Scott Peterson : DEATH

[Useruser666]

Jury Recommends Execution for Peterson
Email this Story

Dec 13, 4:53 PM (ET)

By BRIAN SKOLOFF

REDWOOD CITY, Calif. (AP) - A jury decided Monday that Scott Peterson should be executed for murdering his pregnant wife, Laci, whose Christmas Eve disappearance two years ago was the opening act in a legal drama that captivated the nation.

The jury returned its verdict on the third day of deliberations and after seven days of tearful testimony in the penalty phase of the trial. The jury had two options in deciding the 32-year-old fertilizer salesman's fate: life in prison without parole or death by injection.

[samikeyp]

I say put him in a bathtub and throw a toaster in...but that is just me.

[Useruser666]

More:

Law
Jury recommends death for Peterson

Monday, December 13, 2004 Posted: 4:51 PM EST (2151 GMT)

REDWOOD CITY, California (CNN) -- A jury recommended Monday that Scott Peterson, the former fertilizer salesman whose case grabbed national headlines, be sentenced to death for killing his wife.

The announcement of a jury decision came on the third day of jury deliberations over the sentence.

Earlier Monday, jurors asked to see autopsy photographs of Peterson's 27-year-old wife, Laci, and their unborn son, Conner.

The jury of six men and six women also asked San Mateo County Superior Court Judge Alfred Delucchi if they could see photographs of the shore of San Francisco Bay where the bodies were found separately in April 2003.

The jury requested the last known photograph of Laci Peterson, taken about a week before was reported missing on Christmas Eve 2002, and for Laci's original medical file. She was eight months pregnant at the time. (Timeline)

The jury deliberated longer in the sentencing phase -- about 11 to 11 1/2 hours -- than they did when they reached the guilty verdicts, which took just over seven hours.

The same jury that decided Peterson's sentence convicted him of first-degree murder November 12 in her death and of second-degree murder in the death of Conner. (Full story)

Peterson, 32, faced either the death penalty or life in prison without parole for killing his wife, Laci, and 15 years to life in prison in Conner's death.

During the guilt or innocence phase of the trial, jurors agreed with prosecutors' contention that Peterson strangled or smothered Laci and dumped her body into San Francisco Bay.

Jurors, who were sequestered during deliberations, had to unanimously agree on a death sentence.

At formal sentencing, set for February 25, Delucchi may override a recommendation of death and sentence Peterson to life in prison without parole, but he cannot override a decision of life in prison without parole.

The panel received the case last Thursday after instructions from Judge Delucchi and closing arguments from prosecutors and defense attorneys.

Calling Peterson "the worst kind of monster," prosecutor David Harris urged jurors Thursday to recommend that Peterson die for killing his wife.

Peterson's attorneys begged jurors to spare his life.

"Nobody feels ... that if Scott Peterson was a good golfer, that if Scott Peterson was a Cub Scout, that eases the murder of Laci and Conner," defense attorney Mark Geragos said.

"As I indicated to you, I'm not second-guessing any of your decisions. What we're saying is, that this is a life that has value."

Defense attorney Pat Harris told the jury Peterson "has a lot of good in him" and would be a good candidate to help others in prison.

"There's an opportunity to make something out of a life that has essentially gone wrong, a chance to see that others benefit from the positive part of Scott Peterson, some chance for him to do some good for the rest of his life," Harris said.

Prosecutors said the motive was Peterson's desire to live life as a freewheeling bachelor, unencumbered by a wife and child.

During the trial, jurors heard hours of taped telephone conversations between Peterson and his mistress, massage therapist Amber Frey.

During the penalty phase, Peterson's friends and relatives took the stand to plead for his life, calling him a kind person who could benefit others in prison.

Peterson's mother cried on the stand Wednesday as she begged jurors to spare her son's life.

"We would lose a whole family," Jackie Peterson testified. It "would be like they never existed ... such a waste, irreversible."

Prosecutor David Harris urged jurors to reject the argument that life in prison without parole would be worse punishment than death.

"If you have life, he gets to sit in a cell, read a book, write letters; he gets to have life," he said. "All the things that Laci and Conner would love to do, all the things that Laci's family would love to be able to share with Laci and Conner."

He noted that while others were praying for the safe return of Laci and her baby, "the man who knew where they were laughed and lied. ... He is the worst kind of monster."

California law prohibits jurors from considering the emotional effect on defendants' families when deciding on a sentence, and Delucchi instructed jurors not to allow sympathy to be a factor.

