She's a journalist, a translator, a linguist, an aspiring author, a lover of trivia games, and a first time cat owner. In light of new developments surrounding the case, de Lestrade made a new installment to The Staircase saga in 2012, entitled The Last Chance.In this new installment, Peterson's legal team appeal to the courts for a new trial after it comes out that bloodstain analyst Duane Deaver, who was a key witness for the prosecution, had given false and . This means that the person accused of murder can admit that there's enough evidence to convict them, but not admit guilty for committing the crime. The political thriller Jeux dInfluence had two seasons released between 2018 and 2022 in the European streaming service Arte. And so, instead of watching some fictionalized account, we see the real thing happening. The Staircase airs on Thursdays on HBO Max and Sky Atlantic. According to CBS News, Peterson now lives in a 1,200 square foot condo, a big change from the mansion he once shared with his late wife, but as he told the news outlet, it's a life he's happy. The Staircase, starring Colin Firth and Toni Collette as Michael and Kathleen Peterson, explores the life of Michael Peterson, who was accused of murdering his wife Kathleen at their sprawling North Carolina home after she died under suspicious circumstances in December 2001.. Sentenced to life in prison for the murder of Kathleen Peterson, Michael was granted a new trial in 2011 when it was brought to light that a key prosecution witness had given misleading information under oath. Life is really full of surprises. The docu-series follows Petersons trial for the murder of his wife Kathleen,who was found dead at the bottom of their staircase in their Durham, North Carolina home on December 9, 2001 as well as the aftermath. With The Staircase, de Lestrade embarked on a project that took him 15 years to finish, with the final episodes of the documentary coming out only in 2018. He was granted a new trial in 2011, after a judge determined that a key prosecution witness lied on the stand during the original trial. Kathleen Peterson's death became a national, long-standing mystery with the 2004 documentary The Staircase. At the moment, very little is known about Peterson's private life. Kathleen left early; Michael stuck around. He was sentenced to time served and is today a free man. He was released in 2011 on bond ahead of a retrial but in February 2017, Peterson submitted an Alford plea to the reduced charge of voluntary manslaughter, meaning he admitted the evidence against him would likely lead to a finding of guilt beyond a reasonable doubt but the did not have to admit he committed the crime. In Michael Peterson's case, however . Debra Messing Calls a Flatbush Stunner Home on The Mysteries of Laura, Jason Segel Grieves in Style at an Altadena Craftsman on Shrinking, Sean Penn Romances Julia Roberts at a Landmark Reseda Restaurant in Gaslit, 1810 Cedar Street in Durham, North Carolina, Michael Peterson's Former Durham Estate, Made Infamous in 'The Staircase,' Has Sold Once Again, Ellen DeGeneres Buys Another Grand Old Montecito Estate, Debra Messing Calls a Flatbush Stunner Home on 'The Mysteries of Laura'. Colin Firth will play Michael Peterson, and Sophie Turner will play Margaret Ratliff, one of Michaels adopted daughters. Michael Peterson listens as his defense attorney David Rudolf makes opening statements in Peterson's request for a new trial on December 6, 2011, in Durham, North Carolina Advertisement The original Staircase docuseries is largely told from Peterson's perspective, and there is an undeniable appeal to witnessing him in action. Another constant during the lengthy legal ordeal was Michael Peterson's first wife, Patricia "Patty" Peterson. Lestrade told Vanity Fair that he felt "betrayed" by show creator Anthony Campos' adaptation of his Peabody Award-winning docu-series and claimed the facts were altered for dramatic effect. Wanted folks like you to see what we, criminal defense lawyers, actually do. 2023 Dirt.com, LLC. 21. There, Patty Peterson worked for the U.S. Department of Defense for 35 years as an elementary school teacher. Though the majority of the time it was captured by de Lestrades cameras, it was open for all to see with the family regularly enjoying meals together, laughing over cocktails and pasta, just a few literal steps away! After Michael and Pattys divorce, they went to live with Michael and Kathleen, whom they called mom, in the United States. He was fired from his job in 2011. It was a huge financial blow to Michael. What happened to Olivia Walton on The Waltons? Sophie and Michael were together from 2004 to 2017. While The Guardian proclaimed Firth to be "brilliant" and that "you cannot help watching to see if and which way he will fall," CNN called his acting skills "riveting work.". Peterson's lawyers took issue with the examiner's assessment. Duane Deaver, a blood splatter expert, had testified that the evidence pointed towards murder. The murder was after Kathleen allegedly discovered that he had over 1000 explicit images of men, a window into . (Crime obviously doesnt