'People' Reports new details in Peterson Case: Court upholds decision to keep preliminary hearing open

'People' Reports New Details In Peterson Case
Court Upholds Decision To Keep Preliminary Hearing Open

POSTED: 5:20 p.m. PDT August 28, 2003
UPDATED: 5:30 p.m. PDT August 28, 2003

MODESTO, Calif. -- The latest edition of People magazine reports that experts think Laci Peterson's son, Conner, may have been killed at a different time than Laci.

Appearing on NBC's "Today" show Thursday morning, People's assistant managing editor said she doesn't think the tape found around Connor's body was ocean debris.

"Our look at the photographs show that the tape was 1 1/2 times around, there was a knot, and it was across the chest," Elizabeth Gleick said.

According to experts interviewed by People, the condition of Connor's body suggests he may not have been in the water as long as his mother, and other physical evidence suggests he may have been killed separately.

People also reports that a break-in across the street from the Peterson's Modesto home may have happened at the time of Laci's disappearance, and not days later as police contend.

The issue hits newsstands Friday.

In the meantime, a state appeals court has upheld an earlier decision to keep Scott Peterosn's preliminary hearing open to the public.

In a one-sentence denial issued Wednesday, the 5th District Court of Appeal rejected the defense lawyers' argument that keeping the Sept. 9 hearing open would taint the jury pool, because prosecutors will lay out their case.