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Thread: Scott Lee Peterson - California

  1. #41
    Senior Member CnCP Legend Mike's Avatar
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    If he gets his charges dropped CDOC is looking at a hefty lawsuit over his obvious neglect while incarcerated at San Quentin.
    "There is a point in the history of a society when it becomes so pathologically soft and tender that among other things it sides even with those who harm it, criminals, and does this quite seriously and honestly. Punishing somehow seems unfair to it, and it is certain that imagining ‘punishment’ and ‘being supposed to punish’ hurts it, arouses fear in it." Friedrich Nietzsche

  2. #42
    Senior Member Frequent Poster Fact's Avatar
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    That is just absolutely dreadful work from the trial judge.

  3. #43
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    Scott Peterson's Sister Reacts to His Death Sentence Being Overturned

    Scott Peterson's sister, Anne Bird, is supporting the court's decision to overturn his death sentence for the murder of Laci Peterson, but not for the reason people might expect.

    On Tuesday, Aug. 25, she told Today's Miguel Almaguer, "I'm against the death penalty, but I do think he's exactly where he should be... I lost my sister-in-law Laci and my unborn nephew, Connor, and I believe he should remain in prison for the rest of his life without parole."

    Her comments come a day after a California Supreme Court ordered the removal of Peterson's death sentence. In the decision, Justice Leondra Kruger wrote, "Before the trial began, the trial court made a series of clear and significant errors in jury selection that, under long-standing United States Supreme Court precedent, undermined Peterson's right to an impartial jury at the penalty phase."

    Kruger went on to explain, "A juror may not be dismissed merely because he or she has expressed opposition to the death penalty as a general matter."

    At this moment, it's unclear if prosecutors will retry the penalty phase in an attempt to once again sentence Peterson to death. If they choose to not move forward with a retrial, he will automatically be sentenced to life in prison.

    Bird has previously shared that she believes her brother is guilty for the murder of Laci, who was eight months pregnant with their unborn son Connor at the time of her death. In 2005, she told Dateline, "I just know that he did this."

    "It's very hard to comprehend. And it hurts," she added.

    Bird also expressed her belief that Peterson drowned Laci. "It's a silent death. Nobody would hear anything," she speculated. "And it's hard for me to think that, because I picture Laci and that's hard."

    The cause of death was never confirmed as Laci and Connor's partial remains were found on a California beach in April 2003, around four months after she went missing on Christmas Eve.

    The site where they were discovered was less than two miles from where Peterson had claimed to be fishing on the same day she was last seen. This, in addition to his extramarital affair, was one of the many arguments convinced the jury of his guilt.

    In Nov. 2004, a jury would convict Peterson of one count of first-degree murder for killing his wife and one count of second-degree murder for killing their unborn son.

    Peterson and his legal team tried to appeal the conviction, arguing that the amount of pre-trial publicity, among other controversies, biased the jury. Regarding this claim, Justice Kruger responded, "We reject Peterson's claim that he received an unfair trial as to guilt and thus affirm his convictions of murder."

    https://www.eonline.com/news/1181925...ing-overturned
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  4. #44
    Senior Member CnCP Legend JLR's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Fact View Post
    That is just absolutely dreadful work from the trial judge.
    Even worse from the prosecutors who must have known what a massive fundamental error the judge was making but chose to let it slide and deal with it on appeal. Massive waste of time and money for everyone involved.

    I wonder if the trial judge has sat on any of the other case that are pending on direct appeal? We could end up hearing about this again.

  5. #45
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    Original Jurors React To Scott Peterson Death Row Reversal

    Scott Peterson is off death row after the California Supreme Court ruled sentencing was unfair and jury selection was impartial.

    Lara Yeretsian served on Scott Peterson’s original defense team. She says removing the death sentence puts him one step closer towards freedom.

    “We truly did believe that he should be acquitted,” Yeretsian said.

    John Guinasso was juror number eight during the Scott Peterson trial. He said, “to overturn that, I’m surprised and disappointed because that was part of my life taken away.”

