Transcription of Freda Black’s and Jim Hardin’s Closing
Arguments
[Showing photos of discovery of blow poke one by one]
[Fade in …] An inch worm, got that photographed. Oh here’s something that looks like
a spider egg. This is something here that’s supposed to make you think that the blow
poke’s been there since December, 2001, I guess.
Here’s a cob web. That’s significant. Here’s a little goo or something.
Well, ladies and gentlemen, we really don’t know what this is. We have been given
no information about who found it, when it was found, why it was there.
[Writer’s note- Todd Peterson discovered it in the corner of the garage, perhaps
mistaken for a curtain rod over time. Defense Attorney wanted to put Todd on the
stand, but Michael Peterson insisted, NO, as Todd had previous marijuana and DUI
charges pending and “he would be destroyed on the stand.”]
[Freda handling blow poke in front of jury, Facial expression and tone of voice with
disgust]
“I argue to you that Defense exhibit 280A is just a piece of nothin’. Nothing! We
have never told you that we are absolutely certain that it was the blow poke that
killed Mrs. Peterson. We do believe that if it wasn’t the blow poke given to them by
Candice, it was something similar. And you’ve heard testimony why we believe that.
But they talk about us doing something last minute when they dare to pull that piece
of evidence out in front of you two days before they rested? DOES THAT MAKE
COMMON SENSE TO YOU?”
[Pointing at Michael Peterson and said with force]
“And we need to keep in mind we are not dealing with the average individual over
here. We’re dealing with a fictional writer. Some people even say he’s a good fictional
writer. He is a person who knows how to create a fictional plot.”
[Freda smirking, walking to podium, referring to her notes, using effective pauses]
“And then there was Brad… Do you really believe (Paus) that Kathleen knew (Pause)
that Mr. Peterson was bi-sexual? (With emphasis)
[Freda using body language, grimacing and leaning into the jury]
