SCOTT WANTS LACI'S $$
By DON GENTILE
Scott Peterson, who was
convicted of killing
his pregnant wife
Laci, now wants to
pocket more than
$250,000 from her
life insurance policy.
His sick demand for cash will
devastate Laci's family. They could
even be forced to relive the testimony
of how Scott killed Laci to
keep his hands off the money.
Peterson, who is on Death Row in
California's San Quentin prison, refuses
to give up his claim to the
money, even though people who kill
their spouses have no inheritance
rights under state law.
In court papers filed, however, Peterson's
defense attorney Pat Harris
argued that his client's conviction is
being appealed and could be reversed.
Harris said Peterson does not
want the insurance money paid to
Laci's mom Sharon Rocha as executor
of her daughter's estate
until his appeal is settled. That
process can take decades — forcing
Sharon to hire a lawyer and ask for
a judge to settle the matter.
"You can't murder your wife and
then say, 'Hey, I want the life insurance,'"
said Sharon's attorney
Adam Stewart.
A judge could issue a ruling but
could also decide the dispute be
settled at a civil trial. "It seems
crazy but that means Sharon's
lawyer would have to prove all over
again that Scott murdered Laci,"
said San Mateo County, Calif., defense
attorney Paula Canny. The
value of Laci's policy — $256,429 —
has been held in escrow by the
court in Stanislaus County, where
Laci and Scott resided.
Peterson was named beneficiary
when the couple took out the policy on June 25, 2001, a year and a
half before Laci was murdered.
During Peterson's trial, prosecutors
implied that inheriting Laci's
insurance money was one of several
motives for her murder. But the defense
countered with testimony
from accountant Martin Laffer,
who revealed that Peterson actually
stood to gain more if Laci remained
alive and married to him.
Laffer said that Laci was about to
inherit part of her grandparents'
$2.4 million estate.
Published on: 10/07/2005
