A juror who served within the notorious 2004 trial of killer hubby Scott Peterson, on Friday tried to shoot down claims she falsified a jury questionnaire throughout a court docket listening to that might result in a attainable retrial of the case.
Richelle Good — who obtained the nickname “Strawberry Shortcake” due to the brilliant crimson hair she sported 18 years in the past — obtained grilled in a San Mateo, Calif. courtroom about allegations that she did not reveal she had beforehand been a home violence sufferer and had as soon as taken out a restraining order whereas pregnant.
Good testified she hardly remembered taking out the order, which was obtained in 2000. She additionally mentioned she didn’t contemplate herself a “sufferer” of any crime, regardless of allegedly failing to reveal being crushed by her boyfriend whereas pregnant one other time in 2001.
Good doubled down on her declare and testified that she was by no means abused by her then-boyfriend and he or she was the one who had hit him throughout that incident.
Peterson’s protection, which is demanding a retrial on the grounds of juror misconduct, has argued that Good was biased in opposition to him and had lied on a questionnaire to get on the jury.
Good was among the many 12 jurors who discovered Peterson responsible of killing his spouse, Laci, who was, herself, pregnant with the couple’s unborn son, Connor, on the time of the homicide.
When Peterson’s protection legal professional, Pat Harris, requested Good at Friday’s listening to if her responses to the jury questionnaire have been correct, she responded: “considerably correct.”
“I’ve been in lots of fights and I don’t contemplate myself a sufferer,” Good mentioned. “It is likely to be totally different from you or another person. You would possibly contemplate your self a sufferer, however I don’t.”
Harris additionally requested Good a number of questions in regards to the restraining order, which she filed in opposition to a lady who had been harassing her and the daddy of her youngsters.
Good mentioned she recalled submitting a restraining order when she was about 5 months pregnant, however didn't keep in mind if she attended a trial as a result of “it was so way back.”
Good, nevertheless, mentioned she did recall that the girl was ordered to remain 100 yards away from her and her unborn child.
“I used to be in worry that we have been gonna struggle throughout my being pregnant and I didn’t wish to struggle her whereas I used to be pregnant as a result of I knew then that, sure, I may lose my child,” Good mentioned.
“Do you contemplate that a minor indignity,” Harris requested Good.
Good was not in a position to reply the query as a result of the decide sustained an objection from Good’s legal professional, Geoff Carr.
Good answered anyway and mentioned, “Yep, I used to be being spiteful,” and added she was by no means afraid that the girl would damage her unborn child.
When Harris requested if she had any anger in direction of Peterson, Good responded, “Earlier than the trial, I didn’t have any anger or resentment in direction of Scott in any respect. After the trial, it was a bit totally different as a result of I sat by means of your entire trial and listened to the proof.”
When Harris requested if she had named the Petersons’ unborn little one in the course of the course of the 2004 trial, Good mentioned, “I consider after the trial was over and the primary interview I did. … I consider I referred to him as ‘little man.'”
The evidentiary listening to is anticipated to final for a couple of week. Decide Anne-Christine Massullo has to determine if there was juror misconduct within the case, and if that's the case, does it warrant a brand new trial for Peterson.
Peterson was despatched to loss of life row, however he was re-sentenced to life in jail with out the potential for parole in December after a excessive court docket’s ruling that the jury wasn’t accurately screened for his or her opinions on capital punishment earlier than they convicted him.
After the evidentiary listening to, which is scheduled to proceed into subsequent week, the decide could have 90 days to decide if Peterson will get a brand new trial or stay behind bars for the remainder of his life.
In keeping with a witness record, the prosecution plans to name Good’s authentic attorneys, Elliot Silver and Negad Zaky, and a number of other prison investigators.
Peterson’s protection crew has included a couple of dozen witnesses, together with Mark Geragos, Peterson’s former protection legal professional, and a number of other members of the jury on Peterson’s preliminary trial.
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