Lisa Ward
Drew Peterson’s Former Step-Daughter Speaks Out Exclusively to INSIDE EDITION
Airdate: 10/9/2009“How does a father do that to a child?” Tears flow from a woman who says she suffered beatings and sexual abuse at the hands of her notorious former stepdad, Drew Peterson.
“I was beat with a belt, with my pants down.”
Peterson is now behind bars, charged with the murder of his third wife, Kathleen Savio. He’s pled not guilty.
“He looked…cold, heartless, exactly the same person that I’ve known my whole life,” says Ward of seeing Peterson, on TV, for the first time in years.
Lisa Ward was just 8 years old when her mom Vicky met and fell in love with Peterson in 1984. From day one, Lisa says she was terrified of Peterson, who was working as an undercover narcotics cop.
“He grabbed me back of head pushed and said whether I liked it or not he was going to marry my mother and he was going to be my father and I would respect him.”
She says her new step-dad was a control freak with a volatile temper. “You could just feel the tension throughout the house. You would just cringe, and hope that rage wasn’t coming back at you.”
And Lisa makes a shocking allegation about humiliating punishments she says continued into her early teens: “He would make me go into his room and pull down my pants and expose myself to him completely so I could be spanked bare bottom. The more I fought the worse it was.”
When her mom was hospitalized after a near-fatal car crash, she says Peterson did unspeakable things to her. She was only 14.
“He had told me that he missed my mother so much that he didn’t want to be without her. He asked me to come lay down with him. He had tried to touch me in an inappropriate way. I went in my room locked my door, and I thought to myself that can’t be happening,” she says tearfully.
After 10 years of marriage her mom and Peterson divorced. The next time Lisa saw Peterson was on the news.“He thinks all women are targets,” says writer Michelle Lefort, who is currently working with Lisa on a book about her life with Peterson.
Drew Peterson’s attorney said Peterson strongly denies beating Lisa or sexually abusing her. He also said, “When people want to sell books they make allegations of sexual misconduct, especially against people who cannot respond.”
As for the murder charge against Peterson, Lisa has reached her own verdict: “Knowing the man, growing up with the man, I think he’s guilty.”
Drew Peterson is currently being held on $20 million bail. He’s due back in court at the end of October.
Read the Story at Inside Edition Website
Joel Brodsky Responds:
INSIDE EDITION Warned Claims Were False Before Broadcasting Report
Drew Peterson stepdaughter lying about abuse allegations to sell her story, attorney says.brodskyodeh.com – October 09, 2009
(PRNewsChannel) / Chicago, Ill. / Drew Peterson’s attorney says he warned the nationally syndicated program INSIDE EDITION that Peterson’s step-daughter Lisa Ward was lying about being abused by Peterson. He says he even gave the program a motive: money. But he says the program broadcast her false allegations anyway in a report that airs today.
“She is trying to sell her story. She is in fact writing a book,” says Brodsky. “She’s got every reason to lie. Drew categorically denies this allegation and to say he abused her in any way is patently false. This is not about journalism and getting to the truth. This is about telling a story to get ratings. Besides Drew and his family, the truth is the victim here.”
Brodsky also points out that the author Ward has found to tell her story backed out of a signed deal to write a book from his perspective. Brodsky says he sent Michelle LeFort and her attorney a Cease and Desist letter earlier this week after Ward appeared on the ABC program GOOD MORNING AMERICA. GMA did not contact Brodsky or anyone from the defense team for comment prior to the story airing.
Press Release at PRNewsChannel
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Justice Café 
There’s PLENTY of people Peterson and his defense have made claims and accusations about during all these months, so I guess he’s just going to have to bone up and take it like a man. Lisa Ward is talking, he’s denying, so that’s the way it is.
I have a clear picture in my mind of how Peterson has, even during all these months after his young wife disappeared, preyed on other quite young women. Kim and Christina. So, tough luck if accusations have come back and smacked him in his sorry ass, true or not!
How old was Stacy when he zeroed in on her?
What did he publicly say, to humiliate Lenny, that Paula Stark did with him?
Sucks, doesn’t it, when it comes back at ya?
From Ric Mim’s story in the Enquirer:
Where was Stacy to defend herself against what Drew has said about her? And he’s said plenty about Kathleen as well. Karma is a bitch.
