Convicted murderer Scott Peterson could be given a second chance due to support from the Los Angeles Innocence Project.
The Los Angeles Innocence Project filed a petition that neared 400 pages in San Francisco’s California Court of Appeal arguing that Peterson is innocent.
The backstory: Peterson was convicted of murdering his wife, Laci Peterson, in 2004 after a six-month trial.
- Laci Peterson was 27 at the time of the murder and eight months pregnant with their son. She went missing on Christmas Eve in 2002, and her body was found in the San Francisco Bay in April 2003.
The big picture: The Los Angeles Innocence Project presented new scientific evidence and witness statements in the filing that it claims undermines the prosecution’s case against Peterson.
- The organization argued in the new court filing that jurors did not hear certain evidence in the trial that could have affected their decision. The organization also argued that police and prosecutors did not fairly investigate the case and also destroyed possibly critical evidence.
Go deeper: The filing claims that there is new evidence that shows that Peterson’s unborn child died at a later date than was stated in the trial.
- It also claims that an expert in water movement can prove that Laci Peterson’s body was not dumped where the police originally said.
- The filing also draws links to two crimes that occurred near the Petersons’ home in Modesto around the time of Laci Peterson’s disappearance.
Peterson speaks out: While Peterson did not testify at his trial over two decades ago, he submitted a 126-page declaration in the new filing in which he continues to maintain his innocence.
- “It is important to me that whoever killed my wife and son be found and held accountable,” Peterson wrote. “If whoever committed such violence against Laci and Conner is still at large they are a danger to public safety. It is also important to me that I clear my name and my family’s name because I did not and could never harm or kill my family.”
What they’re saying: “The Los Angeles Innocence Project advocates for truth and justice, no matter who the defendant may be or how controversial the case,” said John Sonego, Board President for the Los Angeles Innocence Project. “Our organization has a team of professionals and experts who follow extensive screening protocols prior to choosing a client. LAIP partners and collaborates with the California Forensic Science Institute (CFSI) and Cal State LA’s School of Criminal Justice & Criminalistics, within the Hertzberg-Davis Forensic Science Center. Together, we test the viability, reliability, and accuracy of evidence that had been used to convict LAIP clients.”
- He added, “We decided that this case deserved a second look, because of issues related to ‘confirmation bias’ and potential Brady violations committed by the Modesto Police and Stanislaus County District Attorney’s Office that we believe led to Peterson’s wrongful conviction. Any injustice must be made right. The evidence in this case has been – and will continue to be – our guide.”
