Michael had two sons - Todd and Clayton - from his first marriage. In . Behind the Staircase and Beyond the Staircase were self-published in 2019. One of the most puzzling revelations of his trial was that in 1985, Michael was the last person to see Elizabeth Ratliff before she was discovered dead at the bottom of a staircase. However, it was nearly a very different ending. Kathleen had daughter Caitlin from her first marriage as well. In July 2020, Michael and Kathleen Peterson's five-story mansion where Kathleen lost her life was put up for sale. While many elements have been updated, the layout is the same, making it very recognizable from The Staircase.. However, de Lestrades involvement with the Peterson story didnt end there, as he was the one to sell the story to Campos. In 1983, George died from a military accident, and in 1985, Elizabeth was found dead at the foot of her staircase with head injuries. Margaret was already interested in pursuing a career in film when her family was approached by Lestrade and his crew. Blood-spatter analyst Duane Deaver (Myke Holmes) was found to have exaggerated his credentials in the field of forensic investigation. The murder was after Kathleen allegedly discovered that he had over 1000 explicit images of men, a window into . After her death, German officials concluded that Ratliff died of a cerebral hemorrhage which led to her falling down the stairs. The conclusion painted Michael as a murderer with a propensity for pushing his victims down staircases and no doubt contributed to his conviction. Kathleen and Michael had been married since the 1990s and had quite the blended family. In July 2020,. True-crime enthusiasts have taken a renewed interest in Michael Peterson and the death of his wife, Kathleen, with the premiere of the mini-series "The Staircase". In 2010, he was found culpable of withholding crucial evidence from defense attorneys in other cases. Like us on Facebook atwww.facebook.com/TheSunUSand follow us from our main Twitter account at@TheSunUS, Serena Williams stepmom's debts continue to spiral amid crumbling home battle, 'Glaring error' left 'habitual liar' Alex Murdaugh 'boxed in' during trial, Alex Murdaugh jailed for life after disgraced lawyer guilty of murder, Murdaugh sentenced to LIFE in prison after being found guilty of double murder, 2020 THE SUN, US, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED | TERMS OF USE | PRIVACY | YOUR AD CHOICES | SITEMAP, Michael Peterson was convicted of killing his wife Kathleen in 2003, A new HBO Max miniseries, The Staircase, will follow Peterson's murder trial. She also campaigned for the Durham County District Court, to no avail. 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Michael and Patricia later divorced, and not long after, he moved in with telecoms exec Kathleen Atwater before eventually tying the knot in 1997. The shy, dull, and very British Mark Darcy is as far as you can get from the confounding and unpredictable American novelist Michael Peterson. Since Deavers testimony was what eventually led the jury to agree upon Michaels guilt, the writer was released in 2011 under a $300,000 bail and placed under house arrest. His cell was a far cry from the sprawling mansion he formerly called home, which was put on the market just 20 days later for $1.175 million. The Staircase airs on Thursdays on HBO Max and Sky Atlantic. Michael was born in Nashville, Tennessee in 1943 before moving to work for the U.S. Department of Defense after college. ), "Right now, I can live with this," Peterson said of the result of his hearing in February 2017. Before going AWOL, however, he changed his mind about his dads involvement in Kathleens death. RELATED: 'The Staircase' Ending Explained: What Is the Truth? Much like his character in The Staircase, he cultivated a strong social media presence. It soon came to light that not only had Deaver exaggerated the number of cases in which he had worked, he also had no proper forensics training and was guilty of lab misconduct. Prosecutor Says, Scott Peterson Will Be Re-Sentenced to Life in Prison After Death Sentence Was Overturned in 2020, Man Who Killed Meredith Kercher, Amanda Knox's Roommate in Italy, Is Freed from Prison, the limited series is very much a true story, the jury found Michael guilty of Kathleen's murder. Peterson's adopted daughters, Margaret and Martha, live in California . They married in 1965 and moved to Durham, North Carolina. They took care of each other.. Hopewell Junction, NY 12533-5516 Parris Island, SC 29905-1070 Pleasant Valley, NY 12569-7731 It occurred when Michael and Kathleen were visiting Germany and dropped by the home of their friend, Elizabeth Ratliff. He's published at least one, maybe two books, since he's been out and, and he goes to the gym, and he sort of