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Tom Gianni / AP
In this courtroom sketch, Drew Peterson, left, sits before Will County Judge Edward Burmila as his defense team sought to convince the judge to grant him a new trial at the Will County Courthouse in Joliet, Ill., on Wednesday, Feb. 20. On Thursday, a new trial was denied and Peterson was sentenced for 38 years.
Former Bolingbrook police sergeant Drew Peterson rocked an Illinois courtroom on Thursday when he screamed out his innocence before a judge sentenced him to 38 years in prison for the 2004 drowning death of his third wife, Kathleen Savio.
"I did not kill Kathleen!" the normally cool Peterson shouted into a courtroom microphone from the witness stand.
Without missing a beat, his dead wife's sister, Susan Doman, shouted back, "Yes, you did! You liar!" before the judge ordered sheriff's deputies to remove her from the courtroom.
"I wasn't going to take the devil. I wasn't going to let him say that," Doman later told reporters.
In the long statement on his innocence, Peterson blamed Will County State's Attorney James Glasgow for what he described as an obsessive investigation. In tears at times, Peterson told the court he was being sentenced to the Department of Corrections to die.
"I think the only thing left to make this case more true to form would be cruel and unusual punishment," he said. "I don't think anybody would care, because nobody cares. I can't believe I spent 32 years protecting the constitution that allowed this to happen to me."
Also on NBCChicago.com: Full coverage of the Drew Peterson murder trial
He took issue with a law passed by the Illinois General Assembly in in July 2009 that allowed hearsay to be admitted as evidence in cases where prosecutors believe the victim was killed specifically to prevent them from testifying. The law was dubbed the "Drew Peterson Law."
"Hearsay is a scary thing," Peterson told the court. "It requires no proof of truth. Anything can be said and no one is accountable."
He said the statements made against him were from "women trying to better position themselves in a divorce. ... Everybody lies in a divorce."
Still, he said he loved his ex-wife.
"She was a good mom," he said, tearing up. "She did not deserve to die. But she died in an accident."
Glasgow thought little of Peterson's statement but said the emotional outburst exposed the real Drew Peterson -- the one capable of murder.
"We all got an opportunity to see a psychopath," said Glasgow. "When he got up on the stand and that shrill, kind of feminine screech that he didn't kill Kathy, that's the guy that killed Kathy. You got a glimpse into his soul."
Peterson was found guilty in September of murdering Savio. Her death was initially ruled an accident, after neighbors found the 40-year-old aspiring nurse's body in a dry bathtub at home. It was Stacy Peterson's 2007 disappearance that prompted authorities to take another look at Savio's death and eventually reclassify it as a homicide. Drew Peterson is also a suspect in the disappearance of Stacy Peterson -- who was 23-years-old when she vanished -- but he hasn't been charged in her case.
Thursday's ruling came just a couple hours after Judge Edward Burmila denied a motion by defense attorneys to give the former cop a new trial and essentially means Peterson, 59, will spend the rest of his life in custody. The judge gave Peterson four years' credit for the time he has served since his 2009 arrest.
Illinois does not have a death penalty.
"I pray that during the last minutes of his life, he is able to clearly see her and she is watching his descension into hell," Savio's brother, Henry, told the judge.
Peterson's attorneys vowed to wage an appeal.
Also on NBCChicago.com: Sentencing up next in Jackson family saga
"We all have some very viable issues. We're putting our big boy pants on, we're going to go with these issues, and we're going to be back here. We're confident of that,' said attorney John Heiderscheidt.
In two days of testimony, Peterson's current legal team argued for a new trial alleging the former lead attorney, Joel Brodsky, botched the first trial by calling divorce attorney Harry Smith to the stand.
Smith testified that Peterson's fourth wife, Stacy Peterson, told him her husband killed Savio and that he warned Stacy she had to tell someone. Several jurors said that bombshell testimony led them to convict Peterson.
During the sentencing hearing Savio's sister, Anna Marie Savio-Doman, asked the judge to give her sister "justice, once and for all."
