you remember about what happened on that day? Were you present when the defendant called Sharon? GRANTSKI: Yes. I was, I was in the back and, you know, Sharon answered the phone, and so when she, I hear she's sounding panicky in the kitchen, and she says that Scott called and said Laci was missing. So I, you know, I, being optimistic, said Ahh, she's probably out with the girlfriends somewhere, she's, don't worry about it. I always try to take the high road. DISTASO: Right. Okay. GRANTSKI: And so... DISTASO: And what happened next, then? GRANTSKI: Well, I smoke, so I'm not allowed to smoke in the house, so I went out to the garage and was having a cigarette, and she came out and she said Scott can't find Laci. DISTASO: Okay. GRANTSKI: She said I'm going over there. She said, Get in the house on the phone. DISTASO: Okay. GRANTSKI: Call the police. DISTASO: And did, what was her demeanor? What was Sharon's demeanor at that point? GRANTSKI: She was, she was very nervous and worried. And, here again, I still couldn't believe something, so I just thought she was at a neighbor's. DISTASO: And what, so what happened next, then? GRANTSKI: Well, she, she came out of the back room and she said I told you to call, you know, call the police. So I said Okay, I'm going to call the hospital. So I called the police, 911, I called the hospital, I told them to contact all the hospitals, and, because Laci's eight months pregnant. And I figured well, the worst that could have happened is that maybe she fell down somewhere and needed some help. Then I called Gwen and Harvey. You've got to remember this is Christmas Eve, now. It's, I don't know, 5:30 or some time, and I had to try to find as much help as I could find, and I knew Gwen and Harvey were having a bunch of family members over there. And I called my mom and sister's after that. They were supposed to be at our house for dinner at that time. DISTASO: You say Gwen and Harvey. What is their last name? GRANTSKI: Kemple. DISTASO: And who are those people? GRANTSKI: They are Sharon's cousin. They introduced Sharon to me. DISTASO: Sharon's, Sharon's cousin and, which, which one of the, they're married, right? GRANTSKI: Yeah. Gwen is Sharon's cousin. DISTASO: Gwen is Sharon's cousin. Harvey is Gwen's, GRANTSKI: Husband. DISTASO: husband. And did, you called them, and did you tell them, Hey, can you come and help us out with this? GRANTSKI: I said Scott called, Laci's missing. I said I need some help. And, of course, they, we have a tendency to get excited, but we all seemed to function very well under, and so Harvey and Gwen got together, they told everybody at the house, Let's get over to the park, Scott said that Laci was walking the dog. And so we got to the park. DISTASO: And what happened when you got down there? GRANTSKI: Well, I waited at the house because after I called 911, the dispatcher there said, you know, wait for an officer to come. So, oh, well, I waited, I don't know, until about 6:00 or 6:20 or something, and nobody showed up, so I said the heck with this and went over to the park. And I went down to the park. With flashlights. It was dark then, and I went looking for Laci. DISTASO: And did you spend some time down in the park looking for Laci? GRANTSKI: Quite a bit. Quite a bit of time. It just, yes. And then I believe an officer came by. GERAGOS: Objection. It's non-responsive. There's no question pending. JUDGE: Sustained. DISTASO: Well, you can, what happened next, then? You were down in the park looking, JUDGE: Can you do it by question and answer? DISTASO: I'll do it, Judge. DISTASO: You were down in the park looking. Go ahead. You said an officer came by. What's the next thing you remember? GRANTSKI: They told us to get out of the park, that they were going to have a helicopter with a heat sensor and search for warm bodies. DISTASO: Okay. And did you then, did you go out of the park then? GRANTSKI: Yes. DISTASO: And where did you go to? GRANTSKI: Well, I walked back up to the path, and it's a real steep path, and up towards the house. And I'm saying on the way up there there's no way in hell Laci walked up this path. DISTASO: Okay. GRANTSKI: She's just too pregnant, so DISTASO: Now, the path that you're talking about, that's the path that leads at the end of Covena, at the end of their street? GRANTSKI: Yes. DISTASO: And then you said there's a path that leads down into the park? GRANTSKI: Yeah, that's the same. DISTASO: Is that where you came up out of it? GRANTSKI: Yes. DISTASO: So you were walking up the hill? GRANTSKI: Right. DISTASO: And you, at the time you were walking you were thinking this is a pretty steep path? GRANTSKI: Yeah. Yeah. It was hard for me. I mean I know I'm old but I'm still in fairly good shape, and there's no way, she's a little five foot girl, could walk up that path, eight months pregnant. No way. DISTASO: Okay. Then after you got up there, what's the next thing, what's the next thing you did there at the house? GRANTSKI: Well, there was all kinds of people, and so apparently people started calling people and more people, and there's people everywhere. And I, you know, and there was some police officers up there. And I saw Sharon and Harvey, and we were talking, you know, trying to figure out what we were going to do. And they said we can't go in the house. So we were all kind of hanging around the front. DISTASO: While you were there, did you have any contact with Scott Peterson? GRANTSKI: Only very briefly. I, we were standing out in the front under a tree, and I was talking with a couple officers and Scott come walking up. And I said, you know, said Hi. Scott said Hi. I said, How was your golf today? He said No, I didn't play golf, I went fishing. And I, being the smart behind I am, I said