lives a normal life," the attorney told Newsweek. But what happened to him after he took that Alford plea in 2017? According to CNN, Patty Peterson loaned Michael Peterson $168,000 to help him fight his case. In 2002, Caitlin filed a civil wrongful death lawsuit against Michael. The prosecution didn't accuse Peterson of Ratliff's death at his trial. Now 79 years old, he lives alone in a ground-floor . The couple shared two sons, Clayton Peterson and Todd Peterson. Michael wound up being granted a new trial in 2011 after the State Crime Labs blood-spatter analyst Duane Deaver, who worked on his case, was fired for repeatedly shoddy investigative work. Likes science fiction, true crime, coming-of-age stories, teen dramas, and some other things as well. He now believes "maybe everybody's somewhat elusive and changeable and multifaceted. At a time when true crime is easily one of the more popular TV genres, Netflix, home of the ever popular Making a Murderer series, is now set to premiere The Staircase on June 8. Taking a cue from O.J. Meanwhile, Peterson said he felt "pimped out" by Lestrade for allowing HBO access to footage for a fee and co-executive producer credit. Kathleen Peterson, seen above, died on December 1, 2009. He donated all of the proceeds to charity. 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. Although Peterson is out of prison and was granted a manslaughter charge as opposed to the original murder charge that he served nearly eight years in prison for, he maintains his innocence in all matters related to the case. Send us a tip using our anonymous form. Peterson sold the house he owned with his wife Kathleen back in 2004.Today, the 78-year-old is completely free and out of prison. Peterson was released while awaiting a new trial but ultimately decided not to take any chances (even with that oh-so-veritable owl theory in his arsenal) and in 2017 entered an Alford plea, whereby asserting his innocence but admitting the evidence would likely lead to a guilty verdict. The case is still a major discussion for true-crime fans, some of whom wonder if Michael Peterson really did kill his wife, or if it was merely an accident as he claims. Her husband, Michael Peterson, was convicted of murder on October 10, 2003, but the circumstances surrounding her death have been called into question, including Peterson's guilt or innocence since his trial. Behind the Staircase and Beyond the Staircase were self-published in 2019. 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, its a life hes happy to now live. The Staircaseis set to return to our screens as a HBO Max series. 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. Clayton and Todd chose to live with their mom, while Martha and Margaret moved to North Carolina with Michael. Since his release, Michael has avoided staying in houses with staircases, which is perhaps a good idea. 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.". Despite Michael Peterson's murder conviction in 2003, his story was far from over. After serving in the Vietnam War, he began to write novels and newspaper columns about his experiences following his honorable discharge in 1971. Peterson, who shared a fortune with his wife Kathleen Peterson up until the time of her death, referred to himself as "indigent" during the later episodes of "The Staircase," which were filmed following his 2011 release from prison. Her stepfather's lies, including about his sexuality, also played a role, as depicted in the HBO Max miniseries, The Staircase. Speaking to The News & Observer, Michael Peterson shared their relationship came to an end because he did not want to live in Paris. However, Caitlin's opinion changed after she saw her mother's autopsy photographs that depicted horrific injuries. The company had also begun massive layoffs at the same time and Kathleens job security seemed tenuous at best. As a result, he was re-sentenced to time served and released from prison at that time. Since Michael cant profit from his crime, the proceeds from the books sales go to charity. 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. Michael, who has maintained his innocence, spent nearly a decade behind bars after being . Since his release from prison on bond in 2011 and his official release in 2017, Peterson has returned to his passion for. Link your TV provider to stream full episodes and live TV. Michael insists that he didnt kill either Elizabeth or Kathleen. He's in a ground-floor apartment with no stairs that was a really important accommodation," Rudolf shared. He said that when he previously prepared for a role, he liked to delve right in and get "to the heart" of the character. During filming, Peterson began dating one of the documentary editors, Sophie Brunet. Michael J. Peterson Contributing Writer at Quora-active since 2013 , Former Indiana All State Choir Zone 3-B chairman 1989-2000, National Council of Japanese Language Teachers Association-board . Still, in the same year, the North Carolina Human Resources Commission ruled that he should have merely been demoted from his position and that the SBI owed him 34 months of wages. 