Astrology-STACY Peterson-KATHLEEN Savio TimeStamped Media,Doc Links*NO DISCUSSIONS

[Angel Who Cares]

Prosecutor: 'Hideous' Peterson used choke hold on wife
February 19, 2010 8:42 PM
<snipped>
Drew Peterson, the former Bolingbrook police sergeant, likely killed his 23-year-old wife Stacy using a choke hold in their bedroom on the Sunday morning family and friends first noticed she disappeared, Will County's top prosecutor said today. State's Attorney James Glasgow, who referred to Peterson as a "knucklehead" and "hideous B-movie stalker," laid out for the first time a theory of how Stacy, who disappeared in 2007, was killed.

Glasgow's comments came during closing arguments in a unique pretrial hearing on whether hearsay statements can be heard by a jury in Peterson's upcoming trial for the 2004 drowning death of third wife Kathleen Savio.

Prosecutors also said that in 2007 they found a red "alibi folder" in Peterson's home with unwrinkled receipts for cash purchases he made on the day before Savio's body was found in a dry bathtub in her Bolingbrook home. The early morning hours of that Sunday are when prosecutors allege Savio was slain. "How does he know this was the operative time?" Glasgow said.

Peterson acted strangely the night Savio's body was discovered, sending four untrained neighbors into a home where an intruder could have been lurking instead of calling his fellow officers, Glasgow said. When Peterson heard a neighbor scream, he didn't run in with his gun drawn as police are trained to do.

In his closing argument, defense attorney Andrew Abood said prosecutors had failed to show Savio's death, which was initially ruled accidental, was a murder or link Peterson to her home at the time she died. Abood noted that even if Judge Stephen White believed witnesses whose hearsay statements prosecutors hope to used, Savio herself had a history of lying.

A trial date will be set Tuesday, White said. White said he would issue a written ruling on the hearsay under seal, but it would be unsealed after jury selection.

Article:
http://www.chicagobreakingnews.com/2010/02/prosecutor-hideous-peterson-used-choke-hold-on-wife.html

 

[Angel Who Cares]

Peterson Used Vulcan Nerve Pinch?
Updated 3:15 PM CST, Fri, Feb 19, 2010
<snipped>
Drew Peterson may have used a "pinched carotid artery" maneuver to incapacitate Kathleen Savio before killing her, according to pathologist testimony. During cross-examination, Dr. Michael Baden, a board-certified forensic pathologist and host of HBO's Autopsy, testified that Peterson used such a maneuver before drowning Savio. "It's extremely rare ... a healthy adult will almost never drown in a bathtub," Baden said. "My opinion is that it was a drowning. She was in an altercation, beaten up and drowned."

A second pathologist, Dr. Larry Blum, who performed the autopsy on Savio, submitted similar testimony two weeks ago. Blum reviewed 43 cases of bathtub fatalities in Illinois and said Savio&#8217;s position wasn&#8217;t consistent with a typical fall in the tub. &#8220;There was no blood, hair or tissue on the tub,&#8221; Blum said according to the Sun-Times. He described the murder scene as &#8220;pristine&#8221; with little blood and no splashed water around the tub making it hard to identify if the scene was staged.

A pinched carotid artery maneuver could include anything from a choke hold to the Star Trek series' famous Vulcan nerve pinch, in which an assailant applies precise pressure over barrorecptors of the carotid sinus at the base of the neck.

Peterson's defense team attacked Baden, saying that he was trying to please Fox News. The defense suggested that the bruises on Savio's body were the result of rough sex or clumsiness. Baden retorted: "You can get a lot of injuries from rough sex, but a hemorrhage of the diaphragm is not one of them."

Article:
http://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local-beat/Pathologist-Savios-death-was-a-homicide-84799417.html

 

[Angel Who Cares]

Drew Peterson Trial: A Fox News Producer Helped Pathologist With Kathleen Savio's Autopsy
First Posted: 02-19-10 03:54 PM
Updated: 02-19-10 04:58 PM
<snipped>
After a renowned pathologist testified that the 2004 death of Drew Peterson's third wife Kathleen Savio was a homicide on Friday, Peterson's defense attorneys tore into the doctor--who then admitted that a Fox News producer helped him perform the autopsy.

