Drew Peterson's Trial *THIRD WEEK*

[~n/t~]

In Session The witness and the jurors are now back in the courtroom. Greenberg continues his cross-examination. “Ms. Kernc, after you left Ms. Savio’s house, you then went and spoke to Sgt. Peterson?” “Yes.” “As an investigator, not as a co-worker?” “Yes.” “Did you give him an opportunity to review anything Ms. Savio said or wrote?” “No, I don’t believe I did.” “And you advised him he didn’t need to speak to you?” “I’m sure I did.” “And Ms. Savio said that he would deny being at the house that day?” “Yes.” “And he didn’t deny it, and in fact told you he went over to the house that day?” “Yes.” “And after speaking to him, you continued your investigation, and spoke to Mary Pontarelli?” “Yes.” “And Ms. Savio had told you she had called Mary Pontarelli immediately after this incident?” “I know she called her after; I don’t recall her saying ‘immediately.’” “Did Mary Pontarelli tell you that Kathleen Savio had described the incident?” Objection/Sustained. The defense asks for a sidebar.


:bigfight:

 

[~n/t~]

In Session The sidebar has now ended. “Did Kathy tell you that when she spoke to Mary Pontarelli she never told her anything about pulling a knife?” “No.” “Did she describe the conversation as Kathy and Drew having a nice conversation?” “ No . . . she did not tell me the contents of her conversation.” “Did she tell you that she told Mary Pontarelli that she told Drew to get out of the house if he wasn’t going to help?” The witness asks to look at her report before answering, then asks to see the written statement written by Kathleen Savio. Greenberg: “Is your recollection now refreshed?” “It is.” “Do you recall that Kathleen told Mary Pontarelli that Kathleen and Drew had a nice conversation?” “She did not tell me what her conversation entailed at all, other than they’d had a conversation.” “Are you aware that Kathleen told Mary Pontarelli that she wanted Drew to drop the battery case?” “When I talked to Kathleen, she did not tell me the contents of her conversation with Mary Pontarelli.”

 

[~n/t~]

In Session Kernc denies that Savio “went back and forth” about Drew’s having had a knife. “She did not vacillate about the knife . . . not in conversation. She vacillated by scribbling it out [of the written statement]. But not in conversation about it.”

 

[fifteen89]

pffft. it's almost one o'clock here. One for you, 2 for me. It'll be a long day. If you start noticing slurring in my posts, you'll know why. lol

Oops. It's 1pm here. No wonder I'm hungry. Can I have 2 please?

No worries on slurring in your posts. I can read slurry as well.

 

[~n/t~]

In Session “She added the portion about the knife after it [her statement] was written?” “Yes . . . she included the knife in her verbal to me.” “She never told you when during the conversation the knife was pulled?” “Not specifically, no.” “And she didn’t include it until you prompted her to add it?” “When I read it, I saw that it wasn’t there . . . I told her to put in the report what happened. I said, ‘The knife part isn’t in here. You need to put in here what actually happened’ . . . then she wrote it in there, and a short time later she crossed the knife part out. She expressed concern about him being arrested, and losing his job.” “Mr. Peterson was never charged with this incident?” “Right.” Objection/Overruled. “She didn’t want him arrested.” Objection/Overruled. Greenberg then reads from prior testimony, in which the witness says that Savio was indeed vacillating. “You had some concerns about whether that actually happened?” “Right.” “And that was based on your complete investigation?” “Yes.” “And she never said anything about this until she was served that day?” Objection/Sustained. That ends the cross-examination of this witness.

In Session Judge Burmila decides to call the lunch recess at this time. He leaves the bench, and the trial is in recess until 1:15 CT/2:15 ET.

 

[WindyCityGirl]

not have him lose his job& pension so that her family wouldn't be provided for in the future. What a horribly manipulative person he is!
(in addition to being a murderous, smug, womanizing waste of human space)

In Session Kernc denies that Savio “went back and forth” about Drew’s having had a knife. “She did not vacillate about the knife . . . not in conversation. She vacillated by scribbling it out [of the written statement]. But not in conversation about it.”

 

[fifteen89]

What's with the matching suits on Lopez and whoever that female is walking with the DT? I'm expecting matching sunglasses for everyone next.

ETA: Awwww. I see it's Mrs. Shark. How sweet they have matching suits. Scuze me. Feeling my margarita coming up.

 

[~n/t~]

This is nuts! After lunch the prosecution will probably re direct and then the defense will re cross. Add in a few objections, side bars and jury in and out of the courtroom. That will be it for the day.

Where do the other witnesses wait? Do they hang out in the hallway?

