Judge gives mom Peterson life insurance

Modesto Bee ^ | 12/17/2005 | SUSAN HERENDEEN

[CAWats]

Judge gives mom Peterson life insurance Court says Sharon Rocha should receive $250,000

By SUSAN HERENDEEN BEE STAFF WRITER Last Updated: December 17, 2005, 04:39:00 AM PST

Sharon Rocha's quest to recover the proceeds of a $250,000 life insurance policy on her daughter, Laci Peterson,ended Friday.

Stanislaus County Superior Court Judge Roger Beauchesne ruled in favor of Rocha, reconfirming two previous judgments he made in the case.

He also noted the "tortured procedural history" that led to his final decision. The court has heard the case once a month since September.

Under state law, people who kill their spouses give up their inheritance rights. But Scott Peterson of Modesto maintains his innocence and would not give up his claim to the life insurance proceeds while his case is appealed.

In September, the judge issued a tentative ruling saying the money should go to Rocha, who is the executor of her daughter's estate.

[STARWISE]

Prayers for Sharon Rocha .. why she ever had to fight a convicted killer for this for so long is beyond incredible.

[CAWats]

I'm angry beyond words.

[yeetch!]

Could be because Scott's attorney's want it?

[doesnt suffer fools gladly]

Bittersweet victory over that scumbag. The poor woman losing her beautiful daughter and grandson.

[Vicomte13]

"why she ever had to fight a convicted killer for this for so long is beyond incredible."

No.
It is the normal functioning of the insane American legal system.

[bboop]

Yes, it is a very slow system, but she won. Justice is served. He will fight this conviction all the way, but in the end, Justice will once again be served.

[TCats]

I think you hit it right on the head. I recall Geragos was the attorney who initiated this action and I would think he is owed a lot (Or thinks he is).

[tina07]

Total victory! My daughter is almost 8 months pregnant, her first, our first grandchild, and I have thought of poor Laci and her baby and Sharon Rocha a few times. My daughter has a big beautiful smile like Laci did. I could not imagine living with the pain that Sharon has had to endure.

[Bonaparte]

"Could be because Scott's attorney's want it?"

Good call.

Peterson was found guilty by a jury of his peers and no longer enjoys a presumption of innocence. It's absurd for his lawyers to maintain that some purely hypothetical reversal in the distant future should be the basis for denying Rocha the insurance payment she's legally entitled to now.

[Vicomte13]

"Yes, it is a very slow system, but she won. Justice is served."

Sometimes.
Then again, OJ is enjoying golf in Miami, and Michael Jackson's free to have his new child exploitation palace (in Bahrain this time, I believe).

Peterson's mom got the insurance, subject to appeal, but Schiavo's mom had to watch her girl die of thirst and was prohibited by the American legal system from giving her a drop of water.

I maintain that the American system of justice is broken, unjust and insane. Justice is SOMETIMES served, and sometimes, evil wins a grand slam. Just like in any other casino.

[bboop]

Evil is always present; when Justice is served, it is truly to celebrate. Of course it does not always happen; but when it does, it is to celebrate.

[Vicomte13]

I will grant you that, yess. There is always evil. And when justice wins, it is cause to celebrate. I do think that the American system of justice is calibrated to produce a great deal more evil than comparable systems in other civilized nations. I think that it's a cultural choice of Americans, and a bad one.
The American legal system should be fundamentally changed, because it's really pretty awful.