Judge Says Press May Cover Hearsay Hearing in Peterson Murder Case

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Will County (Ill.) Circuit Judge Stephen White will allow press coverage of testimony from 15 hearsay witnesses for the prosecution in the case of  People of the State of Illinois v. Drew Walter Peterson (Case. No. 09CF1048).

Peterson, a former police officer in Bollingbrook, Ill., is accused of drowning Kathleen Savio, his third wife, in 2004. Peterson's attorneys on Dec. 19 asked Judge White to close the courtroom during the hearing, which is mandatory under a hearsay evidence law recently enacted in Illinois. Defense counsel said the anticipated testimony would be highly prejudicial, but Judge White found no basis for closing the hearing to the public.