Death, life, new trial? Peterson finds out today

Associated Press ^ | March 16, 2005 | 9News.com

[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.

[Howlin]

I'm grabbing it off the CTV feed........I tried, but Beth talks to fast.

The last part of Sharon's statement was DEVASTATING.

[spectre]

Wow.

I can just imagine the Petersons would have said that they loved Laci like a daughter, and that they lost her, and Conner was their Grandson Too!

They make me sick.

[Carolinamom]

A little late but thank God I'm getting CTV this Friday!

[Howlin]

Beth said that the judge is talking about the sentence.......Scott NOT listening.

Four jurors crying.

Judge imposes verdict: death.

Scott Peterson shall be put to death.

[raccoonradio]

officially sentenced to death

[mowowie]

Just Sentaced to DEATH.
Of course it will prob be from old age. at least he won't have to worry about the general population now.

[spectre]

San Quentin here he comes!

[Howlin]

Sentencing is occurring right now. Peterson declined to address the court. Clerk started to officially read the court's decision, scott's not listening, jurors staring at him, scott talking to geragos.

Delucchi mentions letters he received from Petersons. Probation denied. The jruy having found the defendant guilty and spec circ and motion denied for new trial..sp shall be put to death.

[Howlin]

I hope he gets a nice view of the bay.

[Annie03]

Yes, justice for Laci and Connor-at long last.10 grand restitution for funeral expenses too.

[spectre]

It's awful of me, but I hope someone gets to him in some way.

No matter, he is going to go CRAZY in that cell..I saw a documentary on Death Row there, it's horrible.

sw

[TexKat]

$10,000 restitution for the burial of Lacy and Connor ordered by the judge

[TexKat]

Juror Richelle Nice arrives at the courthouse in Redwood City, Calif., Weds., March 16, 2005. Nice, who was a member of the jury, was attending the formal sentencing of Scott Peterson who was convicted of two counts of murder in the deaths of his wife and their unborn child. (AP Photo/Palo Alto Daily News, Tony Avelar, POOL)

Harvey Blight passes out leaflets against the death penalty outside of the San Mateo County Courthouse in Redwood City, Calif., Tuesday, March 15, 2005. A sentencing hearing is set for Wednesday for convicted double-murderer Scott Peterson. Peterson's lawyer, Scott Geragos, filed a motion in San Mateo County Superior Court seeking to have the guilty verdicts set aside and a new trial set for the 32-year-old Peterson. Peterson was sentenced to death for the murder of his wife Laci and their unborn son. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

Juror Richelle Nice is surrounded by members of the media as she arrives at the courthouse in Redwood City, California, March 16, 2005. Nice, who was a member of the jury, was attending the formal sentencing of Scott Peterson, who was convicted of two counts of murder in the deaths of his wife and their unborn child. REUTERS/John Green/POOL

[TomGuy]

[Howlin]

I hope he gets a room with a good view of Brooks Island.

[mowowie]

I can't believe this guy killed his beautiful wife and unborn child for ins money and a bimbo Masseuse.
What a sicko

[Nita Nupress]

Is the CourtTV footage that's being shown on television LIVE? I couldn't tell if it was a rerun or not. They kept saying how Scott was chattering to Mark Gregarious during the proceedings, and sure enough, there he was just flapping his jaws.

And is there a place on courttv.com where you were getting that feed, or were you doing the transcribing yourself? If so, thanks.

[TexKat]

[Howlin]

That is old footage.

[Howlin]

Sharon: There is an unbrearable sadness in my life. The cott I knew was the one Laci loved and I entrusted her to him. You made a conscious decision decision to murder them and you planned and executed their murders, yes you did. You threw them away like a piece of garbage. Your arogance led you to believe you were smarter than evryone else but you were dead worng. You are not intelligent at all, you are stupid. Stupid to think murder was your only way out of a marriege. You atended a xamas party with your girlfriend while your pregnantwife went to a party alone. There was no way for me to know on 12/15 that it was the last time I would see my daughter but you knew. You are lazy, spoiled, self centred and a coward but above all, you ae an evil murderer. Not even satan will claim to have a part in your make up. You Scott are proof that evil can lurk anywhere. You don't have to look evil to be evil. Why did you mureder her? That's an answer we'll never get. How dare you murder her? I want her and always will. I trusted her and you betrayed her, me and everyone. She didn't stand a chance physically against you Scott, How did that make you feel? Did you feel accomplishment, relief they were gone? There's a huge whole in my heart and it will never heal. I miss Laci, miss teasing her, hearing her giggle, miss her telling me about plans and recipes. I miss being my daughter's mother.

Dennis Rocha had an outburst during Sharon's VIS. He yelled, "You're going to die, Scott."