Well, what time did you go fishing? He said Oh, about 9:30. And I said, I said 9:30? I said That's when I come home from fishing, that's not when I go. And he turned around and walked away. I was just kidding, but I felt bad that I had said that. DISTASO: Okay. Did, did he tell you where he had gone fishing? Did you ask him? GRANTSKI: No, not at that time, no. DISTASO: Okay. So he comes walking up, you said Hey, how was golf today, and then he said Oh, no, I went fishing instead? GRANTSKI: Yeah. DISTASO: And did that strike you as, how did you take that? GRANTSKI: Well, I was just, GERAGOS: Excuse me. Irrelevant. JUDGE: I think so. Sustained. DISTASO: Okay. After he had this, you said that you made this thing back, Well, that's when I come back from fishing, right? GRANTSKI: Right. DISTASO: And you say he turned around and walked away? GRANTSKI: Yes. DISTASO: Did he say anything else? GRANTSKI: No, not, no. No...no, I didn't talk to him for, I don't know, two or three days later. DISTASO: Okay. And then the rest of that evening, GRANTSKI: Two days later. DISTASO: you didn't have any further contact with him? GRANTSKI: No. DISTASO: Did, did you have contact with him again at some point? JUDGE: You mean that same day? Or subsequent day? DISTASO: Yeah, I'm sorry. DISTASO: You said you didn't talk to him again for a couple days? GRANTSKI: Yeah. DISTASO: So the next, can you tell me about the next time you talked to him? GRANTSKI: Okay. Okay. Can I explain why, you know? DISTASO: Yeah. Go ahead. GRANTSKI: You know, you have to realize there was a lot going on at that time. DISTASO: Uh-huh. GRANTSKI: There were people everywhere, friends and family were searching. And at that time one of our friends had called the Sund/Carrington Foundation, who came to help us out, who in turn got a hold of the press, and now things are starting to really go and we're, we're panicking. It's the holidays, we can't, we don't know where she is, and we know people are out enjoying their families and friends, and we're out in the park and the countryside trying to find our daughter. And, so people start talking to you, and, Did you know Scott was fishing at, GERAGOS: Objection. Hearsay. JUDGE: Yeah. Well, see, this is not really responsive. DISTASO: Yeah. DISTASO: Don't, you don't need to tell me, GRANTSKI: Okay. DISTASO: you know, what people were saying about that. Tell me about, I am, tell me about the circumstances, though. You said that, you know, you were panicking, you're trying to find, you're trying to get resources in, right? GRANTSKI: Yeah. DISTASO: Okay. Go ahead. What happened then, GERAGOS: Objection. DISTASO: you know, just tell me about that. GERAGOS: Objection. Vague. There's no way to answer that. JUDGE: See, you're answer for a narrative answer, and I don't know where we're going to go with the answer. DISTASO: Okay. JUDGE: The question was when is the next time you talked to Scott Peterson, and you explained that. GRANTSKI: All right. JUDGE: In other words, Mr. Grantski, there was a lot of stuff going on and you didn't have a lot of time to go and see the defendant and talk to him? GRANTSKI: Right. JUDGE: Because everybody was looking for Laci, right? GRANTSKI: (Nods) JUDGE: When was the last time, when was the next time after the 24th you actually talked to Scott Peterson? GRANTSKI: I believe it was the afternoon of the 25th or 26th. DISTASO: Okay. JUDGE: What were the circumstances? How did you get around to talking to him? GRANTSKI: Well, I wanted to ask him about his fishing trip to Berkeley. JUDGE: To Berkeley. Go ahead, Mr. Distaso. DISTASO: Okay. Go ahead. Did you ask him about that? GRANTSKI: Well, yes. And he, DISTASO: Tell me what happened in that conversation. GRANTSKI: Well, I told him, I said, you know, I think you're Berkeley fishing trip is a fishy story, if you did something else, did you have a girlfriend? Did you go see your girlfriend? I said You better get it out now because, if you don't, it's going to come out and you're going to look a lot worse. And he said No and turned around and walked away. DISTASO: Other than, other than he said No and turned around and walked away, did he give you any other explanation or anything like that? GRANTSKI: No. DISTASO: Okay. GRANTSKI: He might have said I went fishing. DISTASO: All right. GRANTSKI: And that might have been it. DISTASO: After that, at this point I take it you didn't know anything about Amber Frey? GRANTSKI: No. DISTASO: Had you had any knowledge up until, you know, some time later when you were told about the affair, that Scott Peterson had been involved in an affair? GRANTSKI: Yes. DISTASO: Had you had knowledge, here's what I'm asking you is did Scott Peterson or Laci ever say anything about Scott having an affair with Amber Frey? GRANTSKI: No, not at all. DISTASO: Okay. Were you aware at any time up to the 24th that he had had an affair with some other woman down in San Luis Obispo? GRANTSKI: No, not at all. DISTASO: Did you know anything about his activities with either of these women? GRANTSKI: No. Not at all. DISTASO: When was the first that you heard that Scott Peterson had purchased a boat? GRANTSKI: Oh, I, I can't remember exactly, but it was probably a day or so after, and, somebody had said, you know, Did you know Scott had a boat? I said What boat? DISTASO: When you say a day or so after, is that a day or so after the 24th? GRANTSKI: Correct. DISTASO: Now, you, you told us about getting, getting these resources through, like, the Sund/Carrington Foundation, and they were able to bring in the press or at least publicize this? GRANTSKI: I believe that's how it happened. There was a lot of Laci's girlfriends that also helped, so they might have done that. DISTASO: Okay. And were you present during a press