Drew Peterson is down in the dumps after court ruling on evidence

The blues have hit accused wife murderer Drew Peterson, who’s spent three years in jail awaiting trial for the death of his third wife, Kathleen Savio.

Gone are the wisecracks, jovial patter and jailhouse rock.

“They took away my right to a speedy trial,” said Peterson, via a phone call to a Sneed source. “They took away my right to confront witnesses. They’ve taken away my right to be with my children. Now they say they can use unreliable evidence [from witnesses who talked to former wives],” said Peterson. “What else can they take away. They call me a murderer of two, why don’t they call me a father of six?”

“We were ready to go to trial two years ago. I feel as if the past two years awaiting this [Illinois Appellate Court] decision have been wasted living in a cell no bigger than a walk-in closet,” Peterson told a Sneed source.

“Drew is now frustrated and disconcerted, depressed a bit … but I don’t think clinically so,” said Peterson’s attorney, Joel Brodsky, who had to deliver news last week that previously excluded hearsay evidence dealing with Savio and Peterson’s missing wife, Stacy, may wind up being used in Peterson’s trial.

“But this decision is not all that devastating,” said Brodsky, who claims he has other weapons in his legal arsenal.

“We have a solid base to object to the hearsay which is why Drew is not devastated … just frustrated. Disappointed.

“Drew never gets visibly angry, but there are times he gets choked up … like a cracking in his voice – particularly about his two littlest kids,” said Brodsky.

“Look. If this were me I’d be enraged. Furious. Pounding on a desk,” said Brodsky.

“Here’s a guy who has been in law enforcement for 30 years, a former Bolingbrook cop and all he wants is everyone to play by the rules. He feels they are violating their own rules to get to him.

“I sometimes feel that if he felt everyone was playing fair and he was found guilty in a fair trial with real evidence – he’d jump on the gurney himself”… although, Brodsky added …“we don’t have the death penalty!”

The Quinn bin …

Watch for Gov. Pat Quinn to announce he’s sealed a deal with Lafarge, a European manufacturer, to relocate its North American headquarters to Illinois from Virginia.

â—†The upshot: Lafarge, which produces building materials, will create approximately 100 new Illinois jobs.

â—†The buckshot: Sneed bets the announcement will coincide with a visit to Springfield by Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker, who has been poking fun at the Illinois business climate.

Hill swill …

Gulp! U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who once traded shots of hard liquor with U.S. Sen. John McCain during a trip to Estonia – was spotted tripping the light fantastic and knocking back a few at Cafe Havana in Cartagena, Colombia, this week while in South America for the “Summit of the Americas.”

â—†Beer and a tad of liquor were ordered for the party of pals and bodyguards. Guess who had the booze?

It’s a pip! …

From buns to guns: Pippa Middleton, whose derriere made headlines, is in the news again.

â—†Translation: News reports claim a male pal of hers allegedly pointed a gun – from his Audi convertible sports car – at a photographer on a moped who was shadowing the automobile Sunday in Paris.

â—†The kicker: Pippa was riding shotgun and the whole thing was photographed.

Abbey Blab …

Aunt Blabby here: American actress Elizabeth McGovern, who stars as an American heiress in the hit PBS series “Downton Abbey,” has not only lived in England for decades – but now speaks with a British accent, according to the Big apple press – which claims she is called “Liz” by her American family – and “Elizabeth” by the English.

$$$$$ …

A roving reminder of the state’s mega billion dollar pension problem hits the streets Tuesday.

â—†To wit: A mobile billboard proclaiming “THANK YOU. Your tax dollars are paying for Illinois’ underfunded pensions” will circle city Post Offices beginning at 5 a.m., courtesy of the “Illinois is Broke” campaign.

In this corner …

Legendary ex-boxer Mike Tyson has comedian/talk show host Rosie O’Donnell in his corner: Rosie, who interviewed Tyson in one of her last segments before cancellation of her OWN network show, became pals with Tyson during the filming.

â—†The upshot: So it wasn’t surprising to see O’Donnell strike a boxer’s pose on the red carpet premier of Tyson’s one man show, “Mike Tyson: The Undisputed Truth” at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas Saturday.

Sneedlings …

Star gazing: Add actor Pierce “007” Brosnan and actress Diane Keaton to the list of people attending the White House Correspondents’ Dinner on April 28th …Tuesday’s birthdays: Lou Conte, 70, Jennifer Garner, 40; Liz Phair, 45; Olivia Hussey, 61; Lela Rochon, 48; Boomer Esiason, 51, and belated wishes to Carol’s Tom Carroll, ageless, and the Irish version of the Lithuanian Easter Bunny.