From My Way News:
Scott Peterson was convicted Friday of murdering his pregnant wife and dumping her body in San Francisco Bay in what prosecutors in the made-for-cable-TV case portrayed as a cold-blooded attempt to escape marriage and fatherhood for the bachelor life.Peterson, 32, could get could get the death penalty. He was convicted of one count of first-degree murder for killing his wife, Laci, and one count of second-degree murder in the death of the son she was carrying.
Family members intensely waited in the courtroom and hundreds of onlookers gathered outside to hear word of the verdict.
The verdict came after a five-month trial that was an endless source of fascination to the tabloids, People magazine and the cable networks with its story of an attractive, radiant young couple awaiting the birth of their first child, a cheating husband, and a slaying for which prosecutors had no eyewitnesses, no weapon, not even a cause of death.
The verdict followed a tumultuous seven days of deliberations in which two jurors were removed for unspecified reasons and the judge twice told the panel to start over.
The jury of six men and six women will now decide whether he should die by lethal injection or get life in prison without parole.
This brings up another controversial topic. Supporting capital punishment is not “un-Christian” or anti-biblical. Man. Like I don’t have enough to do…
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Links: President Bush signs Unborn Victims of Violence Act of 2004, Wizbang
I’m sorry, but this is not a blog.
Update (11/13): Michelle Malkin blogs about the “Laci and Connor” law.
And people still wonder why we have a “morals” issue? There will always be conflict when people value themselves and money over human life. It is really sad and disgusting.
I am just glad we did not have another OJ situation.
Comment by Renee — 11.12.04 @ 4:43 pm
My question is, how does this affect Roe vs. Wade and the argument against abortion? After all, a murder verdict was just handed down for an unborn child…
Comment by Michael E. Cummins — 11.12.04 @ 4:54 pm
Good question Mike. Remember Kerry came of the campaign trail to vote NO on the Laci Law (because of the abortion issue).
It shows just how flimsy the argument for legalizing abortion really is.
Comment by Renee — 11.12.04 @ 5:00 pm
See link about “Laci and Connor law.”
Comment by La Shawn — 11.12.04 @ 5:04 pm
Romans 13 “Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God.”
Comment by BobG — 11.12.04 @ 5:11 pm
Murder of an Unboarn Child: a Legal Precedent for Pro-Life?
In April, President Bush signed the Unborn Victims of Violence Act of 2004. President George W. Bush: …The Unborn Victims of Violence Act provides that, under federal law, any person who causes death or injury to a child in the…
Trackback by I-Magery: A Family Blog — 11.12.04 @ 5:18 pm
I’m glad it is over and I’m glad he has been found guilty. God help his soul.
Comment by The Anchoress — 11.12.04 @ 5:45 pm
Like Michael Cummings, when I heard both guilty verdicts I immediately thought about Rove vs. Wade. We call it murder when the unborn child wasn’t killed by choice. Yet it’s celebrated as “freedom of choice” when a woman willingly destroys an unborn child.
William Meisheid at Beyond the Rim makes an interesting point:
“Its all in what you call it…”
Can you imagine a doctor doing the first sonogram on a newly pregnant woman saying to her, “Now let’s see how that blob of fetus tissue looks.” I really love those shirts you see on some pregnant woman that have the word “Baby” with an arrow below it pointing down. I’ve never seen one that said “Blob of fetus tissue.”
Comment by Lisa M — 11.12.04 @ 6:15 pm
What kind of husband (father to be) would leave his pregnant wife to go fishing? On day one, I said he was guilty. My wife was probably as precious to me as she could ever be when she was pregnant. She was so beautiful and so full of life. Thanks to her loving me, we have two beautiful daughters aged 13 and 15. I would never have thought about leaving her for any reason unless it was to run an errand for her. What kind of sick maniac is this guy and what manner of parents raised this animal?
Comment by BobG — 11.12.04 @ 7:06 pm
HI SWEETHEART!!!
This is something I have wondered about. I judged that one I must admit. From the beginning, how terrible. That child found outside her Mother’s Womb.