"One of the hardest things for me is knowing the pain and fear that Kathleen must have suffered at the time of her murder," Doman said. "The horror and betrayal she must have felt when she realized that someone she had trusted and loved more than anything was actually killing her."
Henry Savio said Peterson terrorized his sister, brutalized her and drowned her.
"I will be mending my family, including my family's relationship with Kitty's children, while he is rotting in jail for the rest of his life," he said. "While he is in jail, I hope that Kitty is what he sees every night before he sleeps and I hope that she is haunting him in his dreams."
"He took Kathleen's future and now she has taken his."
NBC Chicago's Kim Vatis, Lauren Jiggetts, Lauren Petty, Courtney Copenhagen, Lisa Balde and BJ Lutz contributed to this reported. Additional reporting by The Associated Press.
View more videos at: http://nbcchicago.com.
This story was originally published on Thu Feb 21, 2013 2:51 PM EST
Leave a Comment:
Too bad this dirt bag can't be charged and convicted of Stacy's murder as well. Google Tara Grinstead. Another missing female who had a law enforcement boyfriend...
Give him the Max and put him in general population - - maybe his other murdered wives - yes wives - will then have a little bit of justice!!
Hey POS Peterson, enjoy the rest of your life in prison...they love ex-cops there! :)
He'll never see general population being an ex-cop. He'll be in PC (Protective Custody - Punk City) his entire sentence. Shame, he definitely deserves to serve his time in general population.
He may go down for Peterson's death yet. He'll be safe and sound in the joint so they all the time in the world to build a case. I certainly hope they do. I wonder if he's got that cocky smile on his face now.
What a piece of garbage this guy is. For all of us people living in Chicago we had to put up with his bs antics on a daily basis with the medias love affair with this guy. Too bad Fiesty Red Head wont be able to meet up with the man of her dreams now.
TO: Mexico's Communists who wrote:
Really? How can I get a copy of that movie?
I absolutely love Jack Lemmon, and I think "How to Murder Your Wife" was the best movie Jack Lemmon ever did, even though I love (almost) everything Jack Lemmon did.
I didn't care too much for the depressing movie "The Days of Wine and Roses".
Do you have any extra copies of "How to Murder Your Wife"?
* In case someone out there hasn't seen this movie, it's a comedy, nothing like this Peterson story.
On the first day of Peterson's trial, he walked in with a big grin on his face, looked right at the Prosecutor's and laughed at them and said "You'll never get a conviction based on circumstantial evidence".
Boy was he wrong!
First, that scumbag Peterson will get his, and soon, The POS Pretender-in-Chief, Blowbama, will be joining him as prom queen of Cell Block 'C'....SOB's...
In your dreams - Jeezus, could we leave politics out of a single conversation ever?
Hooiser,
I am not fan of Obama either but come on. Lets talk about the media darling Drew Peterson.
Oink.
Who is Drew Peterson...why is he a celebrity?
I want to be his next wife, and will wait for him when he gets out at the age of 97.
I can then be famous too.
Good for that SOB..got 38 years in prison. He'll be 98 when he gets out..if he lives that long in prison..an ex-cop in prison is worst then hell!
Yeah this is really breaking my heart. Scumbag lawyer is upset because other scumbag lawyers are throwing him under the bus in order to manipulate the court case of a scumbag murderer. And that crap of protective custody, that's not justice. Maybe if crooked cops had to worry about being put into the general population of the people they put there for committing the same crimes, they would be forced to think twice for abusing the power given them. Now that would be justice.
additional thoughts...added to My post #1.12
P.S. (Pig Shit): I just wish that ... when he gets out at age of 97 and marries me (to make me famous..).... he is too old to lift his hands to kill me. Then I will get a chance to introduce him to all of you - my friends on this vine. I will give him an alias along the same line as my alias (pigotry).
Yeah..I will be a famous iPIG
DICK,; karma, dick!
Well Justice is served at last in this case. I wonder if he still has that smug look on his face and is smiling and telling jokes to anyone he can. This guy is a murderer plain and simple and I am glad he is going away and wont be able to kill any other wives as Iam sure he would have done had he been set free.
