Scott Peterson trial: County's ready, says Rich Gordon Scott Peterson trial: County's ready, says Rich Gordon (January 28, 2004)

The infamous Scott Peterson murder trial and the news media circus on its way to Redwood City will make normal access to the county government center a little more arduous, acknowledges San Mateo County Supervisor Rich Gordon.

"The key thing for us is obviously heightened security and a lot more people around," he told the Almanac last week. "We're prepared to handle it." The goal, he said, is a fair trial.

"There is some cost to the county," he said, adding that the county probably will not recover all of its expenses. "We are supposed to be reimbursed by the state and Stanislaus County."

He recalled the Billionaire Boys Club trial in 1992 when the county was not reimbursed for some Sheriff's Office security expenses.

But it's one of the county's responsibilities, he said. "We've had (our) trials go elsewhere. We'll do our best to make sure we do things right." -- David Boyce

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