Yeah, and, damn, how about the disgusting text message Drew happened to find that he let the whole world see about how some dude was riDDing his wife like a bucking bronco. What about that?
And the icing on the cake – how about saying his wife left her young children behind while she trotted off the face of the earth with a man?
You point your finger at someone, Drew Peterson, you get more than a few pointed right back at you.
This is so sad. I don’t know how there is any way to prove that something of this nature is true or false. I just hope that no one would lie and make up stories about sexual abuse because those that do make people question those who have truly suffered.
I do wish that this was not released as part of the sales pitches about the book though although it is possible that it hit her while going through the other stories about growing up with Drew as her stepfather.
The really sad thing IMO was that if true, this was not reported and charges filed before the statute of limitations took over. True or not true, Lisa needed help and failed to get it.
IF true and prosecuted, just think of all the lives that would have been changed, and the authority Drew would not have had.
TAI, I, too, wish she had timed this differently.
Many people who are sexually abused don’t tell anyone for years or decades and some never ever tell.
Sometimes the abuser scares the person so much that they won’t tell. My little sister and I were sexually abused by the same person when we were young (she was 9 and I was 11). He had a BB gun and shot into the head of a stuffed animal and told her he would kill her and my whole family if she told on him. She wouldn’t even tell me what happened but kept begging me not to go there. I wanted $20 to clean up his apartment and ended up being abused. I told when I got home though. Sadly this was back in the day where no one ever got arrested or charged with that kind of crime. Everyone assumed he did the same thing to her as he did to me and we didn’t find out until she was in her 20s that he fully raped her repeatedly which is way worse than what he did to me.
Note: I refuse to be ashamed of what happened to me and I don’t want pity from anyone. That is why I speak out about the issue and concerns about those who lie about it happening to them. In fact – it pisses me off that so many people have lied about this that people even question if this young woman is lying too.
We know that Drew had no moral qualms about becoming intimate with a 17-year old girl. It’s a fact! We know also that Drew has always strayed from his relationships and sought illicit sexual thrills. He doesn’t deny it. His past doesn’t give us any reasons to disbelieve Lisa Ward.
Please reference the comments that Drew has made about Stacy Peterson in the book he wrote with Derek Armstrong.
Drew Peterson is a frigin child molester. The truth about him is finally coming to light. I wish she came forward before. He has tried to paint himself as the sweet innocent guy and a lot of people have bought it. I guess there were certain people whom we believed that contradicted some of the negative stories about him. There were even times I questioned this considering the source of who was sticking up for him. I’d rather not go into who they are because it has been controversial in the past as to talk about them. Those who know will know what I’m talking about. But the main point is that this is definitely the icing on the cake that shows DP’s true character. Two people he sent to the grave because he is a control freak. Just to remind people also is that people ignored Kathleen’s cries for help and Stacy didn’t know where to turn also. When Stacy tried to do the right thing she was silenced.
Legal Guru said:
“When people want to sell books they make allegations of sexual misconduct, especially against people who cannot respond.”
——–
Drew is alive and as long as he is (opposite to his wives) he can respond and that is what he is actually doing ;).
According to Brodsky there are not victims of crimes. There are just people who want to profit. Is Brodsky going to publish “Brodsky’s Laws” in future? Could be a funny book.
Brodsky’s comments lack creativity. He should work more on or hire another publicist.
Hey Thinkaboutit
Right with you, honey. Sometimes I think the world might get the wake-up slap it needs if all women and girls disclosed their experience of sexual abuse. Over the course of my life I’ve been sexually assaulted as a child (9) by a stranger at a public swimming pool, sexually assaulted as a patient by 2 different doctors, date raped, and had a stalker that used to follow me home from work. I don’t want sympathy either, but I cannot accept that my experience is unique, so how many women would have suffered at least one of these…..?
LOL and I left out the 3 flashers and the boss who masturbated in the corner when we were alone in the lab.
I think many, bucket. I think they rarely find friendly enviroment to complain.
All parents at my children’s school had to go through a lecture on so-called “wrong touch”. Children feel there is something wrong driven by their intuition and do not know how to defend themselves. They blame themselves.
