HBO's thrilling true crime series The Staircase has captivated audience members across the globe as it follows the life and trial of Michael Peterson after the suspicious death of his second wife Kathleen Peterson in 2001.. In 2003, he was sentenced to life in prison. At just 20, he was later sentenced to four years at a federal penitentiary. Metzgoff believes the documentary expertly demonstrates how criminal defense cases develop and unfold. He came to know SLED agent David Owens after the murders and said he told Owens to reach out to him if he ever needed answers from the family and couldnt get in touch with someone else. By entering an Alford plea, Michael pled guilty to manslaughter while still claiming to be innocent. Michael entered an Alford plea, through which he could simultaneously maintain his innocence while pleading guilty to manslaughter. Clayton Peterson is the eldest child of Michael Peterson. I thought that all the homosexual evidencehowever it was usedwould have been unduly prejudicial to the defense, and probably should not have come into evidence., Although most true crime television series are concerned with solving a mystery and ascertaining the truth, these were not the intentions of de Lestrade. Eisenstat did not conduct autopsies but reviewed photos and information from Riemers autopsies. That was what inspired him to open his own firm in 1982. Bill Peterson, Peterson's. Our credibility is the turbo-charged engine of our success. I guess were at Mr. Waters mercy, said defense attorney Dick Harpootlian, who mentioned the prosecution has often gone longer than anticipated. ONE VOICE Her system had only trace amounts of Valium and a blood alcohol level below the state's legal limit to drive -- so she certainly wasn't too drunk to walk. It was hard to find a place with more beautiful flowers than the family farm. Peterson's other son, Todd, resides in Tennessee. Investigators swiftly [] After all, as examined in The Staircase, they were thrust into the limelight not just because of her brutal demise but also because the familys patriarch immediately became the prime suspect. Behindthe Website Clayton and Todd Peterson were Michael's children with his first wife, Patty, and, like their sisters, they believed their father was innocent of his second wife Kathleen's murder. Michael was able to walk free on time served. Not. Titled Behind the Staircase, all the profits made out of book sales is donated to charity. | Kathleen Peterson's "flip-flops" were found oddly placed in the hall near several bloody towels. Turns out, he knew a thing or two about mechanics. She was a high-ranking executive for Canadian-based telecommunications firm Nortel. Oscar-winning actor Colin Firth portrays Michael Peterson in HBO Max's The Staircase. According to a 2018 write-up by Bustle, the lives of Michael Peterson's children changed literally overnight following the death of his second wife, Kathleen Peterson. That has many people wondering, who is David Rudolf in The Staircase? Your suggestions can be as general or specific as you like, from Life to Compact Cars and Trucks to A Subspecies of Capybara Called Hydrochoerus Isthmius. Well get our writers on it because we want to create articles on the topics youre interested in. In 2002, his step-daughter, Caitlin, filed a wrongful death claim against him. The suspicious circumstances led the cops to believe that it was a murder. The kind of twists that the series throws on you leaves you scratching your head. 2023 BDG Media, Inc. All rights reserved. Clayton Peterson is the eldest child of Michael Peterson. Palmbach was an expert witness in the trial of Michael Peterson, whose . In the new HBO Max series, Michael Peterson's brother, Bill Peterson, is portrayed by actor Tim Guinee. French actress Binoche is best known for her Oscar-winning performance in The English Patient. Michael's wife was found lying in a pool of blood at the bottom of a staircase in the couple's residence. Historys most fascinating stories and darkest secrets, delivered to your inbox daily. We see Jack, but not Bill. Please let us know if a fact weve published is inaccurate (or even if you just suspect its inaccurate) by reaching out to us at contribute@factinate.com. However, months into the case, the prosecution stopped working with the filmmaker. Thomas B. Metzgoff, a Duke University law professor and a neighbor of the Petersons at the time of Kathleens death, includes The Staircase on his syllabus. Although Judge Hudson feels that Petersons eventual freedom is proof that the criminal system does indeed work, he is regretful of two aspects of the initial trial. This content is imported from poll. Their relationship lasted all throughout the first trial, Petersons subsequent imprisonment and release, fight for a new trial, and Alford plea. At that time, only Michael had been there, who claimed he was outside and did not witness the fall. Michael Petersons defense team, however, did not pursue this theory as grounds for a re-trial. Who is Michael Peterson? Kathleen Peterson, who was his second wife, was a business executive. Ratliffs body was exhumed and a second autopsy was performed, with the medical examiner concluding that her death was a homicide. David Michael Malvin was born July 7, 1963, in Willmar, Minnesota. Juliette Binoche portrays Sophie Brunet in HBO Max's The Staircase, an editor of Jean-Xavier de Lestrade's documentary series who engaged in a romantic relationship with Peterson. He would later serve as a Marine during the Vietnam War. "After 17 years, I still believe that." Dick Harpootlian said people have been trespassing at Moselle and taking distasteful selfies in front of the feed room where Paul was murdered. Court will resume at 9:30 a.m. on Tuesday when the prosecution will begin calling reply witnesses. Todd was the first person to see Michael after Kathleen died, as shown in the first episode of HBO Max's new series. Please submit feedback to contribute@factinate.com. He took pride in his pickups and shining them up for his drives. Jesus Christ died to save us from our sins and we need him as our Lord and Savior. Parker Posey as Freda Black in The Staircase. He was a Ford guy and in particular, a red F-150 guy. The couple has two sons together, Lucian and Dorian. Peterson currently lives in Durham, North Carolina, and, time and again, has talked to reporters about him being innocent of the crime. Michael and Patty, along with their young