Peterson's Lie Detector Test

In an interview shot last year but airing for the first time tonight on Dateline NBC, Drew Peterson claims he didn't know how to beat a polygraph.

Author Derek Armstrong said he had Peterson take a lie detector test as a condition of writing a book about the case, and Armstrong said on questions about Kathleen Savio's murder, Peterson showed no deception.

"I'm not experienced with polygraphs at all," Peterson told Dateline NBC's Hoda Kotb. "I was answering truthfully."

But how truthful was the polygraph?  Peterson's attorney Joel Brodsky decided which topics could be addressed during the examination and which could not be discussed, Armstrong said.

One topic in particular was forefront in Armstrong's mind, but Brodsky wouldn't allow it.

"The key one would be did he hire someone or know of someone being hired to harm either Kathleen Savio or Stacy Peterson," Armstrong said of the polygraph test. "I wasn't allowed to ask that question."

Attorney Joel Brodsky said he did not put limits on the test.  Brodsky has referenced that particular polygraph in a number of recent interviews including one during NBC's Today Show on Friday morning.  On the night of Peterson's arrest, Brodsky told NBC Chicago, "If you recall, Drew Peterson already took a polygraph exam regarding Kathleen Savio's death for that book, 'Drew Peterson Exposed' and passed the polygraph exam totally."

The polygraph Peterson submitted to also contained a section of six questions about the disappearance of his fourth wife, Stacy Peterson.  Of the six questions, Armstrong said Peterson was found to be not deceptive in answering three of the questions, including whether he harmed Stacy during the time of her disappearance.

However, Peterson was found to be deceptive in three of his answers in the section about Stacy Peterson, according to Anderson. 

Peterson discussed these answers with NBC's Hoda Kotb:

Hoda Kotb: "The first one was, 'Did you last see Stacy at home when you got home from work?'  You answered 'Yes.'  The test showed you were being deceptive.  Were you surprised when the test showed that?"
Drew Peterson: "Yes- that's- I answered truthfully."
Hoda Kotb: "Next question, 'Do you know the whereabouts of your wife?' You answered 'No.' The test showed you were being deceptive."
Drew Peterson: "Right."
Hoda Kotb: "Again-"
Drew Peterson: "No, I didn't."
Hoda Kotb: "Any explanation?"
Drew Peterson: "None.  None."
Hoda Kotb: "Were you lying?"
Drew Peterson: "No, I was telling the truth."

Tune in for a special Dateline NBC tonight for to see Hoda Kotb's full interview with Drew Peterson.  The two-hour Dateline, which will feature one hour of coverage focusing on Drew Peterson's arrest, begins tonight at 8 p.m.

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