Drew Peterson's son fights to save Oak Brook cop job
Stephen Peterson admitted under oath that he stashed his infamous father's favorite guns, but the Oak Brook police officer denies that constitutes a violation of department policy.
Peterson has declined to comment. But his police union attorney, Tamara L. Cummings issued a written statement Wednesday on his behalf in which she accused Police Chief Thomas Sheahan of unfairly targeting Peterson, son of Drew Peterson.
According to Cummings: "It should be abundantly clear that as soon as he became aware that the guns were of interest to the state police, Peterson gave the guns to the appropriate authorities and fully cooperated with their investigation. This entire incident transpired in a matter of days. To say that Officer Peterson committed wrongdoing or had any further obligations defies logic and I am confident that once again we will demonstrate that Chief Sheahan's charges are baseless."
Peterson, 31, was placed on paid administrative leave last week pending an internal investigation.
His son's disciplinary action is the latest unwelcome news for Drew Peterson, 56, jailed since May 2009 after being charged with first-degree murder in third wife Kathleen Savio's 2004 bathtub drowning in Bolingbrook.
An appellate court this week denied the retired Bolingbrook police sergeant's request to be set free while Will County prosecutors appeal a lower court's pretrial ruling barring the majority of certain hearsay statements they argue incriminate Peterson.
"He's OK with it," lead defense attorney Joel Brodsky said. "He's more upset by what's happening to Stephen."
Drew Peterson also is facing a 2008 illegal weapons charge after being accused of possessing an AR-15 rifle with a prohibited shortened barrel.
Stephen Peterson testified Aug. 23 for the prosecution that Drew brought two bags holding as many as three guns to his North Aurora house Oct. 30, 2007 because, "these were his favorites and he didn't want anything to happen to them."
That was just days after Drew Peterson's fourth wife, Stacy, 23, went missing. Peterson denies any wrongdoing in her disappearance. He has not been charged.
State police raided his home that Nov. 1. Brodsky said Drew Peterson voluntarily told police his son had the weapons, and Stephen Peterson promptly handed them over.
At issue, however, is whether Stephen Peterson was obligated to immediately turn them over to law enforcement upon possession. Oak Brook Village Manager David Niemeyer said the officer will remain on paid administrative leave pending the outcome of an internal department investigation.
Chief Sheahan may seek Peterson's dismissal. Peterson has faced numerous verbal and written reprimands and suspensions for past infractions dating back to 2005, according to DuPage County court filings.
Most recently, he received a 25-day suspension for running improper police database checks on village employee cars in late 2008. Months earlier, Peterson also received a four-day suspension for driving in a marked squad car and appearing in uniform in 2007 before the Will County grand jury regarding Stacy's disappearance.
Cummings said both of the most recent cases were initiated after an "onslaught of public controversy" over Stacy Peterson's disappearance and Savio's death.
"Although the police board agreed with the chief and imposed discipline, in both cases, a circuit court judge either reversed the police board's findings or reduced the sanction. How many times do we have to appeal to the courts to demonstrate that Sheahan is unfairly targeting Officer Peterson?"
Cummings concluded: "Not only is he a good officer, he is currently raising his own child along with the young children of his father, and the chief wants to take away his livelihood?"
Stephen Peterson has accused Sheahan of disliking him.
"No, I like Officer Peterson," Sheahan testified during an Oct. 16, 2008 hearing before the Oak Brook police and fire commission regarding the database allegations. "I think he's a good officer. I think he's made some mistakes, but I think he's a good officer."
Sheahan admitted checking up on Peterson in light of a "confidential state police investigation," though the chief declined to confirm it involved Drew Peterson, according to a transcript of the police commission hearing.
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<h1>More Coverage</h1>
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<h2>Related documents</h2>
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<li><a href="/pdf/petersonrelease.pdf">Attorney's response to department </a></li>
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