Defense in Drew Peterson case again seeks mental fitness exam for convicted killer

Defense attorneys once again seek to have a neuropsychologist evaluate a former Bolingbrook police sergeant who wants his murder conviction vacated.

Attorneys for Drew Peterson, 71, plan to present a motion requesting a reconsideration of a retired Will County judge’s decision to deny further psychological examination of Peterson.

Peterson is scheduled for a court hearing on April 7 regarding that motion.

In 2021, Peterson, a former Bolingbrook police sergeant, filed a petition asking a judge to vacate his conviction for the 2004 murder of his third wife, 40-year-old Kathleen Savio.

In the petition, Peterson alleged he received ineffective legal representation and he believed prosecutorial misconduct occurred in his case.

After Peterson filed his petition, his attorneys with the Will County Public Defender’s Office requested a neuropsychologist to examine Peterson after a previous psychologist was unable to reach a conclusion about his mental fitness.

Last year, former Will County Judge Dave Carlson ruled against further examination of Peterson after he determined no bona fide doubt existed as to Peterson’s mental fitness.

After Carlson retired from the bench, Peterson’s case was assigned to Will County Judge Jessica Colón-Sayre.

At a court hearing on Thursday, Jason Strzelecki, one of Peterson’s attorneys, told Colón-Sayre they have been in contact with a neuropsychologist to “resolve” the issues of fitness in Peterson’s case.

Colón-Sayre told Strzelecki to present a motion to reconsider Carlson’s decision, as well as a bill for the doctor’s services. She said the money for those services from the county would need approval by Will County Judge Chief Dan Kennedy’s Office.

Peterson was not present in court on Thursday.

The last time Peterson appeared in court was on April 4, 2024, when Carlson ruled against further psychological examination.

Peterson’s conviction of murdering Savio was upheld in 2015 by the 3rd District Appellate Court in Ottawa. His conviction was also upheld in 2017 by the Illinois Supreme Court.

In 2018, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear Peterson’s appeal of his murder conviction.