 

[panthera]

not have him lose his job& pension so that her family wouldn't be provided for in the future. What a horribly manipulative person he is!
(in addition to being a murderous, smug, womanizing waste of human space)

Agree. My belief also is that she indeed had second thoughts about reporting the incident as it actually happened, fearing she and the children may be worse off if she had included the part about the knife in the written statement. The cross-outs, imo, do show her hesitation and fear of him.

MOO

 

[iluvmua]

I bet some or all of the members of the jury are thinking " The prosecution does not have a case".

They have had years in order to get ready. So why they keep on shooting themselves in the foot, I have no idea.

I have to hand it to the defense, so far they are doing a great job of defending Drew.

 

[Cappuccino]

This defense team are doing a very thorough job. I just wish they had a more worthy client.

 

[tsitra01]

Some or all of the Jury have witnessed the slimy fox in the past and they might
see him for what he is. With murder in mind, he knew how to manipulate for
his benefit.
I'm trying not to get tooooo invested in his trial to protect my well being.
Not trusting Justice will prevail since the FCA trial. :maddening:

 

[WindyCityGirl]

we don't have physical evidence in this case, but I don't feel so
negatively at all.......I think that the prosecution has presented strong testimony that points to none other than Drew....threats to kill her, his remark that he would have won anyway to the boyfriend, locks on her bedroom door and extra locks on the front door.....this was a woman who feared for her life. I think that we have had substantive testimony. I am not giving up on this one.
I think that we have reason to hope for a fitting and proper conviction.
I think Drew's mentioning "a wine glass" at the scene was a big mistake and will be hashed out more later.....we have reason to remain hopeful

I bet some or all of the members of the jury are thinking " The prosecution doesn't have a case.

They have had years in order to get ready. So why they keep on shooting themselves in the foot, I have no idea.

I have to hand it to the defense, so far they are doing a great job of defending Drew.

 

[Cappuccino]

Its too soon to call, IMO. We haven't heard the case for the defense yet. I strongly think he's guilty, but that doesn't mean the jury will agree. Nobody should get their hopes up yet....

 

[WindyCityGirl]

but I don't think that it is right to be writing this one off as a failure though.
The prosecution hasn't been as smooth as they should be to be sure, but I can't imagine that the jury doesn't catch on to the seedy gangster like defense team

Its too soon to call, IMO. We haven't heard the case for the defense yet. I strongly think he's guilty, but that doesn't mean the jury will agree. Nobody should get their hopes up yet....

 

[LambChop]

This defense team are doing a very thorough job. I just wish they had a more worthy client.

The difference here is he is a cop. Most people know what officers are capable of regarding their own domestic disputes. As an officer he knew what he should have been doing and he didn't do it. Everyone who has ever been stopped by a police officer knows the feeling of helplessness that you feel because of the power they have over you at that very minute. That is something the defense team has to overcome. So do we believe Kathy was fearful for her life and that he could kill her and make it look like an accident. Of course we do. In her statement Kathy said he could not bring himself to kill her. If she wanted to get back at him she certainly would not have told the investigator that. If she were fabricating a story for LE she'd have never included DP saying that, for sure. So her statement seems authentic. jmo

 

[Cappuccino]

The difference here is he is a cop. Most people know what officers are capable of regarding their own domestic disputes. As an officer he knew what he should have been doing and he didn't do it. Everyone who has ever been stopped by a police officer knows the feeling of helplessness that you feel because of the power they have over you at that very minute. That is something the defense team has to overcome. So do we believe Kathy was fearful for her life and that he could kill her and make it look like an accident. Of course we do. In her statement Kathy said he could not bring himself to kill her. If she wanted to get back at him she certainly would not have told the investigator that. If she were fabricating a story for LE she'd have never included DP saying that, for sure. So her statement seems authentic. jmo

It seems totally authentic to me too. I'm not sure whether I can trust my own perceptions though, because since last night when I found out that Wills County LE were responsible for the Riley Fox debacle which nearly landed an innocent man on DR, my bias is strongly against the defendant. I have no love for Wills County LE, to say the least.

The comments offered by the rest of you are invaluable to me, because I think the rest of you are more able to be objective.

 

[seattlechiquita]

We are back, and the 2007 pathologist is on the stand.

 

[Jackson44]

The trial has started back after lunch.

 

[CarolinaMoon]

I'm one of those who is keeping an emotional distance for my own sanity. My friend would always say, "hope for the best, expect the worse, and take what comes," and that's where I stand.

I want justice for Kathleen, but I am aware that justice isn't always to be had, sadly.

I have one overwhelming hope, however. The defense team has taken on the cocky persona and flippant manner of the defendant. This may also be shining through to the jury.

Right now, I'm waiting for the scientific evidence to come in. I understand there is someone who has made demonstrations of the way Kathleen's body might have fallen under certain circumstances. There wasn't even a bathmat to trip over! Was there a bar of soap laying in the tub?