pay!) Lincoln Rileys wife, Caitlin Buckley: She attended Rileys rival school, first-degree murder and sent him to prison for life, Michael still asserts that he did not kill Kathleen Peterson, Isabella Russos ethnicity Her Asian roots explained, What is Ines Tazis ethnicity? The most confounding aspect of The Staircase is tough to pinpoint. In the final episode of the miniseries, we see Michael Peterson starting to get his life back on track as a free man. Michael suggested that Kathleen fell down the stairs after drinking too much alcohol and Valium, but no fingerprints were detected on the wine bottle or glasses out in the kitchen. Since his release, Michael has avoided staying in houses with staircases, which is perhaps a good idea. Elizabeth Ratliffs death had a huge impact on her youngest daughter, Martha (Odessa Young). Selling the house at its [original $1.175 million] asking price would still not cover all of Petersons debts.. 'The Staircase' Ending Explained: What Is the Truth? His guilty plea notwithstanding, Michael still asserts that he did not kill Kathleen Peterson. To be fair, according to A Perfect Husband, Aphrodite Jones 2004 book about the case, Petersons defense attorney David Rudolf had the staircase boarded up on December 14, 2001, just days after the killing, in order to preserve evidence. The true extent of Michael Peterson's physical relationships with men remains unknown. Rudolf gave a behind-the-scenes look at the trial, and why he agreed to participate in the docu-series, made by a French documentary crew that first aired in the United States in 2005, and was updated and re-released on Netflix last year. You Can Stream Every 'Rocky' Movie Right Now, 'WoF' Fans Say This Is the 'Biggest Choke' on Show, Daisy Jones & the Six Is a Rock Epic in 10 Parts, See Mariska Hargitays Emotional Tribute on IG, Poker Face Is Rian Johnson's Exciting New Show, A Timeline of Events in 'Murdaugh Murders', 'White Lotus' Star Reveals 'Iconic' Scene Was Cut, How Sam Claflin Built His '70s Rock Star Body. And [Sophie] said, well, if you can't commit to live with me all the time, let's end it and it was a great blow to both of usI could not give her what she really needed and deserved.". Michael was seemingly innocent at first as he was the one who dialed 911 after finding Kathleen at the base of their steps. Her stepfather's lies, including about his sexuality, also played a role, as depicted in the HBO Max miniseries, The Staircase. In 2019, he self-published two books Behind the StaircaseandBeyond the Staircase that detail his side of the story. After breaking up with Sophie ( Juliette Binoche) and refusing to move to Paris, Michael went to live with his ex-wife Patty ( Trini Alvarado ). Peterson's adopted daughters, Margaret and Martha, live in California . Today, Michael Peterson, 78, is still alive and remains a free man. Currently living in Colorado, Martha works as a psychotherapist, helping people that suffer from the same problems that afflicted her. He also stated that he had worked on 500 bloodstain cases. The True Story Behind Netflix's New Docuseries Bad Vegan, The Tinder Swindler True Story: Everything to Know About Netflix's New True Crime Documentary, Anna Delvey, German Con Artist Who Scammed N.Y.C. Is Riley Keough Singing in Daisy Jones & The Six? He currently lives in Baltimore, Maryland, where he works as an engineer. To boot, the couple was in severe credit card debt, to the tune of $100,000. The most vocal of Kathleens sisters, Candace (Rosemarie DeWitt) was the one to present the prosecution with the alleged murder weapon, a fireplace poker, or blow poke, that she had given the Petersons for Christmas. Petersons overall nonchalant demeanor and regular giggling over aspects of the case are certainly perplexing. To recap the case, Kathleen Peterson was found dead at the bottom of her . The prosecution didn't accuse Peterson of Ratliff's death at his trial. The reason, according to him, was money. Simpson, Peterson wrote a book about the crime titled Behind the Staircase and his website claims its a best-seller! During a CrimeCon speech, Peterson's attorney, David Rudolf, shot down reports his client made bank from the Netflix series. The story behind The Staircase. At the center of the story is Kathleen and Michaels sprawling Colonial home, located in Durhams tony Forest Hills neighborhood. Link your TV provider to stream full episodes and live TV. Michael Peterson had been forced to sell his assets, including the family home, to pay legal fees, leaving him broke. So, it was an unusual choice to cast the "Bridget Jones' Diary" love-rival in HBO's "The Staircase." He explained: These are created characters but we all know what the source is. Here's everything we know about what happened to Michael Peterson after HBO Max's The Staircase. "But we parted ways because he had to go do an 'Indiana Jones.'" But, theres one thing that pretty much everyone can agree on: The man needs to avoid a home with staircases. However, the same type of plea, contrary to the assertion Peterson has made in his books about his experience following his release, is not