REDWOOD CITY, Calif. (KRON) – Scott Peterson’s defense team on Tuesday was granted more time to investigate a juror who is accused of going rogue and committing juror misconduct during Peterson’s 2004 murder trial.
His defense attorney said juror Richelle Nice lied to be picked for the jury because, before hearing any evidence, she wanted to help convict Peterson of murdering his pregnant wife Laci.
Today the judge gave Peterson’s investigators more time to look into domestic violence committed against Nice in the early 2000’s while she was pregnant.
Nice may have been biased toward the murder victim Laci because Laci was also pregnant when she was killed, Peterson’s defense team said.
The judge granted the defense 60 more days for the investigation.
Peterson will have two new hearings in June which will help move a slow legal process forward. The judge said she wants an evidentiary hearing — which would include new witnesses — to happen before the end of this year.
He is guaranteed a new trial for the penalty phase because his death penalty was thrown out by the California Supreme Court.
But what he really wants is a new trial for the criminal phase, which if found not guilty, would mean he could one day walk free out of prison.
That of course would be a nightmare for Laci’s family who has already been through a lot of heartbreak.
Laci’s family and Peterson were both present via Zoom during today’s hearing.
