Judge Tells Peterson Jurors: 'Keep an Open Mind'

An hour and a half after the jury in the Scott Peterson double-murder trial resumed deliberations on Monday, Judge Alfred A. Delucchi called the jury into the courtroom and told them to deliberate with an open mind, possibly signaling a deeply divided jury.

"Do not hesitate to change your opinion for the purpose of reaching a verdict if you can do so," Judge Delucchi said. "The attitude and conduct of jurors at all times is very important," he added. "It is rarely helpful for a juror at the beginning of deliberations to express an emphatic opinion on the case."

It was not clear what prompted the judge to address the jury. Earlier in the day defense attorney Mark Geragos made a motion for a mistrial after jurors examined Scott Peterson's fishing boat. Geragos claimed the jurors violated the judge's orders when several of them got inside the boat and rocked it from side to side.

As an alternative to his motion for a mistrial, Geragos offered to show a videotaped experiment performed by the defense, which apparently showed the boat tipping over. The defense has argued that it would be impossible for Peterson to have dumped Laci Peterson's 153-pound, pregnant body over the side of the boat without it tipping over.

Judge Delucchi denied the motion.

See A Report: Peterson Jury Urged to Keep an Open Mind

How Do You Think the Jury Will Vote? Take Our Poll

See Court TV: Jurors Turn Focus to Scott Peterson's Fishing Boat

Background:
The Scott Peterson Trial
Items Found in Scott Peterson's Car
More Headline Cases