Closing arguments were set to begin this afternoon, according to the Tribune. The hearing, which has brought testimony from nearly 70 witnesses, will determine what hearsay evidence Judge Stephen White will allow a jury to hear.

Article:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/02/19/drew-peterson-trial-a-fox_n_469468.html

 

[Angel Who Cares]

Hearsay hearing for Drew Peterson comes to an end
10:21 p.m. Friday, February 19, 2010
<snipped>
A hearing for Drew Peterson ended Friday night with the same question it began with a month ago: Is there enough evidence to convince a judge that the former police officer may have killed his third and fourth wives to keep them from testifying before a jury? In dramatic closing statements that came after the last of more than 70 witnesses testified, prosecutors portrayed Peterson as a cold-blooded killer who took the lives of Kathleen Savio in 2004 and Stacy Peterson three years later to keep them from getting his money. "They are killed so they can't take the witness stand in a divorce proceeding," said Will County Assistant State's Attorney John Connor. But defense attorneys said the case against Peterson is built on lies.

Savio's death was a tragic accident, they said, and Stacy Peterson may have vanished in 2007, but she's not dead. "For someone to say five, six, seven, eight, nine times that she's dead doesn't mean she's dead," defense attorney George Lenard said. "The reason she is not here with Mr. Peterson is that she left, and she left with another man."

Throughout the hearing, it became clear that the hearsay evidence is critical for prosecutors. They presented no physical evidence linking Drew Peterson to Savio's death, and Stacy Peterson remains missing.

Abood characterized the weakness of the case against Peterson this way: "They (prosecutors) want to come in here and say it's a staged crime scene because they have no evidence." But prosecutors said the only explanation for the deaths of both women is that Peterson killed them. Both, they said, posed a threat to Drew Peterson. They said he was worried that the property settlement with Savio would wipe him out financially, and that Stacy Peterson's planned divorce from him would do the same.

What happened, Connor said, is exactly what Savio and Stacy Peterson feared would happen, as friends and family described. "Mr. Peterson's wives are two-for-two in predicting their own murders," he said. White did not say when he would rule on the hearsay, but he did say he would order the ruling sealed until a jury is selected. He explained that he didn't want his decision to influence potential jurors.

Article:
http://www.ajc.com/news/nation-world/hearsay-hearing-for-drew-314881.html

 

[Angel Who Cares]

Prosecution Expert: Savio's Death A Homicide
Renowned Pathologist Says Drew Peterson's Ex-Wife Was Beaten, Drowned
Feb 19, 2010 5:48 pm US/Central
<snipped>
Dr. Michael Baden, the former chief medical examiner of New York City, said there were bruises on Kathleen Savio's body consistent with a struggle but no physical signs that she'd slipped and fallen, such as marks or blood on her bathroom wall. "In my opinion, this is a homicide in which she drowned and was beaten up," Baden said.

He supported a prosecution theory that Savio could have been killed by being choked into unconsciousness from behind. He said she then could have been drowned, and then beaten in the back of the head with a police baton in order to make her death look like an accident. However, under cross examination, Baden admitted that Savio could have died from an accidental fall in her bathtub.

Baden said it's "extremely rare" for a healthy adult such as Savio to drown accidentally in a bathtub, noting that most people who drown in tubs are babies or the elderly. Savio's toes were pressed against the side of the bathtub, as if she was struggling, not relaxed as if she'd fallen and knocked herself out, Baden said. He also refuted claims by the defense pathologist that a heart murmur may have caused Savio's heart to stop, saying her heart condition "did not cause or contribute in any way to her death."

During their closing argument, the defense argued that prosecutors have not come close to proving that fourth wife Stacy Peterson is even dead. They argued she'd run away from a husband she had come to find to be increasingly repulsive. Prosecutors say that's absurd. They point to a laundry list of witnesses, all of whom testified that Stacy Peterson and Kathleen Savio told them separately that they feared for their lives.

