EXCLUSIVE: Son of RHOC alum Lauri Peterson is going on a hunger strike to protest 'violation of his constitutional rights' as he awaits second trial for attempted murder, he reveals in jailhouse interview

  • Josh Waring, 29, says he will go on a hunger strike to protest the 'violation of his constitutional rights' by authorities in Orange County 
  • In an interview from behind bars with DailyMail.com, the son of Lauri Peterson said the protest is to 'get the public to see that we're willing to sacrifice for change'
  • Waring is awaiting his second trial for attempted murder after he allegedly shot Daniel Lopez in Costa Mesa, California in 2016
  • His first trial was ruled a mistrial after law enforcement inappropriately monitored and recorded his phone calls in jail while he was representing himself
  • Waring maintains he's been framed as part of a police cover up claiming the victim told police the shots '100%' came from a car owned by a drug dealer and police informant
  • Waring, a former drug addict, says his time in jail has helped him get sober. Lauri quit the show in 2009 for privacy reasons over her son's legal woes

The son of former Real Housewives of Orange County star Lauri Peterson, currently in jail awaiting his second trial on an attempted murder charge, is set to go on hunger strike, DailyMail.com can reveal.

Josh Waring is planning the extreme protest on Wednesday over what he sees as a series of 'breaches' of his constitutional rights by the authorities in Orange County, California.

Waring, who has spent the past two years in Orange County Jail, is due to go back on trial this September, but maintains he's being framed for a crime he didn't commit.

The 29-year-old former drug addict was arrested in June 2016 for allegedly shooting Daniel Lopez in Costa Mesa, California and then fleeing in a stolen vehicle.

Waring's first trial was ruled a mistrial because his right to a speedy trial was violated.

He is protesting in conjunction with an American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California protest planned for 10am on Thursday outside the jail.

Speaking to DailyMail.com in an exclusive jailhouse interview he said: 'We're doing a hunger strike, me and a friend in here called Jonathan Martinez.

Lauri Peterson's son Josh Waring (right) says he is going on a hunger strike to protest his series of 'breaches' of his constitutional rights by the authorities in Orange County, California

Lauri Peterson's son Josh Waring (right) says he is going on a hunger strike to protest his series of 'breaches' of his constitutional rights by the authorities in Orange County, California

'We're just gonna peacefully protest a lot of these constitutional violations here.

'We're sick of it. By no means do we think that the Sheriff's Department (will change), they probably want us to go ahead and starve ourselves, but we're not doing it for them, we're trying to get the public to see that we're willing to sacrifice for change.

'We're hoping to bolster our arguments and show what they're doing.'

One of Waring's main gripes is that law enforcement inappropriately monitored and recorded his phone calls in jail while he was representing himself in the case.

During the hundreds of calls made in the months after his arrest Waring discussed his defense strategy with family and friends.

The information gleaned from the confidential calls was provided to prosecutors - violating Waring's right to a fair trial.

Waring, 29, a former drug addict has spent the past two years in jail, is due to go back on trial this September, for attempted murder

Waring, 29, a former drug addict has spent the past two years in jail, is due to go back on trial this September, for attempted murder

Waring said: 'I had a court order stating I should have unmonitored phone calls, but they listened in any way.

'Not only did they listen, they gave the recordings to Costa Mesa Police Department.

'While I'm representing myself talking with my family about defense strategy, talking about what witnesses I want to use, my entire game plan, they have everything I'm doing at trial, they're already completely fully aware of my entire strategy.'

Waring was arrested after witnesses told police that he had left the house where the shooting happened after a confrontation with a resident but returned around 2.30am in a white BMW X3 that belonged to his girlfriend.

Shots were fired at three people outside, authorities said.

But Waring claims the victim has told police the shots '100%' came from a blue car owned by a drug dealer who was also there that night, and not from the white BMW he was driving.

Waring says he has never owned nor used a gun and points to a police cover-up.

He claims the drug dealer and convicted felon, who is a long time police informant and gun owner, is being protected.

In an article on ocweekly.com titled 'Cop-Protected Orange County Snitch Avoids Murder Beefs With Laughable Tales', author R Scott Moxley alleges that the dealer was at the crime scene with Waring but 'managed to quickly win police exoneration'.

Waring (pictured with his girlfriend) was arrested in June 2016 for allegedly shooting Daniel Lopez in Costa Mesa, California and then fleeing in a stolen vehicle

Waring (pictured with his girlfriend) was arrested in June 2016 for allegedly shooting Daniel Lopez in Costa Mesa, California and then fleeing in a stolen vehicle

Lauri, pictured with her son and daughter has maintained that her son is innocent and has been framed 

Lauri, pictured with her son and daughter has maintained that her son is innocent and has been framed 

'He understands this case and although there were a couple of minor mistakes, he is the closest to the truth that I've seen so far,' Waring's mom Peterson tweeted about Moxley's story. 'Much more to come'.

