Peterson decision at 1:30 PST! (Decision is in-Sentence is DEATH)

[Terpfen]

Oh, geez. We all look forward to two years of Greta analyzing whether the fingerprints on the porno book really were the kid's...

Seriously though, thanks for the distraction today. I needed it. =)

[Fishtalk]

physical evidence? We don't need any.

How the hell can anyone collect any physical evidence? Scott Peterson LIVED in that house. His hairs and cells, even blood, are supposed to be there. Lacy's too.

The defense would be jumping all over a prosecutor who would introduce blood from the Peterson house, blood that, logically, would be in their own home.

Had a stranger broken into the Peterson house and abducted a protesting Lacy, there might well have been strange hairs, DNA, etc., from someone that shouldn't have been there.

Although Scott cleaned that house thoroughly that the bleach stink almost gagged the cops when they first entered, well, hey, the man has a right to clean his own house, right?

"Circumstantial" is a liberal word, and they try to put an undeserved disdain on it. Scott Peterson goes to the very spot TWICE, where his wife and unborn son's body eventually turns up. How lucky is this, the poor man who had NO idea what happened to his wife yet he scans the waters where someone else evidently dumped her. What a coincidence!

Using this physical evidence standard while eschewing circumstantial evidence that is overwhelming, effectively allows spouses across the land to murder their loved ones with impunity because, hey, this stuff is supposed to be in MY house.

Worked on the Jonbenet Ramsey case, too.

[Theodore R.]

I think it was Rush who said today that he did not believe that any state which would not execute Charles Manson would send Scott Peterson to death. Could Rush have been wrong? Or will Rush yet be proved right here, considering the endless appeals and the possibility of a future commutation?

[O.C. - Old Cracker]

Are you saying that Matt Stone and his uncle Oliver are not related?

[injin]

what in the world will Greta Van Sustren be able to report on now?

[Howlin]

You are so right.

If my husband smothered me tonight and dumped me somewhere, where would the evidence be?

[Mad_Tom_Rackham]

After the OJ nullification, a lot of us lost faith in the jury system or at least saw it tarnished. These jurors are saying the right things and are impressive. They are restoring my faith in the system.

Agreed. And kinda says it all about the OJ jury, doesn't it -- a racist decision by a racist jury.

[Mad_Tom_Rackham]

Michelle, the media caled her strawberry shortcake.

This wouldn't be the modern enlightened media, the beleivers in freedom of speech, inner beauty, can't we all get along?, etc. They would never resort to labeling, name-calling, stereotyping, etc. Tell me it isn't so.

[Imaverygooddriver]

Her and Rita Cosby will of course report on him waiting to get executed for the next 20 years. "It`s been 15 years since Scott was sentenced to death. Today his lawyer filed his 25th appeal. Will this save Scott from execution? We will discuss it this hour..and the next and the next and the next and the next....and now Rita Cosby."

"HELLO GRETA! TODAY SCOTT PETERSON...AAAAAAAHHHH"

[TexKat]

Edie Alejandre, a carrier for the San Francisco Examiner, hands out copies of the newspaper's special edition carrying the sentence in the Scott Peterson Trial outside the San Mateo County Courthouse in Redwood City, Ca., Monday, December 13, 2004. The jury returned with a sentence recommendation of death in the penalty phase of the murder trial. Peterson was convicted of two counts of murder in the deaths of his wife Laci Peterson and her unborn child. (AP Photo/Justin Sullivan, Pool) Photo taken on 12/13/04, in Redwood City, CA

A man holds up the San Francisco Examiner outside the superior court in Redwood City, California, December 13, 2004. A California jury recommended the death sentence for Scott Peterson on Monday for killing his wife and unborn son following a sensational trial that riveted much of the country. The jury of six men and six women, who found Peterson guilty on November 12, deliberated for about 12 hours before deciding that he should be executed for the murders of his 27-year-old wife, Laci, and unborn son, Conner. With appeals, death sentences in California often take decades to carry out. REUTERS/Kimberly White

Cristina Rosas,18, of Redwood City, Calif., holds a special edition of the San Francisco Examiner outside of the courthouse in Redwood City, Monday, Dec. 13, 2004. The jury returned with a sentence recommendation of death in the penalty phase of the Scott Peterson case. Peterson was convicted of two counts of murder in the deaths of his wife Laci Peterson and their unborn child. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)

Ron Grantski, stepfather to Laci Peterson, holds up a newspaper after the verdict was announced at the courthouse in Redwood City, Calif., Monday, Dec. 13, 2004. The jury returned with a sentence recommendation of death in the penalty phase of the Scott Peterson case. Peterson was convicted of two counts of murder in the deaths of his wife Laci Peterson and their unborn child. (AP Photo/Paul Sakuma, POOL)

Scott Peterson sits next to defense attorney Pat Harris during defense closing arguments in the penalty phase of his murder trial at the courthouse in Redwood City, California, December 9, 2004. Peterson was convicted of two counts of murder in the deaths of his wife Laci Peterson and their unborn child. REUTERS/Fred Larson/pool

[followerofchrist]

Lucky sap he is not getting life and being thrown in as a BABY KILLER with the Quentinites. Instead he'll be in a segregated cell, getting appeal after appeal on our dime. Laci probably had 30 seconds to appeal for her life and the life of her unborn child. He'll have 30 years of appeals.

