Drew Peterson Appeal: Convicted Ex-Cop's Attorneys Say Trial Was Botched

It's the saga that never ends: Convicted murderer Drew Peterson filed a motion in court Friday seeking a new trial -- or a tossed-out verdict.

The Chicago Tribune reports that Peterson is citing ineffective counsel -- namely major errors by his former attorney Joel Brodsky -- in his request for a new trial in the murder of Kathleen Savio, Peterson's third wife.

Peterson's attorneys Steve Greenberg and David Peilet in court Friday said that Brodsky could be called to the witness stand to explain gaffes they say sealed a raw deal for their client, such as allowing Harry Smith to testify in the trial, according to the Chicago Sun-Times.

But Brodsky, who withdrew from Peterson's defense team last month, defended that decision Friday and told CBS Chicago that Peterson insisted on Smith taking the stand in his trial.

"He actually threatened that if we didn’t, he was going to take the stand and testify,” Brodsky told the station. “That would have been the absolute disaster, so to speak.”

According to the Sun-Times, the filing pushed Peterson's January sentencing date off the calendar. His case will next have a status update, when the judge will likely rule on the defense's motion, on Jan. 10.

Legal experts have previously predicted that, though a Peterson appeal was practically inevitable, it stands little chance of success.

The ongoing spat between Peterson's attorneys has been dramatic to say the least. In September, Greenberg described Brodsky as an "obnoxious," "mumbling, fumbling and bumbling," "childish" liar who "blew the case" through "ignorance, obduracy and ineptitude."

Peterson faces a maximum 60-year prison term. His fourth wife, Stacy Peterson, remains missing and was last seen in 2007. FBI and state police earlier this month spent a week searching a 400-acre forest preserve near Shorewood for Stacy but came up empty handed.