Scott Peterson trial: 4 points Innocence Project could focus on to prove he was wrongfully convicted
Warning: This article contains a recollection of crime and can be triggering to some, readers’ discretion advised.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: The Los Angeles Innocence Project has taken up the case of Scott Peterson, who was convicted in 2004 for the murders of his pregnant wife, Laci Peterson, and their unborn son, Conner.
Peterson, currently serving a life sentence without parole, asserts his innocence, claiming that critical exculpatory evidence was ignored or suppressed during his trial.
LAIP takes on Scott Peterson's murder case as he seeks new DNA test
The LA Innocence Project, dedicated to investigating claims of actual innocence and exposing flaws in the criminal justice system, has confirmed its commitment to reviving Peterson's two-decades-old murder case and new DNA testing.
Additionally, in a statement from prison in November 2023, the convict expressed, “I believe this additional information will assist in determining what happened to my family and prove that I am innocent and had nothing to do with these horrible crimes that were committed against my wife and son. In 2004, I was wrongfully convicted of murdering my wife, Laci, … and our unborn son, Conner.”
Peterson said he contacted the Innocence Project last summer and requested for its attorneys to investigate his case. Nevertheless, in recent court filings, the LA Innocence Project, cites, "New evidence now supports Mr Peterson's longstanding claim of innocence and raises many questions into who abducted and killed Laci and Conner Peterson."
What happened to Laci Peterson?
The disappearance of Laci in 2002, eight months pregnant at the time, gripped the nation. Investigators alleged that Peterson transported their bodies from their Modesto home and disposed of them in San Francisco Bay.
The suspect's alibi, centered around a fishing trip on the morning of his wife's disappearance, faced scrutiny. The remains surfaced months later, not far from the location where Peterson claimed to have gone fishing in Berkeley.
Laci was eight months pregnant when she vanished from the Petersons’ Modesto home on Christmas Eve in 2002. A massive search effort ended four months later when Laci’s body was found in the San Francisco Bay. At trial, a San Mateo County jury found the husband guilty of murdering his wife and their unborn son.
In April 2003, he was arrested and charged with the first-degree murder of his wife and the second-degree murder of his unborn child. The case took a grim turn when it was revealed that Peterson had an affair with Amber Frey, who was unaware of his marital status.
Later, she collaborated with law enforcement and provided testimony in court. He was ultimately convicted of murder in 2004 in San Mateo County. Initially sentenced to death in 2005, Peterson was later resentenced in 2021 to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole.
However, here are four key aspects the Innocence Project attorneys could focus on to ascertain whether Peterson was wrongfully convicted:
Eyewitness accounts of Laci Perterson's presence after December 24, 2002:
Peterson contends that critical exculpatory evidence was ignored, specifically, eyewitness reports suggesting that Laci was alive and walking their dog after he left town on Christmas Eve. The Innocence Project has requested all relevant materials related to these sightings.
The LAIP asked for, “All reports, audio and video recordings and transcripts thereof, photos, notes, and/or other documents detailing investigative actions taken in response to eyewitness accounts reporting sightings of Laci Peterson on or after December 24, 2002. Materials developed or used by law enforcement in 2002 and/or early 2003 while Laci was missing to note or track possible December 24, 2002, neighborhood sightings of Laci, McKenzi (the dog), or of a woman walking a dog.”
The Medina burglary:
During the period when Laci disappeared, a residence situated across from the Petersons' household experienced a burglary. Peterson's legal representatives propose that the individuals responsible for the burglary might have been involved in the abduction and murder of Laci. Subsequently, law enforcement apprehended and questioned two of the suspected burglars, who adamantly refuted any connection to Laci.
The LAIP requested documents detailing the investigation into the Medina burglary and verification of the alibis of potential suspects. Court documents stated, “A complete copy of the Modesto Police Department’s investigation into the burglary of the Medinas’ home at 516 Covena Avenue … located directly across the street from the Petersons’ home, which occurred sometime between December 24, 2002, and December 26, 2002."
"All MPD investigation and other police reports memorializing the steps MPD took to ‘verify’ the alibis of Steven Todd and Donald Glenn Pearce, establishing their whereabouts on December 24, 2002. All police reports, audio and video recordings, and other relevant materials indicating that MPD verified ‘the truthfulness’ of the statements of Steven Todd and Donald Glenn Pearce provided and cleared them of any involvement in the disappearance of Laci Peterson,” KRON reported.
Suspicious van fire:
On the day after Laci was reported missing, a van near the Petersons' home caught fire under suspicious circumstances. The Innocence Project seeks reports from the police and fire departments from “December 25, 2002, Van Fire in Airport District. A complete copy of Modesto Police Department Case … and Modesto Fire Department Case … concerning the investigation of an incendiary fire of an orange van containing a mattress with apparent bloodstains, located in the alley between 612 Thrasher and 607 Empire, less than one mile from the Petersons’ home. Digital copies of all 911 calls reporting the incendiary vehicle fire.”
Stolen Croton watch investigation:
Laci's Croton watch, reported stolen while she was missing, was sold at a pawn shop. LAIP is requesting, “A complete copy of the MPD and Stanislaus County District Attorney Office’s investigation into the Croton watch that was pawned on December 31, 2002, by Deanna R., and a watch that was pawned on February 14, 2003, by Anthony S.”
The Innocence Project's comprehensive approach involves 15 categories of evidence, ranging from eyewitness accounts to policies governing the disclosure of conflicts of interest within the Modesto Police Department. Pat Harris, Peterson's defense attorney said, “We are very excited to have the incredible attorneys at the L.A. Innocence Project lend their considerable expertise to helping prove Scott Peter’s Innocence."
