>>> WELCOME BACK, EVERYONE.
LAURI PETERSON WAS ONE OF THE
ORIGINAL STARS OF THE REAL
HOUSEWIVES OF ORANGE COUNTY.
NOW HER LIFE'S FOCUS IS ON HER
SON.
HE'S IN JAIL AWAITING TRIAL FOR
ATTEMPTED MURDER.
LAURI IS WRESTLING WITH HOW FAR
ONE TAKES A MOTHER'S LOVE.
WATCH.
SHE WAS KNOWN AS THE RAGS TO
RICHES HOUSEWIFE.
>> WE WANT TO DO BALI,
SINGAPORE.
>> Reporter: SHE WENT FROM DOWN
AND OUT DIVORCED WIFE --
>> I'M LIVING THE OC LIFESTYLE
AGAIN.
I FEEL LIKE ROYALTY.
>> Reporter: BUT BEHIND THE
GATES, SHE WAS DEALING WITH
DEVASTATING FAMILY DRAMA.
HER TEENAGE SON WAS STRUGGLING
WITH DRUG ADDICTION AND FACING
TROUBLE WITH THE LAW.
>> JOSH IS GOING THAT WAY WHEN
WE WANT HIM TO GO THIS WAY, AND
KNOWING THAT THAT WAY IS
DANGEROUS AND A PATH THAT'S
REALLY DESTRUCTIVE, IF I HAD TO
ASK JOSH TO LEAVE MY HOUSE.
>> Reporter: IN 2008 SHE DECIDED
TO FOCUS ON HER FAMILY AND LEAVE
THE SHOW.
BUT JOSH'S PROBLEMS CONTINUED.
OVER THE LAST TEN YEARS HE'S
BATTLED ADDICTION, MULTIPLE
ARRESTS AND DRUG CHARGES.
IN 2016 HE WAS ARRESTED AND
CHARGED WITH THREE COUNTS OF
ATTEMPTED MURDER AFTER A
SHOOTING IN CALIFORNIA.
JOSH IS CURRENTLY AWAITING TRIAL
AND IF CONVICTED HE COULD FACE A
LIFE SENTENCE.
ALL ALONG JOSH HAS MAINTAINED
HIS INNOCENCE AND LAURI IS ON A
MISSION TO SET HIM FREE.
>> PLEASE HELP ME WELCOME LAURI
PETERSON.
GOOD MORNING TO YOU.
IT'S ONE THING TO SEE IT SPELLED
OUT LIKE THAT IN A TAPED PIECE.
IT'S QUITE ANOTHER TO SEE YOUR
SON SLIPPING AWAY LITTLE BY
LITTLE BY LITTLE THANKS TO DRUGS
AND ADDICTION.
>> RIGHT.
>> DO YOU REMEMBER THE FIRST
SIGN OF TROUBLE?
THERE WILL BE A LOT OF MOMS
WONDERING WHAT WERE THE FIRST
SIGNS?
>> I THINK THE FIRST SIGNS WERE
WHEN WE WERE GOING THROUGH OUR
DIVORCE, AND I FELT THAT THE
HAPPY JOSH, THE KID THAT WAS
ALWAYS THE CENTER OF ATTENTION,
I FELT LIKE HE WAS WITHDRAWING
AND GETTING QUIETER AND KIND OF
PULLING AWAY.
>> HOW OLD WAS HE THEN?
>> I WOULD SAY 14, 15, AND HE
STARTED SMOKING MARIJUANA.
AND I JUST FEEL THAT THAT WAS
JUST THE PATH DOWN A SPIRAL.
>> WHEN YOU FIRST FOUND OUT HE
WAS USING HEROIN, WHAT WAS YOUR
REACTION?
>> IT'S BEEN DEVASTATING.
IT'S TRAGIC.
THIS DOESN'T HAPPEN IN FAMILIES
LIKE OURS, THAT I THOUGHT.
NOW I'VE EDUCATED MYSELF ON
ADDICTION WHICH IS SOMETHING
THAT I NEVER THOUGHT I WOULD
HAVE TO DO, BUT IT'S NO
BOUNDARIES TO IT.
IT'S HEART BREAKING.
AND I'M COMPLETELY POWERLESS TO
DO ANYTHING FOR HIM.
>> SO IT ESCALATES, AND HE
STARTS GOING IN AND OUT OF THE
COURT SYSTEM SOME 30 TIMES.
THAT WAS THE CASE WHEN YOU WENT
ON THE CAST OF REAL HOUSEWIVES.
WHAT WAS YOUR THINKING THERE?
I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE WOULD
HAVE BEEN LIKE I DON'T NEED THAT
ADDED LEVEL OF SCRUTINY OF MY
FAMILY.
>> I WAS AN ORIGINAL.