I surely don't this condone mans actions, but what really scares me about this story is the "hearsay" being allowed as evidence. If this becomes the norm, then the Salem Witch Trials will seem like a walk in the park compared to what we will see in our justice system or what used to be an actual justice system.
I hope that wiped that smug smirk off of this face. Thank you jurors.
mexico's commie,
having nothing to do with this peterson case, where the guy should be given the harshest possible punishment for as long as possible, your movie was great. as a kid, i was so depressed when brash branaghan had to be only the branaghans. oh, man! what a sad commentary on our collective spirit.
I believe that this guy is as guilty as guilty gets however I have to agree with Wicked Wanda that allowing "hearsay" is a very scary reality.
This POS should have gotten 10 just for arrogance. What a creep.
Chuck, could we leave Jebus out of a thread ever?
Drew Peterson, now how funny is it?? Laugh it up now. Enjoy your 38 years in Prison.
There is justice....after all that time. Stacey's family may be able to legally get her kids and raise them. I wonder if they will ever find her remains....likely not. What a monster.
This case reminds me of another where there was one murdered person and another one missing. After a few years, the murderer got his sentence reduced significantly in a deal where he gave up the location of where the body of the missing person was buried. Basically, by confirming that he not only killed one person but two, he got rewarded for it.
Wanda,
I agree completely. Peterson's surely a piece of garbage, but allowing hearsay evidence is really a scary precedent.
The reporter who wrote this story meant to say "...watching his descension into hell." The word he used means to argue about it.
@ hoosier, Dude you must get hard everytime someone mentions Obama. Is that the reason you brought up a random comment when it had nothing to do with the topic at hand?
The whole Liberal vs Repub talk is as old as the bull@!$%# both parties sling. Give it a rest already!
I hope Drew gets plenty of exercise on his knees being Bubba's bitch. He makes me yearn for the Wild West days of hang'em high and shoot'em low.
POS
At last, justice is served and now I hope they find him also guilty of murdering wife #4.
If there is one good thing about Drew Peterson, it's that he brought a unanimous agreement here.
Hey Joffer cock in the face is exactly what he has right now. I guarantee it. I hope hes wives are at peace now knowing he will never walking the sunlight as a free man and I hope hid journey into hell is a very painful one
Hey All,
Let us not forget Joel Brodsky, Drew's loser attorney is just as much of a dirt bag as Peterson. If anyone would like to let Joel know what you think of him, here is his email; joelbrodsky@sbcglobal.net Let us not forget when asked he was asked about Stacy Peterson, Joel Brodsky and his minions replied "Stacy who". Now hopefully, the wife killer will be tried and found guilty for the murder of Stacy.
too bad other cops did the whole cover for my buddy thing and thus he wasn't caught a couple of wives back.... could have saved a lot of suffering...
this guys deserves to be in hell for sure.... but think about that hearsay law.... wow... what a major erosion of rights! Imagine what other possibly innocent defendants are getting screwed by that one....
and thats how it happens... people get outraged, then the government uses it for an excuse to take our rights... there's gotta be a better way
American Girl (?). Girl are you wrong; Drew Peterson was not convicted on circumstantial evidence. He was correct about that; all the factual evidence was found (eventually) to put him away.
[By the way, anyone ever tell you that you write with the mind of a man, not a girl. Just noticing.]
What's with the spam @ #1.38 - Thu Feb 21, 2013 8:55 PM EST?
Anonymous: Are you sure about that address? If so, then I will certainly make sure that he receives some due mail.
Phuggy: look at what just popped up 1 comment before yours. Now look in the lower right corner of the comment box and notice the arrow and the exclamation mark (!). Click on the exclamation mark and complain about the "advertising" . I already have about both. If you also do this the moderator will kick out this commenter.
Hmmm... 38 years is a long time, but factor in 1/3 off for "good behavior" and this convict is looking at about 25 years. Therefore, more likely than not, he will be about 84 when released -- IF he lives that long.
I am not sure the judge could sentence this convict to 38 years with no early release. However, folks need to remember that it costs about $100+ per day to incarcerate someone like this convict. That means the taxpayers will spend about $912,500., to take care of this piece of manure.
