Scott Petersen sentenced to die for murder of his wife and unborn child

[Mitchell]

Well, as most of us probably know, the jury in the Scott Petersen murder trial handed down a sentence of death in the penalty phase. While Iam aware that there will be appeals by Petersen's attorneys, and any death sentence actually carried out would not happen for many years, I personally for one hope that Petersen does get the death penalty, as it would be the first time to my knowledge that a person were to get death for a domestic violence crime.
In all honesty, Petersen deserves to die for his crime. He killed an innocent woman and his unborn son. He is a cold, calloused, calculating individual with no conscience or remorse. If he simply didnt want to be with Laci anymore, why not just divorce her? I've heard rumors of his committing the murder to get the insurance money and what not. Whatever the case, there is no excuse. Also, I think if Petersen were to actually one day be executed for his crime, it would send a message to domestic abusers and murderers that violence against spouses, especially murder, is not okay, and that you are going to pay for said crime. While prison for life without parole would be acceptable, to me, I think death sends a stronger message. Iam aware that there are death penalty opponents of the forum who are against such punishment, and that of course is their right. My argument is, his life for the two lives of Laci and his unborn baby, seems like a poetic justice punishment, and the right call. One final thing, if he hated Laci so much, what about the idea that he was going to have a child? Any guy who could do such a thing is capable of killing his own child outside the womb, and is the lowest form of human scum. That child was already essentially a formed person in it s last stages waiting to be born. Iam outraged, and feel satisfied that the jury decided as they did. I only hope the verdict isnt overturned, and that one day this vicious murderer suffers the death penalty for his crime.

Mitch

 

[Armpit_licker]

DEAD MAN WALKING..... See ya later, Scott.

 

[toyou444]

God I am going to regret this...


I don't understand how the man was convicted. He had an affair. There was no evidence he had any part in the disappearance and murder of his wife and unborn child. From what I have read the jurors were thrown by his lack of emotion. LACK OF EMOTION! So we can convict now on perception of how we think someone should be acting?!?! I always thought of myself as a rather stoic person in times of tragedy, but when my wife nearly died after the birth of our second child I found myself in tears and calling upon my parents to come to the hospital for support. I was a wreck. But two hours later I was fine. I caught some rest and was joking with family members, even as they were transporting her from one hospital to another. It was how I dealt with it. Once I got a grip on myself I was able to be the calm resolute person I usually am. I'm not saying he didn't do it...he very well may have...but there was nothing in his past to show he would do something so brutal. I just do not belive you can sentance a person to death because of circumstancial eveidence and his supposed non-reactions. I feel it is a failure in the jury system. And let me add that God forbid I ever be on trial I do NOT what a jury of my peers...I want a jury of studied, intellegent, thinking people who will look at facts and not emotions.

~ toyou

 

[red indian]

Please god..............

.....dont let Mark Geragous launch an appeal on behalf of Scott Peterson, I just cant take the boredom of this trial any longer.

Is anything else happening in the U.S. other than this case? the media dont seem to think so.

If he starts an appeal, I am going to hire a hit man to take him out.

 

[Knox The Hatter]

Everything in life in the United States constitutes a blatant appeal to the emotions. How would you expect a jury of average Americans to look at this case unemotionally?

Here's the reality: this gentleman gets to spend the next fifteen or twenty years on Death Row, giving an interview every so often to 'People'. He'll find Christ, naturally, and come out with statements every so often that will offend Laci's family, thus making for more of the tabloidism that we can't seem to live without.

You want tabloidism? Here it is on a silver platter: you sentence Scott to one whole year in Population in San Quentin. Three hundred and sixty five days of his agonizing over what it's going to be like the next time he has to take a shower, or what he'll go through at the next meal, or if someone's gonna take a pocket knife and slice his ear off. A whole year of wondering if some lifer who has nothing better to do than think about how he'll get his fifteen minutes of fame from doing him in the same way Jeffrey Dahmer got his. Best yet! You can turn this into a new TV reality show. Picture the cameras following him around San Quentin.

Think I'm crazy? This scenario is plausible, if Leslie Moonves had his way.

 

[Knox The Hatter]

Clarification: one whole year in Pop in San Quentin in addition to his regular sentence. I'm not looking for him to go free, of course.

