Judge denies nearly all DNA testing requests from Scott Peterson’s defense

Click here for updates on this story

    SAN MATEO, California (KCRA) — A San Mateo judge ruled against all but one DNA testing request from Scott Peterson’s defense on Wednesday, as he continues his legal fight to clear his name of murder.

A jury convicted Peterson nearly 20 years ago of murdering his wife Laci and their unborn son Conner on Christmas Eve in 2002. Peterson appeared virtually from the Mule Creek State Prison where he is serving a life sentence. A judge overturned Peterson’s death sentence in 2020.

Peterson’s new team of lawyers with the LA Innocence Project requested that items gathered during the original murder investigation undergo DNA testing.

Here’s how the judge ruled on the DNA testing of these items. Denied testing what the defense called a “blood-stained” mattress found in a burned-out van near the Peterson’s Modesto home. The judge argued 2019 testing didn’t show it was blood and there’s no new technology that would change the results. Denied testing on a hammer and work glove found in a neighbor’s home after a burglary. Denied testing on some of the items found in the San Francisco Bay, including a Target cement bag, duct tape from that bag, four packages of debris from the bag, duct tape from the Bay, a black tarp found 20 feet from where Laci’s remains were discovered and a black tarp found a month later. Denied testing for the twine found on the neck of Laci’s fetus Conner.

Granted testing on 15.5 inch long duct tape found on Laci’s pants during the autopsy. The pants were tested in 2013 but the judge said new advanced testing is available.

Please note: This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.