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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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To: cyncooper


Where was that reported?
This is stunning.


421 posted on 12/07/2004 12:24:59 PM PST by onyx
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To: Howlin
You may consider the fact that SOME of us on FR deal in facts to be a personal attack, but most of us don't. He said it; let him back it up; or have you learned nothing being on here for 4 years?

You ARE resorting to ad hominem attack in your arguments here. I'm sorry, but it just looks that way.

And, we don't really need backup for a contention that many people have been convicted that were not guilty, some of them sentenced to death. Do we? I mean, if he were making an off the wall point that we had good reason to question, then okay.

By the way, I think it has been longer than 4 years since I have been posting on FR. I think you and I first met on April 7, 2000 when we were discussing the latest government data on income and taxes that showed the earliest tax freedom day in 37 years (the day in the year we have met our tax obligation to the federal government). Or maybe that was someone else. My memory may be slipping.

422 posted on 12/07/2004 12:25:35 PM PST by BJungNan (Stop Spam - Do NOT buy from junk email.)
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To: cyncooper
Did you hear about the witness today that told the jury how Laci beat up a dog and Scott had to intervene?!

Scott is missing an opportunity here to bring out the battered husband defense.

423 posted on 12/07/2004 12:25:45 PM PST by Fitzcarraldo
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To: theconservativerepublican

I think there is at least as great a likelihood of a wrongful conviction through errant "direct" (i.e., eye-witness) evidence. I suspect that there have been more wrongful convictions based upon intentional or mistaken identification of criminal defendants. The system relies upon humans at all levels, and is subject to error. We use the "beyond a reasonable doubt" standard to make the hurdle very high for the prosecution. If people are willing to lie in order to convict someone, that can occur, and is no less criminal than the murder that occurred at another's hand. The question is, so what? Do we then not try people for crimes? Abolish the death penalty? What? I think the system as it is, with its flaws, is a good one, and for what it is worth (that is, what you are paying for my opinion), I think Peterson did it, and his defense fell apart because there WAS no good defense.


424 posted on 12/07/2004 12:25:47 PM PST by NCLaw441
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To: theconservativerepublican
Anyone ever been on a lake in the same sixe boat as Peterson and tried throwing 100lbs of dead weight overboard?? Cant do it, without tyhe boat tipping. Why wouldnt the Judge allow that evidence??? Hmmm...He was in a hurry to find someone guilty, thats why....

Shucks... Grampa used to haul in 120Lb. bluecats from the river in just that size boat.

425 posted on 12/07/2004 12:26:15 PM PST by TexasCajun
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To: Howlin; najida

My jaw is still on the floor. I'll be away from news so keep an ear out. As I say, it was reported by the female who is reporting on this for Fox (I was in the other room and could only hear, not see the screen).


426 posted on 12/07/2004 12:26:55 PM PST by cyncooper
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To: najida; cyncooper

The Associated Press

December 7, 2004

REDWOOD CITY -- Scott Peterson was a mediator and problem solver, once even breaking up a dog fight that led his now slain wife to begin punching one of the animals, a friend of the former fertilizer salesman testified Tuesday on the sixth day of the penalty phase in the double-murder trial.


427 posted on 12/07/2004 12:27:05 PM PST by Howlin (W, Still the President)
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To: cyncooper

God help me if I am ever in this situation and the only thing people can say about me is that I once broke up a dog fight........and try to characterize that as a problem solver.........LOL.......LOL.


428 posted on 12/07/2004 12:28:05 PM PST by Howlin (W, Still the President)
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To: TexasCajun
Peterson and tried throwing 100lbs of dead weight overboard

If there loads were balanced in some way, no problem -

429 posted on 12/07/2004 12:28:08 PM PST by Fitzcarraldo
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To: onyx

Fox--I believe on Shep's show.

(Now I'm trying to remember if maybe it was a guy reporter! But I know I heard about Scott saving the dog from Laci)


430 posted on 12/07/2004 12:28:38 PM PST by cyncooper
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To: Howlin

Penalties applied by the law should not be looked at under the view of a single case. And, of course we can not see now what evidence might point to his unlikely innocence in the future. We are not in the future yet.


431 posted on 12/07/2004 12:28:40 PM PST by BJungNan (Stop Spam - Do NOT buy from junk email.)
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To: Howlin
A friend of the former fertilizer salesman...

I love that description.

432 posted on 12/07/2004 12:28:46 PM PST by onyx
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To: theconservativerepublican; Howlin
"Judicial errors" as in "legal errors". . . witness misconduct is controlled by the judge, admissibility of testimony is controlled by the judge, jury and courtroom management is controlled by the judge.

About the only non-judicial error of any consequence is failure to prove the case. But that hurdle as established in Jackson v. Virginia is almost impossible to surmount - in shorthand, the appellant has to demonstrate that a rational trier of fact could not have found guilt under the evidence presented. And on appeal the burden shifts to the convicted. You can count cases reversed on Jackson grounds on one hand or at most two.

And a Jackson reversal doesn't win a new trial - it wins an outright judgment of acquittal. The State doesn't get another bite at the apple.

433 posted on 12/07/2004 12:28:59 PM PST by AnAmericanMother (. . . Ministrix of ye Chace (recess appointment), TTGC Ladies' Auxiliary . . .)
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To: Fitzcarraldo
Scott is missing an opportunity here to bring out the battered husband defense.

I meant to say battered dog defense.

434 posted on 12/07/2004 12:29:20 PM PST by Fitzcarraldo
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To: cyncooper


Either way, I believe you.
It is quite stunning, nonetheless.
Trash Laci... that's desperation deluxe.


435 posted on 12/07/2004 12:29:56 PM PST by onyx
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To: Howlin

Thanks for the links!

The first one is great and it was nice to have all the evidence put out in a timeline etc. It is a tapestry with every stitch creating Scott as the killer. Lots of little things I didn't know about, but dang, they all point to his guilt.

The second sight! EEK! I KNOW the creator of that page has posters of Scott all over her bedroom and wants to marry him. That is why she wants him free. VERY creepy.


436 posted on 12/07/2004 12:30:49 PM PST by najida (Aunt to Miss Emily Ann- Cutest Baby in the World.)
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To: onyx

Laci, a dog-beater. What else to expect form the friend of a fertilizer salesman?


437 posted on 12/07/2004 12:30:49 PM PST by Fitzcarraldo
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To: Howlin
Hey, Howlin.....You mentioned this before.I don't remember it. Is it in the testimony somewhere?

The washing of the clothes still gets me. My hubby would take them off as soon as he got home....and put them in the laundry. He knew his little old wife (c'est moi) would take care of it. And if I was MISSING.....I'm sure he wouldn't have even taken them off....even if they were wet. And the first question to relatives would have been.....Is Laci there? Her car's here. Did tell me she had the baby without me. (Don't forget, he didn't know WHEN the dog was found at that time.)

438 posted on 12/07/2004 12:32:19 PM PST by Sacajaweau (God Bless Our Troops!!)
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To: Fitzcarraldo


Next we'll hear that Laci slapped a niece or nephew of Snott's.


439 posted on 12/07/2004 12:32:42 PM PST by onyx
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To: Howlin

Thank you for finding that.

Unbelievable! I don't think the jury will be amused.


440 posted on 12/07/2004 12:34:02 PM PST by cyncooper
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