    Guinasso says he drove seven hours, every day, for six months to make it to court.

    Mike Belmessierri was juror number four. He says serving on the jury was his civic duty.

    “I sat with 12 citizens and they made a decision,” Belmessierri said. “It was decided after careful consideration and healthy debate that Scott Peterson was guilty of murdering his wife and unborn child.”

    Both were surprised to learn the death penalty decision was thrown out.

    Monday, State Supreme Court ruled 13 prospective jurors were wrongfully dismissed during the Scott Peterson trial because they revealed they had general objections to the death penalty.

    Peterson’s lawyer, Mark Gergaros, put a statement on Twitter after the decision. It says in part, “We are grateful for the California Supreme Court unanimous recognition that if the state wishes to put someone to death, it must proceed to trial only with a fairly selected jury.”

    It also goes on to say that his team looks forward to the court reviewing new evidence that will be presented in a separate state petition.

    For now, Peterson still sits in San Quentin Prison. While the murder conviction against Peterson stays, the court now orders a new penalty phase trial. They have 90 days to decide what’s next.

    https://sacramento.cbslocal.com/2020...-row-reversal/
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  6. #46
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    What happens next in the Scott Peterson case after his death sentence was overturned?

    SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The reversal of Scott Peterson's death sentence on Monday came as a "big relief" to his family, his sister-in-law said.

    And while Peterson's attorney blames the District Attorney's office for not speaking up when the judge erroneously excused jurors, the lead prosecutor on the case said they looked to the experienced judge for guidance.

    "To know they are not going to stick a needle in his arm, that is a big relief," Janey Peterson said. "It was a very long wait and it is a heavy weight" to carry.

    Scott Peterson is the 38th inmate on California's death row to see his sentence reversed since 1998, according to California Supreme Court data.

    The court reversed the death sentences in fewer than 8.5% of the 444 cases it has heard on automatic appeal during that time and Peterson's attorney, Cliff Gardner, can think of only a few other cases that were reversed for the same reason.

    The trial judge in Peterson's case, Al Delucchi, wrongly excluded 13 potential jurors who stated they were opposed to the death penalty because he didn't first determine whether they could put their beliefs aside and follow the law, according to the unanimous opinion by the court Monday.

    In fact, the court provided several examples of potential jurors who said they could still impose a sentence of death despite their beliefs. "The record shows defense counsel consistently resisted these dismissals," the opinion reads.

    Janey Peterson said she knew 15 years ago Scott's death penalty sentence would be reversed because of the "egregious errors" made during jury selection.

    The court said that because "long-standing United States Supreme Court precedent" was not followed, "the penalty phase in this case was over before it ever began."

    The prosecution did not speak up as these errors were occurring to ensure an adequate record, according to the opinion.

    "You've got three experienced prosecutors who either knew the law or they didn't know the law," Gardner said. "I find either explanation puzzling. I find either explanation unsatisfactory."

    Stanislaus County District Attorney Birgit Fladager, who led the prosecution team during the 2004 trial, said they and the judge "were indeed aware of the requirements regarding death qualification of jurors."

    "Judge Delucchi was the most experienced and qualified judge in the state at that time in handling death penalty cases," Fladager said in an email Thursday. "He had even recently had a death penalty case affirmed on appeal prior to the Peterson case. He was wading through in excess of 1,200 juror questionnaires that were each in excess of 20 pages. All of the questionnaires were thoroughly reviewed and discussed by the parties and Judge Delucchi made what he believed were appropriate excusal for cause decisions."

    Delucchi died in 2008.

    Scott Peterson was convicted of killing his wife Laci Peterson and unborn son Conner in 2002.

    Laci Peterson was about 8 months pregnant when she disappeared on Christmas Eve. Peterson said he had gone fishing that day in the San Francisco Bay and returned to an empty home. The remains of Laci and Conner, the couple's unborn son, eventually were found months later roughly a mile apart along the shore of the San Francisco Bay, less than two miles from where Peterson said he fished.

