Judge denies new trial request by man who claims Drew Peterson lawyer affected his jury
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Christopher Vaughn, left, was convicted of fatally shooting his family in their SUV. His trial overlapped with the high-profile trial of Drew Peterson
A judge has denied an Illinois man's request for a new trial after he was convicted of fatally shooting his wife and three children in 2007.
Prosecutors say Christopher Vaughn killed his family so he could start a new life in the Canadian wilderness. Vaughn faces a mandatory life sentence.
His trial overlapped with the trial of Drew Peterson, the former suburban Chicago police officer convicted of killing his third wife.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Vaughn's attorney, George Lenard, argued that his client didn't get a fair trial partly because the news conferences held by Peterson's lawyers at the court damaged his own credibility as a defense attorney.
Will County Judge Daniel Rozak said Tuesday there is no evidence that jurors were even aware of the other attorneys' news conferences.