Still, CNN legal analyst Kendall Coffey said it would be difficult for jurors to ignore the level of emotion displayed by Jackie Peterson, Scott's mother, or by Sharon Rocha, Laci's mother.

"That's the law, but the jury has 12 human beings on it," said Coffey, a former U.S. attorney.

CNN's Rusty Dornin and Ted Rowlands contributed to this report.

[bigzak25]

but he was such a nice guy before that whole double murder wife/child thing.....


kudos to the jury.

[SpursWoman]

Well, I certainly am not going to apologize for being very glad to hear that. The sooner he's rotting hell, the better. IMO.

[tlongII]

Has he ever admitted to killing his wife yet?

[Yonivore]

OH, for the days when they'd march 'em out of the courtroom onto the front lawn of the courthouse and hang 'em.

[JoeChalupa]

Let he without sin cast the first stone.

[SpursWoman]

Let he without sin cast the first stone.



I've never killed anyone to get out of a relationship I didn't want to be in....so I guess you can say I am extremely without sin in this instance.

[CosmicCowboy]

He will more than likely live longer on death row than he would have in the general population...higher security, etc...you know that in the general population someone would have shanked him for their fifteen minutes of fame...they don't actually execute anyone in California do they?...wasn't the last one in '91?...theres gotta be hundreds of guys already in line ahead of him on "death" row...

[JoeChalupa]

Well I've had a woman kill the sex to get out of a relationship. :)

Yes, I too think he deserves the death penalty.

[SpursWoman]

Well I've had a woman kill the sex to get out of a relationship. :)



Works everytime. :) or :( ? :lol

[Hook Dem]

The sad part of it is that lawyers will attempt to overturn this in days to come. They will try to discredit members of the jury and spare little in doing so. I hope this verdict will stick. Justice was served.

[samikeyp]

if you are going to go biblical Joe....Thou shalt not kill.

[Jimcs50]

He will more than likely live longer on death row than he would have in the general population...higher security, etc...you know that in the general population someone would have shanked him for their fifteen minutes of fame...they don't actually execute anyone in California do they?...wasn't the last one in '91?...theres gotta be hundreds of guys already in line ahead of him on "death" row...


This is true, he will NEVER be put to death. There are hundreds on death row and none of them will ever die at the hands of the state. He will have it much better on death row because he gets to be away from all the scumbags who as you say, would rape him and torture him weekly, and possibly kill him w/o any punishment. If one inmate is already serving time for murder and he kills another inmate, he gets no more time than he had, so it means nothing to them if they kill someone in prison.

I wanted him to go to prison for life for this very reason, the death penality in Calf is a joke.

[Spurminator]

A Made For TV trial ends with the perfect crowd-pleasing finale. Jerry Bruckheimer couldn't have penned a more predictable script.

[JoeChalupa]

if you are going to go biblical Joe....Thou shalt not kill.

Then what is the death penalty if not killing?

Just asking. I have no problem with the death penalty except in cases where the defendant was found innocent years after the fact through DNA and was just lucky enough to still be on death row.

[samikeyp]

Let he without sin cast the first stone.

I was referring to this statement.

[FromWayDowntown]

The sad part of it is that lawyers will attempt to overturn this in days to come. They will try to discredit members of the jury and spare little in doing so. I hope this verdict will stick. Justice was served.

Yes. Heaven forbid that we ensure that the justice system actually worked without prejudicing someone before we inflict the ultimate punishment. I guess you're particularly in a position to seek immediate imposition of punishment, since you've seen all of the evidence, read all of the pleadings, sit through every day of trial and every hearing that has taken place, and have been privy to every other detail of what's gone on in this case.

Lawyers will appeal this conviction, and hopefully, if the State did its job, those appeals will go nowhere. Lawyers will also appeal the sentence, and might succeed on having his sentence commuted to life. Then again, that might not happen. But for our system of justice to work, lawyers MUST take up that appeal (unless Scott Peterson doesn't want them to) to ensure that the trial was fair, that the State was held to its burden of proof, and that the sentence is just. If all of those things happen (and they likely will here) then Peterson will die in due time.

You know, people hate lawyers who take those appeals because they are "seeking technicalities." But before you go around blaming those lawyers, you might talk to some of those dudes whose convictions and sentences have been overturned in recent years because DNA evidence and other such proof has established that they didn't commit the crimes for which they were convicted. I'm pretty sure that those guys would tell you that appeals in criminal cases are an absolute necessity.