Video: Prosecution Expert: Savio's Death A Homicide 2/19/10
http://cbs2chicago.com/video/?id=68178@wbbm.dayport.com

Article:
http://cbs2chicago.com/local/drew.peterson.case.2.1506751.html

 

[Angel Who Cares]

Peterson pre-trial hearsay hearing ends
Updated at 09:15 PM today
<snipped>
Next week a judge is expected set a date in the murder trial of former Bolingbrook police sergeant Drew Peterson. Peterson is accused in the 2004 murder of his third wife, Kathleen Savio.

The pre-trial hearing on what hearsay evidence will be allowed in the murder trial ended Friday after both sides gave closing arguments. Prosecutors spent weeks calling witnesses to testify about what they were told of Savio's death by Peterson's fourth wife, Stacy, who is missing. Peterson is also a suspect in Stacy's disappearance, but has not been charged in the case.

The judge is expected to announce his decision in the hearsay hearing only after seating a jury in the murder trial.

Pathologist: Savio's death no accident
Dr. Michael Baden was the last of 70 witnesses called during the hearing on what hearsay evidence can be admitted during Peterson's murder trial. The former Bolingbrook police sergeant is accused of killing his ex-wife Kathleen Savio in 2004.

Dr. Baden was not allowed to talk to reporters as he left the hearing Friday. The world renowned forensic pathologist performed an autopsy on Savio in 2007. He said it's "extremely rare" for a healthy adult to drown accidentally in a bathtub and wasted no time in telling the court Savio was murdered.

Video: Closing arguments in Peterson hearing 2:33
http://abclocal.go.com/wls/video?id=7287904

Video: Last witness testifies in Peterson hearsay hearing 2:17
http://abclocal.go.com/wls/video?id=7287676

Article:
http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=news/local&id=7286640

 

[Angel Who Cares]

Prosecutors: Drew Peterson killed wife over money
February 19, 2010
<snipped>
Prosecutors say Drew Peterson killed his fourth wife, Stacy, because he knew she would destroy him financially if she went through with a divorce.

Closing statements were under way Friday after a monthlong hearing to decide what hearsay evidence a judge will allow in Drew Peterson's upcoming murder trial.

Prosecutors want jurors to hear from witnesses who say Stacy Peterson told them Drew threatened to kill her and hide her body.

Defense attorneys say prosecutors haven't shown any evidence Stacy Peterson is dead. They maintain she left voluntarily with another man.

Video: Prosecutors: Drew Peterson killed wife over money 2:50
http://www.wgntv.com/videobeta/?watchId=9aa7854f-2433-49b9-b9ba-ba7cec56508a

Article:
http://www.wgntv.com/news/wgntv-peterson-02-19,0,6387700.story

 

[Angel Who Cares]

Drew Peterson's Hearsay Hearing Wraps Up
Updated: Friday, 19 Feb 2010, 9:41 PM CST
Published : Friday, 19 Feb 2010, 1:03 PM CST
<snipped>
Drew Peterson&#8217;s fate is now in the hands of a Will County judge. After four weeks of testimony, and more than four hours of closing arguments, the hearing to determine what evidence will be allowed at Peterson&#8217;s trial wrapped up Friday night.

Peterson is charged with killing his third wife Kathleen Savio. He is the only suspect in the disappearance of his fourth wife Stacy. During closing arguments prosecutor John Conner said Stacy was dead, and that Peterson killed her. It&#8217;s the first time the State&#8217;s Attorney&#8217;s office has made that allegation publicly.

Conner said all the evidence makes Peterson's story about Stacy her running off with another man, and leaving her kids, simply implausible. Prosecutors told the judge the 15 hearsay statements the two women made to others, about Peterson's threats to kill them and make it look like an accident, corroborated one another. Conner told the judge, "Mr. Peterson's wives were two for two in predicting their own murders."

Both sides seemed relieved the hearing is finally over.

