Man who swore at Drew returns to courthouse — briefly
Ohio restaurateur Jeff Ruby was walking the sidewalk outside the Will County Courthouse on Friday, watching the lunchtime news conference by Drew Peterson’s lawyers.
Ruby has been banned from the courthouse since Thursday morning, when he mouthed an expletive at Peterson during a break in the trial.
On Thursday night, Ruby was ar- rested at the Harrah’s Casino hotel on a charge of contempt.
He was taken to the Will County jail, then released on a recognizance bond.
After making a brief media appearance Friday, defense attorney Joe Lopez approached Ruby, who had accused Lopez of tattling on him to Judge Edward Burmila after his interaction with Peterson in court Thursday. “I’m not a beefer,” Lopez said. “You’re not a rat?” Ruby said. “No, I hate rats,” Lopez said.
Ruby said he issued a public apology to Burmila outside the courthouse Friday morning.
“It was wrong,” Ruby said. “I admit that mistake.”
He and Lopez spoke briefly on the sidewalk, and they appeared to end the conversation on good terms.
“If you win, are you going to be happy if [Peterson] kills another person too?” Ruby asked Lopez.
“Someone might kill him,” Lopez replied.
Ruby left Joliet on Friday af- ternoon, after he was alerted that his conversation with Lopez could land him in the county jail again.
As part of the warrant for his arrest, Ruby was ordered to have no contact with the Peterson trial jurors or officers of the court, including attorneys, he said.
Ruby said he didn’t realize that until someone pointed it out after he spoke to Lopez.
He immediately got into his luxury bus and high-tailed it out of Joliet, headed home.