Autopsy reports show few similarities between Laci Peterson and Evelyn Hernandez
Mark Fenster
Hernandez
By JOHN COTÉ
BEE STAFF WRITER
Published: July 11, 2003, 07:53:00 AM PDT
The newly released autopsy report for a pregnant woman whose body was
found in the San Francisco Bay has few similarities to autopsy
information leaked in the Laci Peterson case, an expert said Thursday.
Attorneys for Scott Peterson, who is accused of murdering his wife and
their unborn son, Conner, had sought the San Francisco police file on
Evelyn Hernandez, citing similarities between the deaths.
Stanislaus County Superior Court Judge Al Girolami denied that request
Wednesday, saying it was "highly speculative" that the file had
information relevant to the Peterson case.
San Francisco investigators maintain that the cases are not connected.
Hernandez's autopsy report is a public document. Laci Peterson's
autopsy report has been ordered sealed, but elements have leaked out.
Both Peterson and Hernandez were about eight months pregnant when they
disappeared. Partial remains from Hernandez's body were found last
July in San Francisco Bay. Peterson's partial remains and the body of
her unborn son were found in April along the bay's eastern shoreline.
But that is where the similarities end, said Dr. Michael Baden, a New
York forensic pathologist who worked on O.J. Simpson's defense team
and helped Chandra Levy's family after the Modesto woman's remains
were found in Washington, D.C.
"There's no evidence of disarticulation in the Hernandez case," Baden
said, referring to amputation or separation at a joint.
Hernandez's remains -- the lower part of her torso and her legs --
were found floating in the water about 16 feet from the sea wall along
the San Francisco waterfront, according to the autopsy report.
In the Peterson case, the torso was recovered with extremities
missing, sources said.
"There was intentional removal from the parts of her body, Laci's body
-- the extremities and head -- by a human," Baden said.
Dismemberment theory disagreement
But Dr. Richard T. Mason, forensic pathologist for the Santa Cruz
County coroner's office, disagreed.
"I really don't think there's been any dismemberment (in the Peterson
case)," he said, adding that the loss of limbs could have come from
decomposition.
Hernandez's autopsy report indicated that there was "no evidence of
sharp or blunt force injuries noted."
In both cases, the cause of death is listed as undetermined.
Bee staff writer John Coté can be reached at 578-2394 or
jc...@modbee.com.
Robert St. James (el corazon del demonio)
"Mark Fenster"
Baden again. Either he's talking out his butt or he's seen the entire
report because he comes up with details nobody else has. The empty
bag of cement found near Connor's remains, for example. And now this
claim of disarticulation by human agency. It'll be interesting to see
what the actual autopsy report has to say. So far, Baden appears to be
on the prosecution's side. I wonder if they leaked the whole report
(w/pictures) to him?
RstJ
Frosty
>
>On 12 Jul 2003 18:31:30 -0700, Fenster_2...@hotmail.com (Mark
>Fenster) tapped out:
>
>>In both cases, the cause of death is listed as undetermined.
>
>(in any murder trial, not just this one) to prove murder if the cause
>of death can not be determined?
Not very. What did she do, hitchhike to the bay and throw herself in it?
Frosty
barbd...@techie.com
crime to harm the fetus of a pregnant woman, spurred in part by
outrage over the slaying of Californian Laci Peterson and her unborn
son, Conner.
What's the point, if the murderers and cover up artists are not brought to justice?