Friends Plead For Scott's Life

In testimony occasionally marked by tears from the defendant and his family, Scott Peterson's sister-in-law and friends described him as friendly, thoughtful and sincere Thursday as his attorneys tried to persuade jurors to spare his life.

Peterson appeared to weep softly at the defense table as his sister-in-law Janey Peterson testified, including when she told jurors about the first time she met his wife, Laci, whom Scott Peterson was convicted of murdering Nov. 12.

"She took my breath away. She was just bubbly and fun and energetic and beautiful," she testified, while Scott Peterson's mother and sister also sobbed in the gallery.

The defendant, who maintained a stoic presence through much of the five-month-long guilt phase of the trial, also appeared to cry when Janey Peterson tearfully recalled a pair of "fuzzy bear slippers" he gave her as a gift one Christmas.

The testimony came on the third day of the trial's penalty phase, where the jury will decide whether the 32-year-old Peterson should be sentenced to death or life in prison without parole for the 2002 murders of Laci Peterson and the fetus she was carrying.

Defense attorneys are trying to persuade jurors to spare Peterson's life with testimony about his childhood years and how a death sentence would affect his family members' lives. Peterson's father testified Wednesday.

Earlier Thursday, a high school friend described Peterson as "truly sincere, very, very gracious and very, very thoughtful."

Aaron Fritz said he first met Peterson about 17 years ago when he moved from Indiana to San Diego to begin high school and joined the golf team.

"I think he realized I was new to the area and new to the school ... He was very gracious and very welcoming and always invited me to have lunch with his friends and just kind of made me feel welcome," Fritz said.

Britton Scheibe, who met Scott Peterson in sixth grade, told jurors his heart "just absolutely sank" when he heard Peterson had been arrested for the killings.

"Of all the people I grew up with and I knew, he would be the absolute last person that I would ever expect to be involved in something like this," Scheibe said.

Laci Peterson's family packed several rows in the gallery for most of the trial, but only her brother was in the courtroom Thursday.

Prosecutors rested their case Tuesday. The defense case is expected to last into next week before jurors begin deliberations.

Wednesday, Scott Peterson's father, Lee, described himself as frightened and depressed by the prospect that his son could be put to death for the murder of his wife and unborn son.

Scott wiped his eyes as his father called him a "perfect" baby who "woke up smiling," reports CBS News Correspondent John Blackstone. The elder Peterson told stories of Scott rescuing a baby rabbit and working three jobs to pay for college.

But jurors showed no sign of emotion as they heard of Scott's childhood of comfort and his love of golf.

"Right now, unless this defense changes its tack and completely turns it around 180 degrees, they are very quickly talking Scott Peterson on to the condemned wing at San Quentin," said criminal defense attorney Dean Johnson.

Peterson, 32, faces either the death penalty or life in prison without the possibility of parole for the 2002 murders.

A parade of witnesses took the stand in the second day of the penalty phase of the trial — Peterson's father, sister, and others who have known him almost his entire life, reports CBS News Correspondent Steve Futterman. They described a much different Scott Peterson, a loving, caring person.

"This is all a morality play, and when the jury goes into that room, it basically comes down to 12 people looking around and saying 'Should we kill him or not?'" said former San Francisco district attorney Jim Hammer.

All the witnesses — Peterson's relatives and friends — talked about how sentencing Peterson to die would affect his family. More testimony was scheduled for Thursday.

Sister Susan Caudillo called Peterson her "baby brother" and said a death sentence would devastate the family.

"I can't describe exactly how I would go on," Caudillo said, stifling tears. "I know it would kill my parents. I see the pain in their faces every day."

Asked by defense attorney Pat Harris how he would feel if his son was sentenced to death, Lee Peterson paused and looked over toward the defense table. "I don't even want to entertain that thought," he said. "I just can't imagine anything worse."

"The strategy seems to be, 'look, you may not feel, ladies and gentlemen of the jury, you may not feel sympathy for him, but clearly you must feel sympathy for his family,'" said CBS News Legal Analyst Trent Copeland on The Early Show. "They've been through a lot. [Mother] Jackie Peterson walks in with an oxygen tank every day. Lee Peterson appears to have aged overnight."

Lee Peterson looked tired but maintained his composure Wednesday, a stark contrast from Laci's mother, Sharon Rocha, who sobbed uncontrollably at times when she testified Tuesday.

"All they can hope to do is get some sympathy from one juror who says 'Enough is enough. I am going to end it and not put anyone through any more suffering,'" said Hammer.

All but absent Wednesday was lead defense attorney Mark Geragos, who let Harris take the lead.

"A lot of people are saying Mark Geragos really has no credibility left with this jury. I mean, remember, that basically this jury rejected every theory he floated out there," said Gloria Gomez of CBS affiliate KOVR, who has followed the case from the beginning.

In his opening statement Wednesday, Harris had told the jurors that they needed a more complete picture of Peterson before deciding his fate: "What we're going to now show you is the 30 years that preceded this. And when we show you those 30 years, I believe that you will agree that this is a life worth saving."

Lee Peterson went on to talk about his son, the good student and school leader. The younger Peterson had been captain of his high school golf team and dreamed of a professional golf career. He sang at a senior citizens' home on Sundays, tutored younger students and distributed clothes and food in Tijuana.

Several of the defense witnesses Wednesday spoke about Laci Peterson, the victim, and Copeland thought that was counter-productive.

"It reminded this jury of how tragic this incident was and how tragic and senseless this murder was," he told co-anchor Julie Chen.

Prosecutors claim Peterson killed his wife on or around Dec. 24, 2002, then dumped her weighted body into San Francisco Bay. The remains of Laci, then 27, and the fetus were discovered four months later along a shoreline a few miles from where Scott Peterson claims to have been fishing alone the day his wife vanished.

"We're not asking you to let this man go free," Harris told jurors. "Life without parole is not some sort of a holiday."

And the defense may be successful. Gomez says the Redwood City area is fairly liberal, and not known for handing down death penalties.

"I know this jury doesn't like Scott Peterson, but I don't know if they're willing to give him the ultimate sacrifice, which is taking his life," she said.

Copeland agreed the jury may spare Peterson's life.

"I'm beginning to change my mind. I originally thought no, but, boy, it's certainly going the other way," he said.