Kathleen Savio -- Found Deceased 3/1/04

Justice for Kathleen!

Drew will really be in a stew when/if the judge denies the postponement of his trial...Next week is gonna be a full week, but I can't wait for this trial to begin...wonder if there will be cameras in the courtroom...

Estee, there will not be cameras in the courtroom, as Illinois does not yet allow them.

I'm sure this comes to no ones surprise as just about every trial set for this month in the cases we follow has been delayed.

Judge delays Drew Peterson trial until July

By DON BABWIN - Associated Press Writer
Wednesday, Jun. 02, 2010

JOLIET, Ill. -- A judge agreed Wednesday to reschedule the start of former Bolingbrook police officer Drew Peterson's murder trial for July 8, but made it clear this would be the final delay to the proceedings.

Circuit Judge Stephen White reminded attorneys that the trial, delayed from June 14, had initially been set for August last year.

"It's been continued and continued on your motion," White told Peterson's lead defense attorney Joel Brodsky during a hearing at the Will County Courthouse.

Peterson has pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder in the 2004 drowning death of his third wife, Kathleen Savio. Peterson also has been named a suspect, but isn't charged, in the 2007 disappearance of his fourth wife, Stacy Peterson. Peterson denies any involvement in her disappearance.

White had called more than 240 potential jurors to the courtroom months ago and told attorneys on both sides that the group had been admonished to avoid all media coverage of the case for long enough.

Brodsky argued that defense attorneys needed extra time because they had recently learned prosecutors planned to call three new experts to testify, including a pathologist.

Brodsky said the legal team has changed over recent months, including the departure of some attorneys and the addition of others. He said the new team needs time to analyze evidence, including technical scientific findings.

Brodsky originally asked for a delay until Aug. 23.

After voicing his objection to the judge's order that the trial begin July 8, Brodsky told reporters he thought the judge's refusal to delay the trial gave the defense strong grounds for appeal if Peterson was convicted.

"It's a constitutional issue, the Sixth Amendment right to counsel," Brodsky said.

Joe Lopez, one of Peterson's new attorneys, said he expects the trial to last two to three weeks. Both Lopez and Brodsky said no decision has been made on whether Peterson will testify.

http://www.bnd.com/2010/06/02/1278075/judge-to-rule-on-delay-of-drew.html

So Brodsky took a page out of Baez' book...I swear these two are in cahoots...Did they get together when Brodsky and Drew went to Orlando...Fishing party alright...fishin for excuses....

Drew's Attorney: Mum's the Word on Stacy Peterson

Lawyer hopes to keep Stacy's name and Drew's media antics out of trial

By MATT BARTOSIK
Updated 12:30 PM CDT, Fri, Jun 18, 2010



At Drew Peterson's pre-trial hearing this morning, attorney Joel Brodsky motioned to prohibit any mention of fourth wife Stacy during the accused's trial for the murder of third wife Kathleen Savio, reports Chicago Breaking News.

Brodsky would also like to keep Peterson's television appearances (before his arrest) out of the trial proceedings.

That seems like a tall order, given the attention-seeking media sensationalist that Peterson is.

Read more: http://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local-beat/Drews-Attorney-Mums-the-Word-on-Stacy-Peterson-96661509.html

Judge denies delay request in Peterson case

une 24, 2010 (WLS) -- A Will County judge denied another motion to delay the start of Drew Peterson's murder trial.

The former Bolingbrook police officer is accused of killing his third wife, Kathleen Savio. Peterson is also a person of interest in the disappearance of his fourth wife, Stacey.

The judge will also meet with Illinois State Police to discuss what recently led them to search for Stacey's body in Peoria. He must decide if it is relevant to this case.

"If he finds it's relevant the state's going to be put to a position of one of two things. Either they can allow it to be released to us. Or if it's not released to us then they may have some trouble getting in evidence, certain evidence that may be relevant," said Joel Brodsky, Peterson's attorney.

Peterson's trial is scheduled to begin July 8th.

http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=news/local&id=7517912

Goody gumdrops...We've waited long enough for this trial too...and I hope all the heresay is ruled relevant...

