07-24-2012, 02:39 PM
While an Illinois court moves swiftly to seat jurors in the murder case against former police officer Drew Peterson, who is accused of killing his third wife, police are probing his possible role in the disappearance of wife No. 4.
Peterson, 58, is charged with the 2004 death of his third wife, Kathleen Savio, which was deemed accidental until police began investigating the 2007 disappearance of his fourth wife, Stacy Peterson. With the former suburban Chicago police officer a defendant in one murder case and a suspect in another, Stacy Peterson's family is convinced of his guilt and confident they will see him tried for her murder.
"I think in time the case will be resolved and hopefully he'll go to trial for that to," said Pam Bosco, a spokeswoman for Stacy Peterson's family. "They have a dedicated force and are not going to give up until they find out what happened to Stacy," she said of investigators.
"He has not been charged because we don’t have a body," added Stacy Peterson's aunt, Candace Aikin, "But I believe that things are progressing with the investigation in a good way."
During the first day of jury selection Monday, a judge and attorneys removed pool members who saw a TV movie about the case or came to court already convinced he's guilty.
Legal experts say the court faces an uphill battle in selecting jurors who have not been subjected to intense media coverage on the case and who have no pre-conceived notions of Peterson's guilt or innocence.
"In a high-profile case whose circumstantial allegations are tailor-made for TV -- a police officer suspected of murdering multiple wives -- jury selection is extremely difficult," said Mark Bederow, a New York-based criminal defense attorney and former prosecutor.
"It is virtually impossible to find a person in that community who hasn't heard of the case and formed some opinion about it," Bederow told FoxNews.com. "The difficult task for the defense is finding jurors who it truly feels believe in the system -- and especially in a circumstantial case -- will hold the prosecution to its heavy burden of proof."
Twelve jurors have been selected in Peterson's murder trial. The full panel won't be seated until three more alternates have been picked. Eight jurors were selected Monday, and the final members of the jury and one alternate were chosen by noon Tuesday.
Among those selected Tuesday was a part-time poet and a man in his 70s who takes flying lessons and who played baseball on his college team.
Attorneys have until next Tuesday to prepare their opening statements, and prosecutors are expected to call their first witnesses later that same day.
Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/us/2012/07/24/acc...z21ZDdKEQh
Peterson, 58, is charged with the 2004 death of his third wife, Kathleen Savio, which was deemed accidental until police began investigating the 2007 disappearance of his fourth wife, Stacy Peterson. With the former suburban Chicago police officer a defendant in one murder case and a suspect in another, Stacy Peterson's family is convinced of his guilt and confident they will see him tried for her murder.
"I think in time the case will be resolved and hopefully he'll go to trial for that to," said Pam Bosco, a spokeswoman for Stacy Peterson's family. "They have a dedicated force and are not going to give up until they find out what happened to Stacy," she said of investigators.
"He has not been charged because we don’t have a body," added Stacy Peterson's aunt, Candace Aikin, "But I believe that things are progressing with the investigation in a good way."
During the first day of jury selection Monday, a judge and attorneys removed pool members who saw a TV movie about the case or came to court already convinced he's guilty.
Legal experts say the court faces an uphill battle in selecting jurors who have not been subjected to intense media coverage on the case and who have no pre-conceived notions of Peterson's guilt or innocence.
"In a high-profile case whose circumstantial allegations are tailor-made for TV -- a police officer suspected of murdering multiple wives -- jury selection is extremely difficult," said Mark Bederow, a New York-based criminal defense attorney and former prosecutor.
"It is virtually impossible to find a person in that community who hasn't heard of the case and formed some opinion about it," Bederow told FoxNews.com. "The difficult task for the defense is finding jurors who it truly feels believe in the system -- and especially in a circumstantial case -- will hold the prosecution to its heavy burden of proof."
Twelve jurors have been selected in Peterson's murder trial. The full panel won't be seated until three more alternates have been picked. Eight jurors were selected Monday, and the final members of the jury and one alternate were chosen by noon Tuesday.
Among those selected Tuesday was a part-time poet and a man in his 70s who takes flying lessons and who played baseball on his college team.
Attorneys have until next Tuesday to prepare their opening statements, and prosecutors are expected to call their first witnesses later that same day.
Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/us/2012/07/24/acc...z21ZDdKEQh