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? Warning: This article contains spoilers about The Staircase. 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. ", He told the News & Observer: "They were companions. 2023 BDG Media, Inc. All rights reserved. Instead, he submitted an Alford Plea for manslaughter. And then Michael had two adopted daughters, Margaret and Martha. And although his initial murder trial took place in 2003, Michael Peterson's saga didn't have definitive ending until 2018. It's the story of novelist Michael Peterson and the trial that followed his arrest for the murder of his second wife, Kathleen Peterson. It was a huge financial blow to Michael. Deavers ethics and expertise were first put into question regarding the wrongful conviction of Greg Taylor, in 1993, for the murder of Jacquetta Thomas. And that spawned other real-life programs it's just a tragedy that there's this great appetite that people have for sex, murder, and money. We all know that these characters have names of living people, but its very carefully calibrated to tell the story in a certain way. He was sentenced to time already served, and it was decided he would never face another day in court, or prison, for his wife's death. 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 . The video above will play a live feed of Alex Murdaugh's sentencing beginning at 9:30 a.m. Friday. The docu-series follows Petersons trial for the murder of his wife Kathleen. Because of all of the twists and turns that developed in the case, from the death itself having multiple theories, to the news of another woman from petersons past dying in a similar fashion, The Staircase originally premiered on TV in 2004 with eight episodes detailing the case and trial. HBO Max's latest true crime series, The Staircase, chronicles the lengthy saga of Michael Peterson, an author who was convicted of killing his wife, Kathleen, who died on the stairs in their Durham, N.C. home in December 2001. Michael was resentenced to 86 weeks in prison but was let free since he had already served more than that time. Much like Peterson and Brunet, he was also not happy with the fictional adaptation of his docuseries and claimed that Campos misinterpreted facts in a way that paints him as an unethical filmmaker. Per The News & Observer, Petersons defense left him indigent. "Its not fair, Its not right. Ahead of Michael Petersons' trial, Ratliff's body was exhumed for a second autopsy in April 2003, where a Durham medical examiner concluded the cause of death as "homicide." At the time of her mother's death, Caitlin Atwater supported her stepfather and after his arrest told the press of his innocence. As the later episodes of "The Staircase" covered, Peterson was eventually granted a retrial hearing in 2011 after it was discovered that Duane Deaver a blood-spatter analyst for North Carolina's State Bureau of Investigation who had testified under oath at Peterson's initial trial that evidence pointed towards his guilt had covered up evidence in other trials that would've benefited the defense. "I've always believed he did not do this, and I always will.". Peterson's current financial state, while up for speculation, is most likely a shadow of what it was in 2001. Everyone Practices Cancel Culture | Opinion, Deplatforming Free Speech is Dangerous | Opinion. Michael had written a number of stories that were really critical of the Durham Police Department or the Mayors Office. The Staircase. Though the rear stairway isnt featured in MLS images, the entrance to it is. He enjoys a secluded life with the occasional media appearance to again discuss that fateful staircase. Firth told Deadline that he didnt meet Michael before playing him in HBOs The Staircase. Black died in 2018, at age 57 of end-stage liver disease. The Staircase is set to premiere on May 5, 2022. However, since the release of the HBO miniseries, his Instagram profile has been deleted. Instead of the trial actually happening, a judge reduced the novelists charges to manslaughter thanks to entering an Alford plea, which essentially states that while he doesn't admit to the crime, he does admit that the state as sufficient evidence to charge him. But, in February 2017, just months before the scheduled retrial, Peterson submitted an Alford plea to the reduced charge of manslaughter. 