Judge Changed in Peterson Murder Case
May 21 2009, Published 6:38 a.m. ET
A new judge was today appointed in the Drew Peterson murder case.
Will County Chief Judge Gerald Kinney let prosecutors replace the existing judge because the defense had not established a pattern of abuse by the state of its right to replace judges.
“I do not find that this has been established by the defense’s response,” Kinney said at a hearing at Will County courthouse.
Prosecutors had filed a motion to replace Judge Richard Schoenstedt claiming that he was prejudiced against the state. Kinney assigned the case to Judge Carla Alessio Policandriotes – to which Peterson’s lawyer Joel Brodsky protested before finally accepting the decision. A hearing with the new judge is now scheduled for Friday, May 22, 2009, at 1pm.
Peterson is in jail for the 2004 death of his previous wife, Kathleen Savio, the former policeman has pled not guilty. Authorities are planning to carry-out DNA testing on an unidentified female body which they believe may be Peterson’s fourth wife Stacy Peterson who has been missing for the past two years.
(Photo: Zuma Press)
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