And the survey says ...

Never mind. We made it up.

The bogus poll local college students conducted likely did more to harm their school than it affected Judge Al Girolami's decision to move Scott Peterson's murder trial outside Modesto.

By their actions, the students have cast doubt on any survey overseen by California State University, Stanislaus, Professor Stephen Schoenthaler.

While the district attorney wants to interview the students involved -- hoping to get Girolami to reconsider his decision -- don't expect the judge to repeat the hearing. Even before Schoenthaler presented his survey to the court, Girolami indicated he felt the vast media coverage merited moving the trial.

As he has done with past surveys, Schoenthaler offered his latest results to The Bee, which detailed them in a story Jan. 4. The survey indicated Peterson could not get a fair trial in Stanislaus County.

Schoenthaler told reporters John Cote and Garth Stapley the 10-county, 39-question effort would become the standard for future surveys.

"Others will look at this and compare their cases to this," he boasted.

Let's hope not.

Some of the 65 students in Schoenthaler's class admit they fabricated information. That he detected no red flags in their work gives him a Pete Rose-sized credibility issue for years to come. And Schoenthaler needs to accept the responsibility.

After the Jan. 4 story was published , defense attorney Mark Geragos snagged the survey as evidence and called the professor to the stand during Thursday's hearing. Schoenthaler testified voluntarily and for free, no subpoena necessary.

Schoenthaler has been the driving force behind these types of surveys for years.

His students receive class credit. This time, 20 percent of their grade depended on working on a survey project. They not only paid tuition for the privilege of being a well-educated telemarketer, they also got stuck with long-distance charges.

Schoenthaler grabs the public credit -- the media attention -- which in this case morphed into notoriety when Friday morning's Bee hit doorsteps and racks.

Clearly, his process this time contained a blueprint for disaster. Schoenthaler admittedly made the assignment right before the Thanksgiving break. Some students, in turn, let themselves down by taking the easy way out. They cheated.

Past surveys have been questioned.

In 1998, a Schoenthaler survey on jury knowledge led to a change of venue in the trials of George Souliotes. The first ended in a mistrial, the second in a conviction with a life sentence and no possibility of parole. Each trial lasted roughly two months.

Forty percent of the county's juror pool at the time did not understand a defendant's rights, Schoenthaler's survey claimed.

Judges and court administrators questioned the finding. "What are we supposed to do -- shoot half the jurors in the county?" Judge Hugh Rose III asked at the time. "Should we not have juries in this county?"

Nevertheless, Rose moved the trial, based on the multitude of media reports about the case. Jurors were imported from neighboring San Joaquin County.

In Peterson's trial, which could last more than six months, busing jurors in daily for that long would be like, well, commuting.

Jury pay -- $15 a day, plus mileage one way -- would shrink any prospective jury pool.

So expect the entire trial, at a huge expense to Stanislaus County taxpayers, to pack up and move like a national touring production of "Cats." It probably will go to Santa Clara, San Mateo or Alameda county.

And in the end, the survey compromised by the Stanislaus State students had little to do with the relocation of the trial.

Peterson got the change of venue he wanted.

Several students could face discipline or expulsion.

Schoenthaler got his name in the paper.

Case dismissed.