From The Chicago Sun Times:
http://www.suntimes.com/14984649-761/drew-petersons-son-slams-verdict-moms-family.html
Savio’s sons, Thomas and Kristopher, refuse to believe their father is guilty of the crime.
A statement given exclusively to Sneed by Peterson’s son, Thomas — via his father’s attorney Joel Brodsky — is full of disappointment and anger following his father’s guilty verdict Thursday afternoon.
Thomas, who testified on his father’s behalf, stated via a telephone conversation with Brodsky:
“I am extremely disappointed in the Savio and Cales families. This concerns my mother and my father. And they have no right to be acting in a manner in which they are. Even when my mother was alive, my grandfather, Henry Savio, had nothing to do with me, my mother and my brother (Kristopher). Neither did my aunts ... I know lawyers will continue to fight and continue to support my father.”
Meanwhile, Thomas posted this on Facebook: To say the least ... I’m extremely disappointed. During the past 5 years ... I got to see full grown adults act like children, and now they are parading around my front door. Who do I have left? Who do my siblings have left? Oh yeah ... the pastor, the lawyer, my aunts, and all of my mom’s friends who LISTENED to my mother’s pleas and DIDN’T do anything about it. Now she is dead, and you went forth to break the Constitution to blame my dad. I’m sorry, but that doesn’t seem very believable to me ... but since the rest of the world thinks otherwise, this is your fault, you should have come forward earlier. Now, I have a broken family without a salary, and some woman who sees it important to bully me over the internet because of my Dad. I hope you are all happy.
Thomas, a pre-med sophomore at the University of Pennsylvania who’s the eldest of Savio’s two sons, reportedly heard his father’s guilty verdict on the news before Brodsky reached him via telephone.
“He was in tears ... really choked up,” said Brodsky, who said he’d been unable to reach Kristopher, who has already reported to his freshman classes at a college in Kentucky.
“If Drew’s said it once, he’s said it a thousand times — if his kids are doing OK, then Drew is fine,” said Brodsky. “If his kids are fine, he’s fine. Period. Now I’m the one who is going to have to talk to the kids.”
Although Peterson “did not show a trace of emotion when the verdict was read,” Brodsky said — “The only comment he made after the verdict was: ‘What can you do when the deck is stacked against you? But I am going to walk out of this courtroom with my head held high, and I want all of you guys [his attorneys] to do the same.’ ”
Peterson will be held in his cell at the Will County jail until his sentencing Oct. 26.
Thomas Peterson, who was an honor student at Bolingbrook High School, signed a document in January 2011, when he was 18 years old, releasing his father from all financial claims arising from the death of his mother; specifically in the wrongful death suit filed by his aunt and grandfather. “Because I know my father is innocent, I am releasing him from the lawsuit brought by Henry J. Savio and Anna Doman on my behalf when I was a minor,” he stated in a letter to Sneed.
“How Henry J. Savio can sue my father on my behalf is just crazy. I have only met Henry J. Savio once in my entire life, and that was for five seconds at my mother’s funeral,” the letter stated.
Brodsky also received a phone call from Peterson around 7 p.m. Thursday, hours after the verdict. “He wanted assurances his family was OK,” Brodsky said. “Believe it or not, he’s in good spirits ... I’ve gotten to know him really well over the past few years, and he’s really doing all right. He’s like the Marlboro man in a way. He feels he can handle whatever comes his way,” Brodsky said.
