In 2019, he toldDr. Philthat Elizabeth fell down the stairs after suffering a stroke. Peterson's second son, Todd (who was adamant that his step-mother's death was alcohol-related), currently lives in Tennessee. He also opines that by agreeing to pay, he would be admitting to murdering Kathleen. I'm too old. Simpson, Peterson wrote a book about the crime titled Behind the Staircase and his website claims its a best-seller! He also wasn't a fan of the portrayal of himself and his client regularly fighting, the implication Peterson kept important information secret from him, and the depiction of his relationship with reporter Sonya Pfeiffer. The story behind The Staircase. On December 9, 2001, Michael Peterson's wife, Kathleen Peterson was found dead at the bottom of their staircase with severe injuries. Where is Peterson's Durham house? Create your free profile and get access to exclusive content. They separated in the 1980s and divorced in the early 1990s. Michael Peterson's conviction and life sentence in 2003 was only some of the story. Ratliff was found dead at the bottom of the staircase in her home in similar circumstances to Kathleen Peterson. But, theres one thing that pretty much everyone can agree on: The man needs to avoid a home with staircases. 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. Now aged 74, Michael Peterson is still living in North Carolina - but no longer in the 3.4-acre property in which is wife died. So, it was an unusual choice to cast the "Bridget Jones' Diary" love-rival in HBO's "The Staircase." "We originally had been to Harrison Ford," the HBO show's creator Antonio Campos told Entertainment Weekly. She's a journalist, a translator, a linguist, an aspiring author, a lover of trivia games, and a first time cat owner. But with only eight episodes, the show has to leave a few details out, including the aftermath of the initial trial, and what happened to Michael Peterson after the jury gave him their verdict. 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. Michael purchased the 9,372-square-foot property in August 1992 for $600,000. Her death was investigated by the U.S. military police in Germany at the time and an autopsy concluded she had died from an intracerebral hemorrhage. The steps sit just beyond the darkened opening on the right side of the kitchen in the photograph above. Investigators swiftly homed in on Michael as a prime suspect as he was alone in the premises with Kathleen when she passed away. 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.". Instead, Peterson is now living the life of "a 75-year-old grandfather" and surviving "[on a] fairly modest pension," Rudolph told "True Crime Interviews" host Steve Wraith. "You will be treated as guilty for murdering my sister Kathleen, and you will be a convicted felon forever.". Where Is Cary Stayner from Hulu's Captive Audience Now? At the time of his wifes death, Peterson had been an accomplished author and shed been a prominent fixture in their community as a businesses executive and engineer, so needless to say, they were an affluent couple. In April 2001, they took out a second mortgage to help with the squeeze in finances. The new series starring Colin Firth and Toni Collette retells Michael Peterson's now-infamous 2001 murder charge. What are the Peterson children doing now? [Updated!] In July 2020,. "We could have put a little blimp over my head saying, 'Jewish lawyer from New York,'" he said. Pollard is the author of "The Owl Theory" a theory that Kathleen Peterson died from injuries sustained in an owl attack. The miniseries will draw on the2018 Netflix documentarythat followed the same case. Along with the aforementioned amenities, the 19-room home also boasts a 3.4-acre lot with a slate patio, an outdoor fireplace, and a large pool (though the latter was, for whatever reason, drained in the MLS pictures). Michael and Kathleen led an extravagant lifestyle and were, by all accounts, happy. Everyone Practices Cancel Culture | Opinion, Deplatforming Free Speech is Dangerous | Opinion. 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. 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. 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. According to a June report by The Sun, Peterson continues to live in Durham and has self-published two books about his life during the murder trial and his life following his release from. 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. Nowadays, she prefers to stay away from the spotlight, living a quiet life in Alexandria, Virgnia. He stated Kathleen Peterson was aware of his interest in men and his first wife, Patricia Sue, was also there to support Michael Peterson's bisexuality claims. 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. Murdaugh sentencing live stream: Watch Judge Newman's decision 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. But she never let her own feelings affect the course of editing.". The TV drama miniseries focuses on the real-life 2003 murder trial that saw Michael accused of . 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. Michael Peterson murder trial in July 2003. I can't live in Paris. 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. That wasnt what the documentary was going to be about. and where is Michael Peterson today? - GoodTo In a series of emails to Variety, he accused Lestrade of pimping him and his family out Still, he admits that Lestrade's work was instrumental in getting him out of prison. Defense Attorney David Rudolf knows that the public is divided on whether. The couple discussed moving to France and settling in the capital once the trial was finally over. 