Crime & Safety

Drew Peterson Feels Like Traitor For Dumping Joel Brodsky, Says New Lawyer

The Naperville lawyer trying to take over Drew Peterson's defense says the convicted wife-killer is feeling a "little bad" about cutting out his old lawyer.

Naperville attorney John Paul Carroll said he sat face-to-face with convicted wife-killer Drew Peterson in jail and tried to soothe the guilt he feels for dumping his old lawyer, Joel Brodsky.

Carroll said Peterson told him, "I feel a little bad. I feel kind of like a traitor to Mr. Brodsky because he represented me for five years."

Peterson also admitted he was "kind of concerned about (Brodsky's) future as an attorney," Carroll said.

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"I said, 'Don't be concerned,'" Carroll recalled.

"I want to get you out of jail," he said he told Peterson. "That's all I want to do. Get you out of jail. If that's not all right with you, let me know now."

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It looks like Peterson is going to have to let Carroll know one way or another during a Friday morning hearing to determine who is actually his lawyer and who is not.

On Wednesday, Carroll filed a motion insisting Peterson wants him as his new lead attorney. The motions also blames Brodsky for blowing Peterson's murder defense. Brodsky's performance was so bad, Carroll's motion said, that Peterson should get a whole new trial.

On Thursday, Brodsky shot back with a motion of his own attacking Carrol and Carroll's law partner, Michelle Gonzalez. Brodsky's motion called for Carroll and Gonzalez to be jailed for six months and fined $1,000 for contempt of court.

Carroll laughed at Brodsky's motion.

"They should put us in jail," he said. "I'll pass my card out like a madman."

Brodsky's motion had been distributed but not filed with the Will County Circuit Clerk by late Thursday.

In the unfiled motion, Brodsky said he not only wants Carroll and Gonzalez locked up and fined, but also for a special prosecutor and special grand jury to "investigate leaks of impounded documents."

Carroll said he has leaked nothing to the press and that if he had, he would have expected payment for the secret papers.

Brodsky failed to return calls for comment. Another Peterson attorney, Joseph "Shark" Lopez, said he was troubled by the motions traded back and forth by Brodsky and Carroll.

"Reading these motions is very troubling," Lopez said. "You've got to think about Drew and Drew's constitutional rights.

"It appears Mr. Brodsky is (Peterson's) counsel of choice and no one should interfere with that," Lopez said. "Right or wrong, it's his choice."

Brodsky said as much in his motion and claimed Carroll is lying about Peterson wanting him as his new lawyer.

When told of Brodsky's allegations, Carroll said, "I'm embarrassed for him."

Carroll said he is unconcerned by the prospect of Peterson, whose mother died Monday, going into court Friday and choosing Brodsky. And given the pair's long relationship and the loyalty shown by Peterson to Brodsky, he acknowledged that very well may happen—even if Peterson realizes the decision would not be to his benefit.

"It kind of reminds me of a person who's a Jehovah Witness and the child needs a blood transfer," Carroll said. "And they're like, 'No, we're going to pray.'"


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