By BRIAN MELLEY, Associated Press Writer

MODESTO, Calif. - Scott Peterson (news - web sites) will stand trial on two counts of murder for the death of his wife, Laci Peterson (news - web sites), and her unborn son, charges that could bring the death penalty, a judge ruled Tuesday.

Stanislaus County Superior Court judge Al Girolami said prosecutors presented enough evidence over 11 days of testimony to show probable cause that Peterson killed his pregnant wife and dumped her body in San Francisco Bay.

Prosecutors presented a loose-knit web of circumstantial evidence that pointed toward Peterson from the moment he phoned his in-laws after returning home from an impromptu fishing trip on Christmas Eve last year.

The remains of his wife and her unborn son washed ashore in April about three miles from where Scott Peterson said he was fishing.

The defense contends that police suffered from tunnel vision once they locked their focus on Peterson.

A battle over a 6-inch strand of dark hair dominated the four weeks of testimony, with prosecutors winning the right to introduce DNA testimony linking the hair to Laci Peterson and connecting her to the boat prosecutors believe Scott Peterson used to ferry her to a watery grave.

The judge set an arraignment for Dec. 3 in Modesto.

I am really discusted with the way this was handled. Witnesses that believe they saw Laci were discounted, a loaded gun was ignored (confiscated, but ignored ie. never tested), test results have been lost or the tests were not done at all, evidence has been damaged, and the 'star' witness has offered nothing.

This 'slam-dunk' has turned into a 'slim-chance'. They can't tell when she was murdered, where, how, or why. To be honest they can't really tell us that she was murdered at all.

Are we really expected to believe their theory...just cuz they say so?

In my opinion, even their theory doesn't make sense. JMO

http://www.webbsleuths.com/dcf/DCForumID105/772.html

There was NO ULTRASOUND down on the 23rd of the baby.

The range of the age of the baby given was 33-38 wks gestation and that would be consistant with Laci's date., simply because of the condition of the body from the bay. It was swollen. appearing larger than it normally would had it not been in water.

You also have to take into account that some baby are larger than others, even at that stage of pregnancy.

There was NO EVIDENCE of VAGINAL birth, nor was there any indication that a man made c-section was performed. The top of the uterus basically rotted away and Conner came free. The umbilical cord was NOT cut, but frayed, as in decay.

I think it is a grasp at very few straws to even hint that Conner was ever born alive. Without a vaginal birth or a c-section... (to quote Nancy Grace) she would have had to cough the baby up under water.

The evidence doesn't support a live birth for Conner.

In the words of the Coroner, he wasn't delivered, he was EXPELLED.

I realize that all of these experts can do is estimate, but if we are going to hang our hats on 32 weeks that an OB states, we have to consider what the real, physical bones indicate as well.

32 weeks, or 35+ weeks.... big difference at that stage.

I feel that the bones are more accurate than an OB guessing from the outside.