Crime & Safety

Prosecutors In Drew Peterson Case Not Ready To Throw In Towel On Appeal

A statement released by the office of Will County State's Attorney James Glasgow says prosecutors have yet to decide whether they are going up to the State Supreme Court.

Thwarted by the appellate court, prosecutors in the Drew Peterson murder case may still go up the ladder in their bid to get as much hearsay evidence as possible admitted at trial.

A statement released Tuesday night by Will County State's Attorney James Glasgow's office said prosecutors continue "to review the ruling and will make a decision about whether (they) will file an appeal with the Illinois Supreme Court."

Earlier Tuesday, the appellate court released its opinion denying a prosecution appeal of Will County Judge Stephen White's decision on what hearsay evidence can be used against Peterson, a disgraced former Bolingbrook cop charged with murdering one wife and suspected by the state police of having a hand in killing another.

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The appellate court ruled that Glasgow blew a 30-day deadline when he filed the appeal.

"The Will County State’s Attorney’s office strongly disagrees with the majority ruling in the Drew Peterson appeal," said the statement released by Glasgow's office.

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"We believe that Justice (Robert L.) Carter, in his dissenting opinion, correctly analyzed the legal issues in the appeal," the statement said.  "Specifically, Justice Carter held that our appeal was timely filed."

In his dissenting opinion, Carter wrote, "The majority ruling is erroneous and irremediably flawed because it assumes a proposition that it cannot support."

Peterson has been jailed since May 2009 on charges he murdered his third wife, Kathleen Savio, who was found drowned in a dry bathtub in March 2004.

Peterson's fourth wife, Stacy Peterson, mysteriously vanished in October 2007. She remains missing.

The state police believe she may have been killed and have named Drew Peterson the sole suspect in their "potential homicide" investigation.

Ken Grey, a top prosecutor in Glasgow's office, declined to comment on whether plans are in store for appealing to the Illinois State Supreme Court.

"We're still reviewing the decision," Grey said.

One of the attorneys representing Peterson in the murder case, Joseph "Shark" Lopez, doubted the state supreme court would take the case.

"I can't see how the state supreme court is going to hear it," Lopez said.

Lopez went on to question what evidence prosecutors have against his client now that they have been denied in their appeal.

"There's very little left," he said. "They got what they got and that's it."


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