Posted on 03/16/2005 9:59:57 AM PST by Howlin
REDWOOD CITY, Calif. - Shackled at the waist, Scott Peterson returned to court Wednesday to learn his fate for the slaying of his wife and her fetus, four months after jurors found the former fertilizer salesman guilty of their murders.
Peterson was escorted into San Mateo County Superior Court under heavy security, wearing a dark suit and handcuffs chained to his waist. Ten of the 12 jurors who sentenced him to death in December sat in the jury box.
Judge Alfred A. Delucchi was set to decide Wednesday whether to grant the former fertilizer salesman a new trial, sentence him to death - as the jury recommended - or give him life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Peterson, 32, was convicted Nov. 12 of two counts of murder in the deaths of his wife and her fetus. The jury recommended the death penalty a month later.
Hours before the hearing began, Peterson's former mistress, star witness Amber Frey, said she stood by her decision to turn to police. Peterson's lawyer is challenging the use of telephone conversations she recorded for the trial.
"As far as having not come forward there may not - and certainly in the jurors' eyes - there would not have been justice, so I stand by my choices and my decisions that I made," Frey told NBC's "Today" show Wednesday.
In asking for a new trial, defense lawyer Mark Geragos said Peterson's telephone calls to Frey should not have been admitted. He said Peterson never implicated himself in the crime during the calls and that authorities should not have tapped his phone.
Geragos also said prosecutors withheld evidence that a state prison inmate claimed he heard that Laci Peterson had interrupted a burglary at a neighbor's home in Modesto on Dec. 24, 2002, the day she was reported missing.
Scott Peterson claims he went fishing that day, and Geragos says the tip "points to the conclusion that Laci was alive after Scott left for the day."
"If the evidence were presented at a retrial, it is highly probable a different result would have occurred," Geragos wrote.
But prosecutor David Harris said the burglary happened two days after Laci Peterson's disappearance. He said the evidence was handed over a year before the trial started and would not have changed the verdict.
"His claim is reminiscent of the 'boy who cried wolf,' " Harris said.
The motion for a new trial, filed Feb. 25 in Redwood City, also claimed the judge erroneously dismissed two jurors, and erred in denying Geragos' motion for a second change of venue.
Dennis Rocha called Scott a POS. "I never liked you."
Brent: You will never know how great your life would have been if you had let the things that were going to happen happen. The issues between you and yur parents, I don't know what they are. You're evil and the appropriate sentence is death. I chose not to call you myself for one reason, to make you sweat it out. How you carry on as you so is incomprehensible to me. You ate Laci's food and toasted her mother knowing the whole time you were going to kill her. Do you have no comapssion? Were you depressed, scared, angery? Why? While Laci's head rolls around on the bottom of the bay, my mother's life has been ruined. Since I will probably never speak to you again--you killed a woman who was rpegnant--how does it feel to be a baby killer? Youa re so far from the persona that was so important to you. ou are truly a loser.
(This is coming from CTV transcribing!)
How can't imagine how much Laci's family has been thru, and how raw the emotion still is. Compounded by the behavior of the utterly classless Petersons.
Ron: talks about calling Amber at the vigil; calls him a SOB. Lying chickenS**T.......man, oh, man........
Sharon is on the stand:
There is unbearable sadness in my life; the Scott I knew was the one Laci loved; you made a conscious choice to murder them. You threw them away like a piece of trash.
Sharon is talking about Satan now! Holy crap.
"How dare you murder her? She was my dauther and I wanted her. ....you have no heart or no soul."
She had no chance against you. How did that make you feel, Scott, good?
Now that this sentencing is over, we're going to hear them talk now!
Scott Peterson is shown in a courtroom in Modesto, Calif. in this Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2004 file photo, during a change-of-venue hearing in his trial. Judge Alfred A. Delucchi was set to decide Wednesday whether to grant Peterson a new trial, sentence him to death _ as a jury recommended _ or give him life in prison without the possibility of parole. Peterson, 32, was convicted Nov. 12 of two counts of murder in the deaths of his wife and her fetus. The jury recommended the death penalty a month later. (AP Photo/Al Golub, Pool, File)
Judge Upholds Death Sentence for Peterson
By BRIAN SKOLOFF, Associated Press Writer
REDWOOD CITY, Calif. - Scott Peterson was sentenced to death Wednesday for murdering his pregnant wife, Laci, more than two years ago.
