E-mail updates
Follow on Twitter
Subscribe to RSSUpdated at 7:30 p.m. ET: The defense at the trial of Drew Peterson, accused of killing his third wife, rested Wednesday after the former Illinois police officer stood in a Joliet, Ill., courtroom and told the judge he had chosen not to testify.
The statement came after Peterson’s older son, Thomas, 19, testified that he never believed his father killed his mother, Kathleen Savio.
See more on this story on NBCChicago.com
Drew Peterson has pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder of Savio, found dead in her bathtub in 2004. Savio’s death was initially ruled an accident but was re-examined and reclassified a homicide after Peterson’s fourth wife, Stacy Peterson, disappeared in 2007.
Thomas Peterson was 11 when Savio died. At the time, he and his brother were staying with Drew and Stacy Peterson at their home just blocks from Savio's house.
"I believe that my dad is innocent," he said.
"Are you here to support your father?" defense attorney Joel Brodsky asked.
"Yes, sir," he said.
Thomas Peterson told jurors he saw no change in his father's demeanor around the day his mother died, saying Drew Peterson was his usual jovial self.
"There was nothing out of the ordinary," Thomas Peterson said. "I would remember if there was."
He said that when his father broke the news about their mother's death to them, he seemed genuinely distraught.
"I have never seen someone so shaken," Thomas Peterson told jurors. "It was troubling to see."
The teen, a valedictorian of his Bolingbrook, Ill., high school class and a current student at the University of Pennsylvania, last year withdrew himself from the wrongful death suit filed on his behalf by his aunt and grandfather. His younger brother, Kristopher Peterson, followed suit when he turned 18 years old earlier this month.
Related: Judge denies request for acquittal in Drew Peterson murder trial
Thomas Peterson's testimony came after some key medical testimony from two pathologists who said Savio's injuries were consistent with an accidental death. Dr. Jeffrey Jentzen said he thinks Savio died by an accidental drowning after slipping and falling in her tub.
"As I mentioned before, this is a classic injury caused by a fall, especially in an area where there are numerous areas for the body to strike," said Jentzen, who up until 2008 was the chief medical examiner in Milwaukee.
Related: Drew Peterson trial stalls as judge challenges pathologist's testimony
His testimony was in contrast to that offered last week by Dr. Larry Blum, who performed the second autopsy on Savio's body. As a witness for the prosecution, Blum said someone falling in the tub would have spread their extremities in an attempt to break their fall. Additionally, he said the tub's edges were not pronounced enough to cause the two-inch, straight-line wound on her head.
Peterson's attorneys disputed Blum's testimony.
"It was an accident," said attorney Steve Greenberg. "It's always been an accident, it's still an accident, it'll be an accident when we do the closing arguments, it'll still be an accident when the jury comes back."
Related: Former colleague testifies Drew Peterson said life better if 3rd wife dead
Prosecutors said their list of rebuttal witnesses include Dr. Larry Blum and Dr. Michael Baden.
Closing arguments could follow Thursday, and the jury would be expected to start deliberating. With the Labor Day weekend ahead, it's not clear what the judge will decide in terms of timing and days off.
More content from NBCNews.com:
- Isaac's storms surge floods parts of Louisiana, Mississippi
- From darkness to gold: Blinded Navy swimmer set to race at Paralympics
- Student subsidies of classmates' tuition add to anger over rising college costs
- Video: Sinkhole stops traffic in San Francisco
- Texas tanning salon owner accused of trying to spy on teenage girls
- Veterans rely on patchwork safety net during hard financial times
Leave a Comment:
Steve Greenberg represents the evil man Drew Peterson and his son is going to plead in defense for his dad - of course he's going to defend his dad since Drew did a good job brainwashing the young mind who doesn't know any better.
But, I feel the jurors KNOW better and Drew Dirt will finally have his day!
Enjoy your new permanent home Dirt!
Hey Drew-baby, should I testify?
Why do children so often support a parent that has killed the other parent??
After they convict this murdering lowlife, they need to fry him.
hope drew gos to jail and his new boyfreind tells him to" suck this peter,son".
At 19, this kid is old enough to start thinking for himself. If he doesn't, he'll end up being another psycho wife-killer like his dear old dad. It's an insult to his mother's memory. The mother who was murdered. By his father. Grow up, boy, and face what he is. Or are you already too brain-washed by that sociopath?
@ machspeeddemon, My advise to all the ladies out there. run faster than Forest Gump from father and sons.
This is very reminiscent of the Josh Powell alleged murder (...of his wife) and murder of his two sons. Josh Powell's father is serving time for several felonious acts and his own daughter disavowed their father's behavior/parenting. The daugther went on to say she believes that their father is/was reponsible for Josh Powell's skewed perceptions and actions towards women...and likely his wife. Hope Peterson's son(s) can break free of whatever behavior they were subjected to as young people.
He's going to get off. They are going to find him 'not guilty' even thought he's obviously a murderer. They don't have enough physical evidence. So scary, he will go to hell though, there he will receive his punishment.
@skr-842443. Sad but True.. I am his punishment will be greater than jail
OOPS TYPO. I am sure
Just hope he doesn't kill anyone else before he gets his just punishment. I don't see what any of them see in him. He just looks evil to me.
