Ex-officer Drew Peterson's case gets its 3rd judge

[June 02, 2009]  CHICAGO (AP) -- Both sides have accepted the third judge in Drew Peterson's murder trial.

Stephen White was assigned Monday to the former Bolingbrook police sergeant's trial in the 2004 death of his third wife, Kathleen Savio.

The defense had asked for Judge Carla Alessio-Policandriotes (pahl-ee-KAN'-dree-oh-tihs) to be replaced after she refused a request to reduce Peterson's $20 million bond.

She replaced Judge Richard Schoenstedt two weeks ago, after prosecutors alleged bias. He dismissed felony gun charges against Peterson last year.

Peterson's attorney, Joel Brodsky said, "We finally got the case to a judge everybody's content with."

A spokesman for the Will County state's attorney's office, Charles Pelkie, called White an "excellent judge."

[Associated Press; By MICHAEL TARM]

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