Convicted murderer Scott Peterson was re-sentenced to life in prison on Wednesday at the Superior Court of California in San Mateo County for the murder of his pregnant wife.
Inside the courtroom Wednesday morning, KCBS Radio's "Bay Current" host and producer Matt Pitman and KCBS Radio reporter Matt Bigler heard first-hand the heartbreaking testimony from Laci Peterson's family, who remarked at how if Laci had lived, she would be 47 today, and her son would be 18.
Peterson's wife Laci's body was discovered in the San Francisco Bay after disappearing on Christmas Eve 19 years ago. She was eight months pregnant at the time. Peterson was arrested in April 2003 and tried in June. After he was found guilty, he was sentenced to death.
On Wednesday, that changed. "The death sentence was thrown out, Scott Peterson’s attorneys were successful by appealing this case to the Supreme Court of the state," Bigler said. "They found that the death sentence that was given (to Peterson) in 2005 was unconstitutional."
The California Supreme Court tossed out his conviction last year on the grounds that the judge for the original case excluded jurors that were opposed to the death penalty. That judge was eventually dismissed.
"The only option left (for Peterson) is life without parole," said Bigler, which was inevitably the outcome.
Peterson was recently transported to a San Mateo jail from San Quentin state prison to prepare for this week’s re-sentencing.
Although resentenced now by Superior Court Judge Anne-Christine Massullo to life without the possibility of parole, Peterson still maintains his innocence.
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