Judge to Allow Some Stacy Peterson Hearsay

Meanwhile, judge urges prosecution to turn over autopsy tape

By ANDREW GREINER
Updated 8:15 AM CDT, Fri, Jun 25, 2010



The judge overseeing the murder trial of Drew Peterson has agreed to allow a suburban pastor to testify about a conversation he had with Peterson’s fourth wife, Stacy.

His testimony is part of “Drew’s Law,” a ruling that allows some hearsay evidence to be presented at the trial, the Chicago Tribune reports.

The pastor, Neil Schori, will testify that Stacy Peterson, who has been missing since October 2007, told him that she provided a false alibi for her husband around the weekend when his third wife, Kathleen Savio, disappeared. But that’s all. Judge Stephen White won’t allow testimony about details of the night in question, when Drew allegedly broke into the home of Savio and held a knife to her throat.

Peterson is accused of killing Savio, but not Stacy Peterson, though he remains a suspect in her death as well.

Investigators originally labeled Savio’s death an accident. But subsequent autopsies helped rule her death a murder.

At least one of those autopsies has become a bone of contention in the trial.

Judge White says if a videotape of an autopsy on the body of Peterson's third wife isn't turned over to defense attorneys he may not allow the famous pathologist who conducted it to testify at Peterson's murder trial next month.

On Thursday, prosecutors told Judge White about the videotape, explaining it was made surreptitiously by television news producer Steph during Dr. Michael Baden's 2007 autopsy of Kathleen Savio Watts – and aired on Greta van Susteren’s Fox News show. The autopsy was conducted for Savio's family.

Not allowing Baden to testify could be significant because in February he testified that he believed Savio's death was a homicide and not an accident.

Two other pathologists testified. One agreed with Baden and the other backed the original finding that Savio's death was accidental.

http://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local-beat/Judge-to-Allow-Some-Stacy-Peterson-Hearsay--97149429.html

Let's all pray that the prosecution turns over that tape...Thank goodness that the minister's conversation with Stacy regarding Drew's alibi will be alowed...My fingers are crossed....

Ghoulish allegations in Drew Peterson case

July 3, 2010

(JOLIET) The celebrity medical examiner who prosecutors want to use as an expert witness chopped off Kathleen Savio's head and propped it on a table to be photographed during an autopsy, defense attorneys said Friday.

Joel Brodsky and Steven Greenberg -- two of the half-dozen lawyers representing accused wife-killer Drew Peterson -- presented pictures of Savio's severed head to witnesses during a Friday pretrial hearing and accused Fox News Channel medical examiner Michael Baden of decapitating her corpse for a photo opportunity.

A source familiar with the Savio case disputed this contention and explained that Savio's head came off on its own.

"Dr. Baden never removed the head during the autopsy," the source said. "There was very little connective tissue. There was massive decomposition."

Peterson's lawyers were trying without success to have Baden barred from testifying as an expert witness at Peterson's murder trial. Baden had performed a private autopsy on Savio, who was Peterson's third wife and one of two he is suspected of killing.

While state police believe Peterson also snuffed his fourth wife, Stacy Peterson, they have only charged him with murdering Savio.

He is set to go to trial in six days, and Baden, whose autopsy expenses were covered by Fox News, is cleared to testify.

Read more: http://wlsam.com/Article.asp?id=1863423&spid=

Thanks for the update, J4A...can't wait for this to get underway...I just wish they could locate Stacy's remains...whatever is left of them...Maybe he'll cut a deal by telling them where he put Stacy if they will give him a lighter sentence in Kathleen's case...(that is of course if he's found guilty)...

Justice4all wrote:Ghoulish allegations in Drew Peterson case

July 3, 2010

(JOLIET) The celebrity medical examiner who prosecutors want to use as an expert witness chopped off Kathleen Savio's head and propped it on a table to be photographed during an autopsy, defense attorneys said Friday.

Joel Brodsky and Steven Greenberg -- two of the half-dozen lawyers representing accused wife-killer Drew Peterson -- presented pictures of Savio's severed head to witnesses during a Friday pretrial hearing and accused Fox News Channel medical examiner Michael Baden of decapitating her corpse for a photo opportunity.