    Of the 38 death sentences reversed by the California Supreme Court in the last 22 years, nine saw a reversal of the guilty conviction.

    Janey Peterson had hopes Scott's case would have the same outcome. But the court's seven justices did not agree with Gardner's argument that errors in the jury selection process should render the results of the guilty phase unreliable, nor other arguments he made about an unfair trial.

    California has not executed anyone since 2006 because of legal challenges over the three-drug method it was using. It faced more challenges as it tried to come up with a new drug protocol. And Gov. Gavin Newsom put in place a moratorium on the death penalty in March 2019, suspending all executions while he is governor in spite of voters' wishes.

    In 2016 a majority voted against repealing the death penalty in Proposition 62, and voted in favor of fast-tracking it in Prop. 66.

    Laci Peterson's mother, Sharon Rocha, had vigorously campaigned for Prop. 66 and against Prop. 62 and said in 2016 she was pleased with the outcome. She did not return messages seeking comment at the time of Newsom's moratorium or since the court's decision.

    Gardner said the petition can either be heard by the California Supreme Court or get sent back to Stanislaus County Superior Court, and there is no time limit on when it is to be heard.

    Peterson and the Attorney General's Office, which represented the state in Peterson's appeal, can petition the U.S. Supreme Court to review the California Supreme Court's opinion. They have 150 days to petition the court for review, Gardner said, typically 90 days but the time frame has been extended due to the coronavirus pandemic.

    Neither side has made a decision on whether they will.

    Fladager can also retry the penalty phase of the trial but she said she won't make a decision on that until after the attorney general and Gardner make a decision regarding review by the U.S. Supreme Court.

    For now, Scott Peterson's sentence effectively becomes life without the possibility of parole.

    He will remain in death row housing at San Quentin State Prison, at least until Fladager decides whether to pursue a new penalty phase trial, California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation spokeswoman Terry Thornton said Thursday.

    Gardner would not say if he's spoken to Peterson since Monday's decision, saying he doesn't discuss the personal conversations he has with clients.

    Janey Peterson said Wednesday she had not yet spoken to Scott and assumes he learned about the death sentence reversal by watching the news on the TV in his cell.

    According to media reports from a group of journalists who toured death row at San Quentin in 2016, Scott Peterson is housed in a unit that allows for more privileges, including more recreation time.

    "Inmates can walk about the open tier, and walk themselves to the yard. The waiting list to get in is decades long," reads a Los Angeles Times story.

    Thornton would not confirm what unit Peterson lives in but said inmate privileges are based on their behavior, not where they are housed. She noted that Peterson has never incurred any rules violations since entering the prison in March 2005.

    If his new life sentence stands, classification officials will review Peterson's case factors to determine where he would be moved, which could include a different prison altogether.

    "All housing decisions for all incarcerated people are made on a case-by-case basis based on their classification score and custody level, and taking into account that person's security, medical, psychiatric and program needs," Thornton said.

    https://www.heraldmailmedia.com/news...3ca91b417.html
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  7. #47
    Administrator Helen's Avatar
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    Edited:

    California’s top court orders reexamination of Scott Peterson’s conviction

    Associated Press

    SAN FRANCISCO — The California Supreme Court on Wednesday ordered a second look at Scott Peterson's conviction for killing his pregnant wife and unborn son, less than two months after it overturned his death penalty.

    The court sent the case back to San Mateo County Superior Court to determine whether Peterson should receive a new trial, the Los Angeles Times reported.

    The court said a juror committed “prejudicial misconduct” by failing to dislose that she had been involved with other legal proceedings. The juror had filed a lawsuit in 2000 to obtain a restraining order after her boyfriend’s ex-girlfriend harassed her while she was pregnant, the Times said.


    The juror said she feared for her unborn child.