&#8220;My trial team, we&#8217;ve been working the last eight weeks, seven days a week, it&#8217;s been really grueling,&#8221; Glasgow said. &#8220;I think that three quarters of what was presented in this courtroom, this hearing, will not ever, be told to a jury. A trial would take a week, week and a half, after a jury was picked, the evidence would be quite narrow,&#8221; said Joel Brodsky, Peterson&#8217;s lead attorney.

Peterson is the only suspect in Stacy's disappearance. He's awaiting trial for the murder of Savio. Stacy's family is hopeful there will be a conviction. &#8220;It think it was the pure volume of the testimonies that gave it strength, so its not just each individual ones, its the sheer volume of all the people who were saying the same thing of what happened to these two women,&#8221; said Pamela Bosco, a spokesman for Stacy Peterson&#8217;s family.

Next Tuesday judge Stephen White will set a trial date, expected to be late spring, or early summer.

*2-Videos Included In Article!

Article:
http://www.myfoxchicago.com/dpp/news/metro/drew_peterson/final-witness-testifies-peterson-hearing

 

[Angel Who Cares]

Video: FOX News~Judgment Day in Peterson Pre-Trial?
Will judge allow testimony from the grave in upcoming murder trial?
http://xml.truveo.com/rd?i=36028862...7f55e26d3120:419fb5cf62504c6beef6cb4250b1fab9

Video: Peterson Hearsay Ruling Might Be Kept Secret 2:46
http://cbs2chicago.com/video/?id=68039@wbbm.dayport.com

Video: Final Witness Testifies in Peterson Case 2:00
http://www.clipsyndicate.com/video/play/1316489

Video: Defense Witness Says Savio&#8217;s Death Not Homicide 1:46
http://cbs2chicago.com/video/?id=68178@wbbm.dayport.com

*Funny Song about Drew Peterson!
Drew Peterson - Don't Come Around Here
[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3qufQb76kvQ[/ame]

Video: Thomas Glasgow discusses Drew Peterson Hearsay Hearing on ABC 7 News Chicago
[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FolbFYoKzPQ[/ame]

Video: Thomas Glasgow discusses Drew Peterson on "The Talk" with Marion Brooks on NBC 5 Chicago
[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xdcOAwmArQM[/ame]

 

[Angel Who Cares]

Prosecutors: Drew's wives are '2-for-2'
February 19, 2010
<snipped>
For a month, Drew Peterson listened to family, former friends and ex-in-laws talk about him allegedly stalking and abusing three of his four wives. He heard stories about his supposed plots to kill two of the women he married and then cover up the crimes. Now it is all over, and Peterson can return to the peace of his jail cell for a while.

Even with the lack of criminal charges, Prosecutors tried over the course of the month-long hearing to prove Peterson killed Stacy to keep her from testifying against him in the Savio case. If they succeed, relatively new state legislation will let them get as many as 14 hearsay statements made by Stacy and Savio admitted at Peterson's murder trial.

Peterson's attorney have questioned the constitutionality of the state law. In the closing arguments they made Friday, they also attacked the reliability of the witnesses who repeated the hearsay statements and, in Savio's case, went after the original source.

Witnesses testified to Stacy expressed similar fears. As Assistant State's Attorney John Connor put it, "Mr. Peterson's wives are 2-for-2 in predicting their own murders." 'It was a homicide'

Judge White is keeping his decision about the hearsay statements under seal until a jury is selected. He said he will set a date for Peterson's trial Tuesday.
*Much more at link!

Article:
http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com/...,Peterson-prosecutor-hearing-JO021910.article

 

[Angel Who Cares]

Pitfall in state&#8217;s case against Drew Peterson
Judge airs concerns about absence of divorce filing, considered a major part of prosecution&#8217;s case
February 21, 2010
<snipped>
In the middle of the prosecution's closing arguments in a landmark hearsay hearing last week, two of Drew Peterson's attorneys glanced sideways at each other and tried to suppress small smiles. The judge had just signaled a potential problem with the state's case, and everyone in the courtroom knew it.

In order to have Stacy Peterson's alleged statements about her husband's involvement in his third wife's death admitted at trial, the prosecution must show, among other things, that Drew Peterson killed Stacy to prevent her from testifying in a legal proceeding.

