Scott Peterson, convicted of killing his wife Laci and their unborn son Connor, made a virtual appearance in court Friday in the first step in retrying his death sentence.
Peterson appeared via a computer screen from San Quentin State Prison.
The initial investigation and trial gripped the nation after Laci Peterson went missing from their Modesto home on Christmas Eve 2002.
Peterson was eventually found guilty and sentenced to death, but questions have since been raised about both the initial trial and his sentencing.
The California Supreme Court overturned the death sentence this summer after determining that the original trial judge did not properly vet potential jurors on their position on the death penalty, and whether or not they could remain neutral.
“Well he’s excited that he’s going to have a chance,” said Peterson’s attorney Pat Harris. “He’s been sitting there for 15 years, 15 very long years. And he’s excited to get the opportunity to finally go back into court.”
Peterson waived his right to a speedy trial and it now looks like it will be several months before his case goes to trial.
However, before his sentence can be re-tried, a question about one of the jurors in his case must first be resolved. The court has also found that a juror lied about her previous experience as a crime victim, and a San Mateo County judge must now determine whether or not that lie was serious enough to constitute judicial misconduct. If so, the entire case may be re-tried.
“In his retrial or in his death penalty retrial, you’re going to hear a lot of things that weren’t brought up in the first trial. There has been a lot of new evidence uncovered,” said Harris.
“Scott’s innocent, and somebody else committed this crime,” said Peterson‘s sister-in-law Janey Peterson.
The juror misconduct issue is back in court Monday in Redwood City.