Scott Peterson Prison Pickleball Confrontation Leads to Assault in Yard

Infamous wife-killer Scott Peterson got an ass-whoopin' from another inmate in a California state prison -- in an altercation over pickleball ... TMZ has learned.

Multiple sources tell TMZ ... Peterson got into the heated confrontation Sunday in the yard near his housing unit at Mule Creek State Prison, about 40 miles southeast of Sacramento.

Our sources say Peterson hit the ball directly at the other inmate, triggering the assault. We're told Peterson got "beat up" by the other prisoner, but his injuries were not serious enough to land him in the hospital.

As you know, Peterson was found guilty in 2004 for the murder of his wife, Laci, who was eight months pregnant, on Christmas Eve in 2002.

Peterson had reported Laci missing ... and her decomposed, headless corpse was later found floating in the San Francisco Bay. The body of their unborn child, Conner, was also recovered from the waters after being expelled from Laci's rotting remains.

The case whipped up worldwide media attention.

Peterson was originally sentenced to death, but, in 2020, his conviction was overturned, and he was resentenced to life in prison without parole.

Peterson's death sentence was thrown out after the state Supreme Court determined that jurors who personally disagreed with the death penalty were dismissed.