Top Story: Scott Peterson
SEPTEMBER, 2004
Does Scott Peterson Have Alcoholism?
His behaviors suggest alcoholism, and the disease would explain his behaviors.
Verifying early-stage alcoholism is often a daunting task. Hardly anyone, including journalists, understands that alcoholism is the most important tool available in explaining and predicting monstrous behaviors. Even if suspected, confirmations of alcoholism may be ignored because of the stigma or fear of being sued for defamation. Yet, by assuming alcoholism, we give the benefit of the doubt: the person under scrutiny is either fundamentally rotten, or an alcoholic. Surely “alcoholism” would be preferred.
Many of Scott Peterson’s behaviors are indicative of alcohol and other drug addiction. He not only committed adultery, which is far more common among alcoholics than non-alcoholics, but also did so when his wife, Laci, was pregnant and continued an affair after she “disappeared.” He lied in a pathological style and even when unnecessary. Lying is far more common among alcoholics than others because, like adultery, it’s an effective way by which to wield power. He allegedly changed his identity and used a fake driver’s license, both of which are possibly felonious behaviors far more common among alcoholics. He owned four cell phones and, reportedly, called his mistress, Amber Frey, dozens of times per day up to their last conversation on February 19.
Overall, police intercepted 4,000 calls on his cell phones in just a matter of months. In my book, How to Spot Hidden Alcoholics, I tell the story of a person in whom a nasty case of ‘telephonitis’ at a roadside restaurant was the best indication I had that he could be under the influence. With the help of my “heads-up” report to 911, he was stopped a few hours later for running a red light and arrested for DUI. Excessively calling people is another way by which the addict attempts to control others (“you answer the phone when I want you to do so”).
Within three weeks of Laci’s disappearance Scott ordered the Playboy channel (which she, apparently, would have objected to) and hardcore triple-X rated porn. His reported use of Viagra, which at age 31 is generally unnecessary for basic sexual performance, as well as turning conversations to sex at every opportunity, increases the odds of sexually compulsive behavior. Of the sexually compulsive, 50% are alcohol or other-drug addicts.
Peterson displayed inappropriate emotional responses in hyperbolic fashion, which also suggests alcoholism. Athough not the type to show emotion, he cried like a baby when confronted by Frey about his marriage. Yet, he could be extraordinarily callous. Posing as a heartsick bachelor, he told Frey that he had “lost” his wife – before Laci disappeared. He turned his unborn son’s nursery into a storage room sometime during the first seven weeks after Laci’s disappearance, while telling Diane Sawyer on national television, “I can’t go [into the nursery]. That door is closed until there’s someone to put in there.” Less than a month after the disappearance, he spoke with a real estate agent about selling his home, furnished. At the same time, he was capable of extraordinary charm in seducing his quarry: he had champagne and strawberries brought to his hotel room on his first date with Frey, whom he seduced that night.
In experimenting with the question, “If alcoholism causes misbehaviors, what are the odds of finding the disease when such behaviors are observed?” I have found alcoholism about 80% of the time when there was a similar confluence of misbehaviors. (See Thorburn Substance Addiction Recognition Indicator – link at end of article) Unfortunately, since hardly anyone grasps its relevance to understanding behaviors (no other motive for murder would be necessary), there’s little public information on Scott’s drinking habits. Therefore, it’s impossible to confirm or disconfirm alcoholism from this vantage point.
Alcoholism is often hidden in various ways, even from close family members. Some drink heavily only late at night, after the family is in bed. Others drink in front of everyone and still go undiagnosed. Since we’re not trained to count drinks and calculate the approximate Blood Alcohol Level (BAL), no one has a clue that a friend, co-worker or family member would register a BAL of .18 per cent while appearing stone cold sober. Early-to-middle-stage alcoholics such as Henri Paul, Princess Diana’s driver, do not appear inebriated at this level, or even at levels up to .24 per cent. Alcoholism, however, will manifest in misbehaviors at far lower BALs and long before addiction becomes obvious.
Even biographers often fail to mention heavy use, or are unconcerned with it. Yet, we cannot comprehend the motivations of the subject without being made aware of his or her alcoholism. Many well-known alcoholics have gone unidentified as such in biographies, including actress Bette Davis, con-artist Charles Ponzi and 1950s Senator Joseph McCarthy. In all of these, alcoholism explains the need to wield power capriciously, which each did in his or her own way.
Alcoholism is also relevant because we can predict that we cannot know how destructive the behaviors may become, or when. Brynn Hartman, described as a “wonderful mother who was devoted to her children,” relapsed and murdered her husband, the great comedian Phil Hartman, before committing suicide and orphaning their two children. Ted Bundy, John Wayne Gacy and Jeffrey Dahmer poured on the charm to entice young people into their deadly lairs. These and most other serial murderers, who by definition planned their crimes, were alcoholics.
There are unconfirmed reports that Scott Peterson drank excessively and always made alcohol available, organizing events around it. When he went to dinner at a friend’s the night after Laci disappeared, the first thing he is reported to have said was that he would bring the wine. That’s not something a non-alcoholic would normally think of the day after a spouse has disappeared. Trial testimony suggests that his romance with Frey was “fueled” by sex and drinking. If alcohol was the center of his activities, we can surmise that it may have been the center of his universe. If true, this is virtual confirmation of early-stage alcoholism.
If a jury determines that he committed murder, appropriate consequences are deserved – and needed – regardless of motivation. However, a message of far greater value is that such tragedies can be prevented. If Scott Peterson is an alcoholic, we can predict that there were dozens and maybe even hundreds of incidents for which close persons or the law could have intervened, but didn’t. These ultimate tragedies would be far less likely to occur if we identify alcoholism and intervene early in the course of the disease.