    Yet when asked as a potential juror whether she had ever been a crime victim or involved in a lawsuit, she answered no, Peterson’s attorneys told the Times.

    https://www.foxnews.com/us/californi...ons-conviction

    "I realize this may sound harsh, but as a father and former lawman, I really don't care if it's by lethal injection, by the electric chair, firing squad, hanging, the guillotine or being fed to the lions."
    - Oklahoma Rep. Mike Christian

    "There are some people who just do not deserve to live,"
    - Rev. Richard Hawke

    “There are lots of extremely smug and self-satisfied people in what would be deemed lower down in society, who also deserve to be pulled up. In a proper free society, you should be allowed to make jokes about absolutely anything.”
    - Rowan Atkinson

  8. #48
    Administrator Helen's Avatar
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    California DA will retry Scott Peterson for death penalty, prosecutors say

    Scott Peterson appears in California court via livestream amid new questions in murder case

    By Laura Ingle and Stephanie Pagones
    Fox News

    Scott Peterson returned to a Stanislaus, Cali., court -- albeit virtually -- for the first time in more than a decade on Friday for a hearing regarding his murder conviction in the death of his wife, Laci, and their unborn son.

    Peterson, 47, wore a blue top and a blue face mask for the 8:30 a.m. PT court appearance at Stanislaus County Superior Court, where prosecutors revealed they intend to retry the death penalty phase of Peterson's case. Peterson appeared from San Quentin State Prison, but did not speak at all throughout the hearing.

    In addition to the death penalty, Friday's hearing addressed the institution of Peterson's legal representation. He was represented during the hearing, in part, by his former co-counsel, Pat Harris. Harris said Friday he would be representing Peterson as private counsel.

    The hearing was adjourned until Nov. 6.

    On Oct. 14, the California Supreme Court ordered his conviction to be reexamined to determine whether Peterson should receive a new trial. And in August, the Supreme Court overturned Peterson’s death sentence, citing “significant errors” in the jury selection process.

    Stanislaus District Attorney Birgit Fladager and Chief Deputy District Attorney Dave Harris, one of the prosecutors in Peterson's 2004 case, were also present for the hearing.

    On Friday, prior to Peterson’s appearance, his sister-in-law Janey Peterson told Fox News that justice for Laci and Connor remains “most important.”

    “As big as a tragedy as this that Scott’s on death row, ultimately we still don’t have justice for Laci and Connor,” she said. “Their murder's not solved. That’s our goal, to not only free Scott, but solve the crime."

    Mark Geragos, who also represented Peterson at trial, told Fox News on Thursday he was “not surprised” that the case was sent back to San Mateo for review.

    “I always thought he would get some relief at some point, and I am gratified to see it happen now,” he said ahead of the hearing.

    The case was called to be reexamined after the court said a juror committed “prejudicial misconduct” by failing to disclose that she had been involved with other legal proceedings. According to officials, the juror, Richelle Nice, had filed a lawsuit in 2000 to obtain a restraining order after her boyfriend’s ex-girlfriend harassed her while she was pregnant.

    Peterson was convicted in 2004 of murdering Laci Peterson, 27 at the time, and their unborn son, Connor. Laci was eight months pregnant at the time of her death.

    In 2003, Stanislaus prosecutors charged Peterson with double homicide, but the case was later moved to San Mateo County, nearly 90 miles away from the couple’s Central Valley home in Modesto.

    Investigators say Peterson took the bodies from their Modesto home and dumped them from his fishing boat into San Francisco Bay, where they surfaced months later. Peterson was arrested after Amber Frey, a massage therapist living in Fresno, told police that they began dating a month before his wife’s death, but that he had told her his wife was dead.

    He has maintained his innocence.

    Frey's attorney, Gloria Allred, told Fox News she was "glad" to learn that the penalty phase of Peterson's case would be retried.