I have never been abused hard but I can remember a teacher trying to touch me at school but I told my mom and she went to repriment him. But when she went to the Head Teacher, he said little can be done and this man continued to work at this school for many years until he retired. The man told my mom that I provoked him. Funny, since I was only 11 then.
IMO, nothing can change if people do not get aware of the problem and can see who is a real victim in this situation.
During the above mentioned lecture we asked where is the borderline and the trainer said the age of a child imposed by laws and then a word “no”, no matter if you say it at the very beginning or along the way.
There are so many people who do not have control over their sex behaviour. They are driven by insticts and totally ignore feelings.
You are absolutely right that sexual abuse is experienced but a lot of children and women that it is formaly said.
Can you remember Tomczak defending his client who raped an 80-year-old woman in a nursery home? He said she had seduced him. They waited with the final case till she died and this POS is free.
It is really difficult for the victim to win any case like that. Unfortunatelly, for many judges the fact that the abuser had a good opinion from work is enough to believe he/she did not hurt anyone.
Crikey, Cyrhla. I hadn’t heard about the poor lady raped in the nursing home, although I know it happens, and certainly not that the pig perpetrator got away. That’s the problem, Cyrhla. We’re just so damned attractive and hot (even at 80 and infirm) that they can’t be blamed for wanting to “love” (ha!) us.
Sorry, the woman was 93. Here is the story:
http://murphymilanojournal.blogspot.com/2008_10_01_archive.html
Lisa needed help in 1982, about a month or so after her mother married Drew !!
and here’s why:
Co-author Michelle Lefort said the abuse of Ward’s mother started almost immediately.
“WITHIN A MONTH OF BEING MARRIED, at that point he put a gun to her head after she informed him she would not love him more than she loved Lisa,” she said.
I definitely agree with you that it was out of fear she didn’t elaborate on the extent of her abuse until now. After reading the transcript of her interview with Greta I noticed she did talk about the same things, but just not in as much depth.
Levi page says that Michelle LeFort commented on his blog in response to Joel’s cease and desist order (I don’t know if it has been comfirmed that this is actually her).
http://levipageshow.blogspot.com/2009/10/update-drew-peterson-and-his-cowardly.html
Thanks, Facs, for posting that.
Given the experience that M. William Phelps had with him, it would appear that Joel thinks a mere phone call is the same as a binding contract.
Looks like Brodsky’s first response to anything negative is always to bluster and bully, whether he’s got a legal basis for it or not.
We’ve seen Geoff Pinkus, and Phelps back down under his threats, and even Susan Murphy Milano will only refer to him on-air as “the legal marshmallow roaster”. I think he’s had a fair amount of success with these tactics.
Could someone verify how Vicky Connolly spells her name? Michelle LeFort spells V-I-C-K-I in Facs’ post above, and Inside Edition spells it V-I-C-K-Y.
I have been alternating, figuring I’d be right part of the time.
Brodsky is kinda all over the place, I think. In his first PR, he said:
In the second one, he says:
While I understand he’s trying to defend his client against these disturbing accusations, I think he should pick a stance and stick with it. Does she have to be favorable to Drew in order to speak, or can she speak about Drew as long as LeFort isnt’ involved? As I see it she told her story on Inside Edition, which is not against what he said was okay with him the other day, that being, she can tell her story, just not with Ms. LeFort.
I gotta get a notepad and pen. Be right back. It’s hard to keep this all straight.
Noway – it’s a shortened version of Victoria. There is NO correct way to spell it, no? Pick one.
Rescue, if Victoria goes by Vicky, then the correct way to spell it would be with a Y; if she goes by Vicki, then the correct way to spell it would be with I. (for her)
Noway, I really have no idea. I’ve seen it different ways in numerous places…
Excellent point, Rescue about Brodsky apparently melting down. He needs to figure out exactly what his issue is. He’s swinging wide.
I think Brodsky is going to have to stick with the deny, deny, deny, and hope for the best. Because, when you think about it, his client is notorious for preying on young, very young, women, and he’s no choir boy. That’s what the client gets for playing footsie with the media all these months, making himself out to be super stud, including his last call to action, which was his attempt to fly to a whore house in Nevada.