conference where, well, let's, let's even start, let me start a little bit earlier than that. Did, did you observe Scott Peterson at all, and did he make any statements, or did you see anything where he did not want to interact with the press? JUDGE: Well, that's a compound question. You asked him three things. DISTASO: Right. DISTASO: Did, did you see anything, like on the 25th or the 26th, where Scott Peterson did not want to interact with the press? GRANTSKI: I just, kept saying this isn't about, you know, Laci, I mean about me, it's about Laci. And, and so, no, he didn't want, you know, to talk to the press. DISTASO: Okay. Did he ever go out and make a statement like Hey, please help me find my wife, something like that? GRANTSKI: Not that I know of, but I'm not saying he didn't. I just don't remember. DISTASO: Okay. Were you present during a press conference that Scott Peterson walked out of? GRANTSKI: I'm sure I was because I was at most of them, but I can't remember. DISTASO: You don't remember? GRANTSKI: No. DISTASO: And what, were you present at all when a decision was made to, for someone other than Scott Peterson to kind of be the press liaison? GRANTSKI: Yes, yes, I was. DISTASO: Tell me about that. What was that meeting like? GRANTSKI: I believe that, this was right after we, we, at the Red Lion Inn, we had a command center set up at the Red Lion, and they wanted to call a family meeting, meaning both the Petersons and the Rocha family, and I guess Scott had decided that he wanted a spokesperson for, not all of us, GERAGOS: Objection. It's non-responsive. It's hearsay and calls for speculation. It isn't a direct statement. I don't know what we're talking about. JUDGE: Yeah. I think so. That's, DISTASO: What, JUDGE: He's testifying to Scott Peterson's state of mind, so DISTASO: Did the, JUDGE: Did the time come, Mr. Grantski, where someone was designated to be the official spokesperson for the family? GRANTSKI: Yes. JUDGE: When was that? GRANTSKI: That was when we got to the command center out at the Red Lion Inn. I can't remember exactly. I would say the 29th, maybe. JUDGE: Who made that decision? GRANTSKI: Well, at that particular time supposedly it was a vote. I didn't go for it, but... JUDGE: It was, the family voted? GRANTSKI: Yes. JUDGE: Okay. Who was designated to be the spokesperson? GRANTSKI: Sue. The sister. JUDGE: Sister. GRANTSKI: Yes. JUDGE: Go ahead. DISTASO: Did, did you ever hear of Scott Peterson, did you personally ever hear Scott Peterson saying anything about him not wanting to be the spokesperson? GRANTSKI: Yeah. DISTASO: And what did he say? GRANTSKI: He said This isn't about me, it will wind up being about me, it's about Laci. DISTASO: Nothing further at this time, your Honor.
Cross Examination by Mark Geragos GERAGOS: Good morning, Mr. Grantski. GRANTSKI: Good morning. GERAGOS: How are you? GRANTSKI: I'm pretty good. GERAGOS: Good. GRANTSKI: Considering. GERAGOS: The, yeah, I know. It's not the usual thing, is it? GRANTSKI: No, it isn't. GERAGOS: The relationship that you had with Scott, how, you've been, I guess it's been described as Sharon's companion, for lack of a better term? GRANTSKI: Yeah. GERAGOS: For about 26 years? GRANTSKI: Yeah. A little over. GERAGOS: When did you first meet Scott? GRANTSKI: That's a good question. Sharon and I went down there and I, you know, I really couldn't tell you. I'm not positive, so I don't want to guess, so GERAGOS: Okay. Is it a fair statement that Sharon had a lot more to do with Laci and Scott than you did? GRANTSKI: That's correct. GERAGOS: Okay. Is it also a fair statement that Laci was much closer to Sharon than she was to you? GRANTSKI: That's correct. GERAGOS: Okay. And even though you were around while she was being raised, she spent a lot of time with Dennis, GRANTSKI: No. No. GERAGOS: She did not spend, GRANTSKI: No, she spent more time with me in our house than she did out at the ranch. GERAGOS: Okay. Now, the, you had, Mr. Distaso had asked you some questions. You went fishing on Christmas, on December 24th, the same day? GRANTSKI: Correct. GERAGOS: Okay. And you went at what time? GRANTSKI: Probably about, like I said, somewhere around 12:00, 12:30 in the afternoon. GERAGOS: Almost exactly the time that Scott Peterson went fishing? GRANTSKI: Correct. GERAGOS: Okay. And, GRANTSKI: 90 miles closer, but, GERAGOS: It was closer to your work, but you were working that day, he wasn't, as far as you know, right? GRANTSKI: That's correct. GERAGOS: Okay. And he had a boat and you did not, correct? GRANTSKI: Correct. GERAGOS: Okay. And you went fishing, did you tell anybody in advance that you were going fishing? GRANTSKI: I can't remember. I don't know if I did. GERAGOS: Did you tell anybody at work that you were going fishing? GRANTSKI: No. GERAGOS: Okay. Did you tell anybody the night before, Hey, I'm going fishing tomorrow? GRANTSKI: No. GERAGOS: Did you call up anybody and say, well, did you call up Scott and say, Do you want to go fishing with me tomorrow? GRANTSKI: No, I got tired of doing that. GERAGOS: Okay. Well, he had gone fishing with you once, correct? GRANTSKI: Correct. GERAGOS: And you were aware that he had gone fishing as recently as Thanksgiving, a month before? GRANTSKI: I believe. GERAGOS: Okay. And you knew he had gone to Mammoth with his family and had gone fishing? GRANTSKI: Yes. GERAGOS: You knew that he had gone, actually, you knew that he had an interest in fishing before you did, isn't that correct? GRANTSKI: Well, I don't know what that means. What do you mean before I did? GERAGOS: When, when did you start fishing? GRANTSKI: Oh, I was probably 15. GERAGOS: Okay. And when did you start going on a regular basis? GRANTSKI: About ten years ago. GERAGOS: About ten years