A source familiar with the Savio case disputed this contention and explained that Savio's head came off on its own.

"Dr. Baden never removed the head during the autopsy," the source said. "There was very little connective tissue. There was massive decomposition."

Peterson's lawyers were trying without success to have Baden barred from testifying as an expert witness at Peterson's murder trial. Baden had performed a private autopsy on Savio, who was Peterson's third wife and one of two he is suspected of killing.

While state police believe Peterson also snuffed his fourth wife, Stacy Peterson, they have only charged him with murdering Savio.

He is set to go to trial in six days, and Baden, whose autopsy expenses were covered by Fox News, is cleared to testify.

Read more: http://wlsam.com/Article.asp?id=1863423&spid=

Wow!

Michael Baden will testify at Drew Peterson’s trial. Hearsay decision is challenged.

July 2, 2010


Pathologist, Michael Baden

At a pre-trial hearing this morning Judge Stephen White decided to allow pathologist, Dr. Michael Baden, to testify about the Fox News arranged autopsy of Kathleen Savio‘s remains at Drew Peterson‘s trial for murder.

Preliminary reports indicate that Steph Watts, a former producer who assisted Dr. Baden during the third autopsy, testified to some graphic details of the undertaking. Under questioning by Joel Brodsky, he denied that he was working on an HBO special about the autopsy. Watts also described how at one point Joel Brodsky approached him with a deal for a video package of Peterson at home with his fiancee, Christina Raines.

It’s been reported that the videotape shot by Watts has been produced for review.

Court was closed for arguments about a recent hearsay ruling that could make some of the barred hearsay statements admissible to the trial.



http://petersonstory.wordpress.com/2010/07/02/michael-baden-will-testify-at-drew-petersons-trial-hearsay-decision-is-challenged/

Judge: Pathologist can testify in Peterson trial

July 2, 2010
BY DAN ROZEK Staff Reporter

A celebrity pathologist who concluded Kathleen Savio was murdered in her bathtub can testify at Drew Peterson’s upcoming trial for the death of his third wife, a Will County judge ruled Friday.

Peterson’s attorneys had sought to block the testimony from Dr. Michael Baden, contending his work for Fox News swayed his medical opinion that Savio’s 2004 drowning death was a homicide.

So did having a Fox TV producer take notes for him during the autopsy--notes that also included a telephone number for media mogul Joe Francis, who produced the “Girls Gone Wild” videos, defense attorneys argued.

Judge Stephen White didn’t agree, telling prosecutors they can call Baden--a frequent Fox News contributor--to describe the autopsy he performed on Savio after her remains were exhumed in 2007.

“There’s no reason to bar this testimony,” White said as he made his ruling.

Baden autopsied Savio’s remains on Nov. 16, 2007, at the behest of her family. On a Fox News TV program later that day, he announced his conclusion that she had been murdered.

Two weeks before he performed the autopsy, Baden said on the same Fox program that it appeared that her death was a homicide, rather than an accident, as Will County officials initially had ruled.

After his ruling, White turned over to Peterson’s legal team DVDs from Fox News containing Baden’s TV interviews on the case.

Peterson’s attorneys had sought to bar Baden’s testimony as unreliable, contending in part that he had reached a conclusion before even conducting the autopsy. They also argued that his work for Fox TV left in question any medical opinion he offered about her death.

Former Fox TV producer Stephen Watts testified that he took notes for Baden during the autopsy, but disputed that he assisted Baden in shifting Savio’s body during the procedure or that he took pictures during the autopsy. Baden, during a pre-trial ruling earlier this year, testified Watts had given him that help during the autopsy.

“Dr. Baden was mistaken, absolutely,” Watts said Friday.

Watts also said he had Joe Francis’ phone number on the autopsy notes because he earlier had interviewed him about legal problems Francis was facing. Watts said he believes he jotted down Francis’ number after the autopsy while checking his voice mail.

Savio’s drowning initially had been ruled an accident, but authorities reopened their investigation into her death after Peterson’s fourth wife, Stacy, vanished in October 2007.