IMO, the accusations are alarming, although I have difficulty in Ms. Ward’s timing, but as far as credibility or believability, Drew loses. Loses big time. You should always be careful what you wish for — isn’t that what they say?
Rescue, I think as long as Lisa is going to talk only about herself and things which are not directly connected with Kathleen’s or Stacy’s case, that’s OK. I am sure she is aware of it.
Well, as I was just relating to facs, I think this is a hornet’s nest. For Peterson and Brodsky. Brodsky said Ward was raised with morals by Peterson, and seemed to be a nice individual, or words close to that effect. Yesterday, he went from that description to referring to her as lying (that is, I guess you can say, he’s calling her a liar now).
IF, and that’s a big IF, she comes out with further information, and it somehow can be substantiated, or has some other reliable means of showing that she’s been holding this information for years, say through counseling, I think that could be a very big problem for the credibility of Drew Peterson. Not to mention his questionable behavior. So I think they have a problem on their hands with Lisa Ward, assuming she can back up her accusations.
I’m not saying one way or the other she is telling the truth or lies, I’m just saying that she can be a big problem for them if what she says happened goes against what he is denying.
Oh, and I think Brodsky should depart from the attack mode crap against authors who don’t drop at his feet and bow to his rules. That’s gettin’ real old.
It is a little odd that Brodsky didn’t actually file the cease and desist. That he is just running around the Internet with it.
Kind of reminds me of Joel attempting to wave around those pictures of Thomas Morphey on Dan Abram’s show.
Who knows, maybe he served the wrong Michelle LeFort. Boob.
Lisa Ward was just 8 years old when her mom Vicky met and fell in love with Peterson in 1984. From day one, Lisa says she was terrified of Peterson, who was working as an undercover narcotics cop.
“He grabbed me back of head pushed and said whether I liked it or not he was going to marry my mother and he was going to be my father and I would respect him.”
She says her new step-dad was a control freak with a volatile temper. “You could just feel the tension throughout the house. You would just cringe, and hope that rage wasn’t coming back at you.”
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Lisa was scared of Drew from day one.
BEFORE Drew and Vickie were married, he grabbed her and pulled her head back, saying he was going to marry her mother whether she liked it or not !
Lisa was scared of Drews volatility and there was tension and rage in the house.
The big question is:
Where was Lisas mother in all this ??
I am not going to post the names for obvious reasons but just wanted to let you know that the story about Drew – posted by a Margaret – may be true.
There was a Margaret living in Seminole Ln next to Drew and Vicky at that times and she is a police officer in Chicago.
Margaret was born in 1973, so she was 5 years older than Eric.
I may be cynical, but I think what matters more right now is who was living on Kathleen Savio’s block on the night she was murdered, and whether or not any of those people can add something to the circumstances of her death. Either that night or leading up to that night. Just as it matters who saw what the day Stacy Peterson disappeared, and what they can add to the investigation. Unless, of course, Peterson, through his lawyer, keeps denying it, and Brodsky keeps it in the forefront with his press releases, and it turns out that she’s prepared to substantiate her claims.
Drew may be, or was, a piece of work to be married to, but dumping on his lack of morals right now isn’t going to get him convicted.
It’s 17 years (about) since he’s been out of Lisa Ward’s life, and her revelations aren’t going to get him convicted, whether he’s guilty of immoral behavior or not. It just makes most of us find him more disgusting than ever, but it’s not relevant to his being confined, awaiting trial on two counts of murder.
I so totally agree with rescue # 39.
Drew is sitting in jail awaiting trial for Kathleens murder, Stacy is still missing and there are four motherless children.
That’s what matters most !!