Will County Assistant State's Attorney John Connor accused Peterson of murdering Stacy in October 2007 to avoid a financially devastating divorce. However, Stacy had not actually filed for divorce &#8212; a fact critical enough to the prosecution's burden of proof that Judge Stephen White interrupted closing arguments to point it out. "There was no (divorce) case," White told Connor. "You must show that's the intent to silence her."

Connor argued that Peterson wanted to kill Stacy, his fourth and much younger wife, before she could file for divorce and make his life difficult, like third wife Kathleen Savio had. Prosecutors have painted Peterson as a violent man who would have done anything to protect his police pension &#8212; a claim they supported with dozens of witnesses. "His life was going to get a lot more difficult if she filed for divorce," Connor argued. White shook his head.

In an effort to address the judge's concerns about the nonexistent divorce proceeding, State's Attorney James Glasgow told White if the troubled marriage wasn't impetus enough for Peterson to kill Stacy, the fear she would tell police about his deadly secret was. "Let the divorce go," Glasgow said during rebuttal. "This (case) is the one" with the intent to silence.

If White decides the preponderance of evidence does not show Peterson killed Stacy to silence her in a legal proceeding, witnesses including the pastor, a classmate and a potential boyfriend could be barred from testifying.
*Much more at link!

Article:
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/ct-met-drew-peterson-case-0221-20100220,0,1261167.story

 

[Angel Who Cares]

COURT | They knew he'd try to kill them, prosecutor insists
Drew Peterson's wives '2 for 2' on murders
February 20, 2010
<snipped>
Drew Peterson killed his third wife to avoid a financially disastrous divorce settlement, then murdered his fourth wife to keep her silent about his previous wife's slaying, Will County prosecutors argued today. Each woman earlier had expressed fears to family and friends that Peterson would kill her if she crossed him, prosecutors said at the end of a critical pre-trial hearing for the former Bolingbrook cop.

Prosecutors are trying to win a judge's permission to use indirect hearsay statements allegedly made by Savio and Stacy Peterson against Drew Peterson, 56, later this year when he stands trial for Savio's death.

In October 2007, he killed Stacy Peterson and disposed of her body because she also was threatening divorce and knew he had killed Savio, prosecutors contended. "He couldn't let her out of his sight because she knew he killed Kathleen Savio," State's Attorney James Glasgow said.

Despite the lengthy hearing, defense attorneys said prosecutors hadn't even shown the 40-year-old Savio was murdered or that Drew Peterson was involved in her death--or Stacy's disappearance. "They didn't prove Drew is guilty of Stacy's disappearance or Kathleen's death," said Brodsky, who said he was confident the hearsay evidence sought by prosecutors would be excluded from Peterson's upcoming trial. "We're going to have a good outcome," Brodsky said. "We're all more confident than ever."

The hearing highlighted the "very strong" evidence authorities have compiled against Drew Peterson, said a spokesman for Stacy Peterson's family. "I think they had a very strong case all along," said Pam Bosco.
*More at link!

Article:
http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/2059958,CST-NWS-drew20.article

 

[Angel Who Cares]

Peterson, Courts Await Ruling On 'Drew's Law'
February 20, 2010
<snipped>
In Illinois, a former police officer has been at the center of a murder mystery for years. Drew Peterson stands accused of killing his third wife, and he's a suspect in the disappearance of his fourth wife.

Now, an exception to typical judicial proceedings dubbed "Drew's law," could allow jurors to hear the words of Peterson's dead and missing wives in court. A crucial pretrial hearing has ended and a judge will now rule on the controversial issue of hearsay evidence.

Man At The Center Of The Controversy
Peterson has courted the media throughout the investigations. He discussed the case as he made the rounds on national television shows such as CNN's Larry King Live and NBC's Today Show.

Unconstitutional?
"It's unconstitutional and also a violation of an ex post facto," says Brodsky. "A law that's passed in 2008 cannot affect the prosecution of an alleged crime that took place in 2004."