[Guru of Nothing]

He will more than likely live longer on death row than he would have in the general population...higher security, etc...you know that in the general population someone would have shanked him for their fifteen minutes of fame...

That reminds me ... I have a Wednesday evening Sundance Channel documentary queued up to record entitled The Cucumber Incident. It involves 3 women, a man, sexual abuse, vigilante justice, and ... apparently .... a cucumber.

[King]

Let he without sin cast the first stone.

Like Connor?

[baseline bum]

What a stupid sentence. It should have been slow and painful death.

[Spurminator]

A fate worse than death has already been handed out to Scott Peterson... The inevitability that his life will be most prominently represented by a Made for TV movie on Lifetime.

[MannyIsGod]

When can we expect Lisa and the baby to be brought to life? Is it right after the execution or does somebody need to do a little dance as well?

[Johnny_Blaze_47]

When can we expect Lisa and the baby to be brought to life? Is it right after the execution or does somebody need to do a little dance as well?

I don't know about Lisa, but I'm sure Laci's still dead.

[MannyIsGod]

Doh.

[Spurminator]

I'm somewhat relieved that someone else paid as little attention to this soap opera as I did.

[Useruser666]

Lisa Simpson?

[desflood]

It's true that the Bible says "Thou shalt not kill" and "Let he who is without sin...", but Jesus himself said, "What a man sows, so shall he reap." Which, of course, means that Mr. Peterson should be drowned. Or at least, killed and then abandoned at sea.

[Yonivore]

Then what is the death penalty if not killing?

Just asking. I have no problem with the death penalty except in cases where the defendant was found innocent years after the fact through DNA and was just lucky enough to still be on death row.
The actual translation from Hebrew is "Thou shalt not murder."

And, there are a whole host of scriptures that allude to obeying proper authority and abiding by governmental edicts, such as the death penalty, and such...

[T Park]

Yonivore, donnnttt be using facts to back up your belief.

You know that will get you ridicule and name called.

[cqsallie]

Scott Peterson was found guilty of first-degree murder in the death of his wife, Laci. What other sentence could we have expected? If the jury which found him guilty did so without a doubt, then doesn't it follow that the verdict of death be the sentence?
Wouldn't one think that this is a no-brainer?

[cqsallie]

Oh! And just as an aside, when we're talking about "let those who are without sin cast the first stone," who among you will admit to killing your wife and soon-to-be-born son?
That would indeed put us on an even keel. Jesus was talking about adultery; he was not talking about killing one's wife and son (yes, I say son because if Connor had been born on the day he died, he would have most certainly lived).

[MannyIsGod]

It's true that the Bible says "Thou shalt not kill" and "Let he who is without sin...", but Jesus himself said, "What a man sows, so shall he reap." Which, of course, means that Mr. Peterson should be drowned. Or at least, killed and then abandoned at sea.

Question: Would Jesus advocate the death penalty?

[Spurminator]

And, there are a whole host of scriptures that allude to obeying proper authority and abiding by governmental edicts, such as the death penalty, and such...

"Obeying" the law of the land doesn't prevent legally and democratically updating the law with changing times and morality.

By your logic, Roe vs. Wade cannot and should never be reversed.

[Samurai Jane]

Question: Would Jesus advocate the death penalty?

Wasn't the death penalty common practice (and applied for far less serious crimes) back in those days?

[Jekka]

Wasn't the death penalty common practice (and applied for far less serious crimes) back in those days?

Lots of things happened in those days that he didn't advocate.

So I ask again, would Jesus advocate the death penalty?

[Useruser666]

Lots of things happened in those days that he didn't advocate.

So I ask again, would Jesus advocate the death penalty?

Does Jesus advocate internet message boards?

[travis2]

You ask again??? I've heard of "becoming as one"...but I never considered taking it literally...:lol

As to the question...one could make the argument either way. And since I certainly don't claim to know the mind of God, I'm not going to try to answer that question.

[Samurai Jane]

I don't think I would term it as advocacy, but seeing as how he subjected himself to it and didn't protest, my first impression is that he wasn't against it. I don't know the mind of God but we are given specific examples of things that he was against and I don't recall the death penalty being one of those things, but I guess I'm the wrong person to ask..

I won't lie, I struggle with things like this. On one hand, I don't have a problem with applying the death penalty to scum like this, on the other, I struggle with the notion of passing judgement and vengeance belonging to the Lord. I think that has more to do with my ignorance on the subject. I'm relatively new in my walk and I just chalk it up to my need to get to know the word of God better.

