# TV and Scott Peterson **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [December 12, 2004, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-and-scott-peterson/279449 "2004-12-12T14:08:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2004, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-and-scott-peterson/279449/41 "2004-12-14T01:53:00Z")
On the Pelosi case, which has been tabloid fodder in NY for some time (all the principles were gorgeous and outspoken): "Capping an eight-week trial that made headlines with tales of adultery and family betrayal, a Long Island man was convicted Monday in the savage beating death of his lover’s estranged husband as he slept in his $10 million East Hampton mansion. The jury of nine women and three men deliberated about 23 hours over three days before finding Daniel Pelosi guilty of murdering investment banker Theodore Ammon. The defense had argued that Ammon’s estranged wife, Generosa, was a more likely suspect. Pelosi and Generosa Ammon were having an affair at the time of Ammon’s slaying. The 52-year-old victim was struck more than 30 times in the head with a blunt object and suffered numerous broken ribs. The predominantly circumstantial case against Pelosi included the testimony of three people who claimed he confessed the slaying to them – including a girlfriend who slept with the blue-collar Lothario at the same time he was involved with Generosa Ammon. A fourth witness, a former co-worker, testified that Pelosi had told him a year earlier about his plans to get Ammon’s money by romancing his wife and then killing him. “I’ll bash his brains in while he’s sleeping,” Pelosi allegedly said. Generosa Ammon died of cancer last year." ---
**Author:** ![The\_Long\_Road](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b5a626/32.png) [@The\_Long\_Road](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Long_Road)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2004, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-and-scott-peterson/279449/42 "2004-12-14T01:55:27Z")
> [@The Long Road](#): > > Who said the jury convicted him based on his demeanor? Obviously the prosectution had to have some sort of case beyond, “Look at Scott, he’s not said, give him the death penalty”. Oh dear god, multiple mistakes. Might as well correct a few. Who said the jury convicted him based on his demeanor? Obviously the prosecution had to have some sort of case beyond, “Look at Scott, he’s not sad, give him the death penalty”. One day I’m really going to start paying attention to details. ---
**Author:** ![MLS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/919ad9/32.png) [@MLS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MLS)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2004, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-and-scott-peterson/279449/43 "2004-12-14T02:19:32Z")
> [@danceswithcats](#): > > Will justice be served? Perhaps when I’m rocking on the front porch of the old dopers home. 15 and and half fucking appeals will now be launched, while the taxpayers pay for his three hots and a cot, his benefits, and the rest of the shit he doesn’t deserve. > > Having been found guilty by a jury of your peers, your ass is taken out back, and you are hanged by the neck until dead. I don’t understand why we stopped doing things in such a simple and expeditious manner. > > Give me that for reality TV, anyday. OTOH, the long string of appeals is supposed to help prevent the innocent from being executed, as I’m sure you appreciate. AND, it’s kind of poetic justice, in a way. Peterson wanted to live a live unencumbered with a wife and child, and to have sex with new and different people. Being the young, sweet-cheeked thing that he is, what do you think his chances of fulfilling that dream in prison are, which is where he’ll be for the next 15 - 20 years, with some other murderers? ---
**Author:** ![alterego](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/6bbea6/32.png) [@alterego](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alterego)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2004, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-and-scott-peterson/279449/44 "2004-12-14T03:31:31Z")
> [@The Long Road](#): > > Who said the jury convicted him based on his demeanor? Obviously the prosectution had to have some sort of case beyond, “Look at Scott, he’s not said, give him the death penalty”. The Jury did. Read the news. ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2004, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-and-scott-peterson/279449/45 "2004-12-14T03:36:37Z")
> [@Punoqllads](#): > > Waitaminit, which “he” got squat? She didn’t divorce Pelosi, they weren’t married. Or do you mean that _she_ got squat? From CNN: > [@](#): > > The defense suggested Generosa Ammon might have been the killer. She married Pelosi three months after her husband’s death and died last year of cancer. ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2004, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-and-scott-peterson/279449/46 "2004-12-14T03:37:44Z")
