New Judge Named for Murder Trial of Scott Peterson

SAN FRANCISCO — Retired Alameda County Judge Alfred A. Delucchi was selected Tuesday to preside over Scott Peterson’s murder trial, a week after another judge was challenged by prosecutors.

A trial judge for more than three decades, Delucchi, 72, retired in 1998 after serving in Alameda County for 15 years. He has been an active judge since his retirement and has continued to preside over trials.

Delucchi, praised by one defense attorney as “evenhanded” and “an excellent judge,” has presided over 22 death penalty trials, including the case involving the murder of former Black Panther Huey Newton.

The selection was made by California Supreme Court Chief Justice Ronald George, whose initial choice, retired Contra Costa County Judge Richard Arnason, was challenged by prosecutors.

Delucchi will preside over Monday’s hearing in Redwood City in a bid by Peterson’s attorneys to block the disqualification of Arnason.

Peterson’s attorneys allege that prosecutors did not properly file their demands to remove Arnason. The challenge is not expected to delay the case, which is set to begin next month.

Peterson, 31, could face the death penalty if convicted of two counts of murder in the killing of his pregnant wife, Laci, in their home and then dumping her body in San Francisco Bay. In April, her remains and those of the fetus washed ashore two miles from where her husband said he had been fishing on Christmas Eve 2002 when she vanished.

The former fertilizer salesman was moved Friday from the Stanislaus County Jail to a cell in the lockup adjacent to the San Mateo County courthouse in Redwood City. A Stanislaus County judge, before removing himself from the case, ordered the trial moved to San Mateo County because of too much pretrial publicity.

Under California court rules, the defense and the prosecution each can remove -- without stating a reason -- one judge before a trial begins.