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. As The News & Observer noted, the former columnist's Alford plea was distinctly tied to the charge of manslaughter, which means that Peterson asserted his opinion of his innocence while simultaneously accepting charges (via Metro). Following his release from prison, Michael Peterson, 78, has written two books detailing a behind-the-scenes account of his trial, imprisonment, and life after jail. As seen in The Staircase, Michael Peterson admitted to his family and The Staircase documentary filmmaker Jean-Xavier de Lestrade (streaming on Netflix) that he was bisexual when evidence of male pornography was found on his computer. Click back to the main page for more Dirt on the house. 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'. Michael donates the proceeds from his book to charity as he wouldnt be allowed to keep them for himself. They did, however, use her death as an example of an incident that could help him "fake" Kathleen's accident. Ratliff was found dead at the bottom of the staircase in her home in similar circumstances to Kathleen Peterson. Hearst Magazine Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved. In an odd twist, before the Petersons called the place home, it was featured in the 1990 dystopian drama The Handmaids Tale, based upon Margaret Atwoods 1985 novel of the same name. He got back to writing and released two books telling his side of the story: 2019s Behind the Staircase and 2020s Beyond the Staircase. The writer produced a memoir in 2009 called Behind the Staircase, and a sequel Beyond the Staircase. The case that dominated such a large part of his life still haunted him, however. To recap the case, Kathleen Peterson was found dead at the bottom of her staircase in 2001. The last person to see her alive was Michael Peterson. Nowadays, she prefers to stay away from the spotlight, living a quiet life in Alexandria, Virgnia. Even after his prison release, Peterson has maintained his innocence and lives in Durham, North Carolina. Investigators swiftly homed in on Michael as a prime suspect as he was alone in the premises with Kathleen when she passed away. And what's his life like today? Then I went and realized, no, I can't. Colin Firthwill play the main subject Michael Peterson; the role was originally slated to be played by Harrison Ford. After Michael Peterson and Patricia Sue divorced in 1985, Clayton and his younger brother Todd went to live with their mother. So, it was an unusual choice to cast the "Bridget Jones' Diary" love-rival in HBO's "The Staircase." At the center of the story is Kathleen and Michael's sprawling Colonial home, located in Durham's tony Forest Hills neighborhood. Petersons overall nonchalant demeanor and regular giggling over aspects of the case are certainly perplexing. The film, which examines the ethics of documentary filmmaking, premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival. Kathleen Peterson's death became a national, long-standing mystery with the 2004 documentary The Staircase. "That we dont cheat or invent evidence, that we actually care about truth and representing people as well as they can be represented. She didnt like the idea of being a character in Campos miniseries and felt betrayed by the showrunner. 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. In a big twist that fans of the original documentary, The Staircase, wouldn't have seen coming, Peterson dated Sophie Brunet, an editor of Jean-Xavier de Lestrade's documentary series. The couple also hosts a podcast together, Abuse of Power, which focuses on stories of people victimized by the justice system. "He's living in Durham I'm not sure why he's living in Durham, but he is," Rudolf told the audience at CrimeCon. Where is Peterson's Durham house? ), who in turn put it on the market this past July for $1.9 million. Earlier this year, Margaret co-produced a documentary feature titled Subject, directed by Jennifer Tiexiera and Camilla Hall. According to the News and Observer, Peterson has not owned the home since he sold it to Jason Balius for $640,000 in 2004. The latest offering from the HBO crime series is The Staircase which takes an in-depth look into the saga of Michael Peterson, an author who was convicted of killing his wife, Kathleen Peterson. We are not sleazy, we are not drunks, we dont sell our clients out," Rudolf said. On December 9, 2001, Michael Peterson's wife, Kathleen Peterson was found dead at the bottom of their staircase with severe injuries. They wed in 1968 and had two boys together, Todd and Clayton. Peterson was convicted of first-degree murder in connection with Kathleens death, and spent nearly a decade behind bars. He was less than pleased with the HBO Max miniseries and claimed to feel betrayed by documentarist Jean-Xavier de Lestrade. They settled in 2007 for $25 million, but it is possible that Michael never paid the full amount considering how much strain the trial put on his finances. 