ago? GRANTSKI: Yeah. GERAGOS: And were you aware that Scott had fished virtually his entire life? GRANTSKI: No. I was aware that he had been fishing. I, you know, I didn't get into the, you know, time frame, so GERAGOS: Okay. How much time would you say, in the year 2002, how many times would you say you saw Scott? GRANTSKI: In 2002? Maybe 50. GERAGOS: Okay. How much, and how many of those times did just you and he do something together? GRANTSKI: Probably about ten or 15 times. I mean not, him and I together? GERAGOS: Just the two of you. GRANTSKI: Oh, no. Only once. GERAGOS: Only once. The fishing? GRANTSKI: Right. GERAGOS: Okay. The, is it a fair statement that as Laci got more pregnant, or as the pregnancy proceeded, that Scott made an effort to try and include you and Sharon more with them? GRANTSKI: Yes, he did. GERAGOS: Okay. GRANTSKI: Yes, he did. GERAGOS: And would that also involve having you and Sharon, as she progressively got more pregnant, or the due date approached, coming over on Sundays, for instance, for dinners? GRANTSKI: Yes. GERAGOS: Okay. And that he wanted to spend more time or have the families get closer together? GRANTSKI: About two weeks before Laci, GERAGOS: Disappeared? GRANTSKI: disappeared, I made a point of asking Sharon about that, you know, it's kind of strange, we're all starting to get together. She said that Scott, Laci said, Scott wanted us to spend more time together because of the baby. GERAGOS: Now, the, the trip that you said you took with Scott to go fishing, was that at Lake Almador? GRANTSKI: Yes. GERAGOS: And did you fish from a bank? GRANTSKI: Yes. GERAGOS: Okay. Now, I'm going to ask you, how much details, how many, what was your involvement with Laci and Scott? Did you have a lot of involvement in terms of knowing what the details of their life were? GRANTSKI: In, I don't know what that, in what areas? I don't know. GERAGOS: Let me ask you. Did you know what the purchase price for their home was? GRANTSKI: For some reason I remember hearing $182,000, and I thought, I said I thought that was high, so GERAGOS: Okay. I'm going to show you a report that Detective Grogan wrote on December 30th. I'm glad you brought the glasses. GRANTSKI: I haven't got my good ones. GERAGOS: I've got it yellow highlighted. GRANTSKI: Yes. GERAGOS: Okay. Does that refresh your recollection that when Detective Grogan interviewed you, you didn't know the price? GRANTSKI: Yes. GERAGOS: Okay. Now, the, is it fair to say that you also told Detective Grogan, this was on the, you had an interview with the police within five days, six days, sit-down interview, you and Sharon? GRANTSKI: Correct. GERAGOS: Okay. During that interview you said that even when Scott should have been mad at Laci, he wasn't? GRANTSKI: Yes, I did. GERAGOS: Is it a fair statement? Did you tell them that Scott provided Laci with anything she wanted? GRANTSKI: I don't remember saying that, but I could have. GERAGOS: I'll show you again. GRANTSKI: They seemed very, GERAGOS: Kept the glasses out. GRANTSKI: I'm not doubting you. I'm just saying I don't remember. Yeah. GERAGOS: Okay. And did you also indicate that when, that you said that when Laci wanted to be a stay-at-home mom, that Scott was supportive of that as well? GRANTSKI: I don't remember saying that, but here again, I could have said that. I mean, that was a long time ago. There was a lot going on in my life at that time, so GERAGOS: Did you say they didn't have any separations in their marriage and they spent 90 percent of their time together? GRANTSKI: That's correct. GERAGOS: Okay. Now, did you also say that neither you nor Sharon knew whether or not when Laci went out whether she locked the doors? GRANTSKI: I never got into that, that's true. I never did, she never would say that to me, so GERAGOS: All right. And did you say, make the statement that Laci is the most stubborn person you've ever known? GRANTSKI: She is, I've known her since she was two, and there's no doubt about it. But that doesn't make it, GERAGOS: I'm not, GRANTSKI: No, that's good. GERAGOS: it wasn't in a negative fashion. GRANTSKI: No, I, GERAGOS: Describing her as extremely determined, GRANTSKI: Exactly right. GERAGOS: headstrong, and that she would do what she had a mind to do? GRANTSKI: If she felt it was right, yes. GERAGOS: Okay. Now, did you also say that you didn't, were not familiar with Scott, that Scott was never real open with you? GRANTSKI: Correct. GERAGOS: Okay. And that his personality was such that he was not an overly emotional person. Isn't that a fair statement? GRANTSKI: From what I saw, that's correct. GERAGOS: And he was very much even keel, didn't get angry, didn't get mad? GRANTSKI: Yeah. GERAGOS: Basically didn't show a whole lot of emotion, that was just his personality? GRANTSKI: Yes. From what I saw, yes. GERAGOS: And that was what over the course of whatever, 50 times that you had seen him in the one year prior? GRANTSKI: Yeah. GERAGOS: Now, is it also, you had mentioned that, you talked about some of the things that you knew about Laci and Scott. Is it a fair statement that you told the police you didn't know what their spending habits were? GRANTSKI: Correct. GERAGOS: You didn't know if, Laci was pleased if an item she wanted was on sale, but she wouldn't necessarily wait for it to go on sale, is that something you described? GRANTSKI: Here again, Sharon and I were in the interview together at the same time, so it was pretty much directed at both of us, and I'm not, her and Laci spent most of the time, GERAGOS: Okay. GRANTSKI: together, so GERAGOS: Did you also describe, and I'm quoting from the report, tell me if this is accurate, that you had never seen Scott or Laci involved in an argument, raise their voices at each other, or