> [@alterego](#): > > The Jury did. Read the news. I read that (his attitude) as more to do with giving him the death penalty than with his conviction. ---
**Author:** ![Bruce\_Daddy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/85f322/32.png) [@Bruce\_Daddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bruce_Daddy)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2004, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-and-scott-peterson/279449/47 "2004-12-14T03:39:32Z")
> [@Lightnin'](#): > > Today at lunch, the local restaurant had the TV blaring about the Scott Peterson trial. > > Luckily, I had my phone with me. It’s one of those smart phones, and it’s got an IR port. A while back I downloaded a universal remote control program for just this sort of situation. I pulled out my phone, looked up the remote codes for that TV model, and turned the damn thing off. > > Nobody noticed. Kinda says something, don’t ya think? Please tell me you have Samsung VGA1000 and that you will link or email an article or advertisment of this wonderful technology you have. Please. ---
**Author:** ![MXR90](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c0e974/32.png) [@MXR90](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MXR90)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2004, 4:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-and-scott-peterson/279449/48 "2004-12-14T04:34:27Z")
Television took particular interest in this case for two main reasons, one, it is a lot more interesting than a woman murdering her husband and whether or no he should be charged for the murder of that child which would affect abortion laws. ---
**Author:** ![Stuffy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f17d59/32.png) [@Stuffy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stuffy)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2004, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-and-scott-peterson/279449/49 "2004-12-14T04:53:15Z")
> [@GaWd](#): > > P.S.- Stuffy, I work in family law mostly and thankfully most trials are no-jury trials in which we don’t rely on people to judge the fate of children in a bad marriage colored by dis- and mis- information, mud-slinging, trash-talking, outright lying and emotion. Yeah I know, and I’m really not picking on you. It’s just that, working from home, I spend all day watching the various talking head programs (including Courtv thanks to Mrs. Stuffy), so if I missed any details of his hearings I’d be very surprised. Funny thing is if this had been some kind of family law thing, I’d be the one sulking and yelling “Fix” as California Family Court is totally fucking biased. ---
**Author:** ![Harborwolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@Harborwolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harborwolf)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2004, 12:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-and-scott-peterson/279449/50 "2004-12-14T12:17:46Z")
> [@The Long Road](#): > > Who said the jury convicted him based on his demeanor? Obviously the prosecution had to have some sort of case beyond, “Look at Scott, he’s not sad, give him the death penalty”. As far as I’m concerned, the prosecutions case was shyte. Most of it was circumstantial. The only thing that they really proved was that he lied and that he was an asshole. I’m not saying that I think he’s innocent. I think he did it simply due to a lack of other options. I just don’t think the prosecution did a good job on it. But if the jury thought he was guilty, then a death penalty was the next logical step. Has the media hit the point where they start reporting on the media’s obsession with the Scott Peterson trial? That’s always my favorite part of the process. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e19adc/32.png) [@Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2004, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-and-scott-peterson/279449/51 "2004-12-14T13:50:39Z")
No, we’ve scheduled that for sometime in March, after the official verdict comes down on Feb. 25th, during a lull in the Michael Jackson child molestation trial :rolleyes: To justify my initial point, look at the difference in coverage between Pelosi and Peterson. There’s tragedy, pathos, and good looking people in both cases. One involves a millionaire, and the accused marrying the widow of the deceased! But only one happened during that critical “nothing going on” period during the Christmas holidays. I fucking hate the people I work with at times. ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2004, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-and-scott-peterson/279449/52 "2004-12-14T14:02:26Z")
I have yet to hear one person in conversation around the water cooler or anywhere else make the slightest reference to the Scott Peterson trial. Yet the damned thing is on 24x7 on both Fox and CNN (Some blogger or other opined that Gretta Van Sustren will have to retire now that it is over). Presumably, the networks think that the coverage will get good ratings, but who the hell is actually watching? ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2004, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-and-scott-peterson/279449/53 "2004-12-14T14:11:17Z")