Brodsky presented one witness during the hearing, a pathologist who said Kathleen Savio's death was an accident. Brodsky and some legal analysts also argue that a judge deciding to allow hearsay in Peterson's trial is like finding a defendant guilty before a trial even begins. Whatever the ruling, it's expected the state's so-called "Drew's law" will be challenged.
*Much more at link!

Audio: Listen to the Story 4:23
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=123895647

Article:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=123895647&ps=cprs

 

[Angel Who Cares]

Prosecutor: 'Hideous' Peterson used choke hold on wife
Ex-police sergeant to stand trial in death of third wife
February 20, 2010
<snipped>
Drew Peterson, the former Bolingbrook police sergeant, likely killed his 23-year-old wife Stacy using a chokehold in their bedroom on the Sunday morning family and friends first noticed she disappeared, Will County's top prosecutor said Friday.

In his closing argument, defense attorney Andrew Abood said prosecutors failed to show Savio's death, initially ruled accidental, was a murder or to link Peterson to her home at the time she died Abood said even if Judge Stephen White believes witnesses whose hearsay statements prosecutors hope to use, Savio herself had a history of lying.

He said a deposition Savio gave in 2003 for an insurance claim she filed alleging Peterson stole her wedding ring and jewelry contradicted her statements to several people that Peterson had threatened her the year before and told her he could kill her and make her death look accidental. Savio testified at the deposition that Peterson told her, "I could never hurt you," Abood said.

Video: Will Hearsay Evidence Be Allowed In Upcoming trial? 2:13
http://www.wgntv.com/videobeta/?watchId=f7451e96-1a9e-4c36-a0ac-78092a4561ab

Article:
http://www.wgntv.com/news/wgntv-peterson-savio-feb20,0,6411107.story

 

[Angel Who Cares]

Hearsay hearing for Drew Peterson comes to an end
Posted: Saturday, 20 February 2010 8:14AM
<snipped>
Will County Judge Stephen White gave no hint as to how he would rule, saying only as he took it under advisement that the ruling would remain sealed until the jury is selected to hear the case.

A trial date will be set during a brief status hearing before Judge White Tuesday. Prosecutors and Judge White want to schedule a date in May, but Peterson's defense team indicated they intend to seek a date in June.

State's Attorney James Glasgow and assistant John Conner portrayed Peterson as a cold-blooded killer who took the life of Kathleen Savio in 2004 to save himself from financial ruin in a divorce settlement, and who killed his fourth wife Stacy 3-1/2 years later because she knew too much about Savio's death.

In turn, defense attorneys argued that the case against Peterson is built on a foundation of lies, that the witnesses and their testimony are at best unreliable and that someone other than Peterson had the motive and the opportunity to kill Savio Feb. 29, 2004.

Defense attorney Andrew Abood said the real killer was Savio's boyfriend Steve Maniaci, who had a tiff with her just before her death. But Glasgow said in his argument that the quarrel was minor, and that a lot of circumstantial evidence points to Peterson.

Lead defense attorney Joel Brodsky said outside of court he believed the defense team had done a "fantastic, credible, really great job" in showing that Peterson played no role in Savio's death or Stacy Peterson's disappearance.
*More at link!

Article:
http://www.wbbm780.com/Hearsay-Hearing-For-Drew-Peterson-Ends/6404027

 

[Angel Who Cares]

Drew Peterson misses sons
February 21, 2010
<snipped>
An attorney for accused wife-murderer Drew Peterson &#8212; who has gotten quite a beating from dozens of witnesses in pretrial court hearings &#8212; claims his client is having a hard time not being able to see his sons.

To wit: &#8220;Amazingly, his two teenage sons are doing well,&#8221; said attorney Walter Maksym, who works on the financial side of Peterson&#8217;s case. Peterson&#8217;s chief attorney is Joel Brodsky.

