Brittney Peterson

Witness for the Defendant:  Penalty Phase

December 8, 2004

Direct Examination by Mark Geragos

GERAGOS: Good morning, Brittney.

PETERSON: Good morning.

GERAGOS: You are the oldest of the nieces and nephews on the Peterson side; is that right?

PETERSON: Un-hun.

GERAGOS: And Scott is your uncle?

PETERSON: Yes.

GERAGOS: Okay. Who is your mom and dad?

PETERSON: Joe and Janey Peterson.

GERAGOS: Okay. And --

JUDGE: We can hardly hear you. Can you move a little closer? The jury needs to hear you.

GERAGOS: You wanted -- obviously you have known your uncle your entire life.

PETERSON: Un-hun.

GERAGOS: You gave me a picture of the two of you together. That is you at a slightly younger age?

PETERSON: Yeah, I think I was three or four.

JUDGE: That's marked?

GERAGOS: D9P-1.

JUDGE: D9P-1.

GERAGOS: Brittney, you wanted to testify here today, didn't you?

PETERSON: Yes.

GERAGOS: We didn't ask you to. You volunteered? I don't know that when they turn the lights off you can really see. Probably better with the lights on.

JUDGE: Just one second. There is a little gap here. D9O-1 2 3 and So this would be P-1?

GERAGOS: D9P-1.

JUDGE: I just didn't want to get confused here.

GERAGOS: Brittney, you wanted to testify; is that right?

PETERSON: Uh-huh.

GERAGOS: Is there a particular reason why you wanted to?

PETERSON: I just -- well, my mom and dad have been talking about it for a while. And I just felt like I needed to help, because the situation is just -- it's extremely tragic. And I can't stand back and watch my innocent uncle go through this. I want to help.

GERAGOS: He's meant a lot to you over the years; is that right?

PETERSON: Yes.

GERAGOS: I take it he was the uncle that was closest to you in age?

PETERSON: Yes.

GERAGOS: Taught you to drive?

PETERSON: Yeah.

GERAGOS: Would take you places?

PETERSON: Yeah. Me and my cousin Danika went driving. One time Scott let me drive in the parking lot. And he was going to let me drive home, but didn't realize how bad of a driver I was, and he didn't want to get us killed. So he wouldn't let me drive.

GERAGOS: Over the years would you say that you became extremely close to him?

PETERSON: Yes.

GERAGOS: Since he's been arrested and been in custody, has that relationship evolved even more?

PETERSON: Yes. Through a lot of letters.

GERAGOS: Those letters that you get back and forth, what do they mean to you?

PETERSON: I just get so excited when I get them, and I just go in my room and I read them and sometimes I read them over again. And they just contain so many things that mean so much to me.

GERAGOS: Scott Peterson that you know, your uncle, you call him Uncle Scott, I take it?

PETERSON: Un-hun.

GERAGOS: Specifically you know why we're here today.

PETERSON: Yes.

GERAGOS: And I assume from the bottom of your heart you want nothing more than for him to live; is that right?

PETERSON: Yes.

GERAGOS: I take it that if he were to be put to death, that would have a horrible effect on you?

PETERSON: (Witness nods head)

GERAGOS: Your letters that you get, and that you write back and forth, you consider those private, don't you?

PETERSON: Yes.

GERAGOS: They mean something to you?

PETERSON: Uh-huh.

GERAGOS: What do they mean?

PETERSON: I just feel so loved and important when he writes, because I write stupid things about high school boys, and stupid things that nobody cares about. But when he writes back, he actually cares about it. How I love those letters. I just love them. They help met out. Without those letters I don't have him to -- I don't have him without those letters. That's the only way that I get to correspond with him.

GERAGOS: Thank you. I have no further questions.