Peterson to plead guilty in Marino murder

Mike Miller  —  12/05/2008 10:14 am

Accused killer Adam Peterson, 20, will plead guilty Monday to first-degree intentional homicide for the stabbing death of Joel Marino in his Madison home in January, according to veteran assistant public defender Dennis Burke.

Lawyers in the case told Dane County Circuit Judge James Martin on Thursday that Peterson is prepared to enter a guilty plea to the charge of first-degree intentional homicide, which means he will face a mandatory sentence of life in prison with Martin in position to set his parole eligibility date.

Peterson is apparently entering the plea against the wishes of his attorney, Burke, who in court papers has said he would argue at trial that the case involves a lesser form of homicide than first-degree intentional.

But Peterson was adamant that he wanted to plead, Burke said.

Marino, 31, was stabbed in his home at 946 West South Shore Drive between 1-1:20 p.m. on Jan. 28. The case sent shock waves through the Madison, Monona and McFarland communities where the popular Marino had ties.

He died as he made his way through an alley toward St. Mary's hospital to get aid for his wounds.

Although police found articles of clothing near the murder scene, the case was unsolved until June, when detectives working the case decided to interview people who had suffered mental illness problems at the time Marino was murdered -- a decision which led them to Peterson's home in Grant, Minn. near Stillwater.

Peterson unexpectedly confessed to the killing when detectives began questioning him, and he was eventually brought back to prosecution in Madison.

There is little agreement between the attorneys in a possible sentence in the case, except that Assistant District Attorney Corey Stephan can not ask for more than 40 years before Peterson is eligible to apply for parole, while Burke can ask for less than that.

Mike Miller  —  12/05/2008 10:14 am