Translation: &#8220;Both of his sons are in high school; one is a top wrestler, and the other is in the high school band,&#8221; Maksym said. &#8220;They are both excelling, and [Peterson] can&#8217;t see them. It&#8217;s been sort of hard on him that way.&#8221;

Jail update: &#8220;He&#8217;s in isolation, and he can&#8217;t see anybody. He watches a little TV. I wanted to get him some books, but the only books he can have, have to come directly sealed from a publisher. You&#8217;d think the guy was in Stalag 17 or something. They&#8217;re treating him like he&#8217;s Hannibal Lecter.&#8221; :floorlaugh:

Article:
http://www.suntimes.com/news/sneed/2060483,michael-sneed-022110.article

 

[Angel Who Cares]

Former FNC Producer Who 'Helped' with Kathleen Savio's Autopsy Responds
Feb 22, 2010 03:07 PM
<snipped>
Steph Watts, who was a producer for Fox News' "On the Record," has responded via TVNewser to recent media reports of his involvement in the investigation into the death of Drew Peterson's third wife, Kathleen Savio.

As we reported Friday, Dr. Michael Baden, the medical examiner who had performed Savio's autopsy, stated during cross-examination that Watts had assisted him in performing the autopsy.

"During the autopsy, which lasted approximately 3 hours, I took extensive notes and shot video," Watts writes to TVNewser. "I never had any physical contact with the body of Kathleen Savio, nor participated in 'performing' the autopsy in any way."

Watts insists neither he nor his news organization exerted any influence over the autopsy: "There is no magic wizard behind the FOX News curtain, pulling strings to influence the findings by one of the country's finest Forensic Pathologists."

His full response:
It's been interesting watching the media report the story of my alleged participation in the autopsy of former Bolingbrook police officer Drew Peterson's third wife, Kathleen Savio. For all of you who preferred to regurgitate inaccuracies, and didn't take the time to simply call to check the facts, here they are: It was through my work on Greta's show, that we uncovered documents leading us to facts that questioned the original classification of Kathleen Savio's death as an accident, and exposed egregious errors by the Bolingbrook Police Department, the original coroner and coroner's jury. Dr. Michael Baden agreed that the findings indicated Savio's death was a homicide. After reviewing the same documents, the State Attorney's office decided to exhume the body of Kathleen Savio and perform a second autopsy. The family of Kathleen Savio, weary of the State Attorney's office, discussed with me having an additional private autopsy done, but knew they could never afford such an expensive endeavor. I took their interest to Dr. Michael Baden, and he volunteered his time. I was already in Chicago covering the case, and accompanied Dr. Baden on every endeavor while he was in town. I asked permission of the family to be in the room with Dr. Baden while the autopsy was performed, and they agreed. I agreed with the Savio family that I would only film Dr. Baden, and no images of the body would ever be filmed or aired. The family knew Dr. Baden would be reporting his findings, whichever way they concluded. During the autopsy, which lasted approximately 3 hours, I took extensive notes and shot video. I never had any physical contact with the body of Kathleen Savio, nor participated in "performing" the autopsy in any way. There were a least 6 Illinois State Police troopers in the room at any given time, and the entire experience was handled with the utmost respect to the Savio family, and most importantly to Kathleen. There is no magic wizard behind the FOX News curtain, pulling strings to influence the findings by one of the country's finest Forensic Pathologists. In conclusion, if Drew Peterson's defense attorney is basing his case on the fact that I was in the autopsy room of a woman his client likely murdered, I would suggest he size Peterson up for a few more of those fancy orange jumpsuits he seems to like so much.

Article:
http://www.mediabistro.com/tvnewser...h_kathleen_savios_autopsy_responds_152800.asp

 

[Angel Who Cares]

Will Drew Peterson Be Condemned From the Grave?
Judge to Decide if Hearsay Evidence About Peterson's Two Wives Can Be Used in Trial
Feb. 22, 2010
<snipped>
Drew Peterson is facing words from the grave that could send him to jail for the rest of his life. The prosecution's case against Peterson is being constructed around Savio -- in an unprecedented attempt to use hearsay evidence from the dead. "It is being built on the words, the alleged words, the unproven words of a dead person being conveyed through her friends, relatives and acquaintances," said Peterson's attorney, Joel Brodsky.