Thanks for finding this out for us. Some of her facts were a little mixed up but still interesting.
this is from acandyrose.com dated November 2007
“Vicki Connolly, who was married to Peterson for 10 years beginning in 1982, said in a published report that Peterson took steps to control her, including placing recording devices in their home. He would hit her and play mind games on her. The two divorced after Peterson and Savio began an affair. Connolly’s adult daughter, Lisa Ward, who lived with Connolly and Peterson when she was a child, told reporters Friday she feels lucky that her mom made it out of the marriage alive. “Of course,” Ward said. “My mom is a very strong woman for being able to.” Peterson dismissed Ward’s comment on Friday, as well. “Lisa’s mad because I’m a strong disciplinarian,” said Peterson.”
now to Brodsky’s statement
Drew Peterson’s attorney said Peterson strongly denies beating Lisa or sexually abusing her. He also said, “When people want to sell books they make allegations of sexual misconduct, especially against people who cannot respond.”
so what is Drew’s definition of “strong disciplinarian”? he denying it now..but in November of 07 he states that Lisa is just mad because he’s a strong disciplinarian…totally inappropriate for a grown man who is the step father to have a 14 year old girl disrobe to be spanked…if he were the natural dad it would be inappropriate…I am interested to know if he made his boys ever “drop trou” for a spanking…or did his boys do no wrong and this was just a method he used for Lisa
I totally believe her, I don’t think she has a reason to lie and who would want to admit to that man touching them…I could tell back in the beginning of this when she was interviewed the few times she was that she was terrified of him…I thought for a young woman who had not had to deal with him in so long that it was strange that she was actually trembling and becoming so emotional over discussion of him…yes to be upset for your mom or the situation is one thing but this was her OWN fears I saw in her, I remember mentioning it over on FSP that maybe there was more to his “control” over that family and I’m not the least bit surprised if this is true, for those that wonder why now? Because he’s locked up…if I remember correctly and help me out if I don’t..but didn’t her mother have an accident that may have involved Drew and didn’t one of her mothers boyfriends after Drew end up dead, floating in the river? She has probably been terrified to say all of it until now, and I really can’t blame her
I have a lot of questions running through my mind right now. Most of them doesn’t involve the victims in this case. I thought I read somewhere back here that Brodsky is spreading stuff on the internet. Doesn’t he have a frigin gag order against him? Doesn’t that mean like shut the hell up?
Jeffrey Archer is the name of Vicki’s murdered boyfriend.
http://www.isp.state.il.us/crime/unsolveddetails.cfm?ID=22
I was just noodling around, came across this and thought this bears another read.
January 29, 2008
By JOE HOSEY Staff Writer
BOLINGBROOK — Drew Peterson worked a lot of cases over the course of his 29-year career with the local police department.
Most of them he enjoys talking about, and he spins particularly expansive anecdotes about his time as an undercover narcotics officer. But there is a case Peterson does not want to discuss. It’s that of Rachel Mellon, a 13-year-old girl who disappeared from her home 12 years ago today.
“Yeah, I worked on that,” he said. And he stops right there.
Rachel and Stacy
Rachel Mellon has quite a bit in common with Peterson’s fourth wife, Stacy Peterson. Both Rachel and Stacy were last seen in their Bolingbrook homes, which are about six miles apart. Rachel and Stacy are both missing. Police presume both are dead, and the police have not charged anyone.
Peterson is no longer a police officer, and actually has the law looking at him for the disappearance of his fourth wife. State police also are revisiting the bathtub drowning of wife No. 3, Kathleen Savio. The first time around, state police found nothing overtly suspicious about her March 2004 demise.
Bolingbrook police did not see any signs of foul play in the immediate aftermath of Rachel’s disappearance either. A full two days after Rachel’s disappearance, police still considered the matter a missing person or runaway case, despite evidence that the teen took nothing with her but slippers, the sleep clothes on her back and possibly a blue blanket. She would have ventured out on her own into the snow and freezing January air while dressed for bed.
Father unhappy with police
Rachel’s father, Jeffrey Skemp, blasted the police for how they handled the case.
“I just think that Will County’s just inept. I know Bolingbrook is,” said Skemp, who lives in Forest Park. “They waited a week before they went in the house. They wait too long before they realize the seriousness of the case. They’ve just got a terrible track record.”
State police, armed with a search warrant, hit Peterson’s house three days after his wife was reported missing. In 1997, Rachel’s mother, Amy Mellon, said the police did not arrive until an hour after she called, then told her they could do nothing for the next 24 hours. They returned the next day to look around the family’s home, said Amy Mellon, who was married to Skemp for about seven years.
The day she was last seen alive, Rachel was home alone with her stepfather, Vince Mellon. She suffered from a sore throat and had called off sick from school.