Feh, Scott Peterson will die of old age before they execute him anyway. I’ll bet the Crazed Killer-Stalking Gals are lined up to marry him already! The Menendii have each been married and divorced, what, three times each by now? ---
**Author:** ![Moirai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/96bed5/32.png) [@Moirai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moirai)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2004, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-and-scott-peterson/279449/54 "2004-12-14T14:29:01Z")
> [@Harborwolf](#): > > As far as I’m concerned, the prosecutions case was shyte. Most of it was circumstantial. The word “circumstantial” is often misused by people to mean “not good evidence” which is not true. Circumstantial evidence is anything besides eyewitness testimony, including things like plaster casts of tire tracks, hair and fiber evidence, etc. Circumstantial evidence is actually the strongest kind, much more reliable than eyewitness testimony. Using shite to describe this case may be accurate, but a blanket denigration of circumstantial evidence is not. ---
**Author:** ![Moirai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/96bed5/32.png) [@Moirai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moirai)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2004, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-and-scott-peterson/279449/55 "2004-12-14T14:30:45Z")
> [@Eve](#): > > I’ll bet the Crazed Killer-Stalking Gals are lined up to marry him already! The Menendii have each been married and divorced, what, three times each by now? Yes, he has been corresponding with a woman who is also the former pen pal of another convicted murderer. I think she has a book deal. And I have to say that “Menendii” is hysterical! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Harborwolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@Harborwolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harborwolf)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2004, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-and-scott-peterson/279449/56 "2004-12-14T15:01:01Z")
> [@EJsGirl](#): > > The word “circumstantial” is often misused by people to mean “not good evidence” which is not true. Circumstantial evidence is anything besides eyewitness testimony, including things like plaster casts of tire tracks, hair and fiber evidence, etc. Circumstantial evidence is actually the strongest kind, much more reliable than eyewitness testimony. > > Using shite to describe this case may be accurate, but a blanket denigration of circumstantial evidence is not. In that case I apologize to any circumstantial evidence I may have offended with my remarks. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2004, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-and-scott-peterson/279449/57 "2004-12-14T15:24:40Z")
> [@danceswithcats](#): > > Having been found guilty by a jury of your peers, your ass is taken out back, and you are hanged by the neck until dead. I don’t understand why we stopped doing things in such a simple and expeditious manner. Might it possibly be because over 100 death row inmates have subsequently been found to be innocent? ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2004, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-and-scott-peterson/279449/58 "2004-12-14T15:30:15Z")
> [@Liberal](#): > > It made the news because it has so many sensational elements: a beautiful woman, a handsome man, a baby, **a homewrecker** , a picture-perfect marriage marred by unthinkable disaster. It’s the kind of stuff classic American drama is made of. [slight hijack] I’ve always been intrigued by the term “homewrecker.” First of all, it always seems to imply that the third party is somehow more to blame for the situation than the married person who is stepping out, which i’ve never understood. In this case, it was Scott Peterson who was the homewrecker, IMO, both in the general sense and, as it turns out, in a literal sense. Also, it’s interesting that i’ve never heard the term “homewrecker” applied to a man who sleeps with a married woman. The term seems to be reserved exclusively for women. Wonder why that is? Anyway, carry on. [/hijack] ---
**Author:** ![GaWd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/f08c70/32.png) [@GaWd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GaWd)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2004, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-and-scott-peterson/279449/59 "2004-12-14T16:25:13Z")
> [@mhendo](#): > > Might it possibly be because over 100 death row inmates have subsequently been found to be innocent? Just as a side note, Cats has changed his opinion and thinks _one_ appeal and _no_ motions should be allowed. Then you can be taken outside and exterminated. Sam [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-and-scott-peterson/279449.md?page=2)