Peterson's attorney displayed Bolingbrook police guidelines that seemed to show the AR-15 assault rifle was an approved secondary weapon for officers assigned to Bolingbrook's version of the SWAT team. It was that weapon the state police said the barrel of which was too short and therefore illegal under state law. That's the gun charge they brought against Drew Peterson Wednesday.
An additional gun state police took was reportedly not Drew Peterson's. No further explanation was offered. The state must turn over the guns within 14 days. Peterson's hearing on gun charge will be May 30.The other case involves Drew's third wife, Kathleen Savio. Her death was ruled a homicide and her family wants control of her estate.
Thursday morning's probate court hearing is all about Kathleen Savio's family trying to get the right to file a wrongful death lawsuit against Drew Peterson. It was only after Drew Peterson's fourth wife disappeared that police reopened the case and reclassified it as a homicide. Peterson currently has control over Savio's estate, including money from a $1 million life insurance policy. No mention was made about transferring control of the estate over to Kathleen Savio's family. The attorney suggests there is no evidence to think that Drew Peterson has gone on a spending spree or mismanaged the money.
"It's like taking the money out of the right-hand pocket and putting it in the left-hand pocket. The money is there to support his children," said Joel Brodsky, Drew Peterson's attorney. "To take the money away from him, give 30 percent to the lawyers and give 70 percent back to basically the family, makes no sense at all. Nobody can tell me that's in the best interests of the kids. I don't think it's going to -- the only thing it would do is take some money for the lawyers and that's about it."
