Sharon Rocha is expressing her emotions regarding her former son-in-law’s quest for a new trial.
During Monday’s hearing, former Stanislaus County District Attorney Birgit Fladager read a victim impact statement penned by Rocha, who is the mother of murder victim Laci Peterson:
“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. Since his conviction in 2004, he has been in court numerous times trying to get his conviction overturned. Each attempt he makes for freedom feels like ripping the scab from the wound (family’s trauma). He continues to file claim after claim. Time after time. I believe this is not about proving his innocence, but instead about his relentless pursuit (to be freed) from prison. When will this end?”
Scott Peterson is currently serving a life sentence without parole for the 2002 murders of his wife, Laci, who was eight months pregnant at the time, and their unborn son. Peterson appeared at Monday’s hearing via Zoom.
Following last week’s arguments, it was determined that Pure Gold Forensics, a laboratory, would conduct DNA testing on a piece of duct tape found on Laci’s pants when her body was discovered. Both the defense and prosecution wanted to use their preferred labs, but San Mateo County Superior Court Judge Elizabeth Hill suggested an independent facility. The attorneys agreed and were given time to research Pure Gold’s credentials.
Judge Hill also decided to hire a professional observer at a cost of $2,500 per day to oversee the testing process. The defense initially requested testing at the Microbiome Analysis Center (MBAC) due to concerns about swabbing compromising the evidence, but eventually agreed to a combination of swab and MBAC testing.
The duct tape, measuring 15.5 inches in length, is the only piece of evidence approved by the judge for testing. Peterson, now 51, is currently represented by the Los Angeles Innocence Project (LAIP), which sought DNA testing on over a dozen pieces of evidence earlier in the year.
The LAIP hopes that DNA found on the duct tape will lead to a suspect other than Peterson, potentially giving him another opportunity to plead his case.
Peterson was scheduled for a motion hearing on Tuesday regarding access to discovery materials, including evidence related to a burglary near the Petersons’ home in Dec. 2002, a missing watch belonging to Laci, and various documents.
Since taking on Peterson’s case in January, the LAIP has filed numerous motions to gather as much evidence as possible with the goal of securing him a new trial and proving his innocence.
Laci, 27, was reported missing on Christmas Eve 2002, and her body, along with the unborn fetus, was discovered along San Francisco Bay in April 2003. Peterson has consistently maintained that he was fishing at Berkeley Marina on the day of her disappearance and returned home to find her gone.
The defense has requested access to all case evidence, consisting of over 645 items, alleging that the district attorney’s office withheld evidence they are entitled to. The prosecution argues against reopening the case, claiming the defense’s assertions are baseless.
In 2021, Peterson was resentenced to life without parole, and in 2022, he was transferred from death row to Mule Creek State Prison. Despite his lengthy incarceration, he continues to assert his innocence. In 2005, he was sentenced to death, but the California Supreme Court overturned the sentence in 2020 due to juror misconduct.
