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Witnesses: Jury Wrongly Convicted Peterson
foxnews.com ^ | Tuesday, December 07, 2004 | AP

Posted on 12/07/2004 6:15:31 AM PST by crushelits

Witnesses: Jury Wrongly Convicted Peterson

REDWOOD CITY, Calif. — In tearful testimony, Scott Peterson's (search) family and friends pleaded with jurors to spare his life, contending that he was mistakenly convicted of killing his pregnant wife, Laci.

Defense witnesses have already testified that Peterson sang to seniors on Sundays, distributed food and clothes in Tijuana and that he was a good friend and loving son.

On the fifth day of the trial's penalty phase, Peterson's relatives questioned the jury's verdict.

"I don't believe he's guilty," said his uncle, John Lathamke to see him die. It would tear our family apart."

But jurors showed no expression, some even looking away or toward the ground as Latham spoke.

Testimony in the seven-month-old trial's penalty phase was set to continue Tuesday and run into the next day before closing arguments. Jurors were expected to begin deliberating Thursday whether to sentence Peterson to life without parole or the death penalty.

Peterson was convicted Nov. 12 of one count of first-degree murder in the death of his pregnant wife, Laci, and one count of second-degree murder for the killing of her fetus.

Prosecutors say he smothered or strangled Laci Peterson (search) in their Modesto home on or around Christmas Eve 2002, then dumped her body into San Francisco Bay. The remains of the victims were discovered about four months later a few miles from where Peterson claims to have been fishing alone the day his wife vanished.


(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...


TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: adulterousscumbag; childsupportavoiding; conner; convicted; deathpenaltytime; dontubelievemyalibi; freescott; getarope; hisparentsspending; ibefishing; jury; laci; lacipeterson; millionstofreescott; peterson; richparentsboughtlaw; richpeopleabovelaw; selfishmonster; sonkiller; spendingmillions; wifekiller; witnesses; wrongly
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Comment #301 Removed by Moderator

To: Howlin

Gary Gauger, who spent 3-1/2 years on death row in Illinois for the murder of his parents. In 1996, he was exonerated. He had been convicted by "Circumstantial evidence"



I just did a more thorough search on this case.
He had his mom's car.
He lied about his whereabouts.
He had strands of their hair in his house
he had strands of hair in his car.
He had latex gloves found in his house.

Found guilty because of the above "Circumstantial Evidence" some of that is similar to the Peterson case.
Goes to show, anybody can lie about their whereabouts. Actually, I dont think that would be hard to do. If my wife went missing, Im sure I would be a little mixed up as to what all i did that day and where i was at an exact moment that day.


302 posted on 12/07/2004 10:36:09 AM PST by theconservativerepublican (www.theconservativerepublican.com)
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To: Sacajaweau
Saca, you are now missing the point of the marina "exchange."

Someone started it by asking sarcastically if an unidentified killer waited until he knew that Scott had gone fishing in the bay and that it was being searched then went and dumped it in EXACTLY the right place.

Someone else (howlin I believe) said that that hypothetical person would have had to know EXACTLY where to dispose of the body.

My point has been almost 100% the same as yours, no one could know EXACTLY where the body would emerge.

I also contended that if I, not Scott had murdered Laci, and had later learned of the search in the bay, I would have retrieved the body and dumped it in the pay.

I would have done this to insure that the trail led away from me, too bad about the implication of Scott.

303 posted on 12/07/2004 10:38:42 AM PST by Positive (Nothing is sadder than to see a beautiful theory murdered by a gang of brutal facts.)
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To: All

Gary Gauger, who spent 3-1/2 years on death row in Illinois for the murder of his parents. In 1996, he was exonerated. He had been convicted by "Circumstantial evidence"



I just did a more thorough search on this case.
He had his mom's car.
He lied about his whereabouts.
He had strands of their hair in his house
he had strands of hair in his car.
He had latex gloves found in his house.

Found guilty because of the above "Circumstantial Evidence" some of that is similar to the Peterson case.
Goes to show, anybody can lie about their whereabouts. Actually, I dont think that would be hard to do. If my wife went missing, Im sure I would be a little mixed up as to what all i did that day and where i was at an exact moment that day.



Forgot one more point. The guy was at the crime scene the same day it happened, similar to Peterson being at the Docks..People saw him at the crime scene that same day! wow. He was convicted for being at his parents house that day...


304 posted on 12/07/2004 10:39:46 AM PST by theconservativerepublican (www.theconservativerepublican.com)
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To: Yehaw

what is paypay? I am looking for more computers, if you have one or know where I can get a good deal, point me to it. We need one High Speed, with lots of Ram and Hard Drive Space.


305 posted on 12/07/2004 10:44:09 AM PST by theconservativerepublican (www.theconservativerepublican.com)
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To: theconservativerepublican

You are missing the point I believe.

Again, you keep repeating just a few bits of evidence. With Scott, there were pages of things that pointed to his guilt. Read back through all the posts...each person brings up something else that was presented to the jury. After a certain point, it sounds like a broken record...he did it, he did it, he did it.