No one realized Rachel was missing until the evening, when Amy Mellon came home from work.
Vince Mellon later told police he last saw Rachel about 2:30 p.m. that day, as he was on his way out to take a walk with the family dog, Duke. The dog chased a rabbit, according to Vince Mellon, and was returned by a real estate appraiser, whom police described as a “good Samaritan” who happened to be in the area on business.
In the time between taking the dog out and Amy Mellon’s return from work, Vince Mellon says he did not look in on Rachel in the bedroom where he presumed she would be.
Problems with the law
Vince Mellon has run afoul of the law in the years since his stepdaughter disappeared, with arrests on theft, battery, drunken driving and domestic battery charges.
Amy Mellon and her family now live in Cleveland, Tenn., north of Chattanooga.
Amy Mellon did not want to discuss her daughter’s disappearance and said she knew nothing of the Stacy Peterson case. She said she was “too busy” to pay attention to it.
Skemp said he has kept up with the Peterson case and remembers Drew Peterson from the investigation of Rachel’s disappearance.
“I met that guy, and I kind of liked him,” Skemp said.
On Jan. 29, 2000, police picked up Vince Mellon and held him for nine hours at the Bolingbrook station house. Police then served a warrant ordering he surrender samples of his blood, saliva and body hair as part of a first-degree murder investigation.
Four days later, Vince and Amy Mellon were called to testify before a grand jury, and police revealed that they had made “significant developments” in the case through “technical advances.” Eight years later, none of these “significant developments” or “technical advances” has come to light; the “evidence” extracted from Vince Mellon’s body, along with the grand jury testimony from him and his wife, have led nowhere; and the body of Rachel, who was the victim of a “first-degree murder,” according to the search warrant served on Vince Mellon, remains missing.
‘Investigative tracks’
On Jan. 18, state police issued a statement claiming, among other things, they have followed “additional investigative tracks” in the Stacy Peterson case. They did not disclose what those tracks might be.
Last week, State’s Attorney James Glasgow’s office released a statement saying a special grand jury convened in November to hear testimony about both the Stacy Peterson and Kathleen Savio cases, will continue for about another four months, with an option to extend it for another six months after that.
“The Will County state’s attorney’s office remains confident that justice will be served at the conclusion of these methodical and disciplined investigations,” the statement says.
For his part, Peterson, the same cop Skemp remembers, says his wife ran off on him to take up with another man. And he has not been shy about sharing his feelings on the case, frequently speaking to all manner of media.
Peterson’s outgoing persona has not changed much from years ago, Skemp said.
“He was real brazen and kind of cocky,” Skemp said. “I think the whole world knows he’s cocky now.”
http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com/heraldnews/news/764243,4_1_JO29_MELLON_S1.article
Thanks for posting that, bucket.
BTW, Rachel went missing in 1996, not in 1997.
I wonder when Vicky had this accident.
I guess it could be 1988.
[Lisa was 8 in 1982 when Vicky and Drew married so she must have been 14 in 1988]
I am Michelle LeFort. I’m sorry that we cannot comment on some of the questions that you raise in this blog and that the administrator asked me to comment on. I am happy to make a statement and had emailed as well.
Vicki (the correct spelling) had a car accident March 1, 1990 in Naperville unincorpated. She did NOT date Jeffrey Archer (personally verified by his wife, his parents and Vicki as well.) Jeffrey was killed, and had been having an affair, but it was with someone else and his wife knew about it. It could have been misconstrued to have been Kathleen Savio, but, again, it was not someone who had anything to do with this case according to his wife.
(NoWay –hello, Darlin)
Lisa and Vicki have not come forward until now, because they are afraid. The legal team for Drew Peterson isn’t even the worst of it, but the sheer unabashed fear they faced for the duration of the time they spent with Drew. Money and Power are all I have seen in researching this case for nearly two years as HIS motive. We have waited to come forward for the very reason that Brodsky is proving all over the Internet-it comes down to name-calling. EVERYONE who says anything negative about Peterson is called a liar. Please tell me you see the antics. Are either of these men capable of rigorous honesty? They bash everyone. We really didn’t want to see our names smeered in the headlines with everyone elses. We are human; we have feelings; we have fears; we are not backing down, just trying to do the right thing. We commend Cassandra, Anna and Sue, Neil, Steve … we understand what you go through and we’re sorry.
