Peterson sentenced to death

Laci Peterson's family vented at the sentencing.
KNIGHT RIDDER NEWSPAPERS
REDWOOD CITY, Calif. -- Judge Alfred Delucchi sentenced Scott Lee Peterson on Wednesday morning to pay with his life for murdering his pregnant wife, Laci.
Peterson, sitting straight in his chair, stared straight ahead as Delucchi sentenced him to die by lethal injection.
In front of a packed courtroom, that included 13 jurors who had returned to observe, the judge had earlier rejected a defense motion for a new trial and said he intended to uphold the jury's recommendation for death.
He termed Peterson's murder of his wife and unborn son "cruel, uncaring, heartless and callous ... ."
"The young boy Conner wasn't even permitted to take a breath of air on this earth," the judge said.
Family speaks
Before the judge formally imposed the sentence, it was time for family members to speak, and they ripped into Peterson and begged for answers.
All described him as a selfish, arrogant, heartless and cowardly man. All looked directly at Peterson who, dressed in a dark suit, face pale, hands shackled to a waist chain, stared blankly back.
Peterson's parents, Lee and Jackie, were not permitted to speak. Scott Peterson declined an opportunity to address the court.
Brent Rocha, Laci's brother, asked: "You have no idea of what we've gone through ... Why did you have to kill? Did you really hate Laci and Conner that much?" He blasted Peterson for his "rich kid" persona that he said he adopted to make himself feel better.
"Liar!" Lee Peterson shouted from the audience.
Peterson's father soon got up and was escorted out by deputies. Jackie Peterson walked out soon thereafter.
Rocha told the court he had known since Jan. 4, 2003, that Scott was guilty and even bought a gun.
"I chose not to kill you myself for one reason, so that you would have to sweat it out ... ."
Sharon Rocha, Laci's mother, let her emotion spill freely when it was her turn to address her son-in-law.
"Scott you made a conscious decision to murder Laci and Conner," she said. "You planned and executed their murders."
At that point, Peterson made his only response of the day, and shook his head. It prompted a response from Rocha: "Yes, you did ... You're stupid to think you could get a way with murder."