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.". Another constant during the lengthy legal ordeal was Michael Peterson's first wife, Patricia "Patty" Peterson. He was not a friendly columnist. However, Brunet claims to have waited until she was finished with the eight original episodes of The Staircase before sending her first letter to Peterson. But perhaps most disconcerting is the fact that the crime scene, complete with blood-splattered walls and floors, was left intact for years while Peterson and his children continued to live in the home! Therefore, Michael lives a modest life in Durham, North Carolina. The North Carolina medical examiner performed an autopsy and concluded that she died from blunt force injuries and that it was the result of a homicide. Peterson's lawyers took issue with the examiner's assessment. During Petersons trial, he testified that the blood spatters surrounding the spot in which Kathleen had died were consistent with a person being beaten to death. The pair are believed to have formed a relationship whilst Peterson was in prison and following his release in 2011. Their mom had been Elizabeth Ratcliff, the family friend who'd died falling down the stairs in Germany decades before Kathleen Peterson, per Cosmopolitan. Michael and Patricia parted after she died due to a massive heart attack in July 2021. What happened to Olivia Walton on The Waltons? After Michael and Pattys divorce, they went to live with Michael and Kathleen, whom they called mom, in the United States. At the center of the story is Kathleen and Michaels sprawling Colonial home, located in Durhams tony Forest Hills neighborhood. The jury found the evidence sufficient to convict Michael of first-degree murder and sent him to prison for life. Currently, Rudolf is in "occasional" contact with Peterson since his 2017 release. Get our latest stories in the feed of your favorite networks. The woman who The Staircase viewers may be mistaking for Peterson's new wife could well be Sophie Brunet (played by Juliette Binoche), an . 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. Where Is Cary Stayner from Hulu's Captive Audience Now? The most confounding aspect of The Staircase is tough to pinpoint. 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. Heres what went on in their lives after the events portrayed in The Staircase. Their son, Clayton, shared that the former spouses cohabited an apartment in Durham, the same town in which Michael and Kathleen had lived. Since his 2017 Alford plea, Michael Peterson has managed to keep to himself while continuing to remain in the spotlight. Because in fact, the story didn't really end there. "We made plans to live in Paris. (The house was on the market for $1.9 million, according to ABC 11 News.). From the comments Ive gotten from a lot of people, it [The Staircase] achieved that purpose; it opens eyes to what criminal defense lawyers do.. Get an all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! 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.. One was a sweeping oval shape, a centerpiece of the home, while the other lead [sic] down to the kitchen area, a more practical structure, hidden behind doors. It was the front staircase, situated near the main entrance, that the couple posed on that joyous day. And what about all the other characters that were so important to the story? Unlike Michael and Todd, he has never spoken publicly about The Staircase. Peterson now lives in a 1,200 square foot condo, shell always see him responsible for her sisters death, Peterson will be considered a convicted felon. 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. But severe cracks in their foundation came to light following Michaels arrest and during his subsequent lengthy trial. As shown in the HBO Max miniseries, de Lestrade went into fiction after working on The Staircase. Your Privacy Choices: Opt Out of Sale/Targeted Ads. However, Rudolf is the one who finds the dramatization most egregious. They lived together in Durham up until Pattys death from a heart attack in 2021. 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. Like Patty's father, Michael Peterson was a military man, having served in Vietnam as part of the U.S. Marine Corps from August 1968 until September 1969. Im innocent. With every episode of The Staircase on HBO Max, more and more details and jaw-dropping twists and turns continue to play out in the story and criminal case against Michael Peterson. Join half a million readers enjoying Newsweek's free newsletters. Whenever a movie or TV series based on real-life events comes out, viewers are plagued by two unavoidable questions: how much of what we saw is true and what happened to those characters after the cameras were turned off?