Waring himself said: '[The drug dealer] has had a long long history of being an informant, so right off the top they're trying to protect him.'

Waring's lawyer previously alleged that the dealer was given 'special treatment' by officers and that he was a police informant in a 2004 case.

The attorney, who has filed a motion to dismiss based on outrageous government misconduct, also said in court that police never tested the dealer's hands or clothing for gunshot residue and didn't search the vehicle until two days later. 

DailyMail.com is unable to verify the claims of corruption and misconduct by authorities in Orange County.

Six months after the shooting, Waring inquired about the results of the dealer's gunshot residue report only to be told he was never tested.

Waring said: 'They tested me, they tested my hands, my face, my hair, my arms. They took my shirt. They swabbed my entire body for gunshot residue and found nothing.

'Why wouldn't they test [him] as well, it doesn't make any sense, it's a cover-up.'

Waring said his mother Lauri and girlfriend Shelby have been a huge support during his time behind bars.

'They've been awesome, great. They're probably the thing that keeps me going. My family, Shelby's great. My daughter, they're kind of acting inadvertently as my defense team.'

Waring appeared on RHOC with his mom until she quit in 2009 for privacy reasons over her son's legal woes. Above she is pictured with co-star Vicki Gunvalson 

Waring appeared on RHOC with his mom until she quit in 2009 for privacy reasons over her son's legal woes. Above she is pictured with co-star Vicki Gunvalson 

Lauri divorced Josh's father and is now married to George Peterson (pictured in 2016) 

Lauri divorced Josh's father and is now married to George Peterson (pictured in 2016) 

Waring says his mom has been to every single court appearance and he speaks to her and Shelby on the phone almost daily.

Surprisingly, Waring insists being thrown into jail for a crime he claims he didn't commit does have a silver-lining.

'Hindsight's 20/20, but I don't regret anything,' he explains.

'I know it sounds crazy, but I'm thankful for the system. 'I'm thankful for the corruption locally because if it wasn't for a lot of this stuff, I'd probably be doing the same thing right now.

'I'm not out there getting loaded, throwing my life away.

'It took this to change my life, that's the silver lining.'

Waring, who was hooked on heroin, said that when he first arrived in jail he took drugs and drank illegal prison hooch to get by.

But he has now been sober for ten months and is focused on his release and making a fresh start.

Mom Lauri agrees that there has been some positives to the family nightmare.

'I've always said that that is the silver lining, I really feel that he was on a path... I was waiting to get the call that he had overdosed,' she explained.

Waring is awaiting trial at intake release center at Orange County Jail (pictured) 

Waring is awaiting trial at intake release center at Orange County Jail (pictured) 

'But on this last occasion when I get the call about his arrest, it just didn't make sense for me because it just isn't Josh, that's not who he is, he's never been a violent person, never has hurt anybody else.'

The legal process and alleged corruption has been hugely eye-opening for Lauri.

'There's a lot of hearings and the more hearings we go through, the more we find out how Josh's rights have been violated and it's very disturbing for me to see what is actually happening in Orange County. It's shocking,' she explains.

'I mean, you hear these things, you see it in movies and you think, okay, this doesn't really happen, but it is happening and it's systematic and it's a lot deeper, I think, than what anybody knows.'

Peterson, a cast member on RHOC from 2006 to 2008, said she is 'worried' about her son's hunger strike plan, but fears that the system will continue to let her son down despite his protest.

'I think there's a lot of fear in Orange County to do the right thing for a lot of different people, whether it's judges, sheriffs, attorneys, whatever,' she said.

'I would be surprised if the judge does the right thing.'

She added: 'But bottom line, you're never going to find a jury to find Josh guilty of this attempted murder because he didn't do it. And it's there. If you look at all of the evidence, there is no evidence against him.'

Waring appeared on RHOC with his mom until she quit in 2009 for privacy reasons over her son's legal woes.

Lauri, who is divorced from Waring's father, was one of the original RHOC stars, but has only done guest shots in recent years.

Waring is facing three counts of attempted murder and other felony and misdemeanor charges and could face multiple life prison sentences if convicted.

Waring is due back in court on July 26 when a judge will decide whether his case will be dismissed or go to trial in September.

He added: 'If I do get out, assuming I do get out, then I will in some capacity try to involve myself in criminal litigation or justice reform. I really feel that way. It's just something that I'm just gonna never forget.' 

 

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Son of RHOC Lauri Peterson will go on hunger strike behind bars as he awaits second trial

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