You see, even someone that is a christian, or just believes in God make judgements. Loving God, means we are NOT without FLAWS,and sin!
Honey, I want you to take a 60 sec. break and go to, “Upwards Ministry”, Max Lucado. Yes, I go there or I get a visit depending on my situation. Got a big FREE HUG last night from a man that is getting married for the first time and he is close to 60!!! He had started to give up and prayed for a PUPPY! God sent him a wife..to marry, Nov.27 at Oak Hills Church!
One more honey, you deserve it…Key Life Ministries, my friend and mentor, he just e-mailed me for something I wrote to him. Steve Brown sweetheart. My personal favorite of his books…When Being Good ISN’T Good Enough..
The wall paper at daworld, made me break down and cry, sooo beautiful…free.
The best things in life are.
I know you will excuse this commercial interruption.
I’m going to rest.
Honey, while on DA kids site, he’s giving up caffeine & unreal responses!
Comment by Janelle — 11.12.04 @ 8:02 pm
Well, I’m surprised they found him guilty. I may be one of the few, but I think he put someone else up to it. However, I was not in the court room and I’ve not been following the trial in the least.
Comment by RepJ — 11.12.04 @ 8:33 pm
Hi Janelle! I read about Dean’s caffeine-free adventures. He’s a better man than I!
Comment by La Shawn — 11.12.04 @ 9:51 pm
Scott Peterson Conviction. A Media Darling.
Excuse me, but aren’t you forgetting…. - Do you know this person pictured to the right? Should you? Well, what about this person to the left? Do you recognize her? Hmmm… Kind of, right? Now, hold on. Just think about
Trackback by The Great Separation — 11.12.04 @ 10:16 pm
Two great verdicts by the great common sense of the American people, Bush wins and Peterson loses, and both seemed to take as long to get the relief of a decision.
Laci and Connor’s premeditated and planned murders by their own clean cut, well spoken, intelligent, and appearance of even temperedness(by all accounts) husband and father, shows that there is such a thing as pure evil in the world. It doesn’t have horns or carry a fork. It has black wavey hair and carries a briefcase.
You just can’t make up this stuff. Astounding.
Comment by Jim R — 11.12.04 @ 10:53 pm
I was surprised at the verdict, the prosecution case being what it was. They let the jury play around the evidence, the boat, during their deliberations. That will probably get it overturned on appeal.
On the other hand, Peterson is a serial-liar who is either brilliant or dumb as a bag of hammers. Remember the blond hair & beard, the large sum of cash, his brother’s id, when he went to San Diego? There were dozens, if not hundreds of undistributed Laci flyers in his truck. He said his hair bleached from excess pool chlorine…and a week later the woman who dyed it was found. What a maroon.
Comment by Allan — 11.13.04 @ 5:24 am
My heart breaks for both mothers in this case. Like they have been saying there are no winners. The only winner here, is the recognition by law of a unborn child being murdered.
I think we need to pray for the Mothers that some how they can put one foot in front of another and still have a decent life (and not let anger rule their life). We need to pray for Scott, sometimes we have to reach rock bottom before we reach out to the Lord. There are great Christian Prision Ministy’s (and the Lord will forgive him if he confesses his sins to him with a confessing heart).
His (Scott’s sin) is no worse than our sins (no matter how terrible horrible it is). But “if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgives us of ALL ( YES ALL) unrighteousness”.
May they all reach to Jesus during this time.
Comment by Lori Kasbeer — 11.13.04 @ 9:32 am
Did you know his lawyer wasn’t there for the verdict? He had “important things” to do.
Comment by Joshua — 11.13.04 @ 1:03 pm
La Shawn, I would enjoy reading your thoughts on capital punishment. I find no direct biblical support for it, yet hear so many Christians quote the Old Testament and the verse in Romans, but I find the verse in Romans only gives admonition to obey the rules of your government because the ruling authorities can punish you severely if you do not do so. Using the Old Testament seems inconsistent because we are not bound under the laws of the old covenant as Jesus summed up the Law and the Prophets thus relieving the burden of keeping all the laws.
Anyway, I would appreciate you posting about it specifically from a Christian worldview and Biblical perspective.
