Photo: California Dept. of Corrections and Rehabilitation
Scott Peterson has been resentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for killing his pregnant wife, Laci, in 2002. He was also given an additional sentence of 15 years to life in prison for the death of his unborn son, Connor.
Peterson was sentenced to death in 2005, but the California Supreme Court reversed that sentence in August 2020 because several jurors were "erroneously dismissed" for noting their objections to the death penalty on a questionnaire.
Laci's family members read statements to the court during the resentencing hearing.
"It's been 19 years, and there's not a day that goes by that I don't think about my sister," Amy Rocha, Laci's sister, said in court, according to Fox News.
Sharon Rocha, Laci's mother, blasted Peterson, calling him a "coward" and a "murderer."
"No matter what happens, there are two things that will never change: Laci and Conner will always be dead, and you will always be their murderer," she said.
Peterson has maintained his innocence and continues to appeal his conviction. He received a victory in October 2020 when the California Supreme Court ordered the lower courts to reexamine the case after learning that one of the jurors failed to disclose they were the victim of a crime and were involved in other legal proceedings. A hearing on that matter is scheduled to occur in February.