With all the talk about Scott Peterson’s reignited case thanks to the efforts of the LA Innocence Project, it’s easy to forget that we the shocked public are not the only ones reliving history. Laci’s family, who not only lost their 27-year-old daughter but also never got to meet their grandson and nephew Connor after Scott was convicted of their murders in 2004, also faces the anticipation of a potential re-trial. What have they had to say about Scott’s latest attempt to prove his innocence? Laci’s mother, Sharon Rocha, has questioned when Scott’s “relentless pursuit [to be freed] from prison” will ever end because “Each attempt he makes for freedom feels like ripping the scab from the wound.” Scott’s new team has filed multiple motions since January of 2024 to enter new evidence, witnesses, and DNA testing into discovery as a part of their plan to overturn the jury’s unanimous decision. How would an exoneration affect Scott Peterson’s current prison sentence? Here’s what we know.
How long is Scott Peterson sentenced to be in prison?
Scott Peterson is currently sentenced to life in prison without a chance of parole. After convicting Scott guilty in November of 2024, the jury assigned to the original case was tasked with coming up with an appropriate sentence. In March of 2005, the jury sentenced Scott Peterson to death. His path to death row came to an end in 2020, when a judge agreed that jurors who said they didn’t personally agree with the death penalty but would impose it according to the law were “improperly dismissed” from the preliminary jury pool, as shown by Peterson’s team. In 2021, 17 years after his conviction, Peterson was resentenced to life without parole. His additional request for a new trial was denied by the same judge in 2022.
When could Scott Peterson’s prison sentence change?
Due to the current status of Scott’s case, it’s not possible to predict when a potential resentencing could occur as there is currently no indication a new trial will be granted. Experts note that a motion for a new trial in California is “typically difficult to obtain”. As of now, the LA Innocence Project has only been able to file lesser motions but most of the requests have been denied by the judge. The latest July 2024 motion filed to enter new evidence surrounding the burglary has 90 days to be decided on, so no movement would be possible before the end of 2024. If the evidence and new DNA testing are found to be credible, a new trial could hypothetically be granted, but even then Scott’s defense would still have to prove his innocence beyond a reasonable doubt to free him from prison.
What has Laci’s family said about the possibly of Scott Peterson getting out of prison?
As explored in Peacock’s documentary Face to Face, Laci’s family was originally supportive of Scott, until the circumstantial evidence convinced her family of Scott’s guilt. Following Scott’s conviction, Laci’s step-father Ron Grantski said Scott “got what he deserved” outside of the courthouse. Laci’s mother, Sharon, and brother Brent, also shared emotional victim impact statements at Scott’s 2005 sentencing, describing the “unbearable sadness” they feel Scott’s “arrogance,” “coward[ess]”, and “readiness to evil” caused. At the July 2024 hearing, Sharon Rocha’s latest impact statement read “It has been almost 22 years since I have seen or talked to my daughter. She was murdered by her husband. She was murdered by the man she loved with all her heart.” Sharon believes that watching Scott’s “claim after claim” “time after time” shows that his bids are not about “proving his innocence.”
