On Thursday, Bolingbrook ex-police sergeant, Drew Peterson, was sentenced to 38 years in prison for the murder of his third wife, Kathleen Savio. Will County Sheriff’s Dept. wasted no time as he was transferred less than 24 hours later to Illinois Dept. Of Correction’s(IDOC), Stateville Correctional Center’s North Classification & Reception Center, then sent to his new home at Pontiac Correctional Center in Pontiac, Illinois. During the sentencing hearing the once arrogant Peterson was reduced to a crying and raging ball of emotions.
The spectacle called the Drew Peterson trial began back in October 2007 with the disappearance of his fourth wife Stacey. Stacy's disappearance led investigators to revisit the death of Peterson's third wife, Kathleen Savio. From that point came Drew’s haughty antics for camera crews, appearances on national television, body exhumations and indictments. Oh and not to mention, unwavering cries of innocence.
The show in the center ring began in the 2009 with the indictment and subsequent arrest of Peterson. During his arraignment bail was set at $20 million and Peterson was remanded to the custody of the Will County Sheriff. Even then, Peterson posed for the camera shots during inmate transport times and even called a radio show from jail. The trial even set legal precedence by instituting a new law known as "Drew's Law", which allows prosecutors to enter hearsay statements into evidence under certain conditions.
The curtain call came on September 2012, when, after two days and more than 13 hours of deliberation, a jury found Drew Peterson guilty of the premeditated murder of Kathleen Savio. The madcap hijinks continued when the defense team argued Peterson should get a new trial by tossing colleague and longtime lead attorney Joel Brodsky under the bus, accusing him of bungling the case by calling a witness whose testimony ended up helping the prosecution.
The long running extravaganza came to a dramatic close on February 21st when, after two days and more than 13 hours of deliberation, the jury found drew Peterson guilty of the premeditated murder of Kathleen Savio. Drew Peterson, the perpetual showman, took his opportunity to address the court. Declining to speak from the defense table which lacked a microphone, Peterson made his way to the witness stand and took a seat. "I hope I don't aggravate the situation," he said to the judge. He then yelled into the microphone, "I did not kill Kathleen!" The surprise outburst startled the entire courtroom; well the entire courtroom except for Savio's sister Sue Doman who yelled back, "Yes, you did!" The presiding judge Edward Burmila immediately ordered her out of the courtroom. After courtroom order was regained, Peterson went into a 40 minute monologue blaming everyone for his conviction, everyone other than himself that is.
The 59 year old Drew Peterson now a resident of IDOC in Pontiac, Illinois. His fifteen minutes of fame has now elapsed, with no one impressed by his routine. What’s left is a shell of a man left to live with his conscience and the harsh reality of his crimes. Unfortunately, Kathleen Savio was his third wife, with Stacey Peterson still missing; the Drew Peterson show probably isn’t over. Eventually, some evidence of her untimely demise will be uncovered. Based on Drew’s performance of the last 6 years, what should we expect when the circus comes back to town?
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