synonymous with his conviction being overturned. On December 9, 2001, Michael Peterson's wife, Kathleen Peterson was found dead at the bottom of their staircase with severe injuries. Blood-spatter analyst Duane Deaver (Myke Holmes) was found to have exaggerated his credentials in the field of forensic investigation. He got back to writing and released two books telling his side of the story: 2019s Behind the Staircase and 2020s Beyond the Staircase. Now 79 years old, he lives alone in a ground-floor . As it turned out, thats what happened. But severe cracks in their foundation came to light following Michaels arrest and during his subsequent lengthy trial. Elisa Guimares is a feature writer at Collider. The pair moved in together in 2019. Todd also claims his father cheated on Patty with Kathleen. And in addition to the unanswered questions around her death, there were also unanswered questions on the guilt or innocence of her husband, Michael Peterson. However, it will be exclusively available onHBO Max. The couple discussed moving to France and settling in the capital once the trial was finally over. As the first iteration of "The Staircase" detailed, Kathleen was found at the bottom of the titular staircase in the couple's Durham mansion in 2001, an incident which immediately raised the hackles of local law enforcement, who believed her death was the result of homicide on the part of her husband. Alongside Pfeiffer, Rudolf is the owner of the Elder Gallery of Contemporary Art, in Charlotte, North Carolina. Played by Sophie Turner, Margaret is the eldest daughter of Air Force captain George Ratliff and his wife, Elizabeth, who lived next door to Michael and Patty Peterson in Germany. Hopewell Junction, NY 12533-5516 Parris Island, SC 29905-1070 Pleasant Valley, NY 12569-7731 I couldn't afford to live in Paris and my children, and grandchildren were in America. Featuring a library, game room, a whopping five fireplaces, fourteen-foot ceilings, hardwood flooring throughout, and a large master wing, theres no arguing that the couple and their children lived in style. On December 1, 2009, Kathleen Peterson was found dead at the bottom of the staircase in their North Carolina home. In 2002, Caitlin filed a civil wrongful death lawsuit against Michael. No, not that staircase. At first, their two sons lived in Germany with their mother but eventually went to live in Durham, North Carolina with their father. Meanwhile, Peterson said he felt "pimped out" by Lestrade for allowing HBO access to footage for a fee and co-executive producer credit. Caitlins lawyer filed another complaint against him after his release in 2017, in order to discourage him from making money from the case. After a years-long legal battle post-prison, which included almost three years under house arrest, Peterson finally attained freedom by entering an Alford plea for manslaughter and was officially given time served in exchange. The defense, however, disputed that Kathleen was accepting of Michael's bisexuality and that the blow poke (a hollow tube instead of a solid metal stick) he allegedly used to strike her suffered no damage, nor had any remnants of blood on it. Judge Clifton . Michael purchased the 9,372-square-foot property in August 1992 for $600,000. Defense Attorney David Rudolf knows that the public is divided on whether Michael Peterson, the subject of the Netflix docu-series The Staircase, killed his wife Kathleen. Man Made Pros and Cons List About Leaving Her, Missouri Man Killed Expectant Wife Who Googled 'What to Do if Your Husband Is Upset You Are Pregnant', Andrea Yates, Who Drowned Her 5 Kids in a Tub in 2001, Annually Declines Release from Mental Hospital, Robert Durst, Convicted Murderer and Real Estate Scion, Dies at 78, Scott Peterson Resentenced to Life in Prison After Being Spared Death, as Laci's Family Confronts Him, Robert Durst's Murder Conviction Will Be Vacated on Legal Technicality, L.A. Most eerie of all, though, is the fact that a segment took place on the infamous back staircase! According to Detective Art Holland of Durham police, Kathleen was "splayed out on the floor, her head resting on the landing of a back staircase" details that sparked suspicion due to the awfully close similarities to Elizabeth's death in 1985. But, as Peterson was being investigated for the staircase death of his wife in the early 2000s, Ratliffs body was exhumed in Texas in 2003. While living together, Michael and Patricia became close with their neighbors-turned-friends George and Elizabeth Ratliff. ", It turns out Firth landed the role out of pure Hollywood happenstance. Rudolf said he agreed to participate in the documentary because the filmmakers had won an Academy Award in 2001 for Murder on a Sunday Morning, about a 15-year-old boy wrongfully accused of murder. ), "Right now, I can live with this," Peterson said of the result of his hearing in February 2017. The novelist spent the past almost eight years in prison after a jury found him guilty of murdering his wife, but in 2011, he was released and since then hes been living a quiet life in Durham, North Carolina, the same city he once lived with