Crime & Safety
Will the Words of Foreboding Uttered by Drew Peterson's Wives Be Allowed Into His Trial?
The appellate court heard arguments about whether to allow hearsay evidence at Drew Peterson's murder trial but will wait weeks, if not months, before making a decision.
Over at Bolingbrook Patch, is covering the latest legal turn in the Drew Peterson case. And it's a big one. Today, his lawyers went before the appellate court and argued for the dismissal of hearsay evidence against the accused killer and notorious police officer.
You may recall that Will County State's Attorney James Glasgow drafted a controversial new state law that would allow prosecutors to use statements made by the late Kathleen Savio at her ex-husband's trial, as well as statements made by Stacy Peterson, his fourth wife, who's been missing since 2007 and is presumed dead.
Savio had told friends she believed Peterson would kill her.
Find out what's happening in Frankfortwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Hosey, who has covered the case for years, reports on today's proceedings:
Drew Peterson's attorneys fought for a month last year to knock out most of the 13 hearsay statements prosecutors wanted to use at his murder trial. Today, one of his lawyers went at it for another hour in hopes of keeping them out.
Find out what's happening in Frankfortwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
The proceedings were televised live, a first in Illinois legal history.
Attorney Steven Greenberg, who was not even part of Peterson's legal team during last year's landmark hearsay hearing in Will County court, was tasked with attacking a prosecution appeal of how many secondhand statements can be introduced at Peterson's trial.
Greenberg pointed out that Will County State's Attorney James Glasgow crafted an entirely new state law, apparently to use against Peterson, and is now asking the Third District Appellate Court in Ottawa to ignore it in favor of the common law, which requires prosecutors to overcome fewer hurdles when introducing hearsay evidence.
"The whole thing is ironic and hypocritical," Greenberg said after the hearing. "I wish I could pick which laws we go under."
Peterson has been in the Will County Jail for almost two years awaiting trial yet his antics and personality continue to draw attention across the country as this story unfolds.
For more of Hosey's coverage, read on Bolingbrook Patch.
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