Imagine a man standing completely upright – the very image of independence, separateness. In figure 1, look at line AD: it is straight. When one writes in that more or less consistent way, we say that his writing is vertical. The inclination of writing is one of the most basic and important points of graphology. When you write, your intention is simple: tell the other person what’s on your mind, communicate. When your focus is “cold,” your head (as opposed to your heart) is in control. The vertical writer can have intense emotions, but he keeps them in check. Scott Peterson’s handwriting is vertical.

Watch the left margin as you go down. It’s perfectly aligned. This reflects order, organization and control. Consciously returning to the beginning of each line, beginning exactly where the previous line began, manifests strong discipline. Each “T” bar sits exactly on top of each stem and they are all split in half equally. The middle root in each capital “E” is exactly in the middle. These points plus the vertical tilt indicate an excessive need for control. There is an unnecessary period after the title, “VOLUNTEERS”. This shows caution. The writing pace is slow and deliberate.

In handwriting analysis, the baseline (how straight the subject writes) reflects the mood. To make sure the baseline reads accurately, it’s best if the paper is unlined, as lined paper has a way of guiding the writer on a course, which may not be their true self. There are two paragraphs, the first goes up and the second goes down. This reveals the inconsistency in mood swings between the relationship and depression. The opening paragraph, “the face” put on for the outside world, clearly expresses the ‘up’ type of personality, one full of charm. Down lines, in stark contrast to up lines, convey a downcast nature. There is a great disparity between the excessive need for control and depression. However, it can appear deceptively attractive to women. When courting, it’s hard to tell the difference between danger and love because he pays so much attention to you. However, this type of depression is kept under control. The fact that, despite this, Mr. Peterson begins each line repeatedly aligned reveals that he is quite capable of methodical planning.

According to graphology, a word in a paragraph that is particularly prominent leaves a very subtle clue about the writer’s feelings. The key word in a written document, which the writer notes as particularly quick or hesitant, is characteristic of his true relationship and, in particular, of his immediate objectives in relation to what that key word means. Such changes of pace are detected either through a change in slant or the position on the page that the writer gives to such a keyword. An increase in tilt to the right is indicative of a warm (perhaps unadmitted) feeling, and a rise to a higher zone is characteristic of hope, joy, and euphoria. A sudden decrease from a deeply vertical tilt that now turns to the left, against the normal direction of communication in writing, reflects the writer’s opposition to this triggered word. Looking at the word “faithful” (second paragraph, second line, first word), the first three letters stand perfectly upright, consistent with all of the text, except for the last letter “t,” which turns decidedly to the left. What subtle (unadmitted) clue are you revealing about his feelings by triggering this emotionally charged word? Why does Scott Peterson want others to think he has strong feelings for Laci, when in reality, her ‘her feelings’ for her are cold, dull?

It’s clear that Laci emotionally threatened Scott Peterson. The tension between them increased. A control freak, no one (except a masochist) could continuously live in harmony with him. Scott wanted, he demanded, to lead his life according to his own rules: to control everything. Laci got in her way. Scott Peterson, dangerously despondent, systematically planned to be in control once and for all.