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When it came to trial, however, they never got a shot at Peterson – though many on the prosecution side took hits from the defense. Geragos and the Peterson family repeatedly lambasted Modesto Police Detective Al Brocchini, who was accused of "shoddy police work." Although Brocchini feels vindicated by Peterson's conviction, he admits that it was a difficult time.
"Sure it got to me," admits Brocchini. "I was worried about other witnesses on other cases who would think I'm dirty or think I lie.
"When this case started, my son was in the Marines," adds Brocchini. "He got off the plane in Oregon and called me. He said, 'Dad, across the tickertape (on CNN), there is, 'Detective Brocchini: Bad Cop?'" Brocchini sighs deeply and looks down. "I said, 'It's going to be all right, Daniel.' And, by the time this case ended, he was a police officer with us."
Brocchini says what made it the hardest was not being able to respond to the media coverage. "We had to be quiet and just take it."
THE VERDICT
All the prosecutors maintain they never doubted they would win. "We were buoyant really," says Prosecutor Birgit Fladager about waiting for the verdict.
"I never worried that we weren't going to get a not guilty," admits Distaso. "Like everybody else, I worried about a hung jury."
"After the verdict came in and we went into chambers with the judge, Geragos, of course was not there, but (defense lawyer) Pat Harris shook our hands and was very gracious," remembers Fladager.
"He told us we did a very good job," adds Distaso, who believes, "We were never as bad as (the media) said we were in the beginning, and we were probably never as good as they said we were in the end."
For more on the Peterson prosecutors and detectives, pick up the latest issue of PEOPLE, on newsstands now.
