By Steve Schmadeke, Matthew Walberg and Andy Grimm, Chicago Tribune –
CHICAGO — On the day after his 18th birthday, the youngest son of Drew Peterson and Kathleen Savio visited the courtroom where his father is on trial for allegedly drowning his mother.
Kris Peterson also had signed a waiver of his claims in a pending wrongful death lawsuit filed by Savio’s relatives against his father, something the teen could do only now that he’s a legal adult, attorneys said.
The waiver and courtroom visit Thursday show the support Drew Peterson has from his two sons with Savio, defense attorney Joel Brodsky said. “They know he’s innocent,” he said.
Kris Peterson, whose birthday was Wednesday, walked into the packed courtroom after a lunch break and took a seat near the front of the gallery, leaning forward to speak to his father, who turned around in his seat at the defense attorney’s table.
The courtroom drama, which ended when Drew Peterson’s son left because as a potential witness he is not allowed to sit in on the trial, came during a pause in the sometimes emotional testimony from Savio’s friend Mary Parks.
Parks, who attended nursing classes at Joliet Junior College with Savio, tried to keep her composure as she recalled seeing her friend “in shock” and watching as she unzipped her fleece jacket collar.
“I saw red marks on her neck,” Parks said, clutching her neck with her right hand to indicate where she saw the three marks.
“She told me that, the evening before, she was coming down the stairs and her husband came into the house and he grabbed her by the neck and pinned her down. She said her husband at that point said to her, ‘Why don’t you just die?’ ”
Parks said she frequently walked Savio, who was afraid of Peterson, to her car after school. Savio told her how Peterson threatened her.
“Kathy told me that her husband, Drew Peterson, told her that he could kill her and make her disappear,” said Parks. Later in the day, Parks broke down in tears on the stand and the judge called a brief recess so she could compose herself.
After defense attorney Steve Greenberg objected, prosecutors withdrew a line of questions intended to draw out a hearsay statement about Peterson’s alleged financial motive for Savio’s death.
“She told me that he said he wants it all. He wants the house, he wants the businesses, he wants everything,” Parks testified outside the presence of jurors.
While Parks’ testimony was sometimes confrontational, the trial Thursday also included moments that provoked laughter in the courtroom.
There was Brodsky’s successful objection to a question by a fellow defense lawyer, State’s Attorney James Glasglow’s questioning of a witness before jurors were there to hear it and a letter from a prison inmate to the judge offering information that linked the Peterson case to the Abraham Lincoln assassination and Trayvon Martin fatal shooting in Florida.
The paperwork signed by Kris Peterson spells the end of a civil lawsuit that was filed three years ago by Savio’s family on behalf of Savio’s estate, said Brodsky.
Martin Glink, who represents Savio’s family, questioned whether Kris Peterson’s decision was truly independent.
“The son may think that he’s acting in his own best interest, but I’m not so sure that there hasn’t been influence by his father,” Glink said.
Savio and Drew Peterson had two sons during their 11-year marriage. The oldest, 19-year-old Thomas, had previously signed paperwork removing himself from the case, which was put on hold while the criminal case moved forward.
The lawsuit was filed in 2009 by Savio’s father, Henry Savio, and sister Anna Doman on behalf of Kathleen Savio’s estate. It sought damages from Peterson for Savio’s alleged murder.
Brodsky denied that Drew was exerting “some Svengali, Rasputin-like influence” over his boys. He said the two sons made their own decisions because they are convinced their father is innocent.
“They’re very smart kids; they’re really good kids,” Brodsky said. “They’re nobody’s fool. They’re adults now. They were there the night, or the weekend anyway, that the state says Drew killed Kathy Savio. They know he’s innocent.
“They’re releasing him from this really vindictive lawsuit by Henry Savio and Anna Doman.”
Christopher Hurley, a Chicago personal injury lawyer, agreed that without Peterson’s sons the civil case was over. Under Illinois law, when the victim in a wrongful death case has surviving children, they are the only ones who can collect on a judgment paid out to estate, he said.
