Drew Peterson Judgment Day? Judge Will Make Call Thursday on New Trial
Drew Peterson will find out Thursday if he's heading to prison or getting a new murder trial.
The lawyers for convicted wife-killer Drew Peterson argued for two days that he was deprived of a fair trial by an attorney more worried about becoming a media darling than representing his client.
Now the arguing is over, and on Thursday Will County Judge Edward Burmila will decide if Peterson gets a do-over on his murder trial or will instead punch a one-way ticket to prison.
Peterson attorney Steve Greenberg finished the two day hearing with an emotional argument blaming former co-counsel Joel Brodsky for single-handedly losing Peterson's murder trial.
Greenberg said Brodsky disregarded advice from other attorneys on the defense team and insisted on calling the lawyer who represented Peterson's slain third wife, Kathleen Savio, during their divorce.
Brodsky apparently hoped to prove that Peterson's now missing fourth wife, Stacy Peterson, was planning to squeeze money out of Peterson before divorcing him. Instead, the divorce attorney, Harry Smith of Wheaton, repeatedly hammered home to the jury that Peterson killed Savio.
"The witness was called and he gave damning testimony," Greenberg said.
"Harry Smith's testimony was probably the most incriminating piece of evidence that was brought against Mr. Peterson, and it was brought out by the defense," Greenberg said. "There's just absolutely no reason to have called him."
Smith was the second-to-last witness called by Peterson's lawyers. Jurors later said his testimony clinched their decision to vote guilty.
After the hearing, Brodsky agreed when asked whether he thought Greenberg was making him the "scapegoat" in the losing effort. Brodsky also produced and read from email messages he claims prove that Greenberg was on board with the decision to call Smith as a witness. Greenberg said Brodsky was misrepresenting the messages and taking his words out of context.
Five witnesses testified over the course of the two day hearing, including Brodsky, Brodsky's former law partner, and a retired Cook County judge who said Brodsky may have intentionally lost the murder trial in hopes of increasing his notoriety.
The retired judge, Daniel Locallo, also said Brodsky was "prejudiced" against Peterson due to a media contract they entered into with a Florida publicist.
After the hearing, Peterson attorney Joseph "Shark" Lopez said prosecutors "had a hard time responding to some of our arguments."
Greenberg also insisted that prosecutors had no answer for his claim that Brodsky failed Peterson.
"If you put in a statement that your client committed a murder," he said, "it's ineffective."
anonymous
9:02 pm on Wednesday, February 20, 2013
God Hosey give it a rest. You live in one of the most rotten,corrupt states in the US and all you can do is pump out more of this crap? Do some real investigative journalism for a change.
Colt45
9:15 pm on Wednesday, February 20, 2013
I like knowing whats going on with Drew aka.....dirtbag Thankyou Joe Hosey, keep up the good work...
Mrs. Frankfort
8:26 am on Thursday, February 21, 2013
I also like to know what is going on, just a short, to the point article. THank you, Joe.
Reality Bytes!
11:27 am on Thursday, February 21, 2013
I agree, quit beating the dead horse and go get a job cleaning garbage trucks or something Joe...
Mrs. Frankfort
12:32 pm on Thursday, February 21, 2013
Maybe anonymous and reality bytes need to stop reading the patch if they are so upset about the writers' articles. patch is specifically made for short blurbs. it is not an investigative "newspaper".
Barb Scheff
9:12 pm on Wednesday, February 20, 2013
What a coward, if you have something to say about Joe, sign your name!!
Buford Pusser
10:15 pm on Wednesday, February 20, 2013
@Barb, why should he?
Barb Scheff
10:51 pm on Wednesday, February 20, 2013
If he/she is going to attack Joe Hosey regarding his coverage, the be willing to back it up or debate it and not slam someone for doing their job..... just think you should not hide behind a wall. Show your face... just my opinion. ..
stircrazy
7:37 am on Thursday, February 21, 2013
Barb, he is horrible, absolutely horrible.
Love, Greg Burek
Joliet , IL
There, I signed my name! He still sucks!
Mrs. Frankfort
8:22 am on Thursday, February 21, 2013
I do hope you mean that Drew P is horrible, or even the attorneys, not the writer of this article. Patch is just a quicky blurb to get info out there, it is not supposed to equal the Tribune's journalists (who some of them are not qualified to be writing for the Trib).
Bob Jamesly
11:05 am on Thursday, February 21, 2013
I for one, need to get all of the Drew dirt. Joe is doing a great job. Let's watch the self destruction of a real villian. And enjoy!
Reality Bytes!
11:32 am on Thursday, February 21, 2013
Hey everybody.......SIGN YOUR NAMES!!!! so all the lunatics who disagree with you can show up on your doorstep or at your job to cause you problems because you have an opinion, and because BARB SCHEFF says so.... What are you gonna do Barb? Put a sign in his yard? Egg his house? Get a grip, its called anonymous for a reason. I hope Peterhead is sentenced to 4000 years in Stateville today so we never have to see another article about him, or JOE HOSEBAG again!!!!
Average Joe
12:21 pm on Thursday, February 21, 2013
Does Joeseph Lopez give you a quarter everytime you call him 'Joseph "Shark" Lopez'? Is he a lawyer or a cartoon character...or both?
Reality Bytes!
2:00 pm on Thursday, February 21, 2013
DENIED!!!! No new trial for Drewfus!!!! Good Riddens Joe!!!
Reality Bytes!
2:10 pm on Thursday, February 21, 2013
Sentencing to follow!!!
Rose Summers
10:24 pm on Thursday, February 21, 2013
Ty Joe I. Love your writings.now I. Want to know how he's. Being treated in prison.