In China, he would already be dead - by one bullet in the back of his head. Here in the U.S., we can only hope that he gets a bunkie with the name of Carmine, Guido or Bubba.
Two quotes of merit - Glasgow said "When he got up on the stand and that shrill, kind of feminine screech that he didn't kill Kathy..." Big tough guy screeching like a little girl...
Attorney John Seiderscheidt "We're putting our big boy pants on..." I would think the time to put your big boy pants on is during your defense of this murdering piece of garbage.
I wonder who gets his bloated, unearned, undeserved, $5600 per MONTH police pension?? And if he was crooked enough to kill the women he was living and sleeping with, what happens to all the cases of trumped up charges against others who have probably gone to jail just so this guy could make his arrest tally sheet look better to superiors??
The Police in this nation and the abuses they commit against the same laws that they take an oath to uphold has become off the scale. Why does this arrogant scum get special privileges?? Throw him in General Population just like he did to other innocent people while he was "on the job"
Nuff said....but I really would like to know if, now that he is convicted and he LIED and MURDERED someone while still a cop, does that forfeit his pension??
I read this story with mixed emotions, because although I do strongly believe that he murdered his wife, the case against him appears rather weak.
When you read that his next wife is also gone, in this case having disappeared, never to be seen again, you can't help feeling glad that Mr. Peterson is behind bars for the next 38 years.
Sometimes the right things happen for the wrong reasons..
That sentence should have been doubled because he was a cop.
If one could be imprisoned for being an odious individual this guy would get life.
It must be a "Peterson" tradition, to murder your wife!
Another nut in california did the same thing.
Hey Drew - the brothers in prison will love you!!!!! Just bend over and enjoy....20 years or so and you may be able to sit back down.....enjoy Drew !!!! you deserve it all
oink....what R U talking about?
oink..
signed: iPIG, an alias of pigotry
@ginterparkguy~~ Protective custody is as bad as segregation or sitting on death row. Out for 1 hour a day. I bet he is really really po'd. Now he can't even get soap on a rope even if he wanted to. All that sex and badgering and murdering women. He is exactly where he needs to be. No royalties of the general population. Awww poor Drew!That heresay also had a lot of legit witnessess against his character and that is what added fuel to his fire. If it was just that comment alone it would not have held up. That final demise of the wife crumpled up in the blue barrell someone is going to come across it you watch and see. It always happens. The truth always comes out. In the movie his buddy helped him put the barrel into the car. Wherever he went it had to be down hill. I can't remember if the guy went with him and didn't remember where he went or not. Now that he is locked up for sure it is 1/2 time in Illinois maybe the guy will remember where they went. Let's hope.
Yayyyyyy! Justice works for a change! Yayyyyy!
If they took him out back and
shot him in the head then justice would be served! But we don't, we just keep
putting them in using tax money to feed provide medical, dental, cable tv and
housing then let them out to do it all over. Maybe the DEATH PENALTY would deter
murderers if not they would never do it again!
@Tx: justice would be torturing him first. He needs Texas Justice instead of mooching off the system until his bloated, worthless self expires from too many ass poundings.
They should make it a habit to put down these worthless criminals who have done nothing but kill innocent people.
guillotine!
Too quick! They should do it old world style and impale him!
One billion pinpricks...
I don't know if I'm more shocked that this guy is a former police officer or the fact that they still haven't brought charges against him for Stacy Peterson's "disappearance".
The wheels of justice turn slowly, really slowly.
Really slowly, especially if you're an ex-cop. They love to cover up for their fellow thugs with badges.
@Sir Kit, I disagree. No cop is going to risk losing his pension and face serious prison time for a fellow
cop. They're tight but not that tight. especially in the case of this arrogant POS. There are alot of great
cops out there. We just hear about the bad ones.
I'm guessing the authorities are trying to gather more concrete evidence against him. Based on news reports, what they have now is very circumstancial. The defense could very easily prove reasonable doubt and then double jeopardy applies. We don't want another Casey Anthony!!
