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   Peterson verdict to be read at 4 EST

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Topic: Peterson verdict to be read at 4 EST (Read 187 times)

lakelady
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Peterson verdict to be read at 4 EST
« on: Nov 12^th, 2004, 1:54pm »

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One more hour....

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Rhune
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Re: Peterson verdict to be read at 4 EST
« Reply #1 on: Nov 12^th, 2004, 3:25pm »

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-----Original Message-----
From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: Friday, November 12, 2004 3:13 PM
To: [email protected]
Subject: CNN Breaking News

-- A California jury finds Scott Peterson guilty of the slaying of his wife, Laci, and their unborn child.

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lakelady
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Re: Peterson verdict to be read at 4 EST
« Reply #2 on: Nov 12^th, 2004, 3:38pm »

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Jury finds Peterson guilty
Friday, November 12, 2004 Posted: 4:17 PM EST (2117 GMT)

REDWOOD CITY, California (CNN) -- Jurors found Scott Peterson guilty Friday of first-degree murder in the death of his pregnant wife and second-degree murder in the death of their unborn son.

Prosecutors had accused Peterson of killing his 27-year-old wife, Laci Peterson, on or around December 24, 2002, in their home in Modesto, California. They said he dumped her body, weighted with homemade cement anchors, in San Francisco Bay. Evidence showed he purchased a boat not long before her death.

After 184 witnesses testified for 23 weeks, defense attorney Mark Geragos said in closing arguments that prosecutors had introduced no direct evidence that Peterson killed anyone, and he admonished jurors to weigh only the evidence and to put aside their feelings about his client.

"I don't care if you hate Scott Peterson," Geragos had said.

During his closing arguments, prosecutor Rick Distaso told jurors that it was a common-sense case in which a man killed his wife and that Peterson was the only one who could have killed Laci.

The verdict came after San Mateo Superior Court Judge Alfred Delucchi's dismissal and replacement Tuesday of juror No. 7, a woman who reportedly did her own research on the case. On Wednesday, the judge dismissed juror No. 5, a doctor and lawyer who was the panel's foreman. The reason for his dismissal was not given.

Replacement juror No. 6, a firefighter, was named the new jury foreman. Court watchers observed that he took few notes during the trial and appeared bored at times. CNN's Rusty Dornin said sources said the new foreman may have been able to smooth over tensions in the jury room.

During the trial, the defense maintained that police bungled the investigation and targeted Peterson to the exclusion of other viable suspects. Geragos claimed Peterson was framed, possibly by a homeless person or a burglar.

Distaso also theorized that Peterson's motive was not to continue an admitted affair with massage therapist Amber Frey, but freedom from the burden of a wife and son, or if he became divorced, freedom from paying child support.

Geragos said his client would never murder his wife to be with a woman he had only gone out with a few times, even telling jurors of Peterson's two previous affairs.

Geragos pointed out that those weights were never found. "If there were anchors, why didn't they find them?" Geragos asked jurors in his summation.

Laci Peterson was about eight months pregnant when she disappeared.

Scott Peterson was arrested April 18, 2003, just days after the remains of Laci and their unborn son, whom they planned to name Conner, washed ashore in San Francisco Bay near the marina where Peterson said he launched his boat on a fishing trip on Christmas Eve 2002.

He had dyed his hair blonde and had nearly $15,000 in cash. Prosecutors said he was preparing to flee to Mexico.

On January 24, 2003, Frey stepped up to a microphone and told reporters that she had been having an affair with Peterson before and after his wife went missing.

She said she began cooperating with police when she found out her lover had lied to her about many things, including his marital status.

During his trial, the prosecution played tapes of phone calls Peterson made to Frey while searches were under way for his missing wife.

The calls between Peterson and Frey revealed a web of lies by the defendant, including his statement to her that he celebrated New Year's 2003 near the Eiffel Tower in Paris.

In fact, the day that call was made he attended a candlelight vigil for his wife in Modesto.

Jury selection in the trial began March 4, 2004, and opening statements started June 1.

Before the six men and six women began deliberating November 3, the judge told jurors they had two choices if they decided to convict: first-degree murder, carrying a possible death sentence or life without parole; and second-degree murder, with the potential of two sentences of 15 years to life.