complain about any problems with their relationship? GRANTSKI: That's correct. GERAGOS: And you described, you talked about that Laci had become more family oriented lately? GRANTSKI: Correct. GERAGOS: And that Scott seemed very happy to be visiting them when he came to the house, is that true? GRANTSKI: Yeah. GERAGOS: And that's what you told the police? GRANTSKI: Laci has always been family oriented, she's, GERAGOS: And the second statement that Scott seemed very happy to be visiting with them when they came to the house, GRANTSKI: Yeah. GERAGOS: that's also true? GRANTSKI: (Nods head.) GERAGOS: Okay. Now, you also described to the police that, that you had had this, that Scott had been standoffish to you since this comment that you made in the driveway? GRANTSKI: That was my impression, yes. GERAGOS: Okay. GRANTSKI: I didn't talk to him. GERAGOS: The comment was, if I've got it right, he's in the driveway, is he standing with a police officer? GRANTSKI: He came walking up as I was talking to the police, to where I was standing. GERAGOS: Okay. And you say, How was golfing? GRANTSKI: Yeah. GERAGOS: Okay. And he said, GRANTSKI: He said I didn't go golfing, I went fishing. GERAGOS: And you told him, you said that sounded like a fishy story? GRANTSKI: Yeah, I said What time did you go fishing? GERAGOS: And he said? GRANTSKI: 9:30. And I said That's when you come home. Kidding. That's not when you go fishing. GERAGOS: You didn't joke with him, say Wow, that's amazing, I was fishing today at that exact same time? GRANTSKI: No, I didn't have a chance. He turned around and walked away. GERAGOS: Okay. At that point he was, his pregnant wife was missing? GRANTSKI: Sure. GERAGOS: Everybody is in a high state of panic? GRANTSKI: Sure. GERAGOS: The police are there? GRANTSKI: I agree. GERAGOS: Okay. Is it, GRANTSKI: And I felt bad. GERAGOS: You felt bad, GRANTSKI: Yeah. GERAGOS: because, GRANTSKI: Sure. GERAGOS: you thought that he thought you were implying something, or you thought he thought that you were implying something, GRANTSKI: Right, and, REPORTER: Excuse me. Excuse me. I can't have the two of you, I'm not getting it. So if you go back to "you were implying something," he said "Right." JUDGE: Okay. Let the witness finish his answer. Mr. Grantski you said you felt bad. Finish your answer. GRANTSKI: Well, because that was the first time it hit me, it was in front of two police officers, I'm making an offhanded joke about fishing, so that was the reason. GERAGOS: As you sit here it's understandable that somebody might take offense at that, and that's what you realized at the time, right? GRANTSKI: Yes. DISTASO: Objection, your Honor. It's argumentative. JUDGE: Overruled. GERAGOS: I mean that's, GRANTSKI: That's correct. GERAGOS: what you realized at the time? Now, the, did you tell the police anytime within that first week Hey, it's not unusual, I was fishing that exact same time? GRANTSKI: I think I had, I did, yes. GERAGOS: Do you remember who you told? Was that in that same interview with Detective Grogan? GRANTSKI: I don't, I don't know who. GERAGOS: Okay. Now, the, you also described I think in, in the interview Scott is a very serious and focused person who was not real emotional and he seemed serious at times and not as outgoing as Laci. Is that a fair statement of your, GRANTSKI: Yes. GERAGOS: your impression? And the, they asked you all kinds of other questions: Did they enjoy violent movies, did they, you were asked if, if there was any, were you aware how many gifts Scott bought, things like that, for Christmas? Do you remember going through all those? GRANTSKI: Yes. GERAGOS: Okay. And you said you were unaware of them? GRANTSKI: Correct. GERAGOS: Okay. They also asked you in that interview if you knew whether Scott or Laci left shoes by the door, isn't that correct? GRANTSKI: Correct. GERAGOS: Okay. And you wouldn't, you didn't know that? GRANTSKI: No, I didn't know. GERAGOS: Okay. There, when you were down in the park at first, were you with Sharon? GRANTSKI: No. GERAGOS: Sharon went separately from you, as I understand it, she went with Sandy Rickard? GRANTSKI: Yes, she went, I waited at the house. The police told me they were going to be, for me to wait there, so I did. GERAGOS: Okay. And that, how long did it take before the police showed up? GRANTSKI: At my house? GERAGOS: Yes. GRANTSKI: They didn't. To my knowledge. I waited until sometime after 6:00 and I left and went to the park. GERAGOS: Okay. GRANTSKI: So I went to the house with my car and then went down to the park. GERAGOS: Okay. So you left your house, which as we've heard is four or five minutes away from the Covena house? GRANTSKI: Yeah, five minutes. GERAGOS: And your, is your house on this map behind you that's marked as People's 22? GRANTSKI: I don't know. GERAGOS: If this is Covena right here? GRANTSKI: It's over in this area somewhere. GERAGOS: Okay. The upper, the upper portion. The other side of the park? GRANTSKI: Yes. Yes. JUDGE: Can I ask you a question, I don't think this has been cleared up yet. Mr. Grantski, when you went to the park, are you able drive on the grounds of the park? Or do you have to park on the street and walk into the park? GRANTSKI: If you go to the main entrance they have a parking area for cars, but where I went was, JUDGE: So you went to a parking lot, parked there, and you walked into the park? GRANTSKI: No, I parked by Laci's house. JUDGE: Okay. And then you walked into park? GRANTSKI: And I went down there. JUDGE: If I wanted to go to the park, for example, there's a place where I can park my car, GRANTSKI: Yes. JUDGE: provided for in the park? GRANTSKI: Yes. JUDGE: And then I can walk anywhere I want to, right? GRANTSKI: Yes. GERAGOS: That would be, what the judge is