Not much Peterson scoop in Allred's book

Modesto's most famous murder leads off celebrity lawyer Gloria Allred's new quasi-memoir, "Fight Back and Win."

Allred's amazing legal career provides her with rich stories about George W. Bush, O.J. Simpson, Michael Jackson, Hooters Restaurants and "Melrose Place." But Allred skipped over them — and many more — to choose the tale of Amber Frey and Scott Peterson to open her 285-page book.

Those looking for more insight on the riveting case, however, won't find much satisfaction in that single chapter of "Fight Back," released this week. Allred, who has built a star-studded career fiercely defending her clients, doesn't kiss and tell. Not the juicy stuff, anyway.

And some of the things she does say are hard to swallow.

Frey was dating Peterson when his pregnant wife, Laci, disappeared just before Christmas 2002. Allred represented Frey when she testified at Peterson's doublemurder trial.

The March issue of "Glamour" magazine features a brief item hawking the new book, written by "groundbreaking feminist attorney and TV commentator Gloria Allred." A photo shows Allred pointing to a copy of The Bee.

Though Allred says she "came to feel like (Frey's) honorary mom," her account reveals little that Frey didn't already bare in her own best-selling book.

Allred expects people to believe that:

It never occurred to Frey to write a book before her former lover was sentenced to death Dec. 13, 2004. That's also the date Frey was released from a judge's gag order prohibiting witnesses and others from talking about the case.

Allred negotiated a book deal for Frey, Frey wrote "Witness for the Prosecution" and it hit bookshelves in less than three weeks.

Puh-leeze.

Here's the truth: Allred is a very smart, protective, media-savvy advocate who knows that Frey wasn't supposed to discuss the trial until it was over.

Allred also knows how to squeeze maximum profit from every situation. She negotiated a book deal for Peterson's half-sister, Anne Bird, as well as this one for herself.

Allred doesn't mention, however, that she tried to broker yet another book by Peterson's jurors. Some of them have said that deal fell apart when Allred, representing one group of jurors, clashed with a lawyer hired by others.

Allred's book, subtitled "My Thirty-Year Fight Against Injustice — and How You Can Win Your Own Battles," seems confused over whether it wants to be a self-help book or an autobiography.

Each of Allred's stories — many are quite compelling — closes with an "empowerment lesson" apparently meant to boost the reader.

So, what can we learn from Frey's story?

"If you have information relevant to a criminal case, contact law enforcement," Allred writes. "Do not accept money for an interview before you testify."

Bee staff writer Garth Stapley can be reached at 578-2390 or gstapley@modbee.com.

This story was originally published February 9, 2006 at 7:25 AM with the headline "Not much Peterson scoop in Allred's book."