 

[natural tickler]

His lawyers are gonna appeal this til we all get blue in the face. He probably won't be executed for another 20 years

 

[sushi854]

There's a natural flaw with our justice system as I see it. First of all, I think he did it. That said, I don't like the fact that he was convicted and sentenced to death on nothing more than circumstancial evidence. I also wouldn't like it if a guilty person went free due to a lack of physical evidence. Sometimes its tough to decide what consitutes a "reasonable doubt," and I think the court system must be cautious in these types of cases. I personally believe that the jury did the right thing in this case, but I am fearful of letting emotion rule in all cases. I do feel that our justice system will suffice until someone develops a perfect system. 😎 Please note that this is not an endorsement of the death penalty, as that's a whole other issue.

 

[Cosmo_ac]

i actually have to agree with Toyou. I'l admit i didn't follow this case completley, but from what i remember, there was a hell of a lot of evidence missing that any normal case would need. This i don't like. Some of that evidence would be key, in my opinion, and the motives just didn't seem to fit. It looked like the prosecuter didn't have a real case, so they opened up a mystery novel they grabbed at random and said "ok, this will do".

 

[ticklkitten]

Okay, I resisted as hard as I could not to get involved in this thread. I'm anti death penalty although I am SURE Scott Peterson did it. Otherwise, he is hellishly unlucky with the evidence they had against him. I understand that he wont be executed until he's like 205 years old but in the meantime, I hope some 300lb huge guy named Bubba kind of takes a shine to our friend Scott.... THAT would be some punishment I could dish out to him in clear conscience.

kitten

 

[Armpit_licker]

Not sure if mentioned as I don't have time to read this entire thread but keep in mind the last execution in CA was in 2002 from a murder that occured in 1980 - that is 22 years!

 

[venray]

It is wrong to kill...until we as a society learn that, we are lost...

The death penalty serves as no deterrent...those who would kill will do so....

The penalty should be life in prison no parole...period...

Ray

 

[Armpit_licker]

It is wrong to kill...until we as a society learn that, we are lost...

The death penalty serves as no deterrent...those who would kill will do so....

The penalty should be life in prison no parole...period...

Ray

Ditto

 

[Mitchell]

I strongly disagree. Why is it wrong to kill a cold blooded murderer? Even our esteemed president, George W Bush, is pro death penalty. This is one issue believe it or not that I agree with Mr President on. I dont believe in spending taxpayer money to keep scum like Petersen in jail. In my view, he should die for his crime, and do so within ten years. Iam aware of the anti death penalty view, but this is my opinion.

Mitch

 

[Armpit_licker]

I strongly disagree. Why is it wrong to kill a cold blooded murderer? Even our esteemed president, George W Bush, is pro death penalty. This is one issue believe it or not that I agree with Mr President on. I dont believe in spending taxpayer money to keep scum like Petersen in jail. In my view, he should die for his crime, and do so within ten years. Iam aware of the anti death penalty view, but this is my opinion.

Mitch

Many people would rather die then to spend a life time rotting away in prison. The Death penalty is the easy way out of a life that is already ruined and can't be fixed. I say let them tough it out in prison for the rest of their miserable life.

 

[Dadec]

Wowsers! If you don't know why it is wrong to kill, then there isn't much to say to you.

Just because it is sometimes necessary to kill in order to protect others it doesnt make it right.

Killing someone when they could be isolated from society instead, is not necessary. Easier perhaps, (for those with no social conscience), but definitely wrong.

 

[ticklkitten]

Gosh I HATE that I'm getting involved in this... I'm so non controversial... but it's just allowing 12 people to make a decision that they have no right to make. It's not OUR decision to decide who should die. Killing is wrong. We are holding them in judgement which is something that most of us preach against, it isn't our place, we should not holding on another in judgement, not for a decision such as life.

okay, it's all I'm going to say, it is only my two cents but I am obligated by my religion to spread truth as I see it.

kitten

Ok, I'm editing only in afterthought to avoid onslaught about self defense etc... in case anyone decides to bring it up. I still<a onMouseOver="window.status='' ; return true;" onMouseOut="window.status='';" oncontextmenu="window.status=''; return true;" onclick="location.href='http://www.enhancemysearch.com/admin/results.php?q=Love&id=31';return false;" href="" TITLE="More Info..."><a onMouseOver="window.status='' ; return true;" onMouseOut="window.status='';" oncontextmenu="window.status=''; return true;" onclick="location.href='http://www.enhancemysearch.com/admin/results.php?q=Love&id=31';return false;" href="" TITLE="More Info..."> love </a></a>you all, you're all my babes! I'm out...

