Posted on 11/30/2004 5:32:57 AM PST by runningbear
Jurors face difficult decision over Scott Peterson's fate
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) If the experience of those involved in past death penalty cases is any guide, the jurors in Scott Peterson's murder trial will have to grapple with raw and deep religious, moral and legal issues as they decide whether he lives or dies.
Arguments in the penalty phase are scheduled to begin Tuesday, but experts say many of the jurors may already have made up their minds about what punishment the 32-year-old former fertilizer salesman deserves.
In 2001, a California jury faced a case that holds some similarities to the Peterson trial. Todd Garton was a philandering husband convicted of the shocking murder of his young and very pregnant wife. Jurors said he deserved to die.
"I signed the document that the jury found for death and I think about that a lot," said Fred Castagna, who served as jury foreman. "It was emotional during deliberations, but I don't lose sleep over it."
Story continues ........
Sorry, but that doesn't stand up to the "physical evidence" test.
Of course he was just a baby at the time.
Trying to hear snippets between phone calls.
Did they say who was there from the Peterson side?
From what I heard, most of them.
Laci's brother and sister, Sharon and Ron and a few of Laci's friends.
That was a play on words..There was Laci's hair entwined in needlenose pliers at the bottom of the boat.
Circumstanial evidence carries the same weight in court as direct evidence.
THE JURY FOUND HIM GUILTY
Nope, No word. This is NOT a case that has Dev's attention. I'm still worried but I have absolutely NO other way to contact her other than FR or email. Can't get an answer on either!! I'm praying to hear from her and that she's alright.
Evidently you didn't follow this case closely. They did find physical evidence. Laci's hair was found on a pair of needle nose pliers which was found in the boat.
Besides the circumstantial evidence points to none other but Scott Peterson.
Thank you both. :-)
I guess we wait and pray.
I see some Canadians come out in force to welcome our President and he looked truly pleased. A hearty Thank You from this grateful American.
What happened to Dev...?
Many people believe that circumstantional evidence doesn't carry the same weight as physical evidence. I've heard lawyers and prosecturos on some of the talking head shows say that a majority of convictions are based on circumstational evidence. I've also heard of the term "CSI Syndrome" where people who watch too many episodes of the show believe that there has to be a smokiing gun with bullet to match, or a bloody knife with the perps bloody fingerprints on it, or a hammer with the victim's blood and hair and the perp's fingerprints on it. Certainly after reading several crime books written by Ann Rule, it's pretty obvious that circumstational evidence carries a lot of weight. In at least one of the cases she's written about, no body was every found, but the circumstantial evidence was so powerful that there was a conviction.
What's Shep talking about on Fox News? I just caught a snippet from the TV about some bartender that showed up in Redwood City and has some info or something....
Opening statement by Harris for pros..none for defense (not unusual they say..want to wait until witnesses testify)...lunch break..
Not only that Spunky, there were four spots of Peterson's blood on the bedroom quilt, the hair in the pliers, cement residue IN boat, on the boat cover, the CERTIFIED dog tracked Laci's scent to the END of the pier and then there was PETERSON'S OWN voice. Our troll above is simply talking NONSENSE. Almost ALL cases are mostly circumstantial. The DIRECT evidence of the bodies is about as direct as you can get. Don't even acknowledge this crap anymore.
I know Star. I wish I could be there but I am thousands of miles away. Those are our Free Dominionerers or our sister Chapter of FR in Canada. There are even MORE Western supporters. I'm surprised that the media is showing them. They should be 8,000 to 10,0000 in number.
I heard that report also.
The fact is circumstantial evidence is more compelling than direct evidence.
An accuseds finger print at the scene isn't necessarily proof of having commited the crime. There could be lots of logical reasons for a finger print somewhere. Same thing applies with other direct evidence. It is when circumstantial evidence is so compelling that those direct evidence things then come into play.
I like you think people are watching to many CSI programs.
I never miss an episode. :)
Of course Geragos needs the delays, he needs others to help him with the case. After all these months he still wasn't prepared, didn't even show up for the verdict. And he claimed he could also handle the Michael Jackson case -- no wonder Mike fired him.
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