referring to is this area, correct? GRANTSKI: Yes. GERAGOS: The parking area between where there's a circle that says "vigil" and a circle with kind of a T/C is the parking lot there, and your house is somewhere up in this area? GRANTSKI: Yeah. GERAGOS: On the top of the diagram? GRANTSKI: Let me stand up. I'm trying to find the bridge. There's a bridge that goes across to, JUDGE: If you know where the bridge is, Mr. Geragos, you can point it out to him. If you know where it is. GRANTSKI: I think it's farther up. I think it's right over here. I think it's over in there. JUDGE: Off the map. GRANTSKI: I think it's off the map. JUDGE: It's off the map. GERAGOS: Now, when you, when you arrived, you came, I assume, down here, over and parked on Covena? GRANTSKI: Correct. GERAGOS: Okay. What street is this you came down? GRANTSKI: Well, it changed its name. It's Oakdale and then it becomes El Vista. GERAGOS: You came down here, parked, and then you walked down. And where did you go in the park? GRANTSKI: Well, first I went this way and, you know, it was dark and cold, you know. GERAGOS: There was, it's very little lighting in this area? GRANTSKI: Yes, very little at all. GERAGOS: Blocking, I don't know if I'm blocking the jury. GRANTSKI: And then I walked around all the way back to the tennis courts. GERAGOS: Okay. Did you see Sharon at all? GRANTSKI: I can't remember. GERAGOS: Did you yell out her name or anything like that? GRANTSKI: No. GERAGOS: Were you, I assume you were yelling out for Laci's name? GRANTSKI: Yes. GERAGOS: Okay. Did you see Scott in the park? GRANTSKI: I don't remember. GERAGOS: Okay. Now, at some point there was a, I think you described to the prosecutor there was a meeting of some kind, or a press conference, and Scott said It's not about me, it's about finding Laci? GRANTSKI: Well, he said that a lot before that. It wasn't just that time. GERAGOS: Okay. I mean that was a constant theme, that he did not want this to become about him, that it was about finding Laci, isn't that correct? GRANTSKI: Yes. At that time, yes. GERAGOS: Okay. And then there were, you're aware that there were search warrants executed on the house on the, late on the 26th and through the 27th, correct? GRANTSKI: Yes. GERAGOS: And at that point the media had started kind of camping out at the house and pretty much blocked off that, the whole street of Covena, isn't that correct? GRANTSKI: Both of our houses, yes. GERAGOS: Yeah, I was going to get there. You had a media encampment at Covena, you had a media encampment in front of your house?, GRANTSKI: Yes. GERAGOS: the warehouse, and also the command center. And it was literally like nothing you'd ever seen in terms of the media presence? GRANTSKI: Yes. DISTASO: Objection, your Honor. Compound. A lot of different locations in there, I don't think, JUDGE: Well, I'll let the answer stand. Go ahead. GERAGOS: Now, at that point there were already people who were, or the focus was on Scott Peterson, isn't that correct? DISTASO: Objection, your Honor. Calls for speculation. GERAGOS: Well, I'm asking, I'll ask it a different way. GERAGOS: People were asking, JUDGE: I'm going to sustain the objection. Next question. GERAGOS: People were asking you questions about whether Scott was involved? DISTASO: Objection, your Honor. Relevance. It calls for hearsay. JUDGE: Overruled. GRANTSKI: I don't know if they were asking me, but, you know, that's a big town, a lot of people were out searching. I don't remember, you know, maybe friends. GERAGOS: When you did press in order to get out the search for Laci, people would ask you whether you thought Scott was involved, GRANTSKI: Yes. GERAGOS: isn't that correct? And you would say no? GRANTSKI: Yeah. Correct. GERAGOS: And you would repeatedly say no up until January, was it the 15th? When you were presented with pictures of Scott and Amber? GRANTSKI: No, I was, well, that's when I said it publicly, yes. GERAGOS: Okay. GRANTSKI: But that that, GERAGOS: But you never told the police anything else, GRANTSKI: No. GERAGOS: to the contrary before they showed you the pictures, right? GRANTSKI: Right. GERAGOS: Okay. Once they showed you the pictures of Amber, is it a fair statement that at that point the, the Rochas had turned on Scott, that that was, that was the end of Scott, GRANTSKI: Yeah. GERAGOS: being supportive of Scott? GRANTSKI: No, it wasn't, that was the final draw, let's put it that way. It wasn't, GERAGOS: Okay. And when that happened, you, the family made a decision to shut the volunteer center, isn't that correct? GRANTSKI: You know, I don't know exactly how that happened. GERAGOS: The volunteer shut, the police came on the 5th, I'm trying to get the dates right. GRANTSKI: Yeah. GERAGOS: I think it was the 15th. I think Sharon testified it was on the 15th. GRANTSKI: Yes, it was. GERAGOS: They come on the 15th. There's a decision to be made about the volunteer center, and it's shut down within a couple of days, correct? GRANTSKI: Yes. GERAGOS: Okay. Now, during that time, before the volunteer center is shut down, Scott is going to the volunteer center on almost a daily basis, is he not? GRANTSKI: Very early. Here again, I didn't see much of Scott, to be honest with you, hardly, most of the time. We did have a little stretch there when we got together as families and everything, but, GERAGOS: Well, his family was at the volunteer center quite a bit? GRANTSKI: All the time. Yes, they were. GERAGOS: And Scott would open up, as far as you know, the volunteer center on a daily basis? GRANTSKI: As far as I know either him, his parents. We had, also, other people that would open it, too. GERAGOS: Okay. And his family and Scott were actively there trying to promote the search for Laci, isn't that correct? GRANTSKI: