Court had been scheduled to begin at 9:00 a.m. CST.

Defense team availability Tuesday

Availability will be as set out below, with the exception of the a.m. Please monitor @publicityagency on Twitter or www.PetersonDefense.com.

Defense team availability: General Game Plan

The plan is to make defense team lawyers available for brief comments each day at three different junctures for the duration of the trial.

1. Before court, in the rear of the courthouse by the parking lot. When court begins at 9:00 a.m., the availability will be 8:15 a.m.

2. Lunch–upon RETURN to the courthouse before court resumes. The defense team will walk from 58 N. Chicago, where they have temporary office space, back to the courthouse.

3. At the end of the court day, on the side of the courthouse.

Please direct any special requests to the Peterson defense PR team.

MEDIA CONTACTS:

On the ground Tuesday in Joliet

Glenn Selig
Cell: (813) 300-5454
Email: gselig@seligmultimedia.com or Glenn@thepublicityagency.com

At the office

Melissa Rogovin
(813) 708-1220
Email: Melissa@seligmultimedia.com

For more information, please visit www.petersondefense.com or email the PR firm The Publicity Agency at media@thepublicityagency.com.

There are six (6) motions before the court, two (2) brought by the defense and four (4) brought by the State. These motions concern whether or not certain evidence and exhibits can be presented by the State at trial.

In addition the defense and State are expected to discuss with Judge Burmila certain “housekeeping” matters regarding the picking of the jury and the conduct of the trial.

The hearings are expected to take several hours and may continue into the afternoon.

For more information, please visit www.petersondefense.com or email the PR firm The Publicity Agency at media@thepublicityagency.com.

The new website is www.petersondefense.com.

The website is the “public war room for the Drew Peterson defense team,” according to the page.

It’s where the media should go to find information or to inquire about interviews with the defense team or those associated with the defense team. More items will be added to the web page in coming days and weeks and as situations warrant.

The web page currently contains biographies for each of Peterson’s lawyers: Joel Brodsky, lead defense attorney; Steve Greenberg; Ralph E. Meczyk; Joseph R. Lopez; Darryl Goldberg; and Lisa M. Lopez.

The Drew Peterson defense team (www.petersondefense.com) webpage also contains other resources for reporters, news outlets, and interested members of the public.

The Drew Peterson defense team has plans to utilize the latest in technology to disseminate information to reporters and news outlets, where appropriate.  Also, any interested member of the public who is not part of the jury pool is also welcome to take advantage.

An RSS feed, available on the webpage, is designed for those who wish to receive news releases from the defense team right on their smart phones or computers.

The defense team plans to Tweet statements, press releases and other items of news value via the The Publicity Agency’s Twitter handle @publicityagency.

The web page also contains a sign up form for those wishing to receive press releases via email. Press releases also will be posted online and appear in search engines.

The media relations, web page and Twitter channel are being handled by The Publicity Agency. The PR firm has represented Drew Peterson and the defense team since 2007.

Jury selection begins July 23.

Drew Peterson has been in jail since his arrest in May, 2009. The story has received national and international attention.

For more information, please visit www.petersondefense.com or email media@thepublicityagency.com.

Attorney Joseph R. Lopez is best known for representing members of the Chicago Outfit. When Lopez was growing up in Chicago’s Little Italy neighborhood, he was given the nickname “the Shark.”

Lead Peterson defense attorney Joel Brodsky tapped Lopez to join the defense team because of his skills and success at delivering closing arguments.

“I chose Joe because he is good at what he does,” says Brodsky. “It wasn’t a stroke of genius. It is about assembling a winning team and Joe’s track record reinforces to me that I made the right decision in giving him the closing argument.”

Two of Lopez’s recent cases were murder trials. The third involved accusations of armed robbery and extortion. Lopez delivered closing arguments in all three cases and all three defendants were found not guilty.

The closing argument is the final argument made by an attorney during a trial. It represents a summation of the evidence. Closing arguments are the last chance to talk to the jury and impact their decisions. And the closing argument is considered within the legal community to be an art form of sorts.

“The closing argument is one of the most important parts of a trial, as the entire trial leads up to the summation. The argument is especially significant if the outcome of the trial is too close to predict,” according to the website caught.net. “At that point, all that matters is the attorney’s last minute attempt to persuade the jury to find in favor of his or her client.”

