Disclaimer: The article contains mentions of murder. Reader discretion is advised.
The case against Scott Peterson in the murders of his pregnant wife, Laci Peterson, and their unborn son is in the headlines again. According to the New York Times, the Los Angeles Innocence Project now represents the case and investigates Scott’s “claim of actual innocence.”
Laci Peterson was eight months pregnant when she went missing on Christmas Eve in 2002. Four months later, her body washed ashore in San Francisco Bay, a mile from where the fetus was found. Detectives identified Laci’s husband, Scott, as the main suspect.
Scott Peterson’s 2004 trial was highly publicized and caused a media storm. Prosecutors had claimed that Scott killed Laci as he was having an affair with another woman, Amber Frey, who did not know about his marriage. They alleged that he wanted to escape his marriage and forthcoming fatherhood, as per People Magazine.
The prosecution’s evidence against Scott included phone call recordings between him and Amber Frey, which the latter recorded on police orders. Other evidence included blood police found on the couple’s bedspread and the door of Scott’s truck. In an interview with ABC’s Diane Sawyer, he claimed that the blood evidence was understandable because of the manual labor he did. They also alleged that the defendant attempted to flee to Mexico.
Scott’s defense argued that the prosecution primarily relied on circumstantial evidence. They also pointed out the lack of witnesses, a murder weapon, and law enforcement’s efforts to investigate other potential suspects.
A jury eventually convicted Scott Peterson on two counts of first-degree murder. He initially received the death sentence in 2005 and was later resentenced to life in prison.
Could Scott Peterson be released from prison?
Scott Peterson has maintained his innocence in the murders of his wife, Laci Peterson, and their unborn son, Conner, for over two decades. He also claimed to have received an unfair trial based on possible jury misconduct, per ABC News.
According to the outlet, the Los Angeles Innocence Project’s new legal filings claim that “new evidence now supports Mr. Peterson’s longstanding claim of innocence.” It also “raises many questions into who abducted and killed Laci and Conner Peterson.”
ABC reported that the Los Angeles Innocence Project’s attorneys claimed that Scott Peterson’s state and federal constitutional rights were violated. Scott’s attorneys are seeking dozens of items they say they could not locate after reviewing the trial files from his prior counsel “after a thorough search.”
These items include evidence from a December 2002 burglary, the same day Laci Peterson went missing, of a home across the street from the Petersons’ Modesto house. Other items include Laci Peterson’s missing Croton watch and a van fire in the Airport District on December 25, 2002. They are also seeking several witness interview documents.
People Magazine further reported that the LA Innocence Project is also hoping to conduct new DNA testing on a blood-stained mattress. This mattress was found on December 25, 2002, in a burned-out orange van discovered near the Petersons’ home. The tests will determine whether the item contained Laci’s blood. This can potentially link the victim’s murder to the burglars.
Scott Peterson, who initially received the death sentence, is now serving life in prison without parole. The change happened after the California Supreme Court overturned his death sentence in 2020. The court made the decision based on errors by the trial judge during jury selection. However, Scott’s conviction remains upheld.
What does Scott Peterson’s sister-in-law say about his innocence?
According to People Magazine, Scott Peterson’s sister-in-law, Janey Peterson, says that she supports his claim of innocence. Janey spoke with the Today show in 2021, alleging that saying that Laci Peterson was killed after Christmas Eve 2002.
Janey Peterson, who is now an attorney, told the show, “There’s evidence that was completely ignored that shows Laci was alive after [Scott] left for the day. But also, there was no evidence that he had anything to do with what happened to Laci.”
Scott has claimed that an unknown assailant killed Laci. He alleged that it happened as she walked their dog after he left to go on a solo fishing trip on Christmas Eve morning. Detectives had declared Scott a prime suspect in the case after learning about his affair.
However, Janey believes that being an adulterer does not mean that he is a killer. She told the show, “I don’t think you can take that leap.” She further suggested that the murderer is still at large, “We don’t have justice. This crime is not solved.”
The documentary titled The Murder of Laci Peterson, among other true-crime episodes, chronicles the high-profile case.