Yes, they were. Yes. GERAGOS: Okay. And once the volunteer center is shut down, then the focus, at least at that point, became the police were trying to get, or provided recording equipment to Sharon to try to get incriminating statements out of Scott, isn't that correct? GRANTSKI: Yes, somewhere along in there. GERAGOS: Okay. The, the police also tell you that they had, on the 15th, that they had information about an insurance policy about, that Scott had taken out on Laci? GRANTSKI: I heard about it. I don't know if it was the police. I don't know where I heard about it. GERAGOS: You later found out, GRANTSKI: I think Sharon did. GERAGOS: you later found out that was false? GRANTSKI: I still don't know. GERAGOS: You still don't know? GRANTSKI: No, I don't know they have insurance. I don't know. GERAGOS: They gave you, they said, Look, he's got, he's got a girlfriend, we've got an insurance policy. Didn't they kind of lay out, GRANTSKI: No, they didn't. They didn't do that. GERAGOS: Huh? GRANTSKI: No, they didn't do that. GERAGOS: Do you remember who, the police officers who were there? JUDGE: When? GERAGOS: On the 15th. GRANTSKI: I believe it was Detective Buehler, and I can't remember the other. Short. GERAGOS: Was it Brocchini? GRANTSKI: I think it was Brocchini or Grogan. To be honest, I can't remember. GERAGOS: Okay. And when did they deliver the Radio Shack items to you, to the family, to start taping Scott? GRANTSKI: That's why I never won an argument with Sharon, she remembers dates and times a lot better than I do. I can't tell you. GERAGOS: Let me show you. It states 1-16 there and then they went to Radio Shack? GRANTSKI: Yes. Okay. GERAGOS: 10:30? GRANTSKI: Okay. GERAGOS: Does that refresh your recollection? GRANTSKI: Sure. Yes. GERAGOS: Okay. Does it refresh your recollection that the day after they showed you the pictures that they then provided you with some taping devices to tape Scott? GRANTSKI: Yes. JUDGE: And that was the 16th? GERAGOS: That was the 16th of January. GERAGOS: The phone message that you left for Laci on the 24th, do you know what, approximately what time that was? GRANTSKI: I think it was around 3:30, 4:00 o'clock, somewhere around there. GERAGOS: And when you got home from fishing, can you give me as precise a time as you can as to when that was? I think you, GRANTSKI: 3:00? Somewhere around that. 2:30, 3:00. GERAGOS: And Sharon was home? GRANTSKI: I can't remember. It might have been, you know, later. I have to admit I don't worry about times as much as everybody else, because, but that's just the way I am. GERAGOS: Okay. GRANTSKI: I should. I will from now on, but GERAGOS: Thank you. I have no further questions.
Re-direct Examination by Rick Distaso DISTASO: Mr. Grantski, we talked about fishing and things. What hobbies were you aware that Scott Peterson was involved with? What, what hobbies did he talk to you about? GRANTSKI: I know, you know... DISTASO: You know what? GRANTSKI: Golf was his main love, I believe, and he liked to go fishing, hunting. DISTASO: How many times did he talk to you about golf, or do you remember him mentioning golf? GRANTSKI: All the time. They used to go over to Carmel, and he brought me back a golf hat. I got a hat that says Golf Man on it. I'm not a golfer. DISTASO: How many times total do you think he talked to you about fishing? GRANTSKI: Well, I know we talked about it, but, because I like to fish, but "times," like, I don't know, eight, ten. Probably more. I don't know. DISTASO: And you said hunting? GRANTSKI: Yeah. DISTASO: What, Mr. Geragos asked you, he said that, at one point I think you told the police, or something, about he was a very serious and focused person, not real emotional? GRANTSKI: Right. I'd never seen him lose control. You know, he was always, always in control of himself and his emotions. DISTASO: At the times that you saw him? GRANTSKI: Right. DISTASO: So if he was, if, if he had called a woman named Shawn Sibley and was crying and hysterical, saying, on December 6th, that he lost his wife, that would have been behavior that you had not seen? GRANTSKI: I think it would be understandable, but I hadn't seen it, no. DISTASO: And did you see him do that type of behavior at any time after Laci went missing? GRANTSKI: What, do what? DISTASO: Crying, hysterical, Oh, God, I lost my wife, that kind of thing? GRANTSKI: Not hysterical, no. No, I saw him a couple times. GERAGOS: I'm sorry, I didn't hear the, GRANTSKI: I saw him a couple of times. JUDGE: A couple of times, and then that's where it ended. Go ahead. DISTASO: Now, when this, when this first happened on the 24th, you didn't think that Scott Peterson was involved in this? GRANTSKI: No. I thought Laci was out shopping or something. DISTASO: Okay. And Mr. Geragos asked you a question about, you know, you, or I think something to the effect of you didn't think that until you were shown the pictures of him with Amber, and your answer was Well, that was the final straw. But what was, what were the straws that were leading up to that final straw? GRANTSKI: Well, after that statement that I made in front of the police that, you know, I felt bad about it, but he wouldn't talk to me then. And I remember Brent and Sharon and I, we were, we were actually sleeping, I was sleeping in a chair in the living room and they were on the couch, and I might have mentioned to them, I said He won't talk to me, and Brent said to me, GERAGOS: Objection. Hearsay. JUDGE: Sustained. DISTASO: Okay. So he wouldn't talk to you. That was part of it. GRANTSKI: Right. DISTASO: Were there other things in his, in his demeanor, you know, in that weeks leading up to the 15th? GRANTSKI: I never saw much of time that, I mean, what do you mean, the 15th of January? DISTASO: Right. That was the day the police showed you the pictures of Amber. GRANTSKI: Right. DISTASO: You said that was the final straw? GRANTSKI: Yeah. DISTASO: So you said he wouldn't talk to you? GRANTSKI: Oh, he, here again, we had a press everywhere and people everywhere, and I believe we were hearing that he wanted to sell the car and, Laci's car, and, and the fact that he wouldn't talk to me, and, and that was just the final straw. The pictures. DISTASO: Nothing further, your Honor.