Peterson is charged with murder in the death of his third wife, Kathleen Savio. Her death originally was ruled an accidental drowning but authorities later determined it to be a homicide that was staged to look like an accident. Peterson vehemently denies any connection to Savio’s death.

Peterson’s fourth wife, Stacey, disappeared several years ago and though a suspect, he has not been charged in connection with that case.

Last week an appellate court ruled that hearsay evidence would be allowed to be presented at trial, which means two of Peterson’ ex-wives will likely “testify” during the trial even though one is dead and the other is missing.  

Peterson has been in jail since May 2009 since police arrested and charged him.

MEDIA CONTACT

Glenn Selig
PR firm:  The Publicity Agency
Phone: 813-708-1220
Email:  glenn@thepublicityagency.com
Web:  www.thepublicityagency.com

Drew Peterson demands apology from Illinois State Police after another woman, Judith Bello, a mother who disappeared 18 years ago, is discovered alive in California (KCAL 9 News-Los Angeles).

When the Illinois State Police made public statements that Drew Peterson’s wife, Stacy Peterson, was “missing and presumed dead” it immediately focused attention and cast suspicion on him, but Drew Peterson has always believed that Stacy is still very much alive and he deserves an apology.

What prompted the demand for an apology is the case of a Washington State mother who had been missing for 18 years until just this month.  Judith Bello vanished under suspicious circumstances but just voluntarily resurfaced after being featured in a cold case story. 

Back in 1993, Judith Bello failed to pick up her three year old child at the daycare center after work and just vanished.  Police found her car abandoned at the local post office later that day and she left no word with her family.  Suspicion was cast on her husband because they were having marital difficulties. Police at the time said that it was unlikely Bello would voluntarily leave because she was a good mother and was close to her family. 

It turns out that’s exactly what she did.

This case shows that “there are a lot of reasons why people go missing, and not all of them are bad,” Snohomish County Sheriff’s chief Kevin Prentiss told a local newspaper. “Sometimes people just don’t want to be found.”

And that’s point, according to Drew Peterson.

His lead criminal defense attorney says what the State Police did was just plain wrong.

“There is a huge cloud of suspicion cast over Drew Peterson because of the Illinois State Police’s statement that Stacy Peterson is presumed dead; however there is absolutely no evidence to support that statement,” says Joel A. Brodsky, Drew Peterson’s lead attorney. “They made it seem like no woman, no mother, would ever just disappear, but as this most recent case shows, it does happen. In fact it happens more often than you would think”

In fact Stacy Peterson’s own mother disappeared when Stacy was a youngster.  “In Stacy’s mind disappearing may be ‘normal,’” says Brodsky.

Peterson has not been charged in Stacy’s disappearance. He is in jail awaiting trial for the murder of his third wife, Kathleen, which was ruled an accident at the time of her death. Peterson vehemently denies any wrongdoing in both cases.

MORE INFO

http://www.seattlepi.com/local/komo/article/Stanwood-woman-missing-for-18-years-found-in-2338196.php

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mobileweb/2011/12/04/judith-bello-missing-woman-found_n_1125849.html

http://www.ktla.com/news/landing/kcpq-washington-woman-missing-for-18-years-calls-police-ends-cold-case-20111201,0,766550.story

MEDIA CONTACT

Glenn Selig

PR Firm: The Publicity Agency

Email: gselig@seligmultimedia.com

Phone: (813) 708-1220

“While Walter Maksym has represented Drew Peterson in two unrelated civil matters, he is not, and never has been, involved with Drew Peterson’s criminal defense case.  The situation Mr. Maksym now faces with the federal courts has no impact whatsoever on the criminal defense of Drew Peterson.

“While acknowledging the excellent civil law work Mr. Maksym has done for him, Mr. Peterson has decided to ask Mr. Maksym to temporarily step aside on the one remaining civil law matter while he focuses on his personal issue.”

MEDIA CONTACT

Glenn Selig
PR firm: The Publicity Agency
Phone: 813-708-1220
Email: glenn@thepublicityagency.com
Web: www.thepublicityagency.com

Drew Peterson’s criminal defense team today responded to reports that actor Rob Lowe has been cast to play Peterson in an upcoming made-for-TV movie to air on Lifetime cable.

Peterson is accused of killing his third wife and is implicated in the disappearance of his fourth.  He has vehemently denied any wrongdoing and is currently in jail awaiting trial.

