Drew Peterson Trial: The jury explains verdict, Stacy’s words helped to convict

Image courtesy of Washington Post

After they delivered a Guilty verdict in the Drew Peterson murder trial, some of the jurors have spoken publicly about the trial, the deliberation process and the verdict.

Hearsay, which was the majority of the prosecution’s case, was the key factor in determining Peterson’s guilt. Some of the jurors didn’t necessarily agree with the law that allowed hearsay into the court room but it was their job to decipher the testimony and the evidence, not the laws. Ron Supalo, one of the jurors on the case, ”I needed time to think it through, we weren’t the U.S. Supreme Court, right or wrong, this was the hearsay law, and we had to use it in this case.”

Another juror has said that it was hearsay comments that Stacy Peterson, Drew Peterson’s fourth wife, had made before her disappearance that pushed them into a conviction.

Peterson’s bizarre behaviour in front of news cameras in the years leading up to his trial, and cocky attitude had no impact on their decision to convict.

Now because of the conviction in the murder of Kathleen Savio, the case into Stacy Peterson’s disappearance will likely be re-opened and Drew Peterson will remain the primary suspect.

Peterson will be sentenced on November 26th and faces up to 60 years in prison and with the chances slim that he will ever get out of prison, it will be interesting to see what information, if any, that he will give up about his fourth wife Stacy.

BREAKING NEWS: Drew Peterson found GUILTY of the death of Kathleen Savio

Remember Kathleen Savio.

Drew Peterson Trial: Closing arguments complete, jury to get case Wednesday

There is a possibility that the jury could render a verdict as early as Wednesday.

With just over a month since Jury selection began, the defense and prosecution wrapped up their closing arguments today in a Joliet courthouse – and the question that we’re all waiting to hear answered; did Drew Peterson kill his third wife, Kathleen Savio?

Tuesday both sides reiterated their main points about the case; Joe Lopez, one of Drew Peterson’s defense attorneys reminded jurors that there is absolutely no physical evidence which puts his client at the scene of his wife’s death and no evidence which shows that he was in any way involved in his wife’s death. Kathleen Savio’s death was originally ruled an accident, she fell in the bathtub and this caused life-ending injuries. It wasn’t until Peterson’s fourth wife, Stacy Peterson, went missing that Savio’s accidental drowning was changed to a homicide.

James Glasgow and the prosecution simply asked the jury to use common sense. They had no physical evidence but they had hearsay. The majority of their case was built on statements that others were repeating that Kathleen Savio had told them; mostly that Drew Peterson was a violent person and more than once he threatened to kill her. One piece of hearsay testimony was from a friend of Stacy Peterson who claimed that Drew had asked his wife Stacy to help create an alibi during the time that Savio died.

Glasgow also told jurors that the odds of an adult drowning in a bathtub was “one in a million”.

The prosecution has had its share of challenges throughout the case – more than once Judge Edward Burmila has seriously considered a mistrial as prosecutors repeatedly tried to introduce evidence that was barred from the court.

The judge will charge the jury at 10am EST on Wednesday.

Crime Ticker will bring you the verdict the moment it is announced.

Drew Peterson Trial: Day 19 – The defense rests, closing arguments to start Tuesday

The last witness today before the defense rested its case was Drew Peterson’s 19-year-old son, Thomas Peterson.

Thomas Peterson testified today that, “I believe my dad is innocent.” The testimony of the younger Peterson is particularly poignant as he is the son of the defendant and his ex-wife, Kathleen Savio, for whom he is on trial for murdering. Thomas Peterson is currently enrolled in the University of Pennsylvania and was only 11-years-old when his mother was found dead in her bathtub. At the time of her death he was staying with his father at his home with Stacy Peterson who disappeared in 2007.

Thomas also testified that there was nothing unusual about his father the day his mother died, he was his normal self, and there was nothing out of the ordinary. He also explained that when Drew told him about her death, he seemed genuinely distraught.

After his testimony, Drew Peterson was asked if he would like to testify in his own defense, he declined saying only, “I will not testify.”

Court will resume on Thursday at 10am EST.

Drew Peterson Trial: Day 18 – Defense calls its first witness

The defense called its first witness today, Dr. Jeffrey Jentzen, a forensic pathologist who testified that that wound on Kathleen Savio’s neck and bruises on her body were consistent with an acciental fall in the bathtub.

Jentzen’s theory fully contradicts the prosecution’s star witness, Dr. Larry Blum, who suggested that a single fall couldn’t possibly cause a wound to the back of a head, and bruises on the front.

As part of Jentzen’s presentation he displayed a board with an illustrated person and showed three stages of an accidental fall, ”These injuries are classic for a fall, or a slip and fall.” He also disagreed with prosecution witness Dr. Mary Case who testified that said that the wound on her head couldn’t have caused her to fall unconcious and drown. Jentzen said, ”I disagree vehemently with this opinion. She’s wrong.” Jentzen said that a person can lose consciousness from a concussion and not show any sign of brain trauma.

Dr. Jentzen is the director of Pathology at the University of Michigan.