Peterson's stepbrother wanted by TV news
Thomas Morphey laid low for nearly a year and a half and watched his stepbrother Drew Peterson make the rounds of various TV news shows.
Now Morphey, who says Peterson pulled him into a sinister murder plot against his will, is taking his turn on the small screen.
(Herald News file photos)
(Joe Hosey/Sun-Times News Group)
• Special section: The Peterson Case
Morphey jetted out to New York on Thursday to tape an interview on "Good Morning America." It is the first TV appearance for Morphey since he went public with his story that Peterson not only asked him to commit murder, but roped him into disposing of his wife's body. The show will air Monday morning.
Peterson's wife, Stacy Peterson, vanished in October 2007. State police consider Stacy, who is Peterson's fourth wife, to be the victim of a "potential homicide" and named Drew Peterson their sole suspect.
State police also are investigating the mysterious, March 2004 bathtub homicide of Peterson's third wife, Kathleen Savio. State police first found nothing fishy about Savio's death, but got another shot at it after Stacy vanished.
Morphey first told his harrowing tale of the past 17 months in The Herald News, including how he attempted suicide the day after Stacy was reported missing, and how State's Attorney James Glasgow offered him immunity in exchange for his testimony the next day.
Morphey also said state police shuffled him between small-town motels for his own safety and that he was eventually moved out of state.
Peterson had little to say when informed his stepbrother was going on ABC's "Good Morning America."
"Good for him," said Peterson, who was not aware of any upcoming TV appearances of his own.
Peterson and his attorney, Joel Brodsky, have repeatedly disparaged Morphey. Peterson has called Morphey an alcoholic and a "goofy guy." Brodsky said Morphey "has a documented history of severe mental illness, drug and alcohol addiction."
Morphey disputes this, and said their comments are what prompted him to agree to a TV interview.
"I'm going so the public can see who I really am," he said, "as opposed to the picture Drew and his lawyer have tried to paint of me."