“People need to remember that movies are not real life.   This is a made-for-TV movie:  It’s a story and entertainment.  It’s not fact,” says Joel A. Brodsky, Peterson’s lead criminal defense attorney.  “All that matters is Drew Peterson’s right to a fair trial and the only opinion that matters is the jury’s.”

“Every story must have an ending.  We hope and caution any company producing a movie about the Drew Peterson case to wait for the only ending that matters, the jury verdict, before broadcasting the Drew Peterson story.”

Authorities arrested Peterson, a former decorated Bolingbrook (Ill.) police sergeant in 2009.  His third wife, Kathleen Savio, died in 2004 and at the time was ruled an accidental drowning.

Peterson who has not been convicted of any crime is being held on $20-million bond.

STATEMENT FROM DREW PETERSON’S LEGAL TEAM:

“People need to remember that movies are not real life.   This is a made-for-TV movie:  It’s a story and entertainment.  It’s not fact.  All that matters is Drew Peterson’s right to a fair trial and the only opinion that matters is the jury’s.  Every story must have an ending.  We hope and caution any company producing a movie about the Drew Peterson case to wait for the only ending that matters, the jury verdict, before broadcasting the Drew Peterson story.”

CONTACT:
Joel A. Brodsky, criminal defense attorney
(312) 541-7000

MEDIA CONTACT:
Glenn Selig
PR Firm:  The Publicity Agency
Phone:  813-708-1220
Email:  glenn@thepublicityagency.com

Drew Peterson on NBC's TODAY show.

Attorney Joseph “Shark” Lopez and his attorney/wife Lisa Lopez, both members of Drew Peterson’s criminal defense team, scored a victory in a first degree murder case against what some believe were incredible odds.

Lopez represented reputed gang member Anthony Collazo, who was accused of murdering pizzeria manager Jason Muller in a case of mistaken identity.

While Collazo’s co-defendant Gabriel Contreras was convicted by Judge Stanley Sacks, Lopez’s client left the courtroom a free man.

In this case attorney Lopez was faced with eye witnesses, and grand jury testimony which implicated his client.

However, in his closing argument Lopez convinced the jury that the police had the wrong man.

Lopez is expected to give the closing argument when the Drew Peterson murder case goes to trial.

“Mr. Callazo is extremely happy to have been cleared of this charge of murder,” says Lopez.  “I am sure that Drew Peterson is also pleased because there was more evidence against Mr. Callazo then there is against Drew Peterson, and the jury found him not guilty.  This just shows how very weak the case against Drew Peterson is.”

Drew Peterson is charged with killing his third wife, Kathleen Savio. He has been in jail two years awaiting trial.

His fourth wife, Stacy, is missing. Peterson has not been charged.

Peterson has vehemently denied wrongdoing in either case.

MEDIA CONTACTS:
Glenn Selig
PR Firm:  The Publicity Agency
Email:  glenn@thepublicityagency.com
Phone:  813-708-1220

Joel A. Brodsky, Esq.
Phone:  312-541-7000
Website:  www.joelbrodskylaw.com

“The Peterson children are caught in the middle of dueling family members and huge media frenzy,” says Dr. Dan, who was friends with Peterson 20 years ago and recently reconnected. “The family has had to wake up at four in the morning to the roar of media generators, climb over the back fence to attend school and then hear the accusations against their dad on TV.”

Dr. Dan says the Peterson children know what is happening-appropriate for their ages and abilities.

“From what I see, Drew and the outside help he’s hired to help care for the children are doing a great job,” says Dr. Dan. Peterson is the former Chicago area police officer who’s at the center of one of the biggest crime investigations.

The death of Peterson’s third wife, Kathleen Savio, was recently ruled a homicide.

His fourth wife Stacy disappeared.

Peterson has not been charged with a crime but has been the consistent focus of police and media attention.

Peterson and his children escaped the media circus over Christmas and New Year’s by being with Dr. Dan and his family in Florida. Peterson has since come to see Dr. Dan a few more times.

“Drew is a very attentive father,” says Dr. Dan. “The two oldest sons clearly understand what is happening–one is a police officer. The two teens are equally aware and are extremely helpful, wonderful, motivated, young men who stand by their dad and help Drew with the youngest children.”

Dr. Dan believes there is no basis for removing any of the children from Peterson’s care, as the families of Peterson’s missing wife Stacy and former wife Kathleen Savio have suggested.

“The 3 and 4 year olds are physically and emotionally vibrant and are well parented by Drew and the older family members,” says Dr. Dan. “These children are in great hands.”

