For day Seven: Tuesday, August 4th, 2009

Prosecution Witnesses:

#16 Jeff Leslie (LA. Co. Sheriff, Co-lead Detective on the case; testimony incomplete)
#17 Linda Peterson (was Ms. Marer’s roommate in 1995; testimony complete)
#18 Leena Patel (a teacher at Lauren’s school who knew Lauren and Sarah; testimony complete)
#19 Leigh Ann Ormes (babysitter and family friend for Lauren from infancy until preschool and after; testimony complete)

When I arrive on the 9th floor, Patty Brown, the defendant’s wife is getting a suit for her husband cleared through security. She has to fill out paperwork to get the suit to him. Inside 107, Ted is here sitting in the first row on the far left. I hear Hum come up to Sarah and tell her there will be a close up of Lauren on the overhead screen.

JP: Let’s resume, if Detective Leslie could retake the stand.

There’s a bit of a bustle in the well. I note that Ms. Veretsian is wearing her hair up on top of her head today. I like that better on her than when she wears it down. It looks more professional. The jurors enter at 9:03 am. It’s now that I realize Alternate #1 rides the Red Line train. I’ve seen him on the platform. I will be extra vigilant now to ensure I’m no where near him if we happen to take the same train.

Court resumes with Detective Leslie. I see Patty sitting beside Ted. Patty takes out a notepad as she starts to take notes.

Leslie continues with what the defendant told them about his visitation schedule with Lauren.

JL: He had visitation with her for about a year and currently no unsupervised. (It was) one day or two days a week, alternating. One week on overnight. One week 12:30 pm to 7 pm.

CH: Did you ask the defendant if Wednesday, November 8th was a day off?

There’s another question that I miss.

JL: The defendant said his original intention was to, in fact, take her home where Ms. Patty Brown was expecting them. [...] (On the) ride to Abalone Cove, she had stopped crying at that point. [...] He told us she was far too energetic and that he had trouble keeping up.

He was trying to keep up with her and that he was trying to keep up (I miss the rest of the sentence.)

CH: Did he ever indicate that she had trouble keeping up?

JL: No.

There are now questions about when Brown came to the area to retrieve Lauren’s body.

JL: He said he returned her (to the beach?) [...] swam back adjacent to the inlet, placed her on the rocks and tried CPR for one minute.

He took his boxer shorts off and flung them to the rocks.

CH: We saw photos of the defendant in a t-shirt and the back with a big stain.

JL: That was a t-shirt (he was wearing).

Hum asks Leslie about the 911 call we listened to on the previous Friday.

CH: That was the tape where he said he couldn’t stop crying?

JL: Yes.

Hum goes over what the defendant said he did at the picnic table area.

JL: He said it was Inspiration Point that Lauren had fallen from. [...] He told us it was ten to fifteen minutes on the top with about five minutes (of the time) seated.

CH: Did he describe the area?

JL: He described it as within a “U” shaped area.

The defendant also claimed he ran on … [...] (He) talked about the route he took to get the cell phone.

CH: How long did he say (it took him to get to the beach area)?

JL: He said it took him from five to ten minutes. [...] And the time he found Lauren face down in the water….

CH: What did the defendant claim he did (then)?

JL: He returned the cell phone from the individual he borrowed it from and that he ran as fast as he could; he went over the top (of Inspiration Point) down to the east side, down to the beach area and the water.

CH: Have you seen all the areas? [...] Was the defendant wearing the same clothing (during this)?

JL: White t-shirt and shorts and that he put his flannel shirt on at some point.

More questions about this trip over Inspiration Point to reach his daughter.

JL: I asked him if he had tripped or fallen. There were no abrasions or scratches.

(I believe this is question Hum asks.) Truly for him to have been running as fast as he indicated….. there were not stains or dirt or scuff marks on his clothing?

I believe it’s Detective Leslie who is stating that he himself used to compete in off-trail running and mid course terrain. Hum then has another question, where I just get the answer.

JL: I asked if he was falling. He said he was running as hard as he could but watching his (steps?) [...] I asked him if he screamed when he noticed that she went over. [...] He said no.

Leslie testifies that he and his partner, Smith both commented on this. They thought this was incredible; they would have screamed. After they confront the defendant on this the defendant replies, “I think I may have called her name.”

CH: Did he ever tell you that he tried to simply yell down to the people on the beach.

JL: No, he did not.

PH: Objection to the word “simply.”

JP: Sustained objection to the word “simply.”

Harris asks to approach the bench. He’s making a motion argument. While the attorneys are at side bar, I note that Juror #12 looks around and takes note. Juror #11 takes notes.

JP: Objection overruled!

CH: Did the defendant tell you there was anything preventing him to yell down to call 911?

JL: No.

CH: Did the defendant ever tell you it was too noisy or too windy to yell down to Sacred Cove?

JL: No.

There is another question about (I think) the safety of Inspiration Point.

CH: Did the defendant ever tell you …..

JL: (He said) “The whole place is dangerous. It’s nice and steep and the cliffs…”

CH: Did he ever indicate that he was unaware that the place was unsafe?

JL: No.

CH: Did he ever indicate that he was unaware that the place was dangerous?

JL: No.

CH: Any other explanation?

JL: No, that was it.

CH: Did he …. (missed getting the full question).

JL: He said, “No, he did not believe anyone else was out there.”

People’s #29, two photos and placed up on the bulletin board. The photos show the west side of Inspiration Point and the trail (that) goes down to the nude beach area.

CH: Towards the end of the interview, did you ask him about a camera?

JL: (It) came to our attention that he defendant took photos of his daughter during the day. It was a Ralph’s brand 24-27 shot, disposable camera.

CH: When you got the film back?

JL: There were initially photos blurry or blank. Seven photos depicted the defendant with his father posing by the Suburban with surfboards. Photos of the defendant and his father outside the parents’ residence. There were three photos of Lauren and the remainder of the film was unexposed pictures.

The people put up the three photos of Lauren on the bulletin board and move the board to in front of the jury. Patty gets up from her seat. Ted gets up from his seat. They go towards the far right of the courtroom, third row. Judge Pastor also leaves the bench to get up and see the pictures shown to the jury. The three photos shown to the jury are enlargements from the disposable camera.

The first photo that’s gone over is photo B. This picture is of Lauren in the parking lot at Abalone Cove just east of the toll booth. Photo A is right at the end of the trail where it meets with the nursery school paved road. Photo C is in the nursery school itself and Lauren is on the playground equipment. It’s noted that every one of these photos is taken on an area that is flat, level ground.

To read the rest of the in depth coverage by Sprocket visit the URL below and be sure to read the full coverage while you are there.

http://sprocket-trials.blogspot.com/2009/08/cameron-brown-retrial-day-seven.html.

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August 10, 2009
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Tags: Cameron J. Brown, High Profile Trials, Jeff Leslie L.A. County Sheriff, Judge Michael Pastor, L. A. Deputy D. A. Craig Hum, L. A. Superior Court Judge Micahel Paster, Lauren Sarene Ken, Leena Patel - Teacher of Lauren Sarene Key, Leigh Ann Orries babysitter for Lauren Sarene Key, Linda Peterson Witness of Prosecutors - Cameron Brown retrial, Pat Harris Eq., Patty Brown, Patty Brown - Cameron Brown's wife, Retrial Cameron J. Brown, Sarah Key-Marer, Sprocket, Trial coverage By Sprocket, Trials and Tribulation True Crime