Drew had help from the county coroner on covering up Savio's murder, but he was not liked within the police department. His third wife's body has not been found, but it sounds like he used his neighbor to carry a big blue container onto his truck...where he went from there no one knows, but, I doubt he had the help of his fellow officers when it came to Stacy's murder.
He was charged in Savio's murder because the evidence was there, the county coroner's report was just so FOS that no one in their right mind could believe it. And Savio's priest and divorce lawyer had heard her say she feared for her life. But as to Stacy, there isn't even a shred of evidence to use against him, at least not yet- he made sure, that time, that no one was called or around to process an incident scene so he could remove all evidence and then say she left him.
Yeah, they got 38 (minus 1) years to build a case. If he's tried and let off though, that's for life. Besides, it's funner to watch the douche bag squirm, wondering if the other shoe (and shoe, and shoe) are going to drop.
Tamara your advertising is unwanted here!!!! Please stop doing it!!!!!
I think everytime I see this scam advertisment I will post two times on how it is a suspected scam sight, because that is how it appears to me. This is not the place to advertise!
I read posts on lot of sites on tons of different topics and I see the same scam postings on all of them, Talking to these posters wont help, they do not read anything, just post and paid 50 cents a post or some such BS,
Best thing you can do is mark them as scam and if that cant be done, just ignore and try not to let them get to you. Not much diffeent than the nitwits who want to tie every story to their hatred of one or the other plitical party.
What were we talking about? oh yeah Drew peterson. Lets hope this is the last publicity he gets till he is found mysteriously hanging in his cell~~~
another example of wasted tax payer dollars. to further add insult to injury Illinois taxpayers will get to support this serial wife killer for at least 40 years. what i've never figured out is how did this repulsive looking / acting man manage to get so many attractive women to marry him. you would think with his history of missing / dead wives the last one would have caught on to something seriously wrong with him.
He was probably very charming and remember, Kathleen Savio was only recently found to have been murdered; before then, they thought it was an accidental death until she was exhumed once Stacy went missing. Also, Stacy was quite young, and probably naive enough to look over his history and fall for him. He is a true psychopath.
agreed.....nutters like this guy look for women just like Stacy....hopefully he'll be killed in prison!!!
Two words; cop groupies.
Drew dated and married women much younger and less experienced than he. A sociopath can be the most charming person you will ever meet. Remember what they said about Ted Bundy?
@granny22
Didn't read the article too closely did you? He's 59, do you really think the taxpayers will be supporting him for 40 years or more?
Hmm, I wonder how a guy like him could get a woman? Because women don't like cops, authority figures, self absorbed men or guys who might be "bad" for them????
HMM...Boggles the mind...*scratcheshead*
olddog47--only the good die young---he'll probably outlive his children.
Enjoy your prison stay and wipe that smug grin off your face, you murderer.
I agree. And I must add your picture is stunning.
Dude it's probably a shem. Come down.
I know.. all those pictures of that stupid look on his face.
Thank goodness they aren't falling for the, "one of my 5 attorneys screwed it up and I want a do-over" routine.
That guy is going to need a care package real fast. It better have in it lipstick and a wig and plenty of Vasoline. Maybe some fishnets and high heels too. You never know what might turn the boys on you know.
I forgot a lot about the trial but I do remember the women he married were very nice and none of them deserved to be murdered. This guy is on the same level of OJ and the rest of them IMO.
@Jt, I can put a "stunning" pic up too. The internet is full of them. *grins*
slim bucket needs to fry
Hooray for that Judge! Now, go where you belong, and rot!
Put this guy in with the general population and let justice be served.
may he die in prison...the sooner the better
Peterson should have been executed way back, in which case no one would be bothered with him now anyway.
Good riddance the POS finally got it, If they let this POS in general population the Bubba's will destroy his sphincter and have him spend the rest of his life in a diaper. Sadly he's a cop and will go to a country club prison and play tennis the rest of his life. but he wont ever get laid again.
