Distaso's scorn showed his ignorance

Distaso, in his rebuttal closing argument, scorned the notion that Deanna Renfro only got $20 for a very expensive Croton watch.  

But first he made a total fool of himself with this statement:  "They brought in this pawn slip from Deanna Renfro, where supposedly she, does say brand Croton? I'm looking for a second. Wait a minute. It's not even a Croton watch. The brand name is, Croton on this pawn slip."  

Yes, Mr. Distaso, it was indeed a Croton watch.  Croton is given for the brand and Croton is given for the make -- how many times does it have to say Croton for it to be a Croton watch?

Then he said: "The reserve is 750 bucks. Look at it.  It's a nice gold diamond watch.  Now, I know you don't get a lot of money when you pawn things, but you get better than twenty bucks on 750."  

Pawnshops typically pay about 10% of the resale value of an item.  $20 would be 10% of $200.00.  Was that reasonable for a $750 watch?  Yes, because $750 is the assessed value of the watch, but resale value is something entirely different -- that depends entirely on market demands.  Scott and Laci offered this item twice on Ebay, during the Christmas shopping season, and the highest bid was $100.00.  Scott and Laci chose not to sell the watch for the current resale value of $100.  To make the anticipated profit on the item, The Pawn Shop would have to sell it at $200, more than twice the highest Ebay bid.  

As for the scratches on the watch -- that's evidence that Laci struggled with her abductors. 

It's been a long time and much has happened

Yes, indeed, much has happened.  In April, after many weeks of discomfort and suffering, I was diagnosed with congestive heart failure.  I will not relate all the details but I was told that I had but about 6 more months to live, and those 6 months would be filled with increasing pain and decreasing mobility.  My heart was pumping at about 25%.  On May 1, I had open heart surgery to replace the faulty aorta valve and to do some repair to my ascending aorta.  My recovery has been miraculous, much faster and much more complete than expected.  I have indeed been given a new lease on life, for which I am very grateful.

The same cannot be said for our dear friend, Jackie Peterson.  Her years-long battle came to an end on October 2nd.  Thankfully, the family enjoyed some measure of privacy before an uncaring and hateful person leaked it to an uncaring and hateful media.  As a person with faith in God and knowing there is an afterlife and Jackie is enjoying a sweet rest from her troubles, I have absolute confidence that she will do what she can on the other side of the veil to help correct her son's wrongful conviction.  I know her reunion with Laci and Conner was truly joyous.  And with her parents, and other loved ones.

And there is a new kid on the block -- someone that you've not likely seen before posting the questions that plague him about this case.  He's not certain Scott is innocent, but he is very uncomfortable with the case against him.  You can find George Barwood at https://www.facebook.com/groups/ScottPetersonOpen/.  I have not signed up because you've all heard what I have to say, and if I have anything more to add, I will say it here.  But do check him out and join in the discussion.