Petersen, a 49-year-old biotech executive, was in the courtroom Monday listening to the testimony. He was arrested the day of the shooting, Sept. 18, and arraigned later on charges including three counts of premeditated attempted murder. At the end of the hearing, Judge Leo Valentine Jr. determined that prosecutors had presented sufficient evidence for the defendant to stand trial.Petersen remains jailed in lieu of $5 million bail. “It’s clear from the presentation of the evidence today that Mr. Petersen was acting out of character, and his conduct was potentially bizarre and psychotic,” said Marc Carlos, Petersen’s lawyer, outside the courtroom. Fletcher’s sister and Petersen are divorcing. Fletcher said during the hearing that he opened the bathroom door a second time and grabbed the barrel of the gun. He said Petersen fired, wounding Fletcher in the stomach. Surveillance video shows the two men moving around the house. At one point, Fletcher goes to the kitchen to call 911, but Petersen grabs the cellphone and slams it repeatedly on the edge of a counter. In the video, the apparent intruder can be seen chasing Fletcher around the house gesturing at him with his right hand. “He’s still cussing at me — angry,” the witness told prosecutor Amy Maund. “He’s just talking jibberish.” Then San Diego police officers arrived and placed Petersen under arrest. According to the testimony, bullets found at Fletcher’s house on Cottontail Lane matched those recovered from another La Jolla home on Waverly Avenue where shots were fired a few hours earlier.
Comments are closed.