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OTTAWA – The appellate court has upheld Drew Peterson’s murder conviction.
In an 87-page opinion released Thursday, three justices unanimously rejected Peterson’s claims that the case against him was not proved beyond a reasonable doubt and that trial attorney Joel Brodsky did not fulfill his obligations to present a capable defense.
"[The] defendant asserts ... Brodsky saw defendant's case as a promotional tool, that he exploited defendant's case for his own professional and financial gain, and that his self interest clouded his judgment to the detriment of defendant," Judge Robert Carter wrote. "According to defendant, the most glaring evidence thereof was the fact that Brodsky failed to advise defendant not to talk about the case and instead advised defendant to address the matter through a media blitz that provided publicity and promotional fees to Brodsky."
Peterson, who served as a Bolingbrook police officer from 1977 to 2007, was convicted in 2012 of murdering his third wife, Kathleen Savio. Savio was found dead in a bathtub in March 2004. Her drowning was initially ruled accidental, but the case was reopened when Peterson's fourth wife, Stacy Peterson, disappeared in October 2007.
Peterson is serving a 38-year sentence in the Menard Correctional Center. He remains the only suspect in Stacy Peterson’s disappearance. The Bolingbrook police pension board has taken steps to strip the retired officer of his $6,000-a-month pension and he is charged with trying to hire a hit man from prison to kill Will County State’s Attorney James Glasgow, who prosecuted the murder case.
"The opinion written by Judge Carter said the appellate court found no errors [in Peterson's due process] so they had to reject the argument there was cumulative error," Glasgow said Friday.
Glasgow said he was pleased at the appellate ruling.
"It's the ultimate vindication in the face of the vitriolic comments made of the defense made over the last eight years. They were wrong at every level and documents back that," he said.
Peterson is expected to face trial in the solicitation for murder case next year. He could appeal the appellate court’s decision to the state Supreme Court, which is not obligated to hear the case.