Son's gun request denied

DREW PETERSON

Drew Peterson still can't have his guns, and neither can his son.

Peterson's son, Oak Brook cop Stephen Peterson, made the trip down to Joliet in hopes of receiving the 11 firearms state police seized from his dad while serving a search warrant on his Bolingbrook home Nov. 1.

Drew Peterson can't reclaim his guns because the state police -- at the behest of State's Attorney James Glasgow -- revoked his Firearm Owner's Identification card.

Peterson's attorney, Joel Brodsky, asked Judge Richard Schoenstedt during a hearing last month if the guns could go to the son.

Schoenstedt held off on deciding at that hearing since Stephen Peterson was not present, had not been a party to any of the proceedings, and may not have been aware of the responsibilities and ramifications of taking possession of his father's firearms.

But Stephen Peterson was on hand Thursday.

Last week, Stephen Peterson was suspended for eight days for driving to Joliet in his Oak Brook squad car and wearing his uniform for an appearance before the grand jury reviewing the cases of his second and third stepmothers, one of whom is dead and the other missing.

For Thursday's appearance, he wore civilian clothes.

Still, Schoenstedt was not about to give back any guns. He said if Brodsky returned with a more specific plan, such as Drew's written intent to transfer the guns to his son, he would entertain that motion later.

Brodsky, who is appealing the FOID revocation, said the Petersons will do just that.

"Drew would rather see these guns in his children's hands that in the state's hands," he said.

Brodsky said Schoenstedt had been apprised of a "derringer-type gun that was recovered from a third party that at one time was in the possession of Drew Peterson."

Brodsky said Peterson "transferred" the gun to someone else. He does not know the identity of either this person or the individual who surrendered the gun to the state police.

Brodsky also said the FOID revocation was conducted simply to annoy his client.

"The state police want to vex Drew. There's no other reason," he said. "Eventually they may be called to account for their actions."

Contact Joe Hosey at (815) 729-6054 or jhosey@scn1.com