Judge Moves Peterson Trial to San Mateo County

MODESTO, Calif. – The judge in the murder case against Scott Peterson (search) moved the trial about 90 miles away to the San Francisco Bay area Tuesday because of hostility toward Peterson in his dead wife's hometown.

Judge Al Girolami (search) ruled earlier this month that the trial had to be moved out of Modesto to make sure Peterson got a fair trial in the slaying of his wife, Laci, and unborn son.

Four counties had offered to host the trial, and the judge picked San Mateo County (search), situated south of San Francisco. Girolami had said he wanted a county close enough to Modesto that witnesses could drive there.

"I'm satisfied we can get a fair and impartial jury in San Mateo," Girolami said, adding that he wants another judge appointed to handle the trial.

The trial is scheduled to start Monday but will probably be postponed. A hearing is scheduled later this week to discuss a delay. Prosecutors asked for two weeks to move their operation from Stanislaus County to San Mateo County.

Peterson, 31, is charged with two counts of murder for allegedly killing his pregnant wife just before Christmas 2002 and dumping her body in San Francisco Bay. In April, her remains and those of the fetus she was carrying washed ashore in the bay two miles from where her husband said he was fishing when she vanished. Peterson could get the death penalty.

Peterson's lawyers argued that he had been demonized in the Modesto area, citing vandalism of his house, crowds yelling "Murderer!" outside the jail and T-shirts sold with Peterson's likeness and the motto: "Modesto, a killer place to live." Blood drives have been held in honor of Laci Peterson and 3,000 people attended her internationally televised memorial service.

The trial will now be held in Redwood City, a bedroom community of 75,000 whose downtown is lined with old thrift shops, a handful of newer restaurants and small residential hotels with vacancy signs.

Seeing a potential economic windfall, San Mateo County's tourism bureau had sent a letter to the judge offering to host the trial, which is expected to last nearly six months.

Anne LeClair, president and chief executive of the San Mateo County Convention and Visitors Bureau, said her office was "screaming with great excitement" upon hearing the news.

Restaurants, hotels, car rental services and other businesses could see an influx of $8 million to $16 million as dozens of media members arrive, she said.

"They'll be staying for three, four or five months," she said. "The economic impact is tremendous."

Before deciding to move the trial, the judge rejected the prosecution's request to keep the case in Modesto, where the Petersons lived and where Laci Peterson grew up.

Prosecutors said the judge unwittingly relied on a bogus survey of public attitudes toward Peterson. The survey was conducted by California State University students, some of whom have since admitted making up results.

Girolami, however, said the survey had little role in his Jan. 8 decision to move the case out of Modesto.

Alameda and Santa Clara counties in Northern California and Orange County just south of Los Angeles had also offered to host the trial.