Drew Peterson's Attorneys Begin Legal Maneuvering As Publicist Filibusters On TV (VIDEO)

Drew Peterson's attorneys wasted little time jousting for the legal high ground following the former police officer's Thursday arrest on first-degree murder charges in the 2004 drowning death of his former wife.

Peterson's lead lawyer, Joel Brodsky, took to the morning TV shows Friday to try and cast doubt on the prosecution's case.

"This is a weak, circumstantial case at best," Brodsky said on the "Today" show.

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The defense wants statements made by Kathleen Savio stricken from court proceedings.

Peterson cracked jokes as he was escorted into his bond hearing Friday, quipping, "Three squares a day and this spiffy outfit, look at all this bling," to reporters as he held up his cuffed wrists.

Peterson's publicist, Glenn Selig, defended his client on MSNBC, saying that "just because a person is quirky, doesn't mean that they're guilty." Pressed by anchor Contessa Brewer, Selig attributed Peterson's out-of-context behavior to the former cop's penchant for gallows humor.

"If he's guilty of anything," Selig said, "It's just maybe inappropriate behavior in some circumstances."

Asked if Selig would accept Peterson as a client if he came to him now, after being charged with murder, Selig, who also represents former Gov. Rod Blagojevich, filibustered with a reminder that "just because someone looks guilty doesn't make them guilty."

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Illinois State Police Capt. Carl Dobrich told reporters, "Our journey has been far and wide. It has been exhausting."

"This is an extremely grave and serious matter," said Will County State's Attorney James Glasgow.

The Savio family was enthusiastic.

"As far as I'm concerned, I feel he did kill my sister. That's the way I feel. I know his attorneys might say different, but I believe he did," Savio's brother Henry Savio told WBBM Newsradio.

Henry Savio told the Chicago Tribune he felt like opening champagne.

"It's been hard on my family, hard on my kids, my daughter has nightmares, I've had nightmares about this guy," Henry Savio said. "It's a miracle. We feel like opening up champagne right now. But we know it's a long road ahead, but at least we're one step ahead right now."

Watch NBC Chicago's raw footage of Peterson's arrest:

Comments

[petphotos]

I have long felt that lawyers that defend clients such as this piece of fertilizer, are no better than their client.

I did meet one lady lawyer, who said that she did not want to know if her client was guilty or not. She told them to not tell her. She would see that their rights were protected. Period.

[mjb5406]

Selig must be SO proud... having two of the sleaziest people on the planet (Blagojevich and Peterson) as clients. It will look great on his resumé when they are both sentenced to long prison terms.

[AGarcia]

I'm sure his brother cops will make sure he never sees general population. I guess he's too good for that. He'll probably get conjugal visits too. That's the law.

[mjb5406]

Actually, his "brother" cops disowned him long ago. I think they sw Peterson for what he is.