    "It is important that a jury have an opportunity to decide if Scott Peterson should receive the death penalty for the murder of his pregnant wife, Laci Peterson and the second degree murder of her unborn fetus," Allred wrote in an emailed statement. "Justice must be done. Scott Peterson deserves due process and a fair trial, but so do the victims."

    https://www.foxnews.com/us/scott-pet...a-court-murder
    "I realize this may sound harsh, but as a father and former lawman, I really don't care if it's by lethal injection, by the electric chair, firing squad, hanging, the guillotine or being fed to the lions."
    - Oklahoma Rep. Mike Christian

    "There are some people who just do not deserve to live,"
    - Rev. Richard Hawke

    “There are lots of extremely smug and self-satisfied people in what would be deemed lower down in society, who also deserve to be pulled up. In a proper free society, you should be allowed to make jokes about absolutely anything.”
    - Rowan Atkinson

  9. #49
    Moderator Ryan's Avatar
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    November 6, 2020

    Scott Peterson waives speedy death penalty trial, waits out case re-examination

    Convicted killer Scott Peterson on Friday waived his right to what would have been a speedy death penalty retrial later this month, a move that allows him to wait out a decision on whether his case will be retried altogether.

    Peterson, 48, gained international infamy in the early 2000's after he was suspected and then found guilty in the brutal 2002 slaying of his wife, Laci, and the couple’s unborn son, Conner. Peterson was convicted of the murders in 2004, sentenced to death, and has spent the intervening years on death row at San Quentin State Prison.

    But the Modesto man’s case was pushed back into the spotlight this year, after a pair of California Supreme Court decisions opened windows for the defense.

    In August, the state’s high court overturned Peterson’s death sentence because the trial judge dismissed jurors who opposed capital punishment without asking them whether they could put their views aside. Then the court ordered a re-examination of the convictions themselves last month, due to the actions of a potentially tainted juror.

    At a hearing on October 23, Stanislaus County prosecutors said they would again seek the death penalty.

    Peterson, appearing by Zoom at a Friday morning hearing in San Mateo County Superior Court, told Judge Anne-Christine Massullo that he wished to waive his right to a speedy penalty trial, which otherwise would have begun November 29.

    Pat Harris, Peterson’s attorney, told The Chronicle in an earlier interview that the penalty trial probably would be put on hold until a San Mateo County judge rules in the separate track of the case, and determines whether Peterson was denied the right to trial by an impartial jury.

    The trial had been transferred to San Mateo County after pretrial surveys in Stanislaus County found most potential jurors believed Peterson was guilty.

    Massullo set the next status conference in the case for January 21.

    https://www.sfchronicle.com/crime/ar...l-15707999.php
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  10. #50
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    Scott Peterson: A Complete Timeline of His Trial for the Murder of His Wife Laci and Unborn Son

    Peterson was declared guilty of the crimes in 2004, but in 2020, his death sentence was overturned, setting the stage for a never-ending legal saga.

    It's a cornerstone of the American legal system and a virtual literary trope that people are presumed innocent until being proven guilty, but it sure was easy to assume the worst about fertilizer salesman Scott Peterson after his wife, Laci, and their unborn son, Conner, mysteriously disappeared in late 2002.

    After all, here was a man who told his mistress that his then-pregnant wife was already deceased; provided conflicting information about what he was doing the day she was reported missing; was spotting laughing at Laci's candlelight vigil; and sold off her car in the weeks before her lifeless body was discovered. It was hardly the behavior of a devoted family man, and the public's suspicions were confirmed when a jury found Peterson guilty of double homicide in November 2004.

    But the court of public opinion only goes so far amid the extensive layers of the legal system, and Peterson's appeals eventually earned a closer look as he waited out the years on death row, setting up the once-unthinkable possibility he would get another shot at freedom.

    December 24, 2002: Laci is reported missing

    Scott tells police that he had last seen Laci, nearly eight months pregnant with their baby, at their Modesto, California, home around 9:30 that morning before leaving to go fishing, sparking a massive manhunt comprised of both regional and federal authorities and volunteer search teams. Scott quickly draws the scrutiny of investigators, who note his seeming lack of concern over his wife's disappearance and his refusal to take a polygraph test.