Thanks, LS.
Comment by Rae — 11.13.04 @ 3:17 pm
Peterson Verdict - Guilty - Two Counts
Today Scott Peterson was found guilty of murdering his wife and unborn son. Pro-life bloggers were quick to respond. SpreadingUnderstanding - Is It or Isn’t It bLogicus - Peterson Found Guilty of Murdering Wife and Son Kitchen Network - Scott…
Trackback by ProLifeBlogs — 11.13.04 @ 5:17 pm
Why is this a story? There’s 12,000 murders per year in the United States.
Comment by political news — 11.13.04 @ 5:51 pm
It’s a story because the people involved are extremely good-looking. If they were fat, ugly, or poor the media would not care.
Comment by Jasmin — 11.13.04 @ 6:28 pm
It’s just such a relief - a jury swayed by facts, not insinuation … as for those who say there was doubt - not all “doubt” is reasonable - and *that* is the threshold. It isn’t a matter of having “some” doubt. When I served on a jury in D.C. - murder case - there was no physical evidence - I had limited doubt - but it wasn’t reasonable. My verdict: Guilty.
Comment by TakomaParkGOP — 11.13.04 @ 6:31 pm
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Comment by La Shawn — 11.13.04 @ 9:56 pm
Well, doubt, schmout. I have been three juries, only one criminal case though. The threshold for civil cases is “a preponderance of the evidence” and that can often be more difficult to unravel than that in a criminal case. That is especially true if there is a lot of technical evidence such as from the medical field.
The standard in a criminal case is indeed “beyond a reasonable doubt”. The problem with that is that the definition of reasonable doubt varies from person to person and I have yet to hear a judge give a clear definition.
For example, 10-12 percent of Americans believe Elvis is alive. A similar percentage believe we have been visited from outer space. The same number, perhaps more, believe there is a conspiracy under every undisturbed rock. In fact, there are conspiracy theories floating around about how the 2004 election was stolen.
Yes, I know, common sense. Well, first, it doesn’t appear to be all that common and second, it’s all but impossible to quantify or qualify, and third, it too varies from person to person. That’s why we need the ten commandments, but unfortunately the Bible doesn’t present any real clear standards of proof in criminal cases.
So the next time you hear someone squawking about the justice system being unfair remind them that life is unfair and we only do the best we can.
Comment by Allan — 11.13.04 @ 10:42 pm
I thought I was disinterested and emotionally detached from the case until they read the verdict for the murder of the baby, and I was so glad, I surprised myself.
Comment by Jane — 11.13.04 @ 11:28 pm
Disclaimer - I am NOT trying to say Scott Peterson is innocent. There was too much evidence that made it very likely he was guilty. I just don’t agree with one thing that I’ve heard more than once, about Peterson going fishing.
Sorry, BobG, but there are men out there who are pretty good husbands and fathers who would take a temporary sabbatical from their pregnant wife. In some cases, the wife would even be the one telling them to go. It has a lot to do with the personalities involved. Like I said in the disclaimer above, I believe he was guilty, I just don’t think that particular point is relevant.
Comment by WayneB — 11.14.04 @ 12:00 am
Did anyone notice that peterson got 1st degree for his wife and 2nd degree for his unborn child? i was saddened to see there was no reaction to this horrible lapse of justice. in GODs’ eyes the child was more precious - without guile or sin - yet our justice system has once again implied that a child is not really worth as much as its’ mother.
Comment by tom f — 11.14.04 @ 7:30 am
He left her on Christmas eve near the end of the pregnancy. No one can convince me that there isn’t something wrong with that picture.
Comment by BobG — 11.14.04 @ 10:14 am
That verse in Romans is a little more specific. Speaking about the authority appointed by God, Romans 13:4 “For he is God’s minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God’s minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil.”
Comment by BobG — 11.14.04 @ 5:20 pm
Since I’ve been out…
I didn’t intend to go on hiatus for almost a week…it kind of just happened. So here are a few…
Trackback by LilacRose — 11.14.04 @ 5:42 pm
I served on a jury once for a criminal trial. The judge’s instructions to us regarding ‘circumstancial evidence’ and
‘reasonable doubt were as follows:
If you see snowmobile tracks in the snow(this trial was in NH) it is valid to believe a snowmobile was there even though no one was there to witness it.
