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Peterson Sentenced to 38 Years in Prison for Murder of Kathleen Savio

Drew Peterson was sentenced Thursday in the 2004 murder of his third wife, Kathleen Savio, after a judge denied a motion for a new murder trial.

 

Updated: 5:30 p.m. 

Family members of both Kathleen Savio and Stacy Peterson spoke following Thursday's sentencing hearing. 

Henry Savio, Kathleen's brother, said Drew Peterson "deserves to stay in jail forever," according to a tweet from the Trib's Stacy St. Clair. Peterson is "gonna go to hell and my sister is gonna be there to watch him," Henry Savio said

Drew's rant was "constant lies." "He battered her until the very end," said Savio's sister, Sue Doman. Doman said Drew Peterson's rant "almost scared me to death," but she had to defend her sister. Doman was removed from court for calling Peterson a liar. 

The outburst showed "what my sister had to go through." 

Glasgow said the disappearance of Stacy Peterson will be assessed to see if charges can be filed. Stacy Peterson's sister Cassandra said she will not give up looking for Stacy. 

Updated: 5 p.m. 

Will County State's Attorney James Glasgow addressed reporters following the sentencing.

“There’s never been anything more fulfilling in my career. We did it. 38 years worth," Fox 32 tweeted him saying. 

Glasgow also said that it was an "interesting oversight" that Peterson denied killing his third wife, Kathleen Savio, but did not deny killing his fourth wife, Stacy Peterson. 

Glasgow looked at Peterson and thought, "You're a cold-blooded killer and I will stare you down until the day I die," according to a tweet from the Trib's Stacy St. Clair. 

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Original story

Drew Peterson has been sentenced to 38 years in prison for the 2004 murder of his third wife, Kathleen Savio. 

See what Drew Peterson said before his sentencing in our Storify. 

Peterson was facing 20 to 60 years in prison. According to the Chicago Tribune, "Judge Edward Burmila said he gave Peterson some consideration for his years as a police officer and his service in the military."

Under the sentence, Peterson, who is 59, will be in jail until he is 93, according to the Chicago Tribune. He will be required to serve his full sentence, with the credit of the nearly four years he's already served in prison. 

The sentencing immediately followed Burmila's decision to deny a motion for a new murder trial. Peterson's lawyers argued for two days that he was deprived of a fair trial by Joel Brodsky, who was more worried about becoming a media darling than representing his client.

Peterson spoke before the sentencing was announced. 

From Chicago Tribune: 

Peterson began his appeal to the judge today by telling him, "Good day, my name is Drew Peterson. I hope I don't aggravate the situation here, but I have a lot of things to be said." Then he screamed, "I did not kill Kathleen!"

"Yes, you did," a woman said.

"Ma'am, I'd like you to leave the courtroom," Burmila said. "And Mr. Peterson, don't make any outbursts that are designed to aggravate people."

"I'm sorry, your honor. I must have been woozy," Peterson said.

READ PATCH'S COVERAGE OF PETERSON'S PLEA FOR A NEW TRIAL HERE: 

Related Topics: Drew Peterson jail, Drew Peterson sentencing, Kathleen Savio murder, drew peterson murder, and drew peterson trial

Kathy D.

4:24 pm on Thursday, February 21, 2013

Whoo-hoo! Finally justice has been served! His own lawyers said it today, Drew loved his children more than he hated any of the women he was with. That statement made today says it all! Good Bye Drew, enjoy your time in the BIG HOUSE!

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Bob Jamesly

9:33 am on Monday, February 25, 2013

Let's give much praise to the family of Kathleen Savio who paid for the exhumation and the expert Dr. Michael Baaden to come here and get things started in the right direction after Will county screwed up the first time. Once he dd a real autopsy Will County did a follow up and, by golly, found that it was a homicide. The Savio family is just a working class family and needed justice at their expense. I don't know if they had any monetary support for their legal expenses, but bless them and much praise for their determination.

Average Joe

4:40 pm on Thursday, February 21, 2013

I hear Stateville is nice this time of year...time for Drew to book his trip...maybe it will be an extended stay?

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Brittany

4:50 pm on Thursday, February 21, 2013

About damn time! Now it's time for justice for Stacy!

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Bob Jamesly

5:05 pm on Thursday, February 21, 2013

Drewfus the Doofus!
We know the truth when we see it!
See ya later!

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Ernie Carneau

5:05 pm on Thursday, February 21, 2013

The Unbelievible part of this is, IF he'd a fired Brodsky, who allowed the testimony that convicted him, he'd a probably got off!! But because of his arrogance, and support of an attorney who made an incredible mistake, he was convicted of a crime he really did commit!!!

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Colt45

11:00 am on Friday, February 22, 2013

Ernie, it was Drew who wanted Harry Smith, he thought it would prove Stacy was trying to extort money from him, it backfired. Plain and simple.

anonymous

6:08 pm on Thursday, February 21, 2013

Good to see people can be tried and convicted in the media by second rate hacks like Hosey and have hearsay evidence used like some banana republic. Drew is a scuzzy guy but there was not 1 shred of evidence to convict him. What a witchtrial-good job Hosey-enjoy your blood money from the book and 15 minutes of fame.

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Colt45

11:00 am on Friday, February 22, 2013

@anonymous......LOL you are a joke...

Buford Pusser

8:14 am on Friday, February 22, 2013

This world and justice system sucks if someone can be solely convicted on crap hearsay evidence and nothing more! We are all screwed. God be with you Drew!

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Colt45

11:00 am on Friday, February 22, 2013

@ Buford.....my advice to you is to read up on this "Hearsay" You dont have a clue ..My heart goes out to the children of Kathleen and Stacy, but as far as Drew goes, he got what he deserved. Next, he will pay for Stacy, (if he last in prison) which imo, he won't.

Buford Pusser

8:14 am on Friday, February 22, 2013

The new norm and prosecution tool in the U.S. now is only hearsay. Forget the old school evidence of D.N.A. , physical evidence , actuall eye witnesses or other solid evidence, when you can just convict on hearsay.

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Ernie Knight

11:00 am on Friday, February 22, 2013

Buford,
Your perception is incorrect. Heresay has ALWAYS been around. There was NO expansion of heresay in this case. The Appelate court specifically rejected the new law. All heresay was allowed under established, existing statute and case law.

Kurt Bihler

8:14 am on Friday, February 22, 2013

Sadly, anonymous. You are correct.

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GlockG22Shoots40s

11:00 am on Friday, February 22, 2013

I agree with Anonymous... I believe the guy is guilty, but there is no hard proof... bad day for our justice system....

Makes ya wonder how many truly innocent people get rail-roaded like this...

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