I WAS JUST GOING THROUGH A
DIVORCE, AND JOSH'S ISSUES, I
DIDN'T UNDERSTAND WHERE THEY
WERE GOING AT THAT POINT.
I DIDN'T -- I WAS TOLD MY
PSYCHOLOGISTS THAT THIS IS JUST
SOMETHING THAT BOYS GO THROUGH
WITH A DIVORCE AND IT WAS PRETTY
NORMAL.
I DIDN'T REALIZE HIS ADDICTION
WAS AS GREAT AS IT WAS UNTIL
AFTER THE SHOW, AFTER I
RESIGNED.
IT JUST -- I THINK DOING A
REALITY SHOW YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO
BE TRANSPARENT, AND YOU DO GOOD,
AND YOU FILM THE BAD AS WELL.
YOU HAVE TO SHOW IT ALL TO BE
EFFECTIVE.
UNFORTUNATELY BECAUSE THE BAD
WAS WITH JOSH, THAT'S WHY I DID
STEP AWAY.
I FELT LIKE HE WAS AT THAT
POINT, HE JUST TURNED 18.
I MEAN, I DIDN'T WANT HIS FUTURE
TO BE PUT OUT THERE AND
DISSECTED BY THE PUBLIC.
I WAS TRYING TO PROTECT HIM A
LITTLE BIT FROM THE MEDIA.
>> DO YOU REGRET DOING THAT?
DO YOU REGRET BEING ON THE SHOW?
>> I DON'T REGRET DOING THE SHOW
AT ALL IN.
IT WAS FUN.
OUR FAMILY ENJOYED IT.
AT THE BEGINNING IT WAS JUST A
SIMPLE DOCU SHOW.
AS THE SHOW PROGRESSED AND IT
GOT MORE ABOUT FIGHTING, I FELT
LIKE THAT WAS OUT OF MY COMFORT
ZONE, AND THEN WITH JOSH'S
ISSUES ON TOP OF THAT, IT WAS
JUST TIME FOR ME TO LEAVE.
I REALLY WANTED TO STEP BACK AND
FOCUS ON THE FAMILY.
>> SO HE GETS ARRESTED.
WE'LL GET INTO THE ALLEGED CRIME
IN A MINUTE.
BUT CHARGED WITH ATTEMPTED
MURDER, THREE COUNTS OF
ATTEMPTED MURDER.
YOU HAD DONE A LOT TO TRY TO
HELP HIM PRIOR TO THAT POINT.
BUT THEY SET BAIL AT $1 MILLION,
AND THAT'S WHERE YOU SAID I'M
NOT DOING THAT.
I REFUSE TO HELP WITH THAT.
WHY?
>> MY COMMITMENT TO JOSH IS I
WILL BACK YOU FINANCIALLY FOR
ANYTHING YOU NEED FOR
REHABILITATION, BUT WE ALL KNOW
ADDICTS, THERE'S A CRIMINAL
ELEMENT, JUST PURCHASING DRUGS
AND POSSESSING DRUGS.
IT'S A CRIMINAL ACT.
SO WITH THAT, OF COURSE, HE'S
BEEN ARRESTED MANY TIMES.
AND I TOLD HIM I WON'T HELP WITH
THAT, BUT IF HE'S READY TO GET
CLEAN, I WILL PUT WHATEVER FUNDS
INTO THAT.
AND THAT'S MY COMMITMENT.
AND I STRUGGLE WITH THAT.
AND IN THIS SITUATION
ESPECIALLY, I LOOKED AT THAT,
AND HE WAS REALLY SPIRALING AT A
REALLY LOW POINT, AND I FELT
LIKE ACTUALLY BEING INCARCERATED
MIGHT HELP HIM GET SOBERED UP.
>> HOW LONG HAS HE BEEN BEHIND
BARS?
>> TWO YEARS.
BUT HE'S CLEAN, BUT ONLY FOR A
YEAR.
>> BECAUSE THEY CAN FIND DRUGS
IN JAIL?
>> ABSOLUTELY.
>> IT'S UNBELIEVABLE.
YOU THINK THERE WOULD BE SOME
PLACE, THAT'S THE ONE COMFORT
FOR AN ADDICT'S FAMILY WHEN THEY
GO TO JAIL, AND YET, IT'S FALSE.
>> IT IS VERY FALSE.
BECAUSE JOSH FOUND STRENGTH AND
RESILIENCE AND HE WAS ABLE TO
WITHOUT ANY HELP, WITH THE JAIL.
HE HASN'T BEEN GIVEN ANY
REHABI
REHABILITATION, BUT STRENGTH
FROM HIMSELF, HE'S INVESTED
HIMSELF INTO THAT CASE AND
ST
>>> WELCOME BACK.
