Judge rules Scott Peterson's defense team can review some old evidence in murder case

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- A judge has granted Scott Peterson's legal team access to some of the evidence in the murder case against him.

This access includes DNA evidence and other forensic materials. The judge has denied much of the original case evidence his defense team claims they should have access to based on California law.

The law allows discovery rights to a defendant who is convicted of a serious crime and sentenced to 15 or more years in prison.

Lawyers with the Los Angeles Innocence Project are seeking to get Peterson a new trial, citing trial irregularities and potential evidence mishandling.

Peterson was convicted of killing his wife, Laci, and their unborn son in 2004. He has long maintained his innocence.

What evidence can Peterson's defense team access?

The judge is allowing Peterson's defense team to access digital copies of all 911 calls reporting the van fire near the Peterson home around the time of Laci's disappearance.

Peterson's team has argued that the van fire may have been connected to suspects who took her. But they lost most of their ability, in previous hearings, to have the evidence tested.

They can access color copies of the crime lab reports about what evidence was collected from the van including mattress cuttings. They can access documents related to fingerprints and palm prints in the van. They can see color copies of Modesto Fire Department investigator Bryan Spitulski's investigation file. They can see color copies of all photos and scene diagrams from the van fire and inside the van.

They can also see Modesto Police training manuals from the time of the murder and reports that police received involving a witness who saw someone who looked like Laci.

Many of the requests deal with the robbery across the street from the Peterson house and most of those requests are denied. However, they are being granted access to audio and video recordings police did with neighbors about the burglary and some handwritten notes made by police.

ABC News contributed to this report.