BOLINGBROOK — Members of the police pension board in the Chicago suburb where Drew Peterson was a sergeant have voted to compel him to testify as they decide whether the convicted murderer keeps his pension.
The Bolingbrook Police Pension Board voted Wednesday. Board attorney Richard Reimer said the next step is to contact authorities at the maximum-security Menard prison in southern Illinois, where Peterson is being held, to arrange the deposition.
Peterson, 61, is serving a 38-year term for the death of his third wife Kathleen Savio. Peterson is awaiting a court ruling on his appeal of that conviction. His fourth wife, Stacey Peterson, disappeared in 2007.
Peterson earned a $79,000 annual police pension. To revoke Peterson’s pension the board must rule he used his law enforcement powers in Savio’s death.
“This board determined it needs Mr. Peterson’s testimony and the only way to do that would be to arrange his evidence deposition,” Reimer said.
The board’s vote denies a motion from Peterson’s attorney, Steven Greenberg, to quash the deposition. Greenberg had argued that Peterson can refuse to answer questions to avoid self-incrimination under the Fifth Amendment. Before the vote, Greenberg said he would go along with the deposition but only if a list of questions were provided beforehand.
“I don’t know what they want to ask him about,” Greenberg said.
The logistics of the deposition remain in question. The Pension Board can’t order Illinois prison officials to release Peterson to testify and the Open Meetings Act prohibits the board from holding the hearing outside of Bolingbrook.