Judge to Weigh New Trial for Convicted Killer Scott Peterson After Juror Misconduct Claim

Nearly two decades after Scott Peterson was convicted of killing his pregnant wife Laci and their unborn son, a judge has ruled there will be a new hearing to determine whether there was juror misconduct.

Arguing for a new trial, Peterson's defense team claims that juror Richelle Nice purposefully got on the jury to convict Peterson, because she had faced domestic abuse in her own life while pregnant, which they say she failed to disclose.

Nice, who received a lot of media attention at the 2004 trial, was given the nickname “Strawberry Shortcake” because of her brightly-colored hair and clothing style. 

Laci Peterson disappeared on Christmas Eve, one month after Scott had started an affair with massage therapist Amber Fry, who says she did not know he was married. 

Scott, now 48 years old, is serving a life sentence in California at San Quentin State Prison. 

Peterson’s former defense attorney Mark Geragos said “there’s no question” that Scott should get a new trial. 

“He didn’t get a fair trial back almost 20 years ago,” Geragos said.

Janey Peterson, Scott's sister-in-law, told Inside Edition she's fighting to clear his name.

“It’s the path to justice. It’s not necessarily easy, but it’s the path we’re on,” Janey said.

In a 2017 interview, Nice said that she did not lie to get on the jury for Scott’s trial and that her situation was not similar to Laci’s.

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