Delucchi explained, "First-degree murder you need ... expressed malice and intent to kill and premeditation."

Second-degree, he said, means Peterson killed them but didn't plan it. The judge added the lesser charge after finding there was ample evidence to support a case that did not involve premeditation.

The option of the lesser charge was a victory for prosecutors, because evidence against Peterson was largely circumstantial.

CNN's Rusty Dornin contributed to this report.

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Rhune
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Re: Peterson verdict to be read at 4 EST
« Reply #3 on: Nov 12^th, 2004, 4:06pm »

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Yeah! I was afraid they were gonna cop-out and convict him of second degree cause they felt squeamish about the death penalty. I don't care if they snuff him or put him in prison for life, but to convict him of un-premeditated murder just because of that always struck me as bullshit.

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QuantumT
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Re: Peterson verdict to be read at 4 EST
« Reply #4 on: Nov 12^th, 2004, 8:41pm »

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With all the jury changes and lack of hard evidence (not saying the circumstancial evidence was not compelling), I was afraid the jury would not convict this murdered. Kudos to the jury for not being afraid to do the right thing.

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Rupey
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Re: Peterson verdict to be read at 4 EST
« Reply #5 on: Nov 12^th, 2004, 9:14pm »

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The verdict did surprise me, but I was glad. That @#*%&+ needs to pay for what he did. Never for a moment did I buy into the story Geragos was trying to sell the jury--that someone else did this. The prosecution's evidence may have been circumstantial, but it still all pointed to Scott Peterson. I'd like to see him fully confess to this yet.

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Rhune
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Re: Peterson verdict to be read at 4 EST
« Reply #6 on: Nov 12^th, 2004, 9:45pm »

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hear hear! (here here?)

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lakelady
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Re: Peterson verdict to be read at 4 EST
« Reply #7 on: Nov 13^th, 2004, 4:22am »

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I never had one doubt he was guilty. Sad to say but I want him to suffer for a very long time for what he did.

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AoM
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Re: Peterson verdict to be read at 4 EST
« Reply #8 on: Nov 13^th, 2004, 12:10pm »

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I too was afraid they would give him second degree murder. But given how she was killed and how the body was disposed, there was definite forethought there. Glad the jury thought so too! Send him up the river!!

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Rhune
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Re: Peterson verdict to be read at 4 EST
« Reply #9 on: Nov 13^th, 2004, 11:07pm »

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I read awhile back that it costs an equal amount of money ultimately whether they are given the death sentence or life in prison, because of all the appeals and lawsuits that come along with a death sentence. Kinda sad...

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nons55
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Re: Peterson verdict to be read at 4 EST
« Reply #10 on: Nov 14^th, 2004, 3:39pm »

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Rhune, I also heard that. That is a shame.

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QuantumT
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Re: Peterson verdict to be read at 4 EST
« Reply #11 on: Nov 14^th, 2004, 5:48pm »

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Not to be the one who makes this political, however as much as I am happy to see this murderer get what he deserves, I am not sure if the death penalty is where we should go. We teach our children that killing is wrong, if we adults say killing is alright under certain circumstances, I am not sure what message that sends.

Personally, I say fry him. I just wonder what message we are sending to our children.

Okay off the soapbox now.

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Surprisingly, I was not startled to find a wee Abraham Lincoln sitting right there on my shoulder. We looked at each other for just a moment. Then he

Rhune
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Re: Peterson verdict to be read at 4 EST
« Reply #12 on: Nov 14^th, 2004, 5:51pm »

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Maybe it's not a problem for me because I have a hard time thinking of someone like that as "human". Would I be in favor of putting a rabid dog to sleep? Yes. I feel the same about people like this.

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QuantumT
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Re: Peterson verdict to be read at 4 EST
« Reply #13 on: Nov 14^th, 2004, 6:03pm »

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It will always be hard for me to vote to execute someone because I believe killing is wrong.

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Surprisingly, I was not startled to find a wee Abraham Lincoln sitting right there on my shoulder. We looked at each other for just a moment. Then he

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