American Murder: Laci Peterson

Laci Peterson, an eight-month pregnant woman, was reported missing by her husband, Scott, and later found deceased alongside her fetus. This case became one of the most notorious murder cases in America, sparking a media frenzy and intense public interest. Nearly every American media network has produced a documentary on this case, the latest being Netflix's three-episode miniseries on it.

The series is excellently crafted, showcasing the entire case through genuine audio clips and video footage. It features interviews with individuals intimately connected to the case, including family members and friends of both Laci and Scott, lawyers, detectives, reporters, and jurors, as well as dated news segments and original documents.

This documentary adopts a unique approach by revealing the case's verdict at the start, then delving into the backstory and the events that led to it. I found that to be quite intriguing.

Despite its strengths, this documentary, like many others, attempts to shamelessly exploit people's emotions by focusing the camera on their faces for too long in hopes of capturing their distress and tears. Additionally, there were instances where the documentary seemed to show bias, which was something I did not appreciate.

Overall, this is an informative documentary and a MUST-WATCH for true crime buffs.

Netflix restrained itself from padding this documentary to excruciating lengths as it normally does with such crime docs.

It was very well done, I remember the case from years ago and everyone suspected the husband then and it took far too long for the prosecution to get their ducks in a row.

Even though the outcome was known the pacing was terrific and the slow dawning of truth in Laci's family is heartbreaking in light of their supporting her husband initially.

Even though it's an old case now the devastation of the loss was deeply felt by this viewer, a testament to the skills of the doc makers in piecing it all together.

Peterson still won't admit his guilt.

8/10.

Laci Peterson disappears, husband Scott contacts The Police to report it. Laci's family are keen to support Scott, who's behaviour seems curious to say the least, until details of an affair come to light.

I've seen a few documentaries about this story, some decent, some not so, this is the best one so far. I was worried that it would be overlong, Netflix does have a habit of padding out documentaries, here though they get the balance just right.

I think it's a very balanced examination of the case, they give both sides of the argument, we hear from the loved ones of both Laci and Scott, we also hear from the legal teams on both sides, you're given enough information to form your own opinion.

Scott's interviews, worth checking out, he genuinely looks blank, somehow dead behind the eyes, it seems almost impossible to believe a word he says, I just didn't get why he didn't show any signs of being upset.

I was impressed by the strength of Laci's family, it must have been such a harrowing effort to speak about poor Laci.

8/10.

I watched the documentary and as I am studying social psychology, I was thinking about the extreme denial of the husband's family and realising that accepting the fact that he was capable of murdering his wife but most of all their innocent unborn grandson/nephew/half-brother was something they would never allow for because they probably feel that this means they failed themselves. Failed as parents (which is not always true because psychopaths can often come from loving families) or failed themselves because they don't want to think they didn't see through his lies and his act - even though this kind of people can get everyone fooled.

It's actually not new, I know a son whose father set fire to his mother and all his 6 children, including the son who managed to be saved by fire fighters as the only one. Nobody caught the father with the lighter in his hand but absolutely every part of his life and this day was a clear proof and the jury also didn't have any doubt. And yet, the son that the father tried to kill has been fighting the whole world for years to defend his father, still standing by the side of a toxic, narcissistic psychopath that wanted to kill him and it's so sad and unbelievable to watch.

As for this case, I can see that it gets as far as the family members actually posting comments here pretending to be different people knowing that the husband is innocent and I mean, it could look believable that a couple of the comments might be about that but it's just so disturbing to see that they are trying to convince everyone that half the people familiar with the case are thinking that the husband is innocent. That shows how much they are trying to convince themselves this is what others will think once they read what they have to say. But if you do some basic research, you will see that there have never been and still aren't any people (apart from the family) who are sure everything is just a lie and the husband was wrongly accused. Also, some of the comments are straight up lies, e.g. The famous Innocence Project fighting his case. The real Innocence Project does NOT believe the husband is innocent and it's easy to check online.

Anyway, I found it difficult to listen to the almost unbelievable level of denial shown by the family, so the comments here made it even more difficult and me feeling less sympathetic towards the family. I'm so sorry Laci had to meet him. And maybe you do need to look at yourself, family, some narcissists are actually brought up to be this way and will not get better with encouragement.

It seems that audiences today are quick to harshly criticize Netflix's true crime offerings, often overlooking the quality in their rush to judgment. Yes, Netflix is a business, and making money is part of the game-no surprises there. But let's not lose sight of the craftsmanship involved. This documentary was not only well-made but also genuinely engaging, drawing viewers in with its meticulous storytelling and a narrative that unfolds clearly and effectively. The pacing keeps you on edge without feeling rushed, ensuring that every chilling detail of this gruesome yet utterly captivating story sinks in. Despite not knowing anything about the case beforehand, I found the documentary strikingly balanced, presenting the facts in a way that felt objective and unvarnished. This is a gripping watch that delivers both on intrigue and substance, far exceeding what one might expect from a typical true crime production. Don't let the naysayers sway you-this is a compelling addition to the genre.