How many women can one man know who die in “freak staircase accidents”?
Colin Firth stars as Michael Peterson with Sophie Turner, Toni Collette, and Parker Posey also appearing.
He also worked as a columnist for theHerald-Sunin Durham.
HBO Max
While he was there he became known for criticizing Durham police and Durham County District Attorney James Hardin Jr.
This is the same man who later personally prosecuted Peterson, which seems extremely suspicious.
When George Ratliff died, the families became even closer.
When Elizabeth Ratliff died, the Petersons took in the Ratliff children.
In 1989 Michael moved in with Kathleen Atwater, a successful Telecom executive and the couple married in 1997.
It also showed that she slowly died from her injuries, bleeding out over the course of 90-120 minutes.
The Staircase
The prosecution claimed this weapon was a blow poke.
Michaels story was that his wife had fallen down the stairs while inebriated and died.
He was sitting outside the home by the pool and heard nothing.
The Staircase
James Hardin Jr argued that his hidden bisexuality was a motive to murder Kathleen.
Elizabeth Ratliffs body was exhumed in 2003.
A second autopsy was performed by the same medical examiner who had done Kathleen Petersons autopsy.
The ME overturned Elizabeths original autopsy and concluded she also died by homicide.
So is Michael Peterson guilty?
There was a print on Kathleen from Michaels shoe, which is inconsistent with Michaels story.
Michael Peterson is the only other person who was at the home the night Kathleen died.
Why didnt Michael Peterson hear her calling for help?
When he could have popped inside to get a jacket or blanket and found Kathleen.
The 911 call is suspect.
Michael did not bring a real income to the family through his writing.
Files were deleted from Michaels phone and computeraround the time of Kathleens death in large quantities.
Something we always have to be conscious of is the fact that predators lie.
If Michael Peterson was guilty, in all likelihood, he would lie about it.
Kathleen divorced her first husband because he cheated on her.
who did Kathleens autopsy saidshe had defensive wounds.
On October 10, 2003 a jury found Michael Peterson guilty of Kathleens murder.
He was sentenced to life in prison without parole because the jury believed the murder was premeditated.
Both the North Carolina Court of Appeals and North Carolina Supreme Court upheld his conviction.
He was also denied a new trial by the Durham County Superior Court.
He was sentenced to time served and released.
This seems very inappropriate.
James Hardin Jr. also had Mike Nifong work on his prosecution team.
Darryl Howard had served 20 years in prison by the time he was exonerated.
The director ofThe Staircaseinterviewed jurors about why they voted guilty.
Several jurors said they were convinced by the amount of blood at the crime scene.
What happened that night is still a huge mystery.
But during the five-month trial, his guilt was not proven to me.
Was I missing something?
To read the courtroom.
To understand how things were affecting the jury.
I really questioned that.
And Im not sure you ever get that back.
The theory is that an owl killed Kathleen.
Its notquiteas crazy as it sounds.
Three small owl feathers and a fragment from a tree were found tangled in Kathleen Petersons hair.
However, other experts have disagreed with her.