For women and children who have suffered domestic violence, the intrinsic fear they face is so deep that they rarely overcome it and move on without fearing their abuser.
Understand that Vicki and Lisa have undertaken the comittment to tell their story in a safe environment, a court of law first and then to detail that in books they are writing so that they don’t have to worry about Peterson/Brodsky (the incredible duo) trying to contaminate their lives. Facing this after years of trying to heal, they are still terrified that threats they received can be delivered. Their lives have been riddled by the murder of Kathleen Savio and the disappearance of Stacy Peterson in so many ways. Can you imagine if you had been married to Drew Peterson, what would it be like of a day? People calling you repeatedly wanting to know what he’s like. Being called to testify before the Grand Jury not once, but mulitple times. The media hounding you for interviews, the spotlight shining on your life? Justice is their only concern. They have no monetary gain at this point and if a book deal is signed, they have it in place to donate a portion of the proceeds to the Domestic Violence Association of Illinois in the name of Stacy Peterson and Kathleen Savio. I have never witnessed two women who want nothing but justice and have a RIGHT to tell their story-like Vicki and Lisa, whom I have grown to love and respect. Feeling safe enough for them to do so will include a conviction in court and then their stories will be available. Please know that they must keep their families in mind when they make decisions regarding this case. As well, they have to testify at the trial and will not make their testimony a public affair until they have given that testimony to the appropriate source: THE JURY!
Not one cease and desist order was filed or letter seen, delivered or served at this point. My legal team has not received anything, including this so-called letter and Brodsky knows who they are and where to find them. As of Thursday, before the airing of Inside Edition, nothing had been delivered and I’m not interested in his ‘letter writing’ ability publicized by press releases sent out by Glenn Selig. When a judge tells me to cease and desist, I will comply. However, that will never happen, there would have had to have been something to base that order on and Brodsky has nothing. I am not legally bound to Brodsky OR Peterson, never have been, never will be. I was the first author that Glenn Selig approached to write Peterson’s story … I’ve seen what they have done to the other authors approached and I faced a similar situation, but did not want to make it public, because my intention to tell the story I found with decency and humanity is my only concern. There IS a story, one that will curl your toes, make you angry and fall in line to everything you have heard in this case. Testimony for the prosecution is what I want to hear … Don’t you? Vicki will not be heard before her testimony, because she is possibly the key witness for the prosecution. Vicki’s story is what you WILL want to hear, trust me on that.
The trial will start soon and we can all rest that justice will prevail and Kathleen Savio (severely abused by Drew Peterson according to her family and friends) and Stacy Peterson (who had been to Kathleen’s divorce attorney days before disappearing) will finally see that justice. Their family and friends, loved ones who have suffered maximum amounts of pain publicly, will finally rest at ease that justice was served and may begin to heal from the travesty they have faced. It’s been a long journey in this case, one we will never forget, but the outcome is just around the corner and I believe that justice will be served. I want to hear the gavel slam …
I have followed your blog the duration and am familiar with what most of you have said. There were days I wished I could tell you what was going on, how things were moving forward, but it wasn’t the right time. We have kept a lid on things, because it was the right thing to do. October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month and Lisa chose to tell some of her story now, in reference to DVAM, in order to have women that face this situation possibly hear that getting out is possible and that you can heal. In time, all is possible. Please understand that this trial has cost everyone involved but Drew Peterson grave emotional tension, horrendous stress and fear.
The gavel slamming is the key …
Thanks for our post, Michelle.
I am personally grateful for the infomation on Jeff Archer.
I keep my fingers crossed for Vicky 🙂
… and for you, of course 😉
Thank you, Ms. LeFort for your time and effort in responding!
BTW, this was a very enlightening post. True, I think we’re all anxiously awaiting the trial and what will be uncovered, once and for all.
As an aside, yes, we’re quite aware of the scare tactics that fly every time someone crosses Peterson’s path, and how Brodsky puffs out his chest and beats it. In the end, there will be a time and place for it all.
New Post is up now!
https://petersonstory.wordpress.com/2009/10/11/michelle-lefort-lisa-wards-co-author-speaks-out/