Dr. Dan is available for media interviews.

About Dr. Dan Budenz:  Daniel T Budenz, Ph.D. is a certified professional counselor and a certified alcohol and drug counselor and certified instructor and internationally certified addictions counselor.  He and his staff have treated hundreds of high profile families, celebrities, sports, medical, legal and political figures.  In Chicago, Dr. Dan helped establish and coordinate  the Hines VA addictions program, served as chief psychologist/director of Loretto Hospital’s Inpatient and Outpatient Services that he set up.   He also ran a private practice for a brief period
at Forrest Psychiatric Hospital.

Media Contact: Glenn Selig, Publicist, ThePublicityAgency.com
Email: glenn (at) thepublicityagency.com
Phone: (813) 300-5454

To contact Dr. Dan Budenz directly:  drdantb@gmail.com.
This press release was issued by PRNewsChannel.com.  For more information, please contact http://www.prnewschannel.com.

“As long as my children are okay, I’m okay,” Peterson told Matt Lauer on NBC’s Today show.

Peterson said he was surprised to hear of the coroner’s report that concludes that Savio’s death was a homicide.

“It was kinda shocking,” said Peterson.  “‘We believed for the last four years the death was an accident.”

Though public scrutiny focuses on Peterson, police have not named him or anyone else a suspect.

During the live interview that lasted about 15 minutes, a more contrite and conciliatory side of Peterson emerged. 

Peterson is the prime suspect in the disappearance of his fourth wife who’s been missing four months to the day. 

Peterson said he believes that Stacy left him for another man. 

“It’s all the information that I have it’s all I can believe,” he said on the show.

After the show, Peterson acknowledged he truly doesn’t know where Stacy is and, like everyone else, can’t understand why she hasn’t come forward or been found.

“All I know is I had nothing to do with her missing,” said Peterson, “I truly don’t know where she is. All I know for sure is that I had nothing to do with her disappearing.”

Peterson for the first time also said he accepts responsibility for an unflattering image that the public has of him.  He says in retrospect his bizarre behavior outside of his house and his antics may have made it easier for people to believe he could be capable of sinister acts.

“I believe the media has convicted me but I don’t think I helped my case either,” Peterson said.

Peterson’s defense attorney Joel Brodsky appeared on the NBC program along with his client.  He did not allow Peterson to answer certain specific questions that could affect his defense should he charged with a crime and stand trial.   Brodsky acknowledged things look suspicious.

“Suspician isn’t guilt,” Brosky said.

Contact:  Glenn Selig, Publicist, ThePublicityAgency.com, (813) 300-5454. glenn (at) thepublicityagency.com

This press release was issued by PRNewsChannel.com.  For more information, please visit http://www.prnewschannel.com.

“It’s important that the public understand who Drew really and truely is,” says his publicist Glenn Selig.  “He’s very different than he’s often portrayed to be.  The AP is a highly respected news gathering organization and that’s why it was important for AP to have this kind of access.”

The death of Peterson’s third wife Kathleen Savio was recently ruled a homicide. 

Peterson has flatly denied any involvement in either case.  His attorney, Joel Brodsky, has consistently maintained that there is no credible evidence which connects Drew to either Stacy’s disappearance or Kathleen’s death.  Brodsky said in an interview with Matt Lauer on NBC’s Today that “suspicion is not guilt,” and unlucky coincidence is not a substitute for evidence in a court of law.

When it comes to his public image, Selig says Peterson takes responsibility for his own antics that have helped shape what people think of him.  But Selig says certain members of the tabloid media have gone too far and have felt free to convict Peterson in the court of public opinion.

“They’ve anointed themselves judge and jury and that’s wrong,” says Selig.  “Drew is trying his best to raise his children with the prying eyes of the media and the world watching his every move and miss-steps.”

Selig says Peterson answered questions from two AP reporters and gave the AP’s print photographer and videographer an extensive tour of his home and access to his life.

The AP says it will share interview clips and video with all network and local news stations.

Contact:  Glenn Selig, Publicist, ThePublicityAgency.com
Phone:  (888) 399-5534 or (813) 300-5454
Email:  glenn@thepublicityagency.com (BlackBerry)
Web site:  www.thepublicityagency.com

To view this press release online: http://www.prnewschannel.com/absolutenm/templates/?a=416&z=9

This press release was issued by PRNewsChannel.  For more information, please visit http://www.prnewschannel.com.