Jury Deliberations to Start in Murder Trial of Patrolman
Jurors will begin deliberations today in the trial of former California Highway Patrol Officer Craig Peyer, charged with killing a 20-year-old San Diego college student after stopping her on a darkened, isolated freeway off-ramp in northeastern San Diego.
In closing arguments Tuesday, a prosecutor said that Cara Knott “exploded” when Peyer--a 13-year CHP veteran who is charged with killing Knott on Dec. 27, 1986--detained her, and reacted by scratching his face in a defensive move that drove Peyer to strangle her.
The defense attacked the credibility of the prosecution’s key witnesses, and reminded the jury that the prosecution had failed to prove that Peyer had any contact with Knott.
The case marked only the second time that a CHP officer has been charged with committing murder while on duty.
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