Special prosecutor assigned in contempt case against Drew Peterson's former attorney

CHICAGO (CBS) -- A judge on Wednesday appointed a special prosecutor to handle claims an attorney for convicted killer and former Bolingbrook police sergeant Drew Peterson violated a gag order.

Peterson is trying to get his murder conviction overturned, and his public defender is seeking to have his former private attorney, Joel Brodsky, held in contempt of court for violating a gag order.

Will County State's Attorney James Glasgow's office sought to have a special prosecutor handle those claims, because Brodsky could be called as a witness in any post-conviction hearings Glasgow's office already is handling.

A judge granted that request Wednesday morning. Will County Court records show attorney William Elward, a part-time special prosecutor with the Illinois Office of the State's Attorney Appellate Prosecutor, agreed to take on the case.

Peterson was convicted of murder in 2012 for killing his third wife, Kathleen Savio. At the time, he was represented by attorney Joel Brodsky.

Peterson is asking for his conviction to be overturned, claiming he didn't have effective legal counsel.

Last month, Brodsky gave an interview discussing his handling of the case and his relationship with Peterson. Peterson's public defender said that violated a 2022 gag order, and asked that Brodsky be held in contempt of court.

Glasgow's office now must hand over all of its documents and reports to Elward for the investigation.