Scott Peterson Update: Judge Decides If Death Penalty Will Be Reinstated

Scott Peterson managed to get a slight break in his prison sentence on Saturday. A California [...]

By Andrew Roberts

Scott Peterson managed to get a slight break in his prison sentence on Saturday. A California district attorney won't seek to have the death penalty reinstated for Peterson, a year after California's Supreme Court reversed his original sentence connected to the murder of wife Laci Peterson and unborn son Conner in 2002.

Peterson's death penalty reversal is all part of the convicted killer's attempts to have his original trial thrown out. According to E! News, the 48-year-old has been fighting to have a new trial connected to the death of his wife and child, citing jury selection issues at the time. The outlet adds that a superior court judge will rule on the new trial this summer.

"The People have met and discussed with the victims' family what a new penalty trial would involve...While the family of Laci and Conner believe there is no doubt that defendant is guilty of these crimes and that his conduct warrants the death penalty and defendant is deserving of the punishment of death, the family has decided this process is simply too painful to endure once again," court documents obtained by E! News read referencing the decision to not pursue the death penalty refiling. "The decision to accept the sentence for defendant of Life Without the Possibility of Parole followed discussions with the family of the victims, Laci and Conner; they are aware that, if the penalty phase is not retried, the defendant will be sentenced to Life Without the Possibility of Parole."

Peterson was found guilty of the murder of Laci Peterson, his 27-year-old wife who was pregnant at the time of her death. She was reported missing on Christmas Eve 2002, with her mutilated and decomposed body washing ashore in the months that followed. Peterson's trial was heavily covered by the media, rivaling coverage of O.J. Simpson and Casey Anthony.

One year ago, the California Supreme Court reversed the death sentence and agreed that there were "clear and significant errors in jury selection." Peterson's family celebrated the decision on an official Facebook page for the family. "The jury misconduct issue is still pending before the court. That may result in Scott's guilty verdict being overturned, and Scott being granted a new trial," the statement begins. "This decision will likely be made by the end of the year. We are grateful that Stanislaus County is no longer seeking to put Scott to death, but it's 'Time4aNewTrial.' We will continue to prepare."

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