[Yonivore]

Question: Would Jesus advocate the death penalty?
Answer: Romans 13:1-7 states: "Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and he will commend you. For he is God's servant to do you good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword for nothing. He is God's servant, an agent of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also because of conscience. This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God's servants, who give their full time to governing. Give everyone what you owe him: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor."

That passage makes it abundantly clear, to me anyway; We are to obey the government God places over us. God created government to establish order and promote justice (Gen 9:6; 1Cor 14:33; Rom 12:8). We are to obey the government in everything - paying taxes, obey rules and laws, respecting judicial verdicts, etc. If we do not, we are ultimately showing disrespect towards God, for He is the One who placed that government over us. When the Apostle Paul wrote Romans 13:1-7, he was under the government of Rome, during the reign of Nero, perhaps that most evil of all the Roman Emperors. Paul still recognized that governments rule over him.

I'd say Jesus would say, "uphold the rule of law." Certainly, his apostle Paul felt that way.

[Samurai Jane]

Matthew 5:17: "Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil."

[Useruser666]

Imagine if 5000 years from now people tried to live their lives by what was on television now a days.

[Yonivore]

Even during his own crucifixion, Jesus never said anything about the penalty itself. And, considering he had two thieves hanging on either side of him, for whom he did not raise any opposition over their execution, I'd have to say, he was ambivalent over the practice.

[Spurminator]

"Obeying" the law of the land doesn't prevent legally and democratically updating the law with changing times and morality.

By your logic, Roe vs. Wade cannot and should never be reversed.

[Yonivore]

Well, Spurm, the question was "What Would Jesus Do?" A somewhat different question than you appear to be posing; "Should we be executing people if, as a society, we get wobbly-kneed?"

[King]

Wasn't the great flood exactly that....God/Jesus advocating (and enforcing) the death penalty? So, yes. He would.

[Spurminator]

No, the conversation was about what the Bible says in regards to Capital Punishment when you made this statement:


And, there are a whole host of scriptures that allude to obeying proper authority and abiding by governmental edicts, such as the death penalty, and such...


Even after the WWJD question was raised, your passage from Scripture does not address whether or not Jesus would advocate the Death penalty... just that He would accept it as the Law of the Land. I don't know of anything in the Gospels that suggests that Christ condoned Capital Punishment. The only evidence we have of Christ at any sort of execution is the passage already alluded to by Joe.


Wasn't the great flood exactly that....God/Jesus advocating (and enforcing) the death penalty? So, yes. He would.

At the risk of oversimplifying, God can carry out the death penalty because He is God. If you're a Christian, you accept that God can do anything He sees fit, and you trust that it will be for the greater good of the world. Most Christians do not believe that humans should create life (because that is God's jurisdiction), why shouldn't this also apply to ending life?

[MannyIsGod]

I'll say this and leave it at this.

The way many Christians in here can actually think that Jesus would advocate the death penalty is baffling. I don't subcribe to christianity very much, but after years and years of catholic school I can't help but subscribe to Jesus' philosophy.

Why? Because Jesus was the origional and ultimate hippie minus the tie dye shirt and hemp jewelry.

Now admittidly I'm not a theologian, but I don't think for a second Christ would ever advocate the death penalty.

[Hook Dem]

No, the conversation was about what the Bible says in regards to Capital Punishment when you made this statement:



Even after the WWJD question was raised, your passage from Scripture does not address whether or not Jesus would advocate the Death penalty... just that He would accept it as the Law of the Land. I don't know of anything in the Gospels that suggests that Christ condoned Capital Punishment. The only evidence we have of Christ at any sort of execution is the passage already alluded to by Joe.



At the risk of oversimplifying, God can carry out the death penalty because He is God. If you're a Christian, you accept that God can do anything He sees fit, and you trust that it will be for the greater good of the world. Most Christians do not believe that humans should create life (because that is God's jurisdiction), why shouldn't this also apply to ending life?
If that is indeed the case Spurm, what would you have us do?

[Spurminator]

Abolish the death penalty and convert all death sentences to life sentences.

[Useruser666]

I respect your opinions in here very much Spurm, but Peterson is a shit of human being. He deserves to die for his crimes. He had an easy alternative to the horrible act he commited. He chose his own fate.

[Yonivore]

Abolish the death penalty and convert all death sentences to life sentences.
Well, there's one man's opinion and, we thank you very much.

[Spurminator]

Uh, yeah.

Welcome to the world of Internet Message Boards.

[Jimcs50]

I respect your opinions in here very much Spurm, but Peterson is a shit of human being. He deserves to die for his crimes. He had an easy alternative to the horrible act he commited. He chose his own fate.