Judge Alfred A. Delucchi denied a defense request for a new trial before upholding the jury's recommendation that he be sentenced to death, calling the slayings of Laci and her fetus "cruel, uncaring, heartless and callous."
"The court is satisfied beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant, Scott Lee Peterson, is guilty of first-degree murder" and second degree, Delucchi said.
Peterson, shackled at the waist and wearing a dark suit, was escorted into court under heavy security. He will be sent to death row at San Quentin State Prison outside San Francisco, the infamous lockup that overlooks the same bay where Laci Peterson's body was discarded.
Does anyone think Scott Peterson "gets it" at this point?
And another question for the legal eagles among us... will Scott Peterson speak today?
Dennis said Scott you're a piece of doodoo...you're going to burn in hell for this, you're never going to golf, go out to dinner,
grantski
the hardest thing i have to deal with i keep going back to ny vigil, you're on thephone telling a girl you're in paris....something's wrong with you and your family because you're a chicken piece of s
sharon
there's unbearable sadness in my life. //you made a conscious decision to kill laci..you threw them away like a piece of garbage...you are not intelligent at all you're stupid;...you attended a xmas party with your girlfriend...you knew it (last time sharon would see laci alive) you are lazy spoiled self centered and a coward...you are proof that evil can lurk anywhere, you don't have to look evil to be evil. .....why did you murder her scott. that's an answer we'll never get. How dare you murder her i wanted her and always will. you selfishly cheated on her and then murdered her. you are en empty shell. she didn't stand a chance physiacally against her. ..there's a huge hole in my heart that will never be filled. I miss having a daughter...miss her telling me about plants and recipes I miss being her mother
No. Scott is a convicted prisoner. He is not appearing before a jury today. That's the difference.
Beth is talking about some motion Scott made with his head during the trial that told the jury he was guilty! Some juror told her that in February.
I think he can, but I doubt he will.
Yep. I am glad the judge went with the jury, but I was sure that he would. Scott is off to San Quentin, and death row. I hope to God the Rochas can now find at least some peace and healing.
Rose Rocha Brent's wife:
Laci was finally going to be a mother, she was so excited. Conner would have been two months older than my son. And you asked to pouch my pregnant stomach just days after you killed them, that disgusts me. Conner should be saying words and making animal sounds now. Laci never got the opportuntiy to have him look into her eyes and hear him say Mom. Baby Conner was never to se the face of the person who loved him so much. One eprson took that away for his own selfish reasons. Your own son could have given you a joy so great if you had given him a chance. Youc hose to do this on your own and you have to face the consequences. I hope you reflect on this siting in your cell. I know L is with C right now and she'll be with him forever. Scott, you are an evil person and you're going to pay for what you've done, not only in this life but for eternity.
Sharon Rocha: "Satan himself wouldn't even claim you, Scott."
----
Somebody on CTV said this:
Sharon Rocha: "Satan himself wouldn't even claim you, Scott."
sw
Holy crap!!
Geragos asked the judge if the Petersons could speak as VICTIMS.
Judge says no.
(Maybe he would have let them speak if they hadn't acted like such butts, eh?)
Did you just hear that the Peterson's wanted to do impact statements and the judge denied it? lol...con't you hear them saying they and their baby boy are victims of the media, court, etc. Sheesh.
The jury is crying!
Sharon Rocha: Laci didn't know the Scott that sits in this courtroom. You didn't count on Laci's spirit being stronger than your evilness."
Did you look her in the eye when you killed her? Was she conscious when you put her in the bay?"
I'll never meet my grandson. what kind of person would he be. ..i'll never knwo this because his father murdered him...i find solace in the knowelege that you put yourself to death...you didn't count on laci's spirit that it would be stronger than your evilness...you thought no idea what the thought of that does to my soul. i look at her picture...i'm haunted every single day with visions of you murdering her...was she conscious when you put her in the bay? nothing will ever undo your evil. what were you thinking when you were killing laci. what do you think laci was thinking...scott why are you killing me...i don't watnt ot die please stop please stop...and your son was thinking daddy why are you killing us whe don't want to die. you desereve to burn in hell for all eternity.
They are done now; judge getting ready to impose sentence.
I will never meet my grandson. will he cry when he first sees santa? you sentenced yourself to death when you murdered laci. i only hope you get what you deserve - which is what you are getting death. i'm haunted by images every single day by images of how you killed her.
laci was thinking- whya re you killing me? conner: why are you killing mommy amd me.
end of vis
Scott will NOT speak!!!
He may not have....the Petersons are loose cannons, and the judge has got to know it.
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