WE'RE HERE TODAY WITH LAURI
PETERSON ONE OF THE ORIGINAL
STARS OF REAL HOUSEWIVES OF
ORANGE COUNTY.
HER SON JOSH IS ACCUSED OF
ATTEMPTED MURDER.
SHE SAYS HE'S INNOCENT.
SHE'S HERE WITH JOSH'S LAWYER.
WHAT HAPPENED WAS HE WAS GOING
TO THIS SORT OF THEY CALL IT A
FLOP HOUSE WHERE THE DRUGS ARE
SOLD ONE NIGHT.
AND THERE WAS AN ALTERCATION.
AND HE IS ACCUSED OF HAVING
RETURNED HOURS LATER, 1:00 IN
THE MORNING AND OPENING FIRE ON
RESIDENTS OF THAT HOUSE.
>> RIGHT.
>> HE WAS THERE IN A WHITE BMW.
ANOTHER GUY WAS THERE IN A
WHITE -- IN A BLUE CAR.
GOLDSTEIN.
AND THERE'S A QUESTION ABOUT WHO
FIRED THE SHOTS.
THERE'S NO QUESTION SHOTS WERE
FIRED AND ONE MAN WAS HIT BUT
LIVED.
THE QUESTION IS DID THE SHOTS
COME FROM THE BLUE CAR WHICH WAS
DRIVEN BY GOLDSTEIN OR THE WHITE
CAR DRIVEN BY JOSH.
RIGHTING?
>> RIGHT.
>> OKAY.
>> I SHOULD START WITH THIS.
THE D.A.'S OFFICE WANTED US TO
KNOW FIRST AND FOREMOST THERE IS
EVIDENCE.
WE HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO PRESENT
YET BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T BEEN IN
FRONT OF JURY.
WE HAVE TO BE RESPECTFUL TO THE
PROCESS SO WE CAN'T HAVE NBC
COME IN TO LOOK AT EVERYTHING.
IT MAKES SENSE.
THIS MAY GO TO TRIAL WITHIN A
COUPLE OF MONTHS.
LET ME ASK YOU AS THE LAWYER,
WHAT'S YOUR BEST PIECE OF
EVIDENCE THAT JOSH DID NOT DO
THIS?
>> THE GUY THAT WAS SHOT, DANNY
LOPEZ, SAID I AM 100% SURE THAT
THE SHOTS CAME FROM THE BLUE
CAR, AND HE WAS INTERVIEWED FOUR
DIFFERENT OCCASIONS, AND EVERY
SINGLE TIME SAID IT WAS THE BLUE
CAR, AND THE POLICE EVEN TRIED
TO GET HIM TO SAY COULDN'T IT
HAVE BEEN THE WHITE CAR?
ARE YOU SURE?
COULDN'T IT HAVE BEEN THAT CAR?
NO.
IT WAS DEFINITELY THE BLUE CAR.
>> NOW, HE HAS SINCE RECANTED
THAT STATEMENT, AND NOW SAYS NO,
IT WAS THE WHITE CAR.
HE FILED A CIVIL LAWSUIT NAMING
JOSH AS HIS SHOOTER AND THEN THE
PROSECUTION POINTS OUT THERE ARE
TWO OTHER WITNESSES WHO SAY IT
WAS DEFINITELY JOSH WARING IN
THE WHITE CAR.
>> THE TWO WITNESSES WE BELIEVE
WERE NOT EVEN IN A PLACE WHERE
THEY COULD SEE WHERE THE SHOTS
WERE FIRED.
THE FIRST WITNESS WHO SAYS IT
WAS THE WHITE CAR WAS A GUY WHO
HAD COME EARLIER AND STARTED THE
FIGHT WITH JOSH, THE COUPLE
HOURS EARLIER, PUNCHED THE BMW
HE WAS IN AND THREW SOME GIRL'S
CELL PHONE IN THE STREET.
HE AND JOSH HAVE NOT GOTTEN
ALONG AT ALL.
>> BUT IS IT TRUE THAT THERE'S A
HOSPITAL INTERVIEW TRANSCRIPT
SHOWING THE VICTIM IDENTIFYING
HIS SHOOTER AS HAVING BEEN IN
THE BMW WHICH WAS JOSH'S CAR?
>> NO.
NO.
IN THE HOSPITAL DANNY LOPEZ SAYS
IT WAS DEFINITELY THE WHITE CAR.
>> NEVER WAIVERED.
>> AND HE'S NOT EVEN ON THE D.A.
WITNESS LIST.
>> THE VICTIM?
>> THE VICTIM.
>> ONE OF THE PROBLEMS FOR THE
P
PROSECUTION AND MAYBE FOR YOU IS
THE PEOPLE INVOLVED ARE ADDICTS.
