Peterson Drops Appeal

By Chuck Sudo in News on Apr 24, 2012 9:40PM

Attorneys for Drew Peterson filed a motion in the Third Appellate Court today to drop his appeal over whether hearsay statements can be used against him in his trial for the murder of his third ex-wife Kathleen Savio. Peterson's attorneys also said they're ready to go to trial and asked that the case be returned to Will County Court so they can have a trial date set.

“We want to get the case rolling,” defense attorney Joel Brodsky said. “We want to get it back and get a trial date.”

Brodsky said they'll fight the use of hearsay evidence during the trial. At issue here are 14 statements, some made by Savio, that prosecutors will present as evidence to prove intent that Peterson intended to kill Savio, under the 2008 "Hearsay law" passed by the Illinois State Legislature. The Third Appellate Court reversed its previous decision two weeks ago, thereby allowing eight of those 14 statements to be used as evidence when Peterson goes to trial. they ruled that, while Will County Court Judge Stephen White correctly applied the law, it was still "manifestly erroneous" and superseded by existing Supreme Court rules of evidence.