Peterson Jury Reaches Decision

Dec. 13, 2004 — -- Jurors have reached a decision in the sentencing recommendation for Scott Peterson in the slayings of his pregnant wife, Laci, and their unborn son.

The court said the decision will be announced shortly.

The jurors began deliberating whether Peterson should be sentenced to death or life in prison without the possibility of parole on Thursday. The panel deliberated about 11 1/2 hours before reaching a unanimous verdict. Jurors reached their decision after they requested autopsy photos and other evidence that had been under court seal and presented during the guilt phase of the trial.

In addition to the autopsy photos, they asked to see aerial photographs of San Francisco Bay -- which covers the area where Peterson said he had fished the day Laci was reported missing and where prosecutors believed he dumped her body -- and the widely publicized Christmas party picture of Laci wearing a red pantsuit.

The jury convicted Peterson on Nov. 12 of first-degree murder in the death of Laci and second-degree murder in the death of the fetus.

The judge will take the jury's recommendation into consideration when he formally sentences Peterson, 32, on Feb. 25. Although he is not bound by the recommendation, it would be highly unusual for him not to follow it.