07/11/08
http://www.jurorthirteen.com/GeneralCategories/Investigations/StacyPeterson/tabid/557/Default.aspxSenate passes legislation that may allow hearsay in Peterson caseDrew Peterson Update
During a a special session called by Gov. Rod Blagojevich, the Illinois state Senate passed legislation that could affect the prosecution of Drew Peterson, should he be charged in Stacy Peterson's murder.
Will County State's Atty, James Glasgow, declined to say on Thursday if the legislation was directly related to the Peterson case. But he did say the measure would help authorities aggressively prosecute offenders in domestic violence cases.
Sen. A.J. Wilhelmi (D- Joliet) sponsored a measure—which was pushed by Will County State's Atty. James Glasgow—that would allow a judge to decide at a pretrial hearing whether hearsay testimony could be admitted into court.
The prosecution would have to prove to the judge by a preponderance of evidence that the witness who made the statements was unavailable to testify because the defendant murdered the witness.
"I think justice was well served today," Wilhelmi said. "This was an important bill to ensure that the jury hears the whole truth about the facts and circumstances of an alleged crime."
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