Lake View Robberies / Smollett Chaos / Drew Peterson / Speed Hump

Infamous wife murderer, Drew Peterson, is still trying to get out of prison.

Patch reporter John Ferak broke the news this week that the 67-year-old former Bolingbrook police sergeant convicted of killing his third wife has won a date in court to argue his innocence.

In a handwritten six-page letter, Peterson claims his lawyer, Joel Brodsky, "lied to me about his experience defending homicide cases. In fact he had none. He put me out to the press and put me on national television. He stated if you have nothing to hide go on television."

"Brodsky put me in harms way not to help me but to increase his fame and increase his practice in law.," Peterson wrote.

A hearing on Peterson's petition is set for Jan. 7 in Will County.

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Saturday: Dry. High: 42 Low: 36

Sunday: Wet. High: 49 Low: 29

• Fewer than 20 percent of Chicago third graders met or exceeded state standards in reading and math on a standardized exam given in the spring — when a majority of students were learning at home. (Chalkbeat)
• Three women were robbed within 25 minutes of each other in Lake View on Thursday. The attacks came a day after Chicago police issued an alert warning neighbors a crew of teens and men had robbed six people at gunpoint in the area since mid-November. (NBC5)
• Firefighters rushed to Macy's on State Street to ... deliver 2,500 letters to Santa. (Patch)
• State Attorney General Kwame Raoul's Organized Retail Crime Task Force has recovered more than $1 million in merchandise stolen in retail store smash-and-grabs. (Patch)
• Worth a listen: Curious City's Andrew Meriwether offers a brief history of Chicago speed humps in an 18-minute audio story about how they end up on your neighborhood streets and whether they actually work. (WBEZ)
• Former "Empire" actor Jussie Smollett's defense attorney, Tamara Walker, asked for a mistrial and broke into tears after accusing Cook County Judge James Linn of physically lunging at her in the courtroom. Judge Linn denied the motion. (Patch)

For A Good Time, Click:

Saturday:

• San Holo w/ Kasbo, Devault, Duskus at Radius (8 p.m.)
• Blood Incantation, Primitive Man, Inter Arma at Reggies (1 p.m.)
• Citizen at Bottom Lounge (6:30 p.m.)
• Taylor Swift Dance Party at Subterranean (9 p.m.)
• Dawes, Erin Rae at The Vic Theatre (7:30 p.m.)

Sunday:

• Underground Art Market at Salvage One (noon)
• Windy City Smoke Up w/ Afroman at a secret location. (2 p.m.)
• Dragalicious Gospel Brunch with Ruff ‘N Stuff! at Lips Chicago (11:30 a.m.)
• Krampusnacht at Sleeping Village (9:30 p.m.)
• Ronny Cheing at Thalia Hall (9 p.m.)

Weekend Long Read:

There's a high price for low-level drug arrests. In Chicago, thousands of drug possession arrests are routinely tossed out every year.

The cost to taxpayers? Millions.

To those arrested? The loss of jobs, housing, freedom.

A Sun-Times / Better Government Association report.

Just The Links:

• After a 39-year run, Japanese-French fusion restaurant Yoshi’s Cafe’s will close Dec. 12.
• There's a COVID-19 outbreak at Cook County Jail.
• Andy Dalton will start for the Bears against the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday.
• How did this Jefferson Park guy get a 20-foot, spinning Christmas tree through his roof?

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— Mark