    January 24, 2003: Amber Frey reveals her relationship with Scott

    Amber Frey, a massage therapist, tells reporters that she began dating Scott two months earlier, unaware that he was married, and that she contacted police on December 30 after realizing the connection between her boyfriend and the missing woman in the headlines.

    March 5, 2003: Laci's case is reclassified as a homicide

    Authorities offer no reason for the switch from a missing-person investigation, other than a statement that notes they had "increasingly come to believe that Laci is the victim of a violent crime."

    April 13-14, 2003: The remains of a woman and fetus are found

    One day after the body of a fetus is discovered on the shoreline of the San Francisco Bay, the decomposing body of a woman is found nearby, approximately 2 to 3 miles north of the Berkeley Marina where Scott said he went fishing the previous Christmas Eve.

    April 18, 2003: Scott is arrested and the bodies are identified as Laci and Conner

    Peterson is apprehended in La Jolla, California, near both the San Diego home of his mother and the Mexican border. Along with sporting a dyed-blond hairdo and goatee, he is driving a car containing approximately $15,000 in cash, his brother's ID card and multiple cell phones. Later that day, it is confirmed that the recently found bodies are those of Laci and Conner.

    April 21, 2003: Scott pleads not guilty

    In a brief arraignment at Stanislaus County Superior Court, Peterson pleads not guilty to 2 counts of capital murder. He also says he cannot afford a lawyer and is appointed a public defender.

    May 2, 2003: Celebrity lawyer Mark Geragos joins Scott's team

    Geragos, who counted actors Winona Ryder and Robert Downey Jr. among his clientele and had recently been providing cable TV analysis of the Peterson case, announces that he has been hired by the defendant's family.

    November 18, 2003: Scott is ordered to stand trial

    Following 11 days of testimony from investigators, family members and neighbors in a preliminary hearing, Judge Aldo Girolami determines that prosecutors had shown probable cause and orders Scott to stand trial for the double homicide charges.

    December 19, 2003: Laci's mom files wrongful death claims

    Laci's mom, Sharon Rocha, files suits as both an individual and the administrator of her daughter's estate, seeking more than $5 million in damages. "She wants to make sure justice is done whether it's in a civil court or a criminal court," her lawyer says.

    January 20, 2004: The trial is moved to San Mateo County

    Conceding that overwhelming publicity and hostility had squashed the possibility of a fair trial in Peterson's hometown, Judge Girolami announces that proceedings will be transferred 90 miles away to San Mateo County.

    June 1, 2004: Scott's trial begins

    The trial commences with the prosecution's opening statement, which asserts that Scott sought a responsibility-free life by killing his wife and soon-to-be-born son and dumping her weighted body in the bay. The following day, Geragos contends that his client's "boorish" behavior is hardly proof of murder, and offers a preview of the medical evidence that points to the baby being born after Laci's reported disappearance.

    June 23, 2004: A juror is removed

    2 days after juror Justin Falconer is spotted speaking to Laci's brother outside the courtroom, Judge Alfred Delucchi dismisses the juror. He also shoots down the defense's request for a mistrial due to unfavorable news reports, noting, "We have to live with the media."

    August 10, 2004: Frey delivers her crucial testimony

    Taking the stand for the 1st of her 7 days of testimony, Frey, represented by celebrity lawyer Gloria Allred, recalls the details of her fairytale first date with Scott. She goes on to relate his claims of being a widower and numerous other lies, her accounts bolstered by the 12 hours of recorded phone calls played for the jury. Legal analysts later pinpoint this testimony as a huge momentum-shifter for the prosecution, to that point sputtering through a lack of firm evidence and its mishandling of procedural matters.