Re-Cross Examination by Mark Geragos GERAGOS: On January 16th, after you were shown the pictures and given the recording equipment, there was a phone call that was made that same day, right? GRANTSKI: Yes. GERAGOS: Okay. And in that phone call you said If you've got anything left in you, Scott, you better tell us where she is, do you remember saying that? GRANTSKI: Yep. GERAGOS: And he said I wish I knew, Ron, we all want her back. Isn't that what he told you? GRANTSKI: Yes. GERAGOS: And you said No, the police, the police are going to be seeing you before long, Scott, your world is crumbling? GRANTSKI: Yep. GERAGOS: And he said My world, DISTASO: Objection, your Honor. This is inadmissible hearsay, the defendant's statement. JUDGE: I don't think so. I think it goes to his state of mind. That's one of the big issues in this case. Overruled. GERAGOS: My world is done without Laci and my child, we all want her back, and I'm sorry you guys feel I had something to do with it, but the only important thing is getting her back. GRANTSKI: I don't remember him saying that. I'm not saying he didn't. I'm saying I don't remember him saying that. GERAGOS: Okay. Let me see if this refreshes your recollection. And this is 17784 of the Bates. GRANTSKI: It says Peterson said that. I don't remember him saying that. GERAGOS: Right. I'm asking you does that refresh your recollection, GRANTSKI: I'm saying no, it doesn't. GERAGOS: You don't remember him saying My world is done without Laci, GRANTSKI: I don't remember him saying that. GERAGOS: You don't remember him saying that we all want her back and I'm sorry you guys, GRANTSKI: I don't remember him saying that. I was mad, too, at that time. GERAGOS: Okay. Now, did you also say, in your response to Mr. Distaso's questions, that you'd never seen him hysterical, but you had seen him cry, you had seem him being emotional after Laci was missing, isn't that right? GRANTSKI: Yes, I had. GERAGOS: On more than one occasion? GRANTSKI: Yes. GERAGOS: He was extremely emotional, especially for him, because you had never seen him emotional at all before that? GRANTSKI: That's true. GERAGOS: I'm sorry, I should have asked this before I came back up again. The prosecutor asked you about all these lakes that are around there, and the fishing. And I'm not a fisherman so I, I certainly don't know the lakes there. Is one of the reasons that you go to some of these lakes is that they're relatively private and you say you can look at nature and clear your head? GRANTSKI: Yeah. GERAGOS: Okay. And some of these places, as you indicated to the jury, you don't want people to know about because, GRANTSKI: No. GERAGOS: Right, I mean half jokingly, GRANTSKI: Half jokingly, right. GERAGOS: But there's some truth in that, isn't there? GRANTSKI: To my particular spots that I fish. GERAGOS: Okay. And these places are all closer to Modesto? GRANTSKI: A lot closer. GERAGOS: And they're all fairly private and fairly out of the way? GRANTSKI: Yeah. People in the area know where they are, I mean, from the area. GERAGOS: Wouldn't it, if you wanted to dump a body, wouldn't it be easier to dump it in a spot that was fairly private and out of the way as opposed to driving 90 miles where it's a busy marina and boats and people living all over the place? DISTASO: Objection. It's argumentative. JUDGE: Sustained. GERAGOS: You heard Sharon's testimony yesterday that she was unaware that Laci wanted to have the city close off the trail access at Covena Avenue. DISTASO: Objection, your Honor. That misstates the testimony. JUDGE: I think it was the street. Not trail. The testimony from, GERAGOS: She was unaware of the Covena access. She was aware of closing off Encina, that's what her testimony was? DISTASO: Right. It's assuming a fact not in evidence. GERAGOS: I'm asking, JUDGE: Hold on, everybody. Hold on. My understanding of her testimony yesterday was that Laci Peterson was an activist with respect to extending Encina Avenue, but not, had nothing to do with the folks in the park. That was her testimony. GERAGOS: That's what Sharon said, that she was unaware of anything to do with the trail, and that trail comes off of Covena, isn't that correct? GRANTSKI: Right. GERAGOS: Okay. Have you ever seen this e-mail, a Modesto PD e-mail talking about closing off the trail at Covena that Mrs. Peterson wanted to because of the transient problem there? GRANTSKI: No. GERAGOS: Did you see this e-mail? GRANTSKI: There's not a transient problem. I don't know where you are getting that from, but the mayor's council people go to that park. It's a nice park. GERAGOS: Are you telling me you've never seen these e-mails? GRANTSKI: I, I might be telling you that. I can't read it. I need my other glasses. No, I don't think I do remember seeing that. GERAGOS: Okay. I'll, I should mark these for reference. JUDGE: Yes. These are, GERAGOS: Defense next in order, which I believe, JUDGE: You want them G-1 and -2? GERAGOS: Yes. JUDGE: G-1 and -2, and they're e-mails. GERAGOS: I'll put G-2 is from Bob Ford to Duane Frederick, and then the G-, JUDGE: 1. GERAGOS: -1 is from Bob Ford to Ron Cloward. JUDGE: Okay. GERAGOS: I have no further questions. Thank you, Mr. Grantski. JUDGE: Any other questions, Mr. Distaso. DISTASO: I don't have anything. |