Really??? I wouldn't be too sure about that!! REcently read an aarticle about a female guard that got knocked up by an inmate. She was also doing more than one inmate. Also there are plenty of fella's that will be happy to screw drew's socks off on a regular basis!!!!!!
skrewdworld post Jan 29 Texas Woman's execution halted:
"Where in any of my posts did I ever call anyone stupid, an idiot or an azz? Where did I say anything negative about anyone else's posts? Fact is I did none of the above."
U R nothing but negative about other peoples posts.
skrewdworld post Feb 21 Majority of Americans believe illegal immigrants should be deported:
""the true hater, racist, bigot. The shoe fits and fits you well. Who the heck do you think you are to judge anybody??? Just look at what you wrote!!!! Think your the stupid one when you show that kind of intelligence level with hate, anger, ignorance, sterotyping and hypocrisy!!!!!! You wouldn't know a red neck if one jumped up and bit ya!!! I can tell ya though it's not HATERS and hypocrites like you buddy!!!! You sir are definetely the nuisance around here!!!! Get over yourself and go buy yourself a clue!!!!!!!!"
♪♫Good morning, Ms Hypocrite.♪♫
Check it out 4 yourselves, Kids. Look at her previous posts.
Ha ha. Eff U Drew. You loser. And your attorneys are losers.
lawyers should be put to death right along with Peterson. Why does our country allow for such a waste of time and money. If we could only clean up the waste like this our country would be in much better shape than we are now!
In reference to the trial in India of the five guys who raped and killed the woman on the bus, they were having a problem finding lawyers to defend the guys, because the lawyers were refusing the case in view of public anger. It would appear that perhaps lawyers in India perhaps have some self-respect.
That may be true. Unfortunately the laws in the USA have been twisted by the politician lawyers to favor their profession. They steal you blind and its all legal.
Ha Ha Bitch........you will get yours. They love cops in prison.
they don't put ex cops in G.P.
Peterson will be given separate accommodations with large screen TV, stereo, video games, special work out rooms, special bed that reclines, library of books, and wink wink the Piggy . . . the only thing that he won't have is an Internet connection but I am sure there will be time that he has with that too.
He makes my stomach turn. I hope he gets that smirk wiped off his face while in prison..over and over and over again.
Give him a new trial, convict him again, but this time give this SOB, POS the death penalty. NO ONE is more deserving.
Ha ha. Eff U Drew. You loser. And your attorneys are losers. Drop dead, all of you.
Somebody said he won't be getting laid again, but I disagree. I think some nice rapist will invite him to a party some night when they get lonely. Maybe he'll get a cell next to Sandusky. That would be justice. LOL
Naw, he's too old for Sandusky.
Hopefully another inmate gets to him and wipes that @!$%# cop grin off his face. Pucker up you mother@!$%#er.
AMEN TO THAT!!! Sentenced to death would have been way to easy for this son of a bitch. Hopefully someone by the name of Bubba will like him and do the back door over and over and over!!!
Well, well, well...looks like justice was finally served!!! This guy could NOT be a sicker individual! He is the epitomy of the classic psychopath...and I only hope he rots in jail until he dies. His 'smugness', born in large part of his own personal belief that being an "ex-cop" meant he could 'beat the system'...was disgusting and nauseating. What say you now Mr. Peterson...? I hope your cell mates have the same smug smile on their faces...when you enter your new "humble home". PSYCHOPATHIC MURDERER!!!
@Stacey, His cell mates will have a smile on their face alright, from "entering" his umm.."humble home". hahaha!
Why is it people ALWAYS want a do over after they blow trial? Wouldn't you think they would be able to figure their attorney wasn't handling things to their liking BEFORE the jury gets the case? I guess even for the guilty, hindsight is 20/20.
Karma 100%...
100% Karma is right... Worked in a prison in Fort Madison, IA for a short period of time, as a nurse. The fabled "Protective Custody" is not all that it is cracked up to be. You are basically kept in solitary confinement for your own protection. Short amount of time outside every day inside a cage. Otherwise... you have yourself for company. He deserves it. Could not have happened to a nicer guy.
Just now,,,,,Drew screamed out in court that he didn't do it. One of the family of the victim screamed out, yes, you did, and she was booted from the court room.
Drew finally sees the end is coming.