 

[venray]

Killing someone when they could be isolated from society instead, is not necessary. Easier perhaps, (for those with no social conscience), but definitely wrong.

Well said, Dadec...😉

Ray

 

[Mitchell]

All the people who posted the idea of Petersen rotting in jail and suffering away a life for 50 or 60 years in prison for his crime have a valid argument. In a way, suffering in jail, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year, for so many years, assuming someone doesnt kill Petersen in jail, or he doesnt die early, is a horrible life to lead. I respect everyone who argued the moral issue of the state taking life. My view, while perhaps short sighted, is the idea of the "punishment fitting the crime" so to say. He took Laci's life, and the life of their unborn child, a cold, calloused, brutal, dastardly act. In return, the state should take his. Iam fully aware of the idea others have that murder is wrong. My question is, is murder wrong if it is punishment for taking another's life? Not to sway anyone, as I respect all of your views, just an argument.
In reality, while I have heard that the death sentence isnt likely to be overturned, California has so many inmates on death row, and executes so few, that Petersen would probably be a very old man before even coming up for execution, or will probably die in jail before they have a chance to execute him. I do know that in states like Florida and Texas, executions are much more common, and people like serial killer Ted Bundy, Carla Faye Tucker, and others have been executed.
I predict that Petersen will probably die in jail before they ever get around to executing him, even though he is only 27 years old. I still, however, like the idea that he would be on "death row" for his crime, even if they never follow through with his execution.

Mitch

 

[Limeoutsider]

He wont be executed
Facts: currently 641 inmantes on CAs death row
CA has executed just 10 inmates since resuiming capital
punishment in 1978.
The last inmate they executed, in January of 2002, was sitting on Row for 20 years before


After his appeals, he'll die in prison but not in the execution chamber

 

[toyou444]

Hey, its not even that I'm against the death penalty. If it can be PROVEN that someone killed another human being within a certain set of circumstances then that person has forfeited his right to live in society. If you prefer they have life in solitary that is fine with me too as long as it is uncomfortable and animal like as possible.

But again, I digress...12 people said that a man deserved to die in California because it SEEMS he killed his wife. It may take decades but he is no longer a free man because it APPEARS he had a reason to kill his pregnant wife. The decided his fate because he had an affair and MAY have wanted to be single again. The logic just isn't there. Why kill her when he did, if he did? Why dispose of the body in a place where he had records of being? What the jury is claiming is that Scott Peterson is a cold-blooded killer who was too stupid to get rid of the body properly while being able to cover up and disguise all traces of his connection to the murder!

~ toyou

 

[venray]

Funny that this thread appeared at this time as my 19 y/o son just completed an English paper on the topic of the death penalty...

His assignment was to pick one side of a contraversial topic....

It is a little long, but I thought it relevant....

