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Peterson's mugshot courtesy the Will County Sheriff's office, via NBC 5
When the news of Drew Peterson's arrest hit yesterday evening, there was actually some surprise but not many details other than that it was in connection with the 2004 death of his third wife, Kathleen Savio. At a press conference last night held by Will County State's Atty. James Glasgow and Illinois State Police Capt. Carl Dobrich, it was announced that Peterson has been charged with two counts of first-degree murder in connection with Savio's death - per Glasgow: "one on the theory of intentionally killing and the other knowingly doing an act that caused great bodily harm" - and is being held on $20 million bail. With so much info out there (we recommend the Tribune, Sun-Times, and NBC 5 for more info), we'll just hit some highlights.
- For those needing a refresher on the timeline on the whole Peterson saga, the Sun-Times has a nice one to help you out.
- CBS2 has the complete press conference from last night available here.
- WGN Radio's John Williams spoke with Peterson attorney Andrew Abood: Part 1 and Part 2 [MP3s].
- Per the above interview, it seems Peterson's children will be placed in the care of Peterson's oldest son.
- According to Peterson's other attorney, Joel Brodsky, speaking on a media blitz this morning, a main aspect of the defense will center around challenging the constitutionality of the prosecution's use of statements made by Savio before her death. The law - as you might recall - was just passed last fall and was, in fact, inspired by Peterson.
- Reaction from the Savio family: Kathleen's sister, Anna Marie Doman, told The Herald News, "We have been waiting, how many years? After all that time of people not believing us, not responding to us. Nothing being told to us. There's nothing else you can do. Then all of a sudden, I'm like, thank you. I hope they've got all their ducks in a row. (Will County State's Attorney James Glasgow) is my idol, I gotta tell you."
- Will County State's Attorney Glasgow said he will prosecute the case himself.
As for Peterson himself, it seems one has to look no further than his reaction to his arrest, as reported by the Daily Herald: "I guess I should have returned those library books - son of a bitch."
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My big concern is the hearsay law, which I'm almost sure will be declared unconstitutional on either the state or the federal level. I sincerely hope the prosecution has something more substantial than that.
I also wonder where they're going to have to try this guy to get an impartial jury.
And with that comment, you pretty much summed up the two biggest problems facing this case. Still not sure how that law passed to begin with.
Yeah, IANAL, but I think the hearsay law will never stand up to a challenge.
Maybe they can hold the trial at the Bunny Ranch. The girls there seem to think he's innocent.
born into the last century, tempered by runread modern America, disciplined by a hard and bitter war with American stupidity , not proud of our ancient heritage, I have learned to sometimes appreciate the small bright spots in life, which is at least for the time being, that disgrace to all animals is in a windowless concrete box
"unread" sorry for that "untype" :-)
I would imagine that the reason he was able to get away with these murders is that he had connections in the department and I'm guessing that by now, all of those connections have dried up?
What is the opinion of the local police about him and this case? Has it changed, one way or the other over time?
I haven't seen anything written about him on that Second City Cop blog.
I think it's laughable to try and ascribe any reasoning to this goon. If the charges are true, he drown his wife in a bathtub. And possibly murdered another woman and dumped her body god knows where. I'd say Drew and reason are not well-acquainted.
On the contrary, I think the man's some kind of evil genius. Hiding a body in such a way that you leave absolutely no trace of anything is not easy by any stretch. His level of reasoning, while perverted, far exceeds mine, I think.
To be honest, most criminals are fairly stupid and most cops training is pretty rudimentary. Read David Simon's "Homicide" if you haven't to see just how quickly cops run dry.
He's a step ahead of the pack due to his inside knowledge, but he's hardly an evil genius.
"I think it's laughable to try and ascribe any reasoning to this goon."
Don't mis-underestimate people, JessNevins. Most people, even those one might want to describe as monsters, do have their own reasoning and rational-thought process. Even Hitler was a reasonable person in his own manner, to use the wildest example, especially if one took his writings and speeches seriously (the same thing applies to the current crop of Muslim terrorists).
Whatever the case, this guy was able to avoid arrest for a significant time, which might speak as much to his own (dark) talents and reason as it does to the skill of law enforcement.
Misunderestimate is not a word. It's George Bush word salad.
The straining to understand the "reasoning" behind Peterson and his years long media moment is pointless to the pedestrian. This is something best left to psychiatrists and neurological researchers.
And Hitler? Really?
How about a moratorium on using the Fuhrer as the default "crazy, evil, bad guy"?
"The straining to understand the "reasoning" behind Peterson and his years long media moment is pointless to the pedestrian. This is something best left to psychiatrists and neurological researchers."
Perhaps, but if you really, really want to understand human nature, it requires more than just labeling someone as stupid or unreasonable just because one's reason is apparently criminal. Even David Simon, through his work on "The Wire," understands that, to toss that name drop back at you. That deep understanding of human nature and the reasoning of criminals (and pols and cops) was the main reason "The Wire" is pretty much a literary work despite its presence on TV.
Hitler was an example, as clearly stated. Its use also was clearly stated. Nothing hard about it, Jess. And yes, mis-understatement was used ironically. Don't be dense just for effect. It's boring and you are better than that. By the way, I never called Hitler crazy. Nor evil. Nor bad--at least not here. Just saying. (While I may or may not agree with such terms, those terms have an effect of making a person more into a monster or character than an actual human being, which is harmful because it blinds us to the flaws in human nature that helps us understand and fight back against such people.)
Oh, I'm not being dense, I just want that man and his neoglisms to be consigned to the memory hole as soon as possible.
Reason, as I see it defined, is the ability and desire to make rational choices. Drowning your ex-wife in a bathtub? Not reasonable.
I hesitate to say mentally ill, because that's a diagnosis, but pathological liars with violent streaks are often suffering from any one of a number of mental illnesses. His reasoning or motives are best understood in that context I think.
"Reason, as I see it defined, is the ability and desire to make rational choices. Drowning your ex-wife in a bathtub? Not reasonable."
According to you. I don't mean to argue semantics--clearly, anyone who would do such a thing deserves punishment, and is not a civilized person--but you really need to expand your view of what is "reason," if you really want to know humanity better.
"I just want that man and his neoglisms to be consigned to the memory hole as soon as possible."
Not sure how much you are joking here, but anyone who would seriously argue the "memory hole" angle is advancing a harmful idea. My apologies if that is a joke.