Ex-cop Peterson wins bid to get cars, PCs back

updated 7:41 p.m. ET March 17, 2008

JOLIET, Ill. - Former police officer Drew Peterson entered a courtroom Monday for the first time since being named a suspect in his wife's disappearance, winning a judge's order that investigators return seized cars and computers to him.

The former Bolingbrook sergeant has denied involvement in the disappearance of his wife, Stacy, who hasn't been seen since October.

Will County Judge Richard Schoenstedt said Peterson can pick up his SUV and car on Tuesday, and he can get his computers along with copies of their hard drives within 15 days.

"The judge has reviewed the secret testimony of the state, he looked at the affidavits, and still found there was no compelling reason for the state to retain the property any longer," Peterson attorney Joel Brodsky said after the hearing.

However, the judge said he needs more time to consider a request that guns taken from the retired police officer be turned over to Peterson's son, who is a police officer. Schoenstedt set a March 25 hearing on the matter.

Peterson did not answer questions from reporters and said little to the judge in court, answering "Yes, your honor" to a number of questions.

Since Stacy Peterson's disappearance, authorities also have reopened the investigation into the 2004 death of Kathleen Savio, another one of Drew Peterson's wives. Savio's body was found in her bathtub. Her death initially was ruled an accident but prosecutors recently had Savio's body exhumed and after another autopsy declared her death a homicide.

Peterson has not been charged in either case and has not been named a suspect in Savio's death.

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