Scott Peterson's defense attorney, Mark Geragos, stated that his team has discovered new evidence that could lead to a reevaluation of Peterson's murder conviction. This announcement comes prior to the release of a documentary about the case scheduled for this summer. On April 27, a San Mateo County Superior Court judge denied Peterson's latest attempt to overturn his conviction, which the Los Angeles Innocence Project plans to appeal.
Peterson was convicted in 2004 for the murder of his wife, Laci, and their unborn son, who disappeared on December 24, 2002, in Modesto, California. Geragos mentioned a burned-out van found near the Peterson residence, suggesting it may contain evidence relevant to the case that was not adequately investigated. He criticized the prosecution for not allowing further testing of evidence that could potentially exonerate Peterson.
In previous court filings, the defense argued that Laci Peterson confronted burglars on the day of her disappearance, which could provide an alibi for Scott Peterson. Geragos indicated that the Los Angeles Innocence Project had submitted a list of items for DNA retesting, which the court rejected.
Ninette Toosbuy, a retired detective working with the defense, noted that several witnesses had reported seeing Laci Peterson on the morning of December 24 but were not properly vetted by the police. She emphasized that had these witnesses been investigated, it might have eliminated Scott Peterson as a suspect early in the investigation.
A&E is set to release a two-part documentary titled "Scott Peterson: The New Evidence" on July 16 and 17, which will feature witness testimony and interviews related to the case.
