Drew’s slip up

Meanwhile on :  May 22nd 2009 down at Will county court house

 

JOLIET, Ill. — Worried a pending divorce would leave him penniless, prosecutors say, ex-police officer Drew Peterson offered someone $25,000 to kill his third wife — but then did it himself.

Peterson also told a fellow officer just a few weeks before his wife was found in a bathtub that his life would be easier “if she was just dead,” prosecutors said Friday as they laid out part of their case against the former officer from the Chicago suburb of Bolingbrook.

Peterson is charged with first-degree murder in the 2004 death of his third wife, Kathleen Savio. He also is a suspect in the 2007 disappearance of his fourth wife, Stacy Peterson. He has maintained his innocence in both cases.

Peterson’s attorneys had asked Friday that his $20 million bail be reduced, but the judge refused.

Prosecutor James Glasgow said Peterson told a fellow police officer that he would be financially ruined by a pending divorce, and life would be easier if his wife were dead. Three weeks later, Savio’s body was found in her bathtub with a gash on the back of her head, the Will County prosecutor said. Glasgow did not reveal the source of his allegation.

Savio’s death initially was ruled an accidental drowning, but authorities reopened the investigation after Stacy Peterson disappeared. They ruled Savio’s death a homicide after exhuming her body and performing a new autopsy. Peterson was arrested May 7.

Glasgow said Peterson was a flight risk because he knows how to disappear and knows he faces 20 to 60 years in jail if he’s convicted.

But attorney Joel Brodsky said Peterson has not fled during trips to Mexico, California and Florida since police named him a suspect in Stacy Peterson’s disappearance. Peterson’s attorneys said they planned to appeal the judge’s refusal to lower his bail to under $1 million.

Savio’s family — who long said they believed Peterson killed her — were shocked at the attempted hit allegations.

“Finally someone’s listening to us,” said Sue Doman, Savio’s sister. “This is a victory for our sister, Kathleen.”

Peterson, who is known for making smart-aleck remarks in the media, was subdued in court Friday. He hung his head as he left the hearing.

And that $25K is the magic number for Drew. When Stacy Peterson disappeared, he said she took her bikini and $25k. So that number seems to be a recurrence.

PAM BOSCO:

For so many years nobody heard the cries and the pleas from Kathleen. We were too slow to react to Stacy. But I think today the Courts may now be listening to them.

Tone of the Judge?

The judge’s tone was strict with what she expected from both sides. Because of tha,t I think it was very fair. She wasn’t going to have too much room except for expected rules of a courtroom. So I was happy with how she set the tone.

Relationship with Savio family?

We fully support of each other. We both look to each other as family and I think because of that – the Savio family it helps us get through these says. I’m sure with what we’ll be hearing in the days ahead – weeks ahead – with this trial, we’ll be relying on each other even more. It’s a very sad situation for both families and I just hope we get through this with some sanity.

What about the change in Peterson’s demeanor?

I think as Jim Glasgow said in the beginning, [Peterson] thought all this was a joke, and he probably thought he would never come to see this day, and now that he sees the seriousness of it he’s no longer laughing.

What did you think about the new judge?

Again, I thought she was very serious – strict, and in the end, I think that was fair for both sides.

Suggestion that he confided in another Bolingbrook police officer about this murder beforehand and nothing ever came of it?

Everyone always said in the beginning what does the state really have against Drew Peterson. I think that as this trial proceeds we’re going to see there’s a lot more that we haven’t heard that will support what will support what we’ve always thought about him regarding Kathy and Stacy.

Motive money?

To Drew, everything is about money. We felt that from the very beginning – that he valued material things over relationships. And for Mr Brodsky’s remark that if anything Drew is a unique but honest man – that is a fallacy. I don’t know a single married man who cheats on women to be considered an honest man. So Drew is not an honest man, as far as we’re concerned.

CASSANDRA CALES:

I’m going to sleep good tonite knowing that he’s paying for what he’s done.

Just shows the corruption and the way not to be a basic police officer to serve and protect.

Reduced his bond to $25K, think he would have “flown”?

Yes, because he now sees the seriousness of it.