AND AS WE ALL KNOW, ADDICTS LIE
AND THEY CERTAINLY LIE WHEN THE
POLICE ARE INVOLVED AND HAVE
DRUGS ON THEM AND THEY HAVE
DIFFERENT LOYALTIES AND MAYBE
THEY HAVE A CHARGE THEY'RE
TRYING TO GET REDUCED.
HOW DO YOU ACCOUNT FOR THAT?
>> GUNSHOT RESIDUE.
MY SON WAS TESTED IMMEDIATELY,
AND THEY TESTED HIS HANDS, HIS
CLOTHES, HIS HAIR, AND VIDEO
SURVEILLANCE SHOWED HIM IN THE
SAME CLOTHING HE WAS IN PRIOR TO
THE SHOOTING WHEN THEY PICKED
HIM UP.
HE HAD NO GUNSHOT RESIDUE ON
HIM.
THEY DID NOT TEST BRIAN
GOLDSTEIN --
>> THE GUY WHO DROVE THE BLUE
CAR.
>> NOR DID THEY TEST THE
DRIVER'S SIDE OF THE BLUE CAR
WHICH IS WHERE THE VICTIM SAID
SHE WAS SHOT FROM, THE DRIVER'S
SIDE OF THE BLUE CAR.
>> THE PROSECUTION SAYS THAT THE
FORENSIC EVIDENCE DOES SHOW GUN
RESIDUE IN YOUR SON JOSH'S CAR.
THEY SAY THAT YOUR SON'S DNA IS
ON BULLET CASINGS CONSISTENT
WITH THE GUN USED IN THE
SHOOTING.
>> SO --
>> THE GUNSHOT RESIDUE THAT WAS
IN JOSH'S CAR WAS ON THE
PASSENGER'S SIDE, AND GOLDSTEIN
WAS WITH JOSH EARLIER THAT
EVENING DURING THE FIRST EVENT,
AND GOLDSTEIN SAT IN THAT SAME
SEAT.
>> BUT THE BULLETS HADN'T BEEN
FIRED YET AT THAT POINT.
>> BULLETS ARE SEPARATE.
AS FAR AS THE GUNSHOT RESIDUE,
IT'S WHERE GOLDSTEIN WAS.
>> BUT WHEN HE WAS IN JOSH'S CAR
EARLIER, THE INCIDENT HADN'T YET
OCCURRED.
>> HE CARRIES A GUN.
THROUGHOUT HIS HISTORY, HE HAS A
CRIMINAL VIOLENT HISTORY.
THROUGHOUT HIS HISTORY AND
THROUGH TESTIMONY IN COURT HE
SAYS HE ALWAYS HAS A LOADED
WEAPON IN HIS WAISTBAND.
EVERYWHERE HE GOES.
>> HE'S BEEN ARRESTED FIVE TIMES
WHERE HE WAS IN POSSESSION OF A
GUN.
>> HOW DO YOU LIKE YOUR CHANCES?
>> I THINK IT'S A GREAT CASE.
I'VE BEEN DOING THIS 29 YEARS.
I HAVE NEVER SEEN THIS KIND OF
POLICE INCOMPETENCE TO PUT IT
NICELY, BUT TO BE MORE CYNICAL,
INTENTIONAL DEVIATION FROM THE
TRUTH.
>> WE'LL SEE.
YOU'LL GET YOUR DAY IN COURT AND
A JURY WILL GET TO DECIDE THIS
HAVING HEARD ALL THE EVIDENCE
WHICH WE CANNOT PRESENT HERE ON
THIS FIVE-MINUTE EXCHANGE.
CAN I ASK YOU A FINAL QUESTION,
LAURI?
GIVEN YOUR DISCUSSION ABOUT
ADDICTION AND THE FACT THAT HE
GOT CLEAN IN PRISON, WHAT DO YOU
HOPE FOR RIGHT NOW?
>> I HOPE RIGHT NOW THERE'S A
HEARING GOING ON, AND THERE'S A
CHANCE THAT THIS CASE MAY BE
DISMISSED.
I HOPE THAT HAPPENS SO WE CAN BE
SPARED THE STRESS OF A JURY
TRIAL.
IF THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN, I HOPE
JOSH IS EXONERATED.
HE HAS BEEN FALSELY ACCUSED, AND
I THINK THE EVIDENCE WILL SHOW
THAT.
AND THEN I JUST HOPE THAT HE
LEAVES ORANGE COUNTY, BECAUSE
HE'S GOT A TARGET ON HIS BACK.
AND HE NEEDS TO GET OUT OF
ORANGE COUNTY, STAY CLEAN AND
BECAUSE RIGHT NOW FOR THE FIRST
TIME IN 15 YEARS I HAVE MY SON
BACK.
>> ALL THE BEST TO YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
>>> WE REACHED OUT TO BRIAN