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Feb 27, 2008 10:07 pm US/Central
Drew Peterson Loses Right To Own Guns
Ex-Cop Will Not Get Seized Guns Back, But Will Get Other Property From November Search Of His Home
BOLINGBROOK, Ill. (CBS) ―
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Drew Peterson walking in front of his house late last year.
CBS
Former Bolingbrook police Sgt. Drew Peterson's fight to get his guns back hit a snag Wednesday evening. Hours after a judge ruled in his favor to get them back from investigators, Peterson's rights to own them was revoked.
The guns were among a number of his belongings confiscated from the Peterson home during a search after his wife, Stacy Peterson, suddenly disappeared in October 2007.
CBS 2's Dana Kozlov reports Peterson is in New York Wednesday night to do a television appearance. There was no comment from Peterson himself on these developments, but Pamela Bosco, a close family friend of Stacy Peterson's, is pleased with the step.
A sign publicizing a fundraiser for missing Stacy Peterson sits in a yard next to the Peterson house. Four months after Stacy's disappearance, state police still consider Drew Peterson a suspect, though he has not been charged with any crime.
But Wednesday, a judge ruled Peterson can get back items seized from his house in a search. Those items include a computer and the couple's cars. Peterson can expect everything back in 30 days, except for his guns. State police revoked his firearm owner's identification card Wednesday evening.
"Now that they have revoked that, it does give us a sense of relief, some breathing space so this investigation can continue until we have an outcome to it," said Stacy Peterson's family spokesperson, Pam Bosco.
The action came at the request of Will County State's Attorney James Glasgow.
Drew Peterson's attorney, Joel Brodsky, says he's pleased with the imminent return of Peterson's belongings but says "if police had a valid reason, they would have taken Peterson's FOID card a long time ago. They just did this to vex Drew."
Legal experts say state police have the authority to revoke the card, but have to justify it.
The Illinois State Police are handling the investigation into Stacy Peterson's disappearance, and CBS 2 Legal Analyst Irv Miller believes the battle over the guns shows the Will County State's Attorney is still a long way from the evidence he would need to charge Drew Peterson. Miller says it's just a tactic in this ongoing investigation.
"He's just hoping something will come up where he will lodge a charge against Drew Peterson and he doesn't want to turn these guns over 'til that happens," Miller said of Glasgow.
"We talk to the Illinois State Police at least two to three times a week and of course the same amount of people are doing this investigation day and night, so they haven't let up and they won't until they have some answers about what happened to both of these women," Bosco said.
Bosco was referring not just to Stacy Peterson, but also Peterson's third wife, Kathleen Savio, whose death was recently ruled a homicide, after originally being classified as an accident.
Peterson's belongings will be returned within 30 days, provided he does not object to the use of photographs of the items should they ever be used in court.
CBS 2's Dana Kozlov contributed to this report.
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