[GVnana]

I'll be darned. I didn't think the prosecution would pull it off!

[circlecity]

"The prosecution built its case almost exclusively on circumstantial and hearsay evidence, including testimony about what Peterson's wives had told friends and acquaintances before the one died and the other disappeared."

This I'm sure will be the primary focus of the appeal.

[DrDude]

He should get the max. His lawyer(s) should get disbarred for ignorance and stupidity. They were laughing about rulings and the “lack of evidence”. Then the morons called a witness opening the door to information the Prosecutor wasn’t allowed to bring out. I think it was the last witness called. Cemented the guilty verdict against their own Client. I think they should never be able to practice law and/or do some prison time themselves. They left the door open for appeals for “Incompetent Counsel”.

[bigheadfred]

Pull what off?

Completely trashing the Constitution?

[BuffaloJack]

We gotta get rid of this no death penalty bullcrap.
This guy really needs a noose and a tall tree.

[mkjessup]

Well so much for the concept of 'confronting one's accuser'. This conviction of Drew Peterson, regardless of how one views his public persona, is (to paraphrase of all people, that dirtbag Chuck Schumer) a 'dagger' to the Constitution, for everyone who thinks locking up Drew Peterson for 60 years (or even advocating execution) based on this contested hearsay evidence, think about this:

At some future point, YOU (yes you) are arrested based upon the third party statement of an individual you don't even know, saying that the cold case murder of some other individual you never heard of, was committed by YOU, based on statements you made here on Free Republic, coupled with (imaginary) statements you made to your hearsay accusers. It comes down to a "they said/you said" situation, and with the full weight of any given prosecutor's office, combined with the professional veracity of your accusers (you don't think they're going to dredge up less than 'sterling' accusers do you?), you are going to play the Devil trying to beat the rap, and if the jury is even mildly gullible and ignorant of the Constitution's original intent in matters like this, you my FRiend will be going away to the big house for a long, long time.

That Illinois 'Hearsay' Law is BAD law, and it should be ruled unConstitutional by the SCOTUS (because I predict it will go that far), and Peterson whether we like it or not, will and should be, released.

Then the State of Illinois and the prosecutors who initiated this legal jihad will have to live with that 'double jeopardy' prohibition on further prosecution.

Unless the Illinois legislature decides to try and nullify that too with ill-advised laws.

[ozzymandus]

Did anybody actually think this clown would get off? The MSM pronounced him guilty and sentenced him to prison years ago.

[StormEye]

"Peterson, 58, faces a maximum 60-year prison term when sentenced. Illinois has no death penalty."

In other words, he got away with murder.