Judge in Drew Peterson case considers mistrial request
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The judge at the Drew Peterson murder trial is considering a mistrial request from defense attorneys.
Judge Edward Burmila called a recess Wednesday morning and said he would reconvene proceedings in the afternoon to announce his decision.
Prosecutors asked Thomas Pontarelli, a neighbor, whether he was intimidated by Peterson when confronted by him about helping changing locks.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Pontarelli said he was intimidated and said he told Peterson he "got his message yesterday" when he found a 38-caliber bullet on his driveway.
At that point, the defense objected.
The judge sent jurors out of the courtroom earlier in the day before grilling a prosecutor for allowing a witness to mention a bullet and leave the impression that Peterson left it in the witness' driveway.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"It makes no sense whatsoever the argument what the state put forward to the court," Burmila told the court. He called the move "completely troubling to the court."
Prosecutors argued against a mistrial, denying repetitive errors.
Peterson was charged in the 2004 death of his third wife after his fourth wife went missing in 2007.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Steven Greenberg, a defense attorney, motioned for a mistrial in response to the witness' statement about the bullet he found in his driveway and a hole in a door.
"This is intentionally bringing before the jury evidence the court excluded…evidence everyone knows is improper in a criminal trial," Greenberg said.
Greenberg indicates this is the third or fourth time the state has "deliberately" tried to insert this type of evidence.
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The Associated Press contributed to this report