306 posted on 12/07/2004 10:46:49 AM PST by najida (Aunt to Miss Emily Ann- Cutest Baby in the World.)
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Comment #307 Removed by Moderator

To: Positive
"This case is full of holes."

He is guilty. He has already been tried and convicted. Too late now for any new evidence. Fry him.

308 posted on 12/07/2004 10:56:56 AM PST by TommyDale
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Comment #309 Removed by Moderator

To: TChris
"I don't think it's necessary for us, as observers, to become sadistic and vengeful over it."

Perhaps you've never lost a loved one to a cold-blooded murderer. I lost a 17 year old brother when I was only 9. It affected my entire family for the rest of our lives. I think being sadistic and vengeful is good therapy. Fry Scott Peterson!

310 posted on 12/07/2004 10:59:28 AM PST by TommyDale
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To: Hi Heels
Well, lets discuss the removal of the head arms and legs. If Scott disposed of Laci's body during his fishing trip, when and where did he stop to dismember her? What tools were used to perform the dismemberment? Where are those tools? Why was there no recovered evidence of dismemberment in his vehicle, the boat or on his clothing? To me the biggest failing of Peterson's defense was to not raise questions about the lack of physical evidence that one should reasonably expect to find if Peterson had dismembered the body, transported the dismembered body or disposed of the dismembered body and parts.

Assuming Scott Peterson is guilty of killing Laci, where did the killing occur? The police found no physical evidence of a killing in the Peterson home. As such, Scott either killed Laci in a manner leaving no evidence, or he killed her elsewhere. If he killed her elsewhere, where? The police were able to establish Scott's whereabouts using cell phone records, shouldn't they be able to come up with a reasonable location where the killing and dismemberment occurred since it would have to have been on the journey to the fishing marina (given that Laci was not seen alive at the marina by those who saw Scott)?

Where and when did Scott Peterson stop to clean any evidence from the killing and dismemberment after completion of those events? Removing all evidence of performing the crimes, transporting the torso and dumping it into the Bay would require pretty thorough cleaning of the vehicle and/or boat, not to mention clothing, shoes and person.

I don't like Scott Peterson based on what I have learned about his character, but I am not convinced he committed the murder of Laci Peterson given the complete absence of physical evidence connecting him with such crime. And this was a crime that should have left a considerable amount of physical evidence.
311 posted on 12/07/2004 11:02:41 AM PST by Poodlebrain
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To: Positive
"... no one could know EXACTLY where the body would emerge."

And another coincidence -- they found Scott Peterson's computer had been frequenting a site where he was studying the currents in San Francisco Bay. Fry Scott Peterson!

312 posted on 12/07/2004 11:03:11 AM PST by TommyDale
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Comment #313 Removed by Moderator

To: najida

I agree there is alot of circumstantial evidence here no doubt. But Once again it doesnt always prove guilt.
Being at a crime scene doesnt always prove guilt.
Samplings of hair doesnt always prove guilt, etc etc etc.

The guy I wrote about above was convicted the same way. Lots of circumstantial evidence. Apparently there was enough circumstantial evidence to convict him. If there had only been a few pieces, than most likely he would have never been found guilty.

He was and then he was exonerated. Im sure if we were discussing the case I wrote about above, howlin and the others would be pointing out that there is too much circumstantial evidence for him not to be guilty similar to what yall are saying about the Peterson case.

Good that someone was honest enough to keep looking into that particular case.


314 posted on 12/07/2004 11:05:41 AM PST by theconservativerepublican (www.theconservativerepublican.com)
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To: TommyDale

any fisherman such as myself studies the currents to know the best time to go fishing, more circumstantial evidence.


315 posted on 12/07/2004 11:07:03 AM PST by theconservativerepublican (www.theconservativerepublican.com)
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Comment #316 Removed by Moderator

To: theconservativerepublican

OK....
But I believe that the evidence in the Peterson case is very strong. Maybe the strongest being that Scott has never once pleaded his own case in his own words.

As for not convicting innocent people, it will happen. I don't believe it has happened here. As for those pleading Scott's innocence, they remind me a whole lot of those pleading OJ's.


317 posted on 12/07/2004 11:09:36 AM PST by najida (Aunt to Miss Emily Ann- Cutest Baby in the World.)
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Comment #318 Removed by Moderator

To: najida

Now I dont believe he is innocent. I just dont believe he had a fair trial and that all evidence from BOTH sides was heard.
There was alot less evidence used to convict Scott than there was in the OJ case and he got off...remember OJ ran, OJ Lied, OJ held a gun in his mouth, etc etc etc...


319 posted on 12/07/2004 11:13:12 AM PST by theconservativerepublican (www.theconservativerepublican.com)
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To: theconservativerepublican

Okay, that's two; you only have 398 more to go!


320 posted on 12/07/2004 11:13:23 AM PST by Howlin (W, Still the President)
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