Like the saying goes,misery likes company.he is going to walk,the lawyer are just as sleezy as he is.
Don't blame the kid at all. Who wants to believe their dad killed their mother? The jury will know what to do in the end sadly if Drew was any kid of man he would leave his kids out of this but he only cares about himself until the bitter end. Drew used those kids like he used his wives.
The son probably doesn't want to wind up in a blue barrel either.
When Larry King asked Drew Peterson,what would happen if he was found guilty of killing his wife stacy Peterson,Peterson said,that his kids be ok,they will have enough money to take care of themselves.He didn't say anything about being innocent or I didn't do it,they got the wrong man,it was like ,if I get caught so be it.
Why couldn't this guy have been married to Feisty & Beverly???
Best comment ever!
i wonder if they use those names on the visitors sign in sheet.................
Peterson will soon be free along with George.
These bumbling/overzealous DA's should be charged for prosecutorial misconduct.
This man acts as if he is a movie star, what I mean is, he is enjoying the attention and has no remorse that this woman the mother of his children is even dead. I would hope if something was to happen to me or my wife the police and pathologist would be a tiny bit suspicious and not close the case so fast. There where to many unanswered questions from this man to let her just die of a fall in the bath tub. For one a two inch gash in someone's skull will not be produced from a fall in the bath tub alone. There needs to be more force, way more force then what can be accomplished from a fall!
Guilty to proven innocent
if you have money, or connections, otherwise not so much so...
I'll marry you. DRew......... dont worry I'll take real good care of you, no one would ever find your
missing body parts in the woods or buried in cement or maybe burnt alive, nothing like that. xxoo
You'd have to fight me for him. I want the body parts first, finger by finger, hand by hand, arm by arm and you get the picture. That's called luv.
you two are way out of his league,way way below you. great sediment , but like all woman abusers he is at best a coward at heart and strong women scare the hell out of him. you can bet though allot of women mail him, what a waste.
as for you ladies that find yourself in a bad relationship, be it a drunk, doper,cheater,abuser, whatever....RUN...get the hell out, he WILL NOT change, i say again, HE WILL NOT CHANGE!! dont B.S. yourself for any reason, simply.......RUN........
Just sign on the X
somebody,kill this s.o.b.! guilty,guilty guilty
Let's see, he beat his first wife....his second wife was found in the bathtub dead (from a drowning) with no water.....his third wife came up missing and I thought I heard they found her body. Where are her kids? Why is he still going through trials. Last but not least, why is he still breathing?
if he didn't kill this wife...where is other wife???????????????????????
Getting ready to be joined by his next one.
The sons have probably grown up in an environment of perpetual fear of their father. It doesn't surprise me one bit that the sons will defend their father to the death; i.e., fear for their own lives.
Or the son, has been hurt by a woman and wishes he had the stones to bring harm to her. He is counting on drew getting out and handling his wet work.
He killed her, but what did anyone expect? He is so adapt at lying and getting away with murder, what are his kids doing to do but take his side.
Another OJ murderer about to go free.
Pond scum.......Drew you know what you did....you know who you have to answer to.....As far as you becoming famous yes famous for being a murdering husband and father who decided that your life would be better off without your wife in it....maybe she felt the same way about your controlling a$$.....murderer.....pond scum. I only pray you get what you have coming to you while you are rotting in jail......they don't like arrogant EX-COPS who think they are above the law......good luck in the shower Drew.
Guilty, guilty, guilty....but probably going to get away with it, same as Casey Anthony.....no evidence to prove he did it (or that she killed Calee) - we all know they're guilty, but they got away with murder.....karma's a bitch though - sooner or later she'll come knocking.......and hopefully before peterson marries his next victim!!!!!
Leigh-3028335, maybe he can marry Casey Anthony! Then they can just kill each other! Those 2 deserve each other!
I hope if Drew gets found not guilty, someone will put him in protective custody never to be found again, if you know what I mean.
Mr Peterson, you give all police officers a "black eye", with your lying and preening. A true sociopath...no compassion...no soul.
Drew is a murdering piece of crap. He ought to be tortured and then hung slowly with his big toes 1/4 inch from the floor, for the way he would come on the Today show arrogantly popping his gum and claiming his third wife ran away with someone. But he will get off for lack of evidence and might kill again. It's sad when they can't just let him accidentaly get moved into general population like a paper-work error or something.
He is nothing but a POS. I sure hope that "BUBBA" has lots of fun with him and NO soap! LOL
I feel for his children. I agree with other posters that they have lived in fear all their lives. Of course they would be afraid to testify against him. Yes, they are now "adults" but, think about how their lives and thoughts have been altered. Fear can do amazing and yes scary things to someone growing up. I just pray that the children have help and they don't turn out destroyed like their father.
How about a celebrity boxing match between drew and scott peterson?
Michael, love it. But who would win? LOL
Scary that we have Drew Peterson, Scott Peterson, Lacy Peterson, and Drew Peterson's wives. Just freaky.
They are both freaky creeps.
Or maybe Drew and Scott will "get together" in prison and enjoy each other while they swap stories?