http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,113070,00.html REDWOOD CITY, Calif. — Jurors in Scott Peterson's (search) murder trial will hear testimony that dogs traced his wife's scent to the spot where he launched what he claimed was a solo fishing trip the day she died, a judge ruled Tuesday.
The ruling was one of two victories for prosecutors Tuesday. Judge Alfred A. Delucchi also ruled that jurors will be allowed to hear evidence collected by investigators using wiretap listening devices.
Defense lawyers had objected to both the wiretap (search) evidence and the testimony from dog handlers, likening dog tracking to witchcraft and saying the canines were unreliable.
Peterson is charged in the death of his pregnant wife, Laci, and their unborn son. The bodies washed ashore in April along San Francisco Bay, not far from where Scott Peterson claims he was fishing on the day his wife vanished — Christmas Eve, 2002.
Jury selection is scheduled to begin Thursday, when court officials will summon an initial 200 residents for questioning. Peterson could face the death penalty if convicted.
Defense lawyers had argued investigators violated Peterson's attorney-client privilege when they listened to bits of conversations with his first attorney, Kirk McAllister.
Delucchi was unswayed by the arguments, saying investigators followed proper procedures when monitoring the calls and any privileged information they heard was "so minimal to be of no consequence."
During the first few months of 2003, investigators monitored about 3,000 of Peterson's calls, including 76 between the former fertilizer salesman and his first attorney.
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Woo HOOO!!! Thanks pinz. I had a sneaking suspicion that it was going to make it in when the Judge "officially" qualified the dog handler as an "expert"!!