That led to Savio’s remains being exhumed, her death being reclassified as a murder and ultimately to Peterson, a former Bolingbrook police officer, being charged last year with her slaying.

After Friday’s hearing, defense attorneys downplayed the significance of Baden’s testimony, contending they could convince jurors his work was “not a scientific autopsy.”

“The jury will be able to figure out this was not a scientific autopsy. It was for a TV show,” defense attorney Joel Brodsky said.

Peterson, who has been jailed since his arrest in May 2009, is in “good spirits” with his murder trial scheduled to start on Thursday.

“He’s really looking forward to the start of this trial,” Brodsky said.

http://www.suntimes.com/news/peterson/2458690,drew-peterson-savio-trial-070210.article

Do we know if Drew's trial still starts this Thursday, July 8?? I can't seem to find anything current confirming the trial start date.

Should be a doozy.

Never mind..... I found the answer. YES, the trial starts this Thursday.

Judge Allows Savio Autopsy in Drew Peterson Trial

Updated: Friday, 02 Jul 2010, 9:34 PM CDT
Published : Friday, 02 Jul 2010, 9:13 AM CDT
By Craig Wall, FOX Chicago News

Drew Peterson's defense team was dealt a setback in court Friday when a judge denied their request to prevent a key prosecution witness from testifying.

Renowned pathologist Dr. Michael Baden was the first person to publicly declare that Peterson's third wife Kathleen Savio did not die accidentally but was in fact murdered. He conducted a private autopsy for the family after her body was exhumed in November 2007.

Defense attorneys questioned the credibility of Baden's findings because he allowed a Fox News Channel producer to take notes for him and video tape him in the autopsy room.

Savio's death was originally ruled an accident after she was found dead in a dry bathtub in 2004. Authorities reopened the case after Peterson's fourth wife Stacy disappeared.

"Dr. Baden goes there and he decides ahead of time what he thinks happens in this case and then he goes there and confirms his own findings. Now he's not gonna look very good if he goes on TV and says I was wrong before and this was an accident, so it's a self fulfilling prophecy," said Steven Greenberg, one of Peterson's lawyers.

Stephen Watts, the producer who formerly worked for On the Record with Greta Van Susteren testified that he never video taped Savio's remains and never touched them. Watts also made it clear that he only videotaped Baden during a break in the autopsy, and that Baden agreed to reveal his findings on Van Susteren's show, regardless of what they showed.

"As much as the defense would like to make something of it, because they allegedly have no case, my being in that room had absolutely no influence on the outcome, and as I've said before if the defense is hinging it's case on the fact that I was in the autopsy room, they better suit up Drew Peterson for those orange jumpsuits he seems to fancy so much," Watts said after the hearing was over.

Baden's conclusion that Savio's death was murder was corroborated by another pathologist who performed the official autopsy for prosecutors a day before Baden.

Peterson's attorney Joel Brodsky said he will have three or four of his own experts testify that the original autopsy was correct in classifying Savio's death as an accident.

Peterson was arrested for Savio's murder in 2009. His trial begins July 8th.

He has denied any involvement in her death or in the disappearance of his fourth wife Stacy Peterson.

http://www.myfoxchicago.com/dpp/news/metro/drew_peterson/drew-peterson-hearing-hearsay-autopsy-baden-20100702

Anyone know if this is going to air on TruTV? I sure hope so.

Fysty, Illinois does not allow cameras in their courtrooms, so my guess would be no. That's why so many of the cases on truTV are from Florida. They are one of the few states who do allow cameras.

I guess we will just have to rely on some good reporting...

Peterson attorneys talk start of murder trial on Morning News

Jury selection begins tomorrow for upcoming murder trial of Drew Peterson

WGN News
July 7, 2010

 

CHICAGO - A Will County judge denies a request to allow previously barred hearsay statements in the upcoming Drew Peterson murder trial.

Jury selection begins tomorrow for the upcoming murder trial of Drew Peterson.

Read more: http://www.wgntv.com/news/wgntv-peterson-attorneys-morning-news-july7,0,6555267.story