Drew Peterson screams out his innocence during his trial for killing his third wife on Thursday, Feb. 21 in Illinois.

Peterson screamed, “I did not kill Kathleen!” into the courtroom microphone on Thursday.

Patterson was sentenced to 38 years in prison after his screaming outburst.

Although Peterson showed no emotion during his trial, his true personality came out when he screamed at the judge who sentenced him for Savio’s death.

Lead state prosecutor James Glasgow said that this outburst reveals the real Drew Peterson, “We all got an opportunity to see a psychopath reveal himself in open court. That shrill…screech…that’s the guy that killed Kathy.”

Rumors before the court date speculated that Peterson attempted to use his law enforcement background to get away with murder.

Peterson, an ex-cop, acted cocky and often joked about the suggestions that he killed his third wife, Kathleen Savio, in 2004. He kept laughing when suggestions came that he was responsible for the 2007 disappearance of Stacy Peterson, his third wife.

Although Savio’s death was initially ruled an accident, Stacy Peterson’s 2007 disappearance finally prompted authorities to look into the possibility that Savio’s death was a homicide.

There is a chance that Peterson may win an appeal. Defense attorneys believe the conviction could be tossed, because prosecutors relied on hearsay evidence. Steve Greenberg, Peterson’s attorney, stated, “It has a good chance of a successful appeal as any case I’ve ever seen.

Prosecutors had no physical evidence linking Peterson to Savios death and no witnesses placing him at the scene.

The hearsay included a friend testifying that Savio told her that Peterson had once put a knife to Savio’s throat and threatened, “I could kill you and make it look like an accident.”

Before Peterson’s 38-year sentence was announced, Peterson addressed the judge with a shocking scream. Peterson then went on to speak for 30 minutes in hushed tones while crying.

He said, “I loved Kathy. She was a good mom. She did not deserve to die. But she died in an accident.”

Soon after his plea, he angrily blamed prosecutors for what he called “the largest railroad job ever” in his case.

Peterson and Savio had divorced just a year before her death. Prosecutors say that the motive for the murder was fear that a divorce settlement would be financially devastating.

In addition to his 38-year sentence for murder, Peterson may be charged in the disappearance of his fourth wife. The woman vanished when she was 23 years old.

Prosecutors believe that Peterson killed his fourth wife because she could identify him in Savio’s death. Peterson claims that his fourth wife simply ran off with another man and remains alive.