his second wife at the time of her death. Peterson's second son, Todd (who was adamant that his step-mother's death was alcohol-related), currently lives in Tennessee. The dried blood atop her head was a clue that she'd been there for a while, and since Michael was the only person in the house at that time, he was the only suspect. The woman who The Staircase viewers may be mistaking for Peterson's new wife could well be Sophie Brunet (played by Juliette Binoche), an executive producer of the Jean-Xavier de Lestrade documentary, also titled The Staircase. I felt that I wanted to keep my inspiration, my motivation, and the sense of the source material, as much as possible contained within the script and the way it was written.. What Happened to Michael Peterson After Prison? Able to use the clips eight years later, and that was a really important thing for the judge to see.. Returning to the Scene of the Crime. I don't speak French. The production, deemed largely forgettable by critics, made extensive use of both the interior and exterior of the property. Ratliff was found dead at the bottom of the staircase in her home in similar circumstances to Kathleen Peterson. She was 78 years old. Kathleen and Michael had been married since the 1990s and had quite the blended family. At least three people are not fans of HBO's "The Staircase": Jean-Xavier de Lestrade, Michael Peterson, and attorney David Rudolf. In addition to losing the civil suit his step-daughter, Caitlin Atwater, brought against him, Peterson also lost out on Kathleen's $1.4 million life insurance policy, per WRAL, and the home that they shared was put on the market in 2020, per The Sun. Brad even testified at Michael Peterson's trial and under cross-examination, stated Michael Peterson spoke about Kathleen Peterson, calling her a "dynamite wife," reported the NZ Herald. He lives in Durham in a house without a staircase by Chege Karomo - on May 06, 2022 in People Netflix Michael Peterson is the subject of one of Netflix's most riveting and polarizing true crime documentaries, The Staircase . According to the News and Observer, Peterson has not owned the home since he sold it to Jason Balius for $640,000 in 2004. Michael Peterson had two sons, Clayton AND Todd, and Kathleen Peterson had a daughter, Caitlin, from her previous marriage to Fred Atwater. 2023 BDG Media, Inc. All rights reserved. She didnt like the idea of being a character in Campos miniseries and felt betrayed by the showrunner. MICHAEL Peterson was convicted of killing his second wife, Kathleen, in 2003. Crime News is your destination for true crime stories from around the world, breaking crime news, and information about Oxygen's original true crime shows and documentaries. Though the kitchen island was moved (it was formerly attached to the kitchen counter, cutting across the room at a diagonal), the space still looks much as it did when Michael lived there. The filmmakers had explored the American justice system in a case with a public defender, and wanted to explore a case with a wealthy defendant. After Kathleen passed, the young woman developed a severe form of anxiety, aggravated by Michaels long and public battle against the justice system. Michael insists that he didnt kill either Elizabeth or Kathleen. After her death, however, and during Petersons time behind bars, he was forced to file for bankruptcy. Rudolf said,"To suggest I assisted [Pfeiffer] with any interviews, that would be as much fiction as it is that a criminal defense lawyer is allowed in a Grand Jury proceeding. After serving in the Vietnam War, he began to write novels and newspaper columns about his experiences following his honorable discharge in 1971. On the flip-side, Petersons former sister-in-law, Candace Zamperini, said during the hearing in 2017 that shell always see him responsible for her sisters death. Since the release of the docuseries three final episodes, he has directed two fictional series in France. Three episodes in, the series-runners drop a major bombshell: Peterson was the last person to see another woman who was found dead at the bottom of a staircase in Germany in 1985. Nonetheless, he admits that his case has all the makings of a good true crime drama: Now we have the real thing: sex, money, and murder: The Michael Peterson case. I'm too old. Kathleen was the first woman to attend Duke University's School of Engineering and throughout her marriage to Michael Peterson, she worked for Nortel, a telecommunications company. And, Rudolf gave a wry summary of a key feature of Petersons new living situation: Hes in a ground floor apartment with no stairs that was a really important accommodation.. We all know that these characters have names of living people, but its very carefully calibrated to tell the story in a certain way. Today, Michael Peterson, 78, is still alive and remains a free man. Colin Firth plays the writer in a new HBO Max limited series. In an interview with Vanity Fair, she said that Lestrades The Staircase cost her many job opportunities in the documentary world, including at Netflix.

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