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| Drew Peterson: Chicago ex-policeman gets 38 years for wife's murder | Drew Peterson: Chicago ex-policeman gets 38 years for wife's murder |
| (4 months later) | |
| A Chicago ex-policeman who was played by Rob Lowe in a telemovie has been sentenced to 38 years in prison on Thursday for murdering his ex-wife, the crime that inspired the TV special. | A Chicago ex-policeman who was played by Rob Lowe in a telemovie has been sentenced to 38 years in prison on Thursday for murdering his ex-wife, the crime that inspired the TV special. |
| Peterson, 59, had divorced Kathleen Savio, his third wife, a year before her 2004 death at age 40. His motive for killing her, prosecutors said, was fear that a pending settlement would wipe him out financially. | Peterson, 59, had divorced Kathleen Savio, his third wife, a year before her 2004 death at age 40. His motive for killing her, prosecutors said, was fear that a pending settlement would wipe him out financially. |
| Fascination with Peterson arose from speculation he sought to use his law enforcement expertise to get away with murder. | Fascination with Peterson arose from speculation he sought to use his law enforcement expertise to get away with murder. |
| Peterson is also a suspect in the disappearance of Stacy Peterson, his fourth wife who was 23 years old when she vanished in 2007, but he has not been charged in her case. It was her disappearance that led authorities to take another look at Savio's death and eventually reclassify it from an accident to a homicide. | Peterson is also a suspect in the disappearance of Stacy Peterson, his fourth wife who was 23 years old when she vanished in 2007, but he has not been charged in her case. It was her disappearance that led authorities to take another look at Savio's death and eventually reclassify it from an accident to a homicide. |
| Drew Peterson's sentence came moments after he shocked the courtroom with a rare public outburst of anger as he proclaimed his innocence in Savio's death. "I did not kill Kathleen!" he shouted. | Drew Peterson's sentence came moments after he shocked the courtroom with a rare public outburst of anger as he proclaimed his innocence in Savio's death. "I did not kill Kathleen!" he shouted. |
| Peterson seemed to look across the courtroom at Savio's family. Savio's sister Susan Doman shot back "Yes, you did, you liar!" before the judge ordered sheriff's deputies to remove her from the courtroom. | Peterson seemed to look across the courtroom at Savio's family. Savio's sister Susan Doman shot back "Yes, you did, you liar!" before the judge ordered sheriff's deputies to remove her from the courtroom. |
| Lead state prosecutor James Glasgow later said it exposed the real Drew Peterson the one more than capable of murder. "We all got an opportunity to see a psychopath reveal himself in open court," Glasgow said. | Lead state prosecutor James Glasgow later said it exposed the real Drew Peterson the one more than capable of murder. "We all got an opportunity to see a psychopath reveal himself in open court," Glasgow said. |
| Illinois does not have the death penalty and Peterson had faced a maximum 60-year prison term. The judge gave him four years' credit for time he has served since his arrest. | Illinois does not have the death penalty and Peterson had faced a maximum 60-year prison term. The judge gave him four years' credit for time he has served since his arrest. |
| Jurors convicted Peterson in September. Neighbors found Savio's body in a dry bathtub at home with a gash on her head her hair soaked in blood. | Jurors convicted Peterson in September. Neighbors found Savio's body in a dry bathtub at home with a gash on her head her hair soaked in blood. |
| After his outburst, Peterson addressed the judge with a rambling speech, claiming he had been unfairly convicted. He spoke in mostly hushed tones, crying and trying to regain his composure at times. | After his outburst, Peterson addressed the judge with a rambling speech, claiming he had been unfairly convicted. He spoke in mostly hushed tones, crying and trying to regain his composure at times. |
| He aimed some of his anger at Glasgow, blaming the prosecutor for ruining his life. | He aimed some of his anger at Glasgow, blaming the prosecutor for ruining his life. |
| Earlier on Thursday Judge Edward Burmila denied a defence request to grant Peterson a retrial. Peterson's attorneys contended his former lead attorney, Joel Brodsky, botched the initial trial. | Earlier on Thursday Judge Edward Burmila denied a defence request to grant Peterson a retrial. Peterson's attorneys contended his former lead attorney, Joel Brodsky, botched the initial trial. |
| Prosecutors had no physical evidence tying Peterson to Savio's death and no witnesses placing him at the scene. They were forced to rely on typically barred hearsay statements Savio made to others before she died and that Stacy Peterson made before she vanished. Illinois passed a hearsay law in 2008 tailored to Peterson's case, dubbed Drew's Law, which assisted in making some of the evidence admissible at Peterson's trial. | Prosecutors had no physical evidence tying Peterson to Savio's death and no witnesses placing him at the scene. They were forced to rely on typically barred hearsay statements Savio made to others before she died and that Stacy Peterson made before she vanished. Illinois passed a hearsay law in 2008 tailored to Peterson's case, dubbed Drew's Law, which assisted in making some of the evidence admissible at Peterson's trial. |
| The hearsay – information reported by a witness not based on the witness's direct knowledge – included a friend testifying that Savio told her Peterson once put a knife to her throat and warned her: "I could kill you and make it look like an accident." | The hearsay – information reported by a witness not based on the witness's direct knowledge – included a friend testifying that Savio told her Peterson once put a knife to her throat and warned her: "I could kill you and make it look like an accident." |
| Peterson's lawyers have said they might appeal all the way to the US supreme court on grounds the hearsay law is unconstitutional. | Peterson's lawyers have said they might appeal all the way to the US supreme court on grounds the hearsay law is unconstitutional. |
| Prosecutors suspect Peterson killed his fourth wife Sandy because she could prove he killed Savio but her body has never been found and no charges have been filed. Jurors were not supposed to link her disappearance to Savio's death and prosecutors were prohibited from mentioning the subject. | Prosecutors suspect Peterson killed his fourth wife Sandy because she could prove he killed Savio but her body has never been found and no charges have been filed. Jurors were not supposed to link her disappearance to Savio's death and prosecutors were prohibited from mentioning the subject. |
| Peterson has maintained his fourth wife ran off with another man and is still alive. | Peterson has maintained his fourth wife ran off with another man and is still alive. |
| Rob Lowe played Peterson in the 2011 telemovie Drew Peterson: Untouchable. | Rob Lowe played Peterson in the 2011 telemovie Drew Peterson: Untouchable. |
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