Jury convicts Peterson of 3rd wife’s death Jury convicts Peterson of 3rd wife’s death ADVERTISING JOLIET, Ill. — Drew Peterson — the crass former Illinois police officer who gained notoriety after his much-younger wife vanished in 2007 — was convicted
Jury convicts Peterson of 3rd wife’s death
JOLIET, Ill. — Drew Peterson — the crass former Illinois police officer who gained notoriety after his much-younger wife vanished in 2007 — was convicted Thursday of murdering a previous wife in a potentially precedent-setting case centered on secondhand hearsay statements.
Peterson, 58, sat stoically looking straight ahead and did not react as the judge announced jurors had found him guilty of first-degree murder in the death of his third wife, Kathleen Savio. Her relatives gasped, then fell into each other’s arms and cried.
Illinois has no death penalty, and Peterson now faces a maximum 60-year prison term when sentenced Nov. 26.
The trial was the first of its kind in Illinois history, with prosecutors building their case largely on hearsay thanks to a new law, dubbed “Drew’s Law,” tailored to Peterson’s case. That hearsay, prosecutors had said, would let his third and fourth wives “speak from their graves” through family and friends to convict Peterson.
Hearsay is any information reported by a witness that is not based on the witness’ direct knowledge. Defense attorneys said its use at the trial would be central to their appeal.
Radiation may up breast cancer risk
in some women
LONDON — Mammograms aimed at finding breast cancer might actually raise the chances of developing it in young women whose genes put them at higher risk for the disease, a study by leading European cancer agencies suggests.
The added radiation from mammograms and other types of tests with chest radiation might be especially harmful to them and an MRI is probably a safer method of screening women under 30 who are at high risk because of gene mutations, the authors conclude.
The study can’t prove a link between the radiation and breast cancer, but is one of the biggest ever to look at the issue. The research was published Thursday in the journal BMJ.
“This will raise questions and caution flags about how we treat women with (gene) mutations,” said Dr. Len Lichtenfeld, deputy chief medical officer of the American Cancer Society. He and the society had no role in the research.
Mammograms are most often used in women over 40, unless they are at high risk, like carrying a mutation of the BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene. Having such a mutation increases the risk of developing cancer five-fold. About one in 400 women has the gene abnormalities, which are more common in Eastern European Jewish populations. Unlike mammograms, an MRI, or magnetic resonance imaging scan, does not involve radiation.
Father, friend charged in pit bull attack on son
MILWAUKEE — A Wisconsin man who suspected an 18-year-old visiting his home of stealing morphine and gold coins was charged Thursday with tying the teen by his ankles and ordering his pit bull to attack, while the teen’s own father helped.
Richard R. Lisko, 58, is charged with false imprisonment, injury by negligent use of a dangerous weapon and substantial battery. The teen’s father, Joel E. Kennedy, 43, is charged with being party to a crime of the same felonies, and also with failing to help a victim.
Prosecutors said Kennedy and his son, Joel Kennedy Jr., visited Lisko’s home last Friday for the Labor Day weekend, and Lisko began accusing the teen of theft. He then commanded his dog, Bubba, to attack, the criminal complaint said.
The teen told investigators Lisko then tied the dog leash around his ankles, and Lisko and his father suspended the teen from a porch rafter. He said the dog was ordered to attack him further, and that he was kept upside down for about an hour.
The teen suffered cuts and punctures to his neck, ears and scalp that investigators said appeared consistent with dog bites and scratches. He also had rope burns around his feet and ankles.
By wire sources
