Judge allows duct tape to be retested in Scott Peterson case, denies other requests: reports

A California judge ruled that the duct tape attached to Laci Peterson's pants will be retested for DNA over two decades after her husband, now 51-year-old Scott Peterson, was convicted of murdering her and their unborn son, according to multiple reports.

The Los Angeles Innocence Project and Scott Peterson, who joined the San Mateo County courtroom virtually from Mule Creek State Prison, continued to try and secure a new murder trial on Wednesday. The goal of the proceedings was to get Judge Elizabeth M. Hill to allow the DNA testing of 17 physical items of evidence — including 11 items found near or with Laci and Conner Peterson's bodies, two items from a burglary that occurred across the street from the couple's home and four items connected to a torched orange van containing a blood-stained mattress.

"New evidence now supports Mr. Peterson's longstanding claim of innocence and raises many questions into who abducted and killed Laci and Conner Peterson," legal filings say, per ABC News.

Hill denied most of the items Peterson requested DNA testing for, but she did OK the retesting of the 15-inch long piece of duct tape that "was found adhering to Laci's pants on her right thigh," CNN reported, citing the judge's motion. A section of the tape was folded over onto itself and underwent DNA testing, and while "the presence of human DNA was found, no DNA profile could be obtained," according to the motion, per the outlet.

USA TODAY reached out to the LA Innocence Project.

Laci Peterson killed on Christmas Eve 2002

Scott Peterson was found guilty in November 2004 of killing his wife, Laci, and unborn son, Conner, on Christmas Eve 2002 and dumping their bodies into San Francisco Bay from his fishing boat.

Before Peterson's arrest and subsequent conviction, he told investigators that he last saw his eight-month-pregnant wife on that Christmas Eve morning before he went fishing at Berkeley Marina, which is about 90 miles from the couple's home.

After an extensive search, a couple walking their dog found the body of a full-term fetus on the shoreline of San Francisco Bay in April 2003. A decomposed body of a woman was then found a couple of miles north of the Berkeley Marina. The bodies were identified as Laci and Conner Peterson.

Police arrested Peterson on April 18, 2003, and charged with first-degree murder of his wife and second-degree murder of his unborn child. Investigators' cause for arrest stemmed from Laci Peterson's body being found near where her husband went fishing on the day of her disappearance.

Investigators also discovered an extramarital affair with a massage therapist named Amber Frey. Frey worked with law enforcement and testified against Peterson during his murder trial, which began on June 1, 2004.

Did the judge grant Scott Peterson a new trial?

Judge Elizabeth M. Hill only allowed the retesting of the duct tape for DNA evidence and did not permit a new murder trial for Peterson.

Prosecutors argue that Peterson's and the Los Angeles Innocence Project's desire for DNA testing and a new trial only prolongs an already decided case.

"We were right then and we are right now, and … (it) is inappropriate for the defense to continue to try and find the things to drag this case out,” Dave Harris with the Stanislaus County District Attorney’s office said, according to CNN. "The state of California has a powerful interest in the finality of its judgments."

Hill scheduled a hearing for July 1 to discuss the testing stipulations, NBC News reported.

Why were the items Scott Peterson wanted to be tested for DNA denied?

Hill denied the testing of the items found where Laci Peterson's body washed ashore due to the defense failing to prove they had anything to do with the murders, according to NBC News, citing the judge.

The mattress in the van was tested in 2019 and showed no blood, so the judge did not allow DNA testing of that item either, NBC News reported, citing Hill's motion. Attorneys with the Los Angeles Innocence Project also did not prove how the van was related to Peterson's case, the outlet said.

A glove and hammer were found in the home of one of the Petersons' neighbors but police never took the items into custody making them ineligible for DNA testing, Hill declared, according to NBC News.

Scott Peterson given life without parole after death sentence overturned

A month after Peterson's conviction, he was originally sentenced to death.

After two appeals, a California Supreme Court overturned Peterson's death sentence but upheld his conviction in 2020. Peterson was resentenced in December 2021 to life in prison without the possibility of parole, and in 2022 he was denied another murder trial.

Contributing: Mary Walrath-Holdridge and Josh Peter, USA TODAY