Scott Peterson Trial
By: Kearston Troutman
Background
• Scott Peterson was charged with the
murder of his pregnant wife which
happened between the December 23
and 24th 2002.
• Peterson’s wife was reported missing
after he had returned from a individual
fishing trip. (where the body was found
highly decomposed a year later)
• Peterson reported his wife Laci Peterson to be
missing from their home on December 24th
2002.
• Laci was 8months pregnant when she went
missing and was expecting a son.
• Scott was found to have many affairs.
• His latest affair with a massage therapist
Amber Frey led to the eventual idea that Scott
was a suspect.
• Scott was not considered a suspect until he
told Frey 15 days before his wife had gone
missing that he had “lost” his wife.
suspect to the eventual idea
that Scott was a suspect.
Scott was until he told Frey 15
days before his wife had gone
missing that he had “lost” his
wife.
Defendant
• Scott Lee Peterson was a fertilizer sales man.
• Scott claimed to be on a fishing trip the when
his wife went missing.
• He was also found to have many affairs
throughout the duration of his marriage.
• Scott was found to be guilty of first degree
murder and sentenced to death row by lethal
injection
• Peterson was believed to kill his wife because
of their growing debt and interest in Amber
Frey
Prosecution
• Rick Distaso was the lead prosecutor of the
trial.
• Distaso was not a well know lawyer before
the case. He avoided media attention during
the trial.
• Distaso had a lot of experience in prosecuting
criminals to death row which ended up being
a great advantage to him.
Where?
The trial originally was planned to take
place in Modesto but was then moved
to Redwood City, California.
Civil or Criminal?
• This case Criminal is considered
Criminal because Scott Peterson was
being tried for 1st Degree Murder.
What happened to the
Defendant?
Peterson was sentenced to the death penalty
by lethal injection.
He is now in San Quentin prison on death row.
What do you think about it?
I think that Scott Peterson deserved the
penalty he got because he killed his
wife and unborn son.
That kind of crime should be punished