    October 21, 2004: The defense's medical expert fumbles on the stand

    Following through on his opening promise, Geragos calls on a medical expert who testifies that Conner died no earlier than December 29, 2002, indicating that Laci was still alive after being reported missing. But the appearance ends badly for the witness, who concedes that he relied on hearsay to pinpoint the date of a pregnancy test, and at one point asks the cross-examining prosecutor to "cut me some slack."

    November 3, 2004: Jury deliberations begin... and turn bumpy

    After 5 months and more than 180 witnesses called to the stand, the jury is left to determine the fate of Scott.

    On November 9, juror Fran Gorman is dismissed for misconduct – later revealed to be for conducting separate research – and is replaced by alternate Richelle Nice, whose name would resurface in appeals down the road. The following day, foreman Gregory Jackson is also removed, reportedly at his own request after repeated clashes with his fellow jurors.

    November 12, 2004: Scott is found guilty

    Despite the absence of a murder weapon or any physical evidence tying Scott to the deceased, he is found guilty of 1st-degree murder for the death of Laci and 2nd-degree murder for the death of Conner. The announcement sparks audible gasps in the courtroom, along with a roar of celebration from the crowd gathered outside.

    December 13, 2004: The jury recommends a death sentence

    Following 11 hours of deliberations, the clerk announces to a quiet courtroom that the six-man, six-woman jury had unanimously voted to "fix the penalty at death."

    March 16: 2005: The judge sentences Scott to death

    Judge Delucchi sentences Scott to death by lethal injection, but his announcement is overshadowed by the emotion that erupts when Laci's family is given the opportunity to speak, with parents from both sides yelling and Laci's brother telling the convicted that he'd strongly considered shooting him. Scott, who sits stoically through the charged affair, declines to deliver a statement before being shipped off to San Quentin State Prison.

    April 2009: Laci's family foregoes the civil suit

    Shortly before a scheduled hearing on April 30, 2009, it is announced that Sharon and Dennis Rocha had dropped the wrongful death claim against their former son-in-law

    July 5, 2012: Scott files an appeal

    In a 423-page document submitted to the California Supreme Court, Scott's lawyer revives the complaint that intensive publicity had eroded the possibility of his client receiving a fair trial. He also claims that Judge Delucchi had erred by excluding prospective jurors who opposed the death penalty but said they would consider imposing such a sentence, and that certain evidence, such as the findings of a police dog with a poor track record of success, should never have been admitted as evidence.

    November 24, 2015: Scott files a second appeal

    The habeas corpus petition covers much of the same ground as Scott's previous appeal, with one glaring difference: It includes the revelation that Nice, one of the late-trial replacements, had lied about an earlier involvement in legal proceedings by failing to disclose that she had once been threatened by her boyfriend's ex-girlfriend while pregnant.

    August 24, 2020: Scott's death sentence is overturned

    Agreeing with Scott's argument that prospective jurors were improperly dismissed for their opposition to the death penalty but a willingness to adhere to it, the California Supreme Court overturns Scott's death sentence. However, the court rejects the stance that he was unable to receive a fair trial and upholds the murder conviction.

    October 14, 2020: Scott's convictions are ordered reexamined

    Focusing on the "prejudicial misconduct" of Nice's failure to disclose her previous legal entanglements, the California Supreme Court announces that the case will be sent back to San Mateo County Superior Court to determine whether a new trial is needed.

    October 23, 2020: Prosecutors announce plans to pursue the same course of action

    A Stanislaus County spokesman says that Assistant District Attorney Dave Harris intends to seek the death penalty for Scott again. Meanwhile, Peterson lawyer Pat Harris, who worked alongside Geragos in the original trial, tells reporters that "an innocent man's been sitting in jail for 15 years, it's time to get him out."

    November 6, 2020: Scott declines a speedy trial

    Appearing in a San Mateo Superior Court hearing via Zoom, Scott waives the right to speedy trial of the penalty phase of his case, setting the stage for a new chapter in his long-running legal saga.

    (source: Tim Ott has written for Biography and other A+E sites since 2012----biography.com)
    An uninformed opponent is a dangerous opponent.

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