The hearing centered on a 2008 Illinois state law, dubbed "Drew's Law," which allows for hearsay evidence in first-degree murder cases if prosecutors can show a defendant killed a victim to prevent him or her from testifying.

Witnesses: Kathleen Savio Feared Drew Peterson
When asked about his relationship with Savio, Peterson called it "very comical" and "witty," but later admitted it was tempestuous -- and that police were called to their house on 18 separate occasions. "I was a smart ***. She'd get mad at me for something. She'd be going off on a rampage and instead of calming her down, I'd look at her and go, 'Let me talk to Kathy now. I can't do this.' It would set her off even worse," he told Bashir.

Defense Calls Hearsay Evidence a 'Lynch Mob Effect'
"Why is it that so many people from varied backgrounds&#8230; all seem to be saying that his wives told them that he was likely to kill them?" said Peterson's attorney, Joel Brodksy. "I think it's almost like, call it a mob effect, a lynch mob effect. Everyone wants to jump on the bandwagon because they want a result." "Things are never that consistent," Brodsky said, "So when you have this, what I call eerie consistency, I think it really gives rise to lessening the credibility rather than strengthening it."

The defense maintains that Drew Peterson cannot be convicted of murder on the basis of hearsay. When asked if the trial was akin to a modern-day Salem witch hunt, Brodksy agreed: "There's no question about it&#8230; They believe he is the devil and they want to see the devil brought down. But trust me, Drew Peterson is not the devil."

Prosecutors would not speak to us because of a standing gag order, but they're relying on the words of the dead to condemn Drew Peterson.

If Judge Stephen White decides to dismiss hearsay evidence in the case, Susan Doman said she would be heartbroken. In her eyes, Peterson is a man capable of murder. "In my heart, he has killed her," she said. "I believe that he is a man of great secrets."
*Much More At Link!

WATCH: Will Peterson Be Condemned From the Grave?
http://abcnews.go.com/Nightline/video/grave--9916305

Related:
WATCH: Attorney: Peterson's Personality 'Unique'
http://abcnews.go.com/video/playerIndex?id=7612823

WATCH: Drew Peterson's Stepdaughter Speaks
http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/video?id=8752654

WATCH: Was Stacy Peterson Found?
http://abcnews.go.com/video/playerIndex?id=7642622

WATCH: Drew Peterson's Fifth Engagement
http://abcnews.go.com/video/playerIndex?id=6766370

Article:
http://abcnews.go.com/Nightline/Law...say-evidence-determine-guilt/story?id=9908667

 

[Angel Who Cares]

Peterson trial date set
February 23, 2010
<snipped>
The date is set for the murder trial of Drew Peterson. Jury selection will begin Monday, June 14th.

The decision comes after a month long pre-trial hearing, on whether hearsay evidence will be allowed at his trial.

Video: Peterson Trial Date Revealed Today 2:19
http://www.wgntv.com/videobeta/?watchId=0c58b261-e51e-4f3b-b931-efb18b6ef8f3

Video: Peterson Trial Date Revealed Today 0:23
http://www.wgntv.com/videobeta/?watchId=e7154f96-ddd0-4c26-8e01-e2d4e44cf929

Article:
http://www.wgntv.com/news/wgntv-peterson-trial-date-revealed-feb23,0,626989.story

 

[Angel Who Cares]

June 14 trial date set for Drew Peterson in Savio death
Jury selection to start then in ex-Bolingbrook cop's murder case
February 23, 2010
<snipped>
Drew Peterson will stand trial beginning June 14 for murder in the 2004 death of his third wife, Kathleen Savio, a Will County judge ordered today.

Judge Stephen White ordered jury selection to begin that day for the 56-year-old former Bolingbrook cop, who's charged with drowning Savio in her bathtub during their bitter divorce.

Still to be decided: whether the judge will allow the jury to hear that hearsay evidence &#8212; statements that other witnesses say were made by Savio and Stacy Peterson.

Article:
http://www.suntimes.com/news/peterson/2065446,drew-peterson-trial-date-set-022310.article