The majority of people in the U.S. who’ve heard of Scott Peterson feel that his death sentence was justified. The man convicted of the 2002 murder of his pregnant wife, Laci Peterson, quickly became one of the most despised people in America before he even made it to the courtroom. Did that affect his ability to get a fair trial? Should he get a new trial? Oxygen’s Snapped takes a deep look at these questions and much more in their upcoming two-part special on the Peterson case.

In 2004, following a lengthy trial, Peterson was sentenced to death after a jury found him guilty of murdering his wife and his unborn son, Connor. Yet, Peterson refuses to let his story expire; he recently filed an appeal for a new trial.

Oxygen’s Snapped premiere will “bring forth a different perspective that could lead to a new trial and review Peterson’s twisted web of lies which led to the ultimate demise of his family.” Details will include an exclusive interview with Peterson’s former girlfriend, Amber Frey, as well as interviews with detectives, reporters, and two jurors from the infamous trial.

The show will detail alternative opinions about the murders, including those who don’t think Peterson is guilty and feel that the jury was tainted due to the publicity of the case. Reporter Richard Cole, who covered the Peterson case, said that the Modesto Police Department helped the media blow the story so far out of proportion that it was almost impossible for a fair trial to take place.

The Modesto Police whipped up a media frenzy through lies and leaks and it kept the reporters on their side. They created this atmosphere of hatred focused on Scott Peterson.”

Matt Dalton, a criminal defense attorney in the Peterson case, said that police overlooked the fact that since 1992, seven pregnant women disappeared from the same area Laci disappeared from. He stated cult members were never looked into thoroughly and police chose not to investigate the “cult theory.”

“She [Laci] was targeted because she was pregnant,” Dalton said, who still believes Laci was a victim of a homicidal cult.

Prosecutors in the case, of course, disagree and call Scott Peterson the ““truly among the worst of the worst.”

Other experts examined evidence that never made it to trial, evidence that may possibly get him a new trial.  However, Sharon Martin, narrator and co-producer of Snapped, told Crime Online that the chances Peterson actually getting a new trial are almost slim to none.

“The bar for overturning a murder conviction and getting a new trial is incredibly high, and that fact alone means his chances for a new trial are slim — even with the issues being raised by his appellate team.”

Meanwhile, Frey, a victim herself in the ordeal, is still touted as the villain by many people. Although she called police almost a month before the media caught wind of her relationship with Peterson, there is still a seed of contempt for Frey, known as the “other woman.”

Martin said that this is par for the course, so to speak, because the general public wanted an explanation for such a horrific crime, and although Frey didn’t initially know Peterson was married, some people found her guilty by association.

“This murder case was so shocking, that people want and need to find an explanation, a way it could have been prevented, and blaming Scott’s affair with Amber gives them that. It’s part of our basic human nature to judge, especially when adultery and murder are involved,” Martin said.

“But like so many friends and family members of convicted killers, she never wanted to believe the man she was involved with was capable of this kind of crime,” Martin continued. “I think her cooperation makes that clear and it’s unfortunate that she is basically one of the secondary victims of his actions.”

For additional details on Frey, key evidence left out of the trial, and more, tune into Snapped‘s Scott Peterson special, starting May 7 (6 p.m. ET) on Oxygen.

[Feature Photo: AP/Justin Sullivan, Pool]