boys, reportedly resided in Germany for quite a while around the 1980s, where they befriended their closeby neighbors, George and Elizabeth Ratliff. He had also co-written two other books and has worked as a newspaper columnist for Durham Herald-Sun. He testified the damage caused by the shotgun wounds would have left the gunman covered in biological material - and potentially even injured. So, where is Todd Peterson today? As told in the film, Butler made a confession which he claimed was coerced, and he was eventually acquitted. Hours later, during the autopsy, medical examiners discounted the possibility of an accidental fall, noting the victim had seven bruises matching seven lacerations on her head, and multiple bruises on her arms -- yet no bruising to her legs or buttocks. Please select what you would like included for printing: Copy the text below and then paste that into your favorite email application. Clayton Clay Peterson is his eldest, followed by Todd Peterson both from Michaels first marriage with Patricia Sue Peterson, which once made their domestic quartet an undeniably happy one. Daisy Jones & The Six Is A Nostalgic Series Based On A Best-Selling Book, The 'Ted Lasso' Season 3 Trailer Is Finally Here & Fellas, It'll Give You Goosebumps, '1923' Will Deliver More Dutton Family Drama In Season 2 Of The 'Yellowstone' Prequel, 'Yellowjackets' Season 3 Is Officially Happening, What Parents Are Talking About Delivered Straight To Your Inbox, By subscribing to this BDG newsletter, you agree to our. Powered by WordPress.com VIP. During the initial murder trial, the prosecutors brought up Michael Petersons bisexuality. Todd appeared most often in the earliest episodes. And who can blame him? What Are Michael Peterson's Kids Doing Today? They didn't think that he would ever be able to get a fair trial from the Durham police or prosecutors. The judge said on Monday he will allow a jury view of the familys 1,700-acre hunting lodge on Moselle Road, which is about 30 minutes from the courthouse. Michael's brother, Bill Peterson, was an attorney and referrals led him to Rudolf Widenhouse. Even The Staircase chose to respect his privacy by not focusing on him very much. Citing a report from The News & Observer, Bustle noted that many of them scattered to states outside of North Carolina, where Peterson lives. And what are the Peterson kids doing today? Game of Thrones alum Sophie Turner portrays Margaret Ratliff in HBO Max's The Staircase. Obviously, multiple bone-deep lacerations to the back of the head cannot have come from a single fall forward. In an interview with Vulture, he explained, I am not saying that I think Michael Peterson is innocent. His other well-known credits include Boardwalk Empire, The Looming Tower, and Dopesick. Not long after, Michael Peterson became the prime suspect and was indicted on the charge of killing his wife. In light of new developments surrounding the case, de Lestrade made a new installment to The Staircase saga in 2012, entitled The Last Chance. MN 56209. In the end, Peterson entered an Alford plea to the lesser charge of voluntary manslaughter. He also explained that after Kathleens death, the only reason he engaged legal help immediately is because his son insisted upon it, calling in Michaels lawyer brother, Bill Peterson. He received lucrative deals from several publishers but could not take them. He was also present for the search of their mothers Almeda home, but said he did not recognize the blue raincoat that was recovered. Whether or not Michael planted the flip-flops for effect, Kathleen Peterson was NOT wearing them when paramedics first arrived at 1810 Cedar. Flash forward to the newer episodes of The Staircase (after Michael had been in prison for 8 years) Bill isn't seen again. Guinee is best known for his role as the United States Air Force Major Allen in Iron Man and Iron Man 2. The latest installment of the series was released on Netflix earlier this year. 508 W Altantic Ave, Sabrina is an editorial assistant for Womens Health. The staircase where Kathleen Peterson was found dead on Dec. 8, 2001 is seen above Credit: Netflix. The completed series hit British and American airwaves in 2005, on BBC Four and the Sundance Channel, respectively. Want to tell us to write facts on a topic? The Sun pointed out that the mansion was puton the market in 2020, noting that Peterson sold it in 2004.). However, Peterson claimed that his sexuality was not a secret to his wife, and he asserted that the cops were trying to pin this on him because he had written articles against them in his newspaper column. To distract from the theft, Peterson left a pipe bomb that he claims was rigged to not detonate. -- Bill Peterson, attorney. The once-giant in the field became a major casualty of the dot-com crash. There was also a fear that it might unfairly sway the jury to be against Peterson, but as pointed out by de Lestrade and Metzgoff, Durham County, home to many prominent universities, is one of the more progressive places in North Carolina. The plea is the result of a US Supreme Court case from 1970 (Alford v. North Carolina), where an alleged murderer had submitted a coerced plea. This new installment follows Peterson as he and his legal team weigh their options on whether to go through with a new trial or put forward an Alford plea. Following her death, the Petersons would adopt Ratliffs two young daughters. The farm was where he would shine light on the gospel of Jesus Christ. The case also inspired an episode of the CBS police procedural drama Cold Case. Kathleen Peterson's family found out about his bisexuality shortly after her murder. Despite being protected by client privilege, the prosecution still requested de Lestrade and his crew hand over footage of their work with Peterson and his legal team. Factinate is a fact website that is dedicated to finding and sharing fun facts about science, history, animals, films, people, and much more. It ostensibly did not matter to Michael that only two of these five were his own because they were all kind, innocent beings he wished to provide for to the best of his abilities. Read More: Where is Michaels Brother Bill Peterson Now? In fact, post-mortem examinations revealed that her hair contained microscopic owl feather remnants and the lacerations seemed to resemble marks that would be created by owl talons. He was clearly very supportive of his brother.
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