Scott Peterson‘s future is once again on the line after the Stanislaus District Attorney’s Office announced their intention to seek the death penalty in the re-sentencing phase.
On Friday, Oct. 23, Stanislaus County Chief Deputy District Attorney Dave Harris told the court, which included Peterson who appeared remotely from the San Quentin Federal Prison, that prosecutors will retry the penalty phase of the Laci Peterson murder trial.
Had they decided not to retry, Peterson’s sentence would’ve been life in prison, a choice prosecutors were presented with when the California Supreme Court announced his death sentence was removed in August.
Additionally, Pat Harris was confirmed as Peterson’s legal counsel, having just joined Peterson’s legal team.
According to NBC News, Harris spoke to reporters outside the court after the hearing, stating, “Well, it’s been 15 long years and as you can imagine there are ups and downs. But overall he’s very happy that the court has basically taken a look at the motions, taken a look at the evidence.”
Meanwhile, Peterson awaits a Mateo County judge’s decision on whether he should receive a retrial after a California Supreme Court ordered a re-examination of Peterson’s 2004 convictions for killing his pregnant wife and their unborn son, Conner.