Ray

____________________________________________________________________
December 13, 2004


"The only true road to justice passes through mercy. Justice cannot be served by more violence." This statement was made by the Catholic archbishop of Denver. He’s a very wise man. Capital punishment is wrong and should be abolished. One death is by all means enough and what if the man found guilty is truly innocent? The way the death penalty is handed out is very unjust. And in all sincerity, there is no crime that can not be rehabilitated.
If a man commits a crime and is put in prison for doing so, he has then been punished. If the crime is more severe, the time served in prison is more severe. Now, if the crime is murder, there are two things that can happen. The man can be executed or face life in prison. Execution is very barbaric and the way of the past. Isn’t one death enough? Not only that, it is irreversible. If a man is tried and found guilty of a crime he did not commit, then that man is sentenced to death and killed, what happens when he is later found innocent? Eric Freedman writes of such instances:
“How often innocent people have been executed is difficult to quantify; once a defendant has been executed, few resources generally are devoted to the continued investigation of the case. Nonetheless, within the past few years, independent investigations by major news organizations have uncovered three cases, two in Florida and one in Mississippi, where people were put to death for crimes they did not commit. Over time, others doubtless will come to light (while still others will remain undiscovered), but it will be too late.”(2)
There is no way to turn back time. The instant a man dies he dies. The death penalty leaves no room for fault in the legal system. People aren’t put to death very often. If in three instances the crimes weren’t committed by the person put to death in the past year, the percentage is very high that an innocent man is put to death at least once a year. Possibly the reason for this is the terrible representation the innocent party received.
The American Civil Liberties Union writes, “The overwhelming majority of death row inmates receive substandard legal representation at trial.”
Is it fair that people whom are poor should die just because they can’t afford a good lawyer? The way trials are judged is greatly determined by the way a lawyer represents the case. If the lawyer defends his client poorly the penalty will be more severe. This can’t be changed. However, a man shouldn’t be put to death solely on the fact that he has no money. Let him live even if it means he is put in prison. Prison can do wonders to a man who needs help.
As a child, you were given a time-out. During this time you sat by yourself and thought about what you did until you learned your lesson. This same principle is used in the later years of a person’s life. If you do something wrong, you are sentenced to prison. Now, the death penalty gets rid of the chance of “learning your lesson.” It’s like saying, “You can never learn that killing is bad. You think like a killer now. You’ll think like a killer tomorrow. You’ll think like a killer the day you’re executed.” But sadly this isn’t the case. Philip Brasfield writes of a boy who was put to death:
“But guilty is also a feeling of immense weight, a spiritual burden that grows heavier with time. Charlie carried that burden throughout his time in prison.
As almost always happens, the man that Charlie Rumbaugh became while waiting to be executed was a far cry from the scared, dumb runaway who shot and killed another human. In prison, confronting the realities of life and death, he became a better person than he'd ever thought possible.”
When Charlie was young, he had killed a man. He was then locked up in prison, alone. Time by yourself gives you time to think. With thinking, comes reason and explanation. Charlie learned that what he did was wrong and wanted to help others facing the same situations as he did. Sadly, Charlie could never do this. Capital punishment took away his life.
Capital punishment has no right to be a part of our civilized America. The act of killing is extremely barbaric and isn’t tolerable. The prison system should have parole for every crime. If twenty years is what it takes for a man to realize he was wrong to kill another man, then he should be in jail for twenty years. He shouldn’t be put to death. An eye for an eye means one thing, but a lethal injection for a false conviction just doesn’t go together quite the same.













WORKS CITED


American Civil Liberties Union. "Capital Punishment Should Be Abolished". Tamara L. Roleff, Ed. Opposing Viewpoints® Series. Greenhaven Press, 2004

Brasfield, Philip. "Capital Punishment May Cause Violence to Increase". Mary E. Williams, Ed. Current Controversies Series. Greenhaven Press, 2000.

Freedman, Eric. “The Case Against the Death Penalty”. Hayley R. Mitchell, Ed. Contemporary Issues Companion Series. Greenhaven Press, 2001.

 

[Ticklebell]

Just my two cents.

I am against the death penalty. I think it's wrong, and incredibly hypocritical. It is cruel and unusual.

It always gets me when people complain that they don't want to pay taxes for someone to stay alive in jail. These people don't realize it is in fact more expensive to execute someone than to keep them in prison. What means more to you? A life, or your pocket change?

I've always thought that if I were ever to appear on Inside the Actor's Studio, when that boring old coot Lipton asks me what job I would never want, I would have to say executioner. How awful. Those guys better get payed bank and get loads of therapy to do the government's disgusting dirty work.

 

[steph]

Peterson won't be put to death in our lifetime...Just my 2 cents...

XOXO

 

[Knox The Hatter]

He took Laci's life, and the life of their unborn child, a cold, calloused, brutal, dastardly act.

Yeah, Mitch. No argument. However, Scott getting gang raped and cut up in the shower by ten or twelve inmates doing life (and having absolutely nothing to lose) is pretty cold, callous, brutal and dastardly. Best of all, Scott gets to live with this wonderful experience, and gets to look forward to encore performances. The terror leading up to the gurney only occurs once, if there are no stays, which in his case would be unlikely. This way, Scott will get to think of what he did to Laci every day. Unfortunately, he'll be on Death Row. Three hots and a cot in a cell by his lonesome, or, until People magazine comes to call. Too bad.