Stanislaus County, California District Attorney Birgit Fladager filed a notice in court saying she no longer plans to pursue the death penalty against Scott Peterson, reported the Modesto Bee.
The notice, first reported by The Bee, says
prosecutors met with Laci Peterson’s family to discuss what a new penalty trial
would involve.
“While the family of Laci and Conner have no doubt
that defendant is guilty of these crimes and that his conduct warrants the
death penalty ... the family has decided this process is too painful to endure
once again.”
Fladager and Chief Deputy District Attorney Dave
Harris did not respond to attempts by The Bee to reach them Friday.
The decision means Scott Peterson’s sentence would
remain life without the possibility of parole. It was reverted to that in
August when the California Supreme Court overturned his death sentence for the murder of his
wife, Laci, and their unborn son, Conner, because it said the trial judge erred
by excluding potential jurors opposed to the death penalty.
Peterson still has a chance to get a new trial if
his conviction is overturned.
In a separate matter, the California Supreme
Court in October also ruled that a trial court must decide
whether one of the jurors intentionally withheld information on a questionnaire
in order to get on the jury.
The case was remanded back to San Mateo Superior
Court, where the original trial was held.
Scott’s sister-in-law Janey Peterson said in a text
that she is “Grateful that they are no longer seeking to take Scott’s life, but
still looking forward to getting back into the courtroom.”
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