You will be dead before Peterson is put to death in California...sorry, that is just the way it is. I wish he lived in Texas when he killed his wife, but he didn't, accept it...he will never see his sentence carried out. The tax payers will be paying for his upkeep for the next 50 yrs at 65K per.


Where is Jack Ruby when you need him?

[Yonivore]

You will be dead before Peterson is put to death in California...sorry, that is just the way it is. I wish he lived in Texas when he killed his wife, but he didn't, accept it...he will never see his sentence carried out. The tax payers will be paying for his upkeep for the next 50 yrs at 65K per.


Where is Jack Ruby when you need him?
I think there are more than a few of the 640+ Death Row Inmates, at San Quentin, that don't like wife killers or baby killers. He may get Dahmered.

[SpursWoman]

I think there are more than a few of the 640+ Death Row Inmates, at San Quentin, that don't like wife killers or baby killers. He may get Dahmered.


But death row inmates are generally in isolation and not in general population, so there's only an extremely miniscule chance that would ever happen. :(

[Yonivore]

But death row inmates are generally in isolation and not in general population, so there's only an extremely miniscule chance that would ever happen. :(
Yeah, but it's more of a chance than the State of Kalifornia executing him any time soon.

[Jimcs50]

I think there are more than a few of the 640+ Death Row Inmates, at San Quentin, that don't like wife killers or baby killers. He may get Dahmered.



That was my point the other day, noiw he will be away from the population and will be protected because DR inmates are never around other inmates. He will live a long life now, under the care of the state of Calf.

Had he gotten life, he would have been dead within a year.

Ironic, isn't it?

[Useruser666]

You will be dead before Peterson is put to death in California...sorry, that is just the way it is. I wish he lived in Texas when he killed his wife, but he didn't, accept it...he will never see his sentence carried out. The tax payers will be paying for his upkeep for the next 50 yrs at 65K per.


Where is Jack Ruby when you need him?

I think it's more the prinicpal of handing down the sentence than the outcome.

[Jimcs50]

I think it's more the prinicpal of handing down the sentence than the outcome.


Principles do not mean jack to Lacy's family. California's death penalty is a joke, all it does is make it cost 5 times more to keep the fuckers behing bars for the rest of their lives. I would just as soon they abolish it altogether.

Manson is in the general population now and it costs a lot less to keep him there now, than it would had they not commuted his sentence along with everyone elses back in 71 or whenever they declared the death penalty unconstitutional.

[Useruser666]

Principles do not mean jack to Lacy's family. California's death penalty is a joke, all it does is make it cost 5 times more to keep the fuckers behing bars for the rest of their lives. I would just as soon they abolish it altogether.

Manson is in the general population now and it costs a lot less to keep him there now, than it would had they not commuted his sentence along with everyone elses back in 71 or whenever they declared the death penalty unconstitutional.

Sometimes principles are all you have to go on. You can not be certain that he would have been killed in general population. Mabye be he will be put to death, maybe not.

[Jimcs50]

Well, principles and a dollar( $1.65 at Starbucks) will get you a cup of coffee.

Lacy's family will keep getting their hopes up everytime the date for his execution draws near, only to have them dimmed for every appeal and extension that arrises, as they all do. I would just as soon know that he is getting butt fucked every other night as some big mofo's bitch than to sit in his own private cell finding Jesus and writing his memoirs.

[MannyIsGod]

Heh, now murdering someone is a principle.

[MrChug]

Seems as though he still got away to me. Two lives for a little 'prick' in the arm doze off into a peaceful slumber? Don't seem right to me.

[T Park]

yup,

let him live for years on my dime, watching cable, reading the newspaper, and having regular congical visits.

Yes, that sounds much better than lethally injecting a scum of the earth person.


Fuck that shit, put my tax dollars to good use, instead of wasting it on the scum like him.

[T Park]

And before you say 1 fuckin word,

I pay income taxes in the state of California.

So STFU, with the, what would you know horseshit.

[SequSpur]

Dude should have walked. She didn't bring a life vest which is a requirement when you go boating.

[SpursWoman]

yup,

let him live for years on my dime, watching cable, reading the newspaper, and having regular congical visits.


Just FYI, they do NOT have conjugal visits or cable.

[SequSpur]

Dude gets to hang out for 5 hours a day and 3 meals and a tube of KY all because his wife can't swim.

Weak.

[Hook Dem]

http://img64.exs.cx/img64/6343/peterson5nn.jpg