With that being said, I do think it's a bad precedent to hand out death sentences when no physical evidence is present. But we in Caleeeforneeeea think he's definitely guilty.

Why will he get free rent, electricity, medical care and meals when I have to pay for mine?

[O.C. - Old Cracker]

Do you think Orenthal J. Simpson killed his wife? Johnny Cochran supposedly proved that the glove didn't fit.

I'd say wisdom prevailed in spite of any direct evidence. The jury considered all the evidence and decided that Scott Peterson had murdered his wife and child.

[DaughterofEve]

I think it's because I was born without the Precious Moments gene.

That is extremely funny.

[TexKat]

Juror number 6, Steve Cardosi, answers a question from the media as members of the jury conducted a press conference in the Old San Mateo County Courthouse in Redwood City, Ca., on Monday, December 13, 2004, following their appearance in court. The jury returned with a sentence recommendation of death in the penalty phase of the Scott Peterson murder trial. Peterson was convicted of two counts of murder in the deaths of his wife Laci Peterson and her unborn child. (AP Photo/ Lou Dematteis, Pool)

Juror number 1, Gregory Beratlis, gestures as he speaks while members of the jury conduct a press conference in the Old San Mateo County Courthouse in Redwood City, Ca., on Monday, December 13, 2004, following their appearance in court. The jury returned with a sentence recommendation of death in the penalty phase of the Scott Peterson murder trial. Peterson was convicted of two counts of murder in the deaths of his wife Laci Peterson and her unborn child. (AP Photo/ Lou Dematteis, Pool)

Juror number 7, Richelle Nice, adjusts her hair as members of the jury speak with the media in the Old San Mateo County Courthouse in Redwood City, Ca., on Monday, December 13, 2004, following their appearance in court. The jury returned with a sentence recommendation of death in the penalty phase of the Scott Peterson murder trial. Peterson was convicted of two counts of murder in the deaths of his wife Laci Peterson and her unborn child. (AP Photo/ Lou Dematteis, Pool)

Redwood City, Calif., Monday, Dec. 13, 2004. The jury returned with a sentence recommendation of death in the penalty phase of the Scott Peterson. Peterson was convicted of two counts of murder in the deaths of his wife Laci Peterson and their unborn child. (AP Photo/Ben Margot )

[Theodore R.]

Could it be that a future liberal governor of CA will just pardon Peterson and end the endless appeals?

[BykrBayb]

The usual standard is to find a person guilty or not guilty based on the evidence, and if the verdict is guilty hand down an appropriate sentence based on the crime committed. It is not standard practice (or at least it didn't used to be) to find a man guilty when you're not reasonably sure, and then hand down a lighter sentence than you would if you thought the man was guilty.

[Recovering_Democrat]

ROFLMAO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

"Hands Free Cell Phone Kit" Indeed!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[xzins]

I don't agree with the current law.

I believe you should be allowed to convict on circumstantial evidence within a reasonable doubt.

However, the death penalty must not be enacted without at least 2 eyewitnesses and/or hard physical evidence. I will settle for life imprisonment in those cases.

[Xenalyte]

As Trey Parker, you are well aware that there is no family connection between Matt and Oliver, and you're yanking our chains, sweetie.

BTW, yours are the only musicals I find palatable.

[fromunda]

I am a lawyer in Michigan. Lawyers don't like him in Michigan because of his personal style and arrogance - not because of a lack of appreciation for his skill - but if you secretly asked the bar - who would you want fighting for you in a public fight, Feiger would win rave reviews.

He'd be a terrible elected official, however. He would have been an awful governor.

I don't agree that legal claims, including criminal acts, are about winning. It's about the system. Adversarial processes, as in criminal proceedings, are to protect the innocent - forcing the prosecution to do their best, to have investigators maintain integrity in the process ensures all of us, who don't commit crimes, that the system will be there to protect us. As to civil proceedings, lawyers have an ethical obligation not to bring frivolous lawsuits - too many lawyers play loose with this obligation and invite the scorn from those that witness these ridiculous awards. But it is a societal problem - we have become a society where personal responsibility is non-existent and it has to be someone else's fault. Until society deals with this in an aggressive way and re-introduces the notion of accountability, without scapegoating, we'll forever fight this battle with unscrupulous lawyers. Lawyers, for their part, have to be circumspect and judge for themselves whether they are advancing the greater good in bringing these ridiculous lawsuits - it's not enough to say, it's there and I need to make a living.