High school friend calls Peterson gracious

REDWOOD CITY, Calif. -- 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.

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Peterson wept 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 cried when Janey Peterson tearfully recalled a pair of "fuzzy bear slippers" he gave her as a gift one Christmas.

She said the family is devastated by Laci's loss and the possibility Scott Peterson could also die.

"I think the one thing we've all learned in all of this is how important life is," she said. "I think every one of us would give up everything we have, whether it's money, our homes, every stitch of clothing, because that's how important life is."

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.

On Thursday, Scott Peterson's half brother, John, told jurors how excited he was when his little brother was born, and how he later taught Scott to ride a bike and build backyard forts.

He said it would devastate him if Scott Peterson was sentenced to die.

"I can't even imagine ... he's my little brother. I love him," John Peterson said.

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.

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.