(NewsNation) — Mark Geragos, a high-profile criminal attorney who represented Scott Peterson during his 2004 trial, expressed his continued belief in Peterson’s innocence, saying he has a good chance of getting out of prison.
“There was nothing in Scott’s background that would ever lead you to believe that he would harm a pet, let alone his pregnant wife,” Geragos said on “Elizabeth Vargas Reports” after the Los Angeles Innocence Project announced it is seeking a retrial for Peterson, arguing police failed to investigate important evidence.
Peterson, convicted in 2004 for the murders of his pregnant wife, Laci, and their unborn child, has consistently maintained his innocence over the years.
Geragos highlighted discrepancies in the prosecution’s timeline and argued the burglary across the street from the Petersons’ home, initially dismissed during the trial, may have a more significant connection to the case than previously thought.
Bryan Spitulski, a former investigator with the Modesto Fire Department, revealed that on Christmas Day 2002, he and another firefighter stumbled upon an orange van burnt out in an alley less than a mile from the Petersons’ home.
The firefighters noted the presence of what appeared to be human blood on a charred mattress near the van. Spitulski expressed uncertainty about tying the fire to Laci Peterson but emphasized the significance of the discovery, suggesting it may be more than a simple attempt to dispose of a vehicle.
The LA Innocence Project filed motions with a California court last week, requesting the retesting of the mattress found near the burnt-out van. The mattress reportedly bears red stains with presumptive DNA, and the LA Innocence Project aims to determine if it could be linked to Laci Peterson.
Addressing the LA Innocence Project’s focus on the burglary, Geragos acknowledged Laci Peterson was killed because she witnessed the crime. He revealed that up until Peterson’s conviction, the defense suspected the burglar’s involvement.
Geragos argued that intercepted calls from an inmate went missing and were never disclosed before the trial, suggesting a potential cover-up.
The prosecution during the trial focused on Peterson’s affair and lies to both his wife and mistress. Geragos argued that the motive for lying was rooted in the pressure Peterson felt when Amber Frey, his mistress, came forward. He contended that this did not justify the leap to murder and challenged the absence of a coherent theory regarding when and how the crime allegedly occurred.