Pathologist Testifies About Savio's Injuries

Updated 5:15 p.m. 

Instead of a mistrial, defense attorney Ralph Meczyk asked Judge Edward Burmila to strike all of Dr. Larry Blum's testimony and the testimony of any witnesses who have any connection to what Blum had to say.

Burmila rejected this request but told the jury to disregard what Blum said about "crawling" into Kathleen Savio's bathtub. Blum testified throughout the entire afternoon about the 13 supposedly fresh injuries covering Kathleen Savio's body.

Savio had only bruises across the front of her body and abrasions and only abrasions all over the back of her body. She also had a deep, inch-long laceration to the back of her head.

"It looked like she was brutalized that night," said Pam Bosco, a friend of the family of Peterson's missing fourth wife, Stacy Peterson.

"The horror of what Kathleen Savio must have gone through before she died," Bosco said.

Blum's testimony will continue Thursday morning.

Updated 3:45 p.m. 

Everyone is back in court. No mistrial motion has been filed. Defense has chided the prosecution for continually slipping up and acting against Judge Edward Burmila's orders. 

"The disrespect for the court in that regard is shocking to the conscience."

Updated 3:03 p.m. 

The forensic pathologist called by prosecutors may have prompted another call for a mistrial.

Judge Edward Burmila forbade prosecutors from discussing how Dr. Larry Blum climbed into Kathleen Savio's bathtub during his investigation. Blum briught it up without prompting.

A visibly irritated Burmila called a brief recess. One of the defense attorneys indicated that he and his co-counsel will call for a mistrial after the break.

Updated 12:30 p.m. 

Kernc testified that Savio told her about the time Peterson allegedly attacked her at knifepoint. She produced a handwritten statement but then crossed out any mention of a knife.

Kernc also said that while she was co-workers with Peterson, they were "never friends." 

Updated 12:11 p.m. 

Former Bolingbrook Police Lt. Teresa Kernc was still on the witness stand when Judge Edward Burmila called a break for the jury to eat lunch.

Defense attorney Steve Greenberg pointed out that Savio supposedly claimed Drew Peterson would deny being in her house the day of the alleged break-in, but Peterson admitted to being at the home when Kernc questioned him.

Greenberg also said that Savio described the encounter as a "nice conversation" when she spoke to her next-door neighbor Mary Potarelli on that same day.

Updated 10:52 a.m. 

Retired Bolingbrook police Lt. Teresa Kernc continued her testimony by retelling Kathleen Savio's story of Drew Peterson breaking into her home, menacing her at knifepoint and threatening to kill her.

Kernc also said Savio told her Peterson held her against her will for three hours, recounted their entire lives together and blamed her for everything that went wrong between them.

Savio had been served a criminal complaint charging her with battery about 20 minutes before she called the police that morning, defense attorney Steve Greenberg revealed during his cross-examination.

Original story 

Drew Peterson's defense has withdrawn its mistrial motion.

Testimony from former Bolingbrook Police Lt. Teresa Kernc should continue.  

"The defendant, Drew Peterson, wants this jury to decide this case," said Peterson attorney Joseph "Shark" Lopez.

Lopez added that Peterson wasn't "hiding behind legal technicalities." Lopez asked Judge Edward Burmila to strike all hearsay testimony given so far, to prohibit further hearsay testimony, and to reject a prosecution motion to admit testimony from a man who says Peterson offered him $25,000 to find a hit man to kill his third wife Kathleen Savio.

Burmila rejected all three requests.

The Judge will issue an instruction to the jury when they are brought in this morning.

After the jury returns, testimony will continue from retired Bolingbrook Police Officer Teresa Kernc, who was on the stand yesterday afternoon.

Lawyers for accused wife-killer Drew Peterson had asked for a mistrial for the third time in only nine days. A goof by the same prosecutor has prompted the judge to go home early and figure out whether the case can go on.

"It was my fault," said Assistant State's Attorney . "I don't know why I asked that question. There's no excuse."

Patton asked retired Bolingbrook police Lt. Teresa Kernc—who is now the mayor of Diamond—whether she advised Peterson's third wife Kathleen Savio to seek an order of protection against her estranged husband.

Less than two hours earlier, before taking a midday recess, Judge instructed prosecutors not to ask questions about the protective order, which Savio did not choose to pursue.

"I was absolutely specific," the judge said.

"You interjected 'order of protection' into the case when I specifically said not to do that," Burmila said. "There was only one thing I told you not to go into and that's exactly what you went into."