Reasonable doubt is doubt based on reason(s) you can articulate to other jurors that makes sense using evidence presented in the trial. There will always be some doubt because you could not be an eye witness to the crime yourself.
Comment by Jim R — 11.14.04 @ 10:24 pm
La Shawn, whether or not Scott Peterson is guilty (despite the jury verdict), as a Christian I find it appalling that anyone can be convicted of first degree murder, soley on circumstantial evidence, without a solid motive, on a case built on conjecture alone. Get him on a lesser charge possibly but no one should be up for the death penalty on this kind of case with this kind of evidence.
Comment by William Meisheid — 11.15.04 @ 2:01 pm
Well, since I’m not a member of the jury and wasn’t in the courtroom, I don’t know what to tell you, William.
Comment by La Shawn — 11.15.04 @ 2:06 pm
>Well, since I’m not a member of the jury and wasn’t in the courtroom, I don’t know what to tell you, William
Not being a member of the jury is irrelevant. What I would hope you would tell me is that you could not support it based on being a bible-believing Christian. The biblical standard is from Numbers 35:29-30. “These are to be legal requirements for you throughout the generations to come, wherever you live. Anyone who kills a person is to be put to death as a murderer only on the testimony of witnesses. But no one is to be put to death on the testimony of only one witness.”
This case had no witnesses at all, including direct evidence, if in our modern forensic environment you want to consider that sort of thing a witness. So they were wrong to even try him on a death penalty count without any witnesses.
Scripture cuts both ways. If we claim we adhere to it in all things we must adhere to it now, even when it stops us from doing what we may feel is the “right” thing to do.
Comment by William Meisheid — 11.15.04 @ 11:09 pm
Look at Numbers 35:29-30. On that basis, could you try Scott Peterson for a count that included the death penalty? Who are the witnesses? Even in our forensic environment there was no direct forensic evidence to be a witness. There were no witnesses at all.
Scripture cuts both ways and tries our heart as well (two edged sword). We cannot listen to it only when it says what we want to hear.
Being a member of the jury is irrelevant to this situation since everyone agrees the case was completely circumstantial.
Comment by William Meisheid — 11.15.04 @ 11:18 pm
WE FIND THE DEFENDANT GUILTY HE,S GUILTY HE,S GUILTY G.U.I.L.T.Y. GUILTY GUILTY GUILTY HOORAAYY and you must wonder that if given the deathy scentence how long will it be before he is exicuted? i mean look how long it took them to fanaly exicute ROBERT ALTON HARRIS for the murder of those two teenage boys and all the bleeding heart jerks protesting against his exicution
Comment by firebird — 11.17.04 @ 10:20 am
William,
Sentencing and conviction are two different things. Murder 1 doesn’t not carry an automatic death penalty in California.
And then there are the appeals….
Comment by SCSIwuzzy — 11.17.04 @ 10:36 am
Thanks, La Shawn, for reminding us that cap. punishment isn’t unchristian.
Adrian
Comment by adrian — 11.19.04 @ 10:01 pm
SCIWzzy - ah, but even trying someone on a count that could produce the death penalty is a problem for me biblically, because, as has happened, the death penalty can be imposed.
Comment by William Meisheid — 12.14.04 @ 8:22 am
William,
I submit to you that your problem, is, well, your problem.
Eye-witness testimony is notoriously unreliable. Most cases are built on, and many convictions based on, circumstantial evidence. The jury found him guilty beyond reasonable doubt. Now Peterson will go to appeals etc. The odds are in his favor, in the CA has only executed 1 man in a decade, and 500 are sitting on death row.
While our legal system derives much from the Bible, it is NOT solely so.
Comment by SCSIwuzzy — 12.14.04 @ 9:22 am
[…] I) This series was precipitated by the Scott Peterson case and my response to a posting on LaShawn Barber’s site and some thought about capital punishment on P […]
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