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? 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. Defense attorney David Rudolf talked toOxygenabout Michaels current living situation: He is living in Durham Im not sure why hes living in Durham, but he is. Currently, he resides in Durham, North Carolina but has since sold the house where Kathleen died. A lawyer himself, Bill was the one that suggested Rudolf as a defense attorney and took care of most of the Petersons legal matters. "He released his archive to Campos, who then created a fictional account of events, most of which trashed me (which I really don't care about) and my children which I really do care about," Peterson told Variety. 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.. Earlier this year, Margaret co-produced a documentary feature titled Subject, directed by Jennifer Tiexiera and Camilla Hall. 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. 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 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. But, in February 2017, just months before the scheduled retrial, Peterson submitted an Alford plea to the reduced charge of manslaughter. Everything about Alla Bout. 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. .css-13y9o4w{display:block;font-family:GraphikBold,GraphikBold-fallback,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-serif;font-weight:bold;margin-bottom:0;margin-top:0;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}@media (any-hover: hover){.css-13y9o4w:hover{color:link-hover;}}@media(max-width: 48rem){.css-13y9o4w{font-size:1.05rem;line-height:1.2;margin-bottom:0.25rem;}}@media(min-width: 40.625rem){.css-13y9o4w{font-size:1.28598rem;line-height:1.2;}}@media(min-width: 48rem){.css-13y9o4w{font-size:1.39461rem;line-height:1.2;margin-bottom:0.5rem;}}@media(min-width: 64rem){.css-13y9o4w{font-size:1.23488rem;line-height:1.3;}}Who Was Mallory Beach in 'Murdaugh Murders'? 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. Michael Peterson had been forced to sell his assets, including the family home, to pay legal fees, leaving him broke. They married in 1965 and moved to Durham, North Carolina. He was sentenced to seven years and a month in prison, but got out right away having already served eight years after his first trial. Hearst Magazine Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Staircase: What happened to people from Peterson trial? | Raleigh 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.. Although law enforcement may say the case is closed, there's still unanswered questions and various theories surrounding Kathleen's death we may never know for sure. Played by Vincent Vermignon, de Lestrade was already an Academy Award winner when he got involved with Michael Petersons case. Can also be found at Delirium Nerd, writing in Portuguese. ", It turns out Firth landed the role out of pure Hollywood happenstance. 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. She also campaigned for the Durham County District Court, to no avail. It'll never go away now, it's just a part of our culture., Todd (Patrick Schwarzenegger) stood by his father's side throughout every twist and turn of the case. Scroll on to find out. "They were companions," he told The News & Record. Blood-spatter analyst Duane Deaver (Myke Holmes) was found to have exaggerated his credentials in the field of forensic investigation. He was sentenced to time served and is today a free man. Curiously, though he was living with Kathleen at the time, his first wife, Patty, from whom he was separated, co-signed for the loan. Selling the house at its [original $1.175 million] asking price would still not cover all of Petersons debts.. Despite her words and the fact that Peterson will be considered a convicted felon for the rest of his life, he apparently plans on trying to live out the rest of his years at home in North Carolina. Even after his prison release, Peterson has maintained his innocence and lives in Durham, North Carolina. Where is 'The Staircase's Michael Peterson Now? Books, Net Worth Where Are Michael Peterson's Kids Now? - The Cinemaholic Colin Firthwill play the main subject Michael Peterson; the role was originally slated to be played by Harrison Ford. To boot, the couple was in severe credit card debt, to the tune of $100,000. Michael and Patricia later divorced, and not long after, he moved in with telecoms exec Kathleen Atwater before eventually tying the knot in 1997. Despite the couple eventually marrying, Rudolf insists their relationship had no bearing on her coverage nor granted her any special privileges. Pattys death, however, is surrounded by its fair share of mystery and controversy. Despite actors playing the people involved, the limited series is very much a true story in which Peterson is still alive (and living freely) today. Curiously, though he was living with Kathleen at the time, his first wife, Patty, from whom he was separated, co-signed for the loan. A retrial was later ordered after the judge vacated the jury's verdict in 2011, finding that the blood splatter analysts gave a false and misleading testimony in the first trial, resulting in an unsound conviction. To recap the case, Kathleen Peterson was found dead at the bottom of her . Sign up forOxygen Insiderfor all the best true crime content. 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. It wasnt about the crime it was about the process.. Michaels wife was found lying in a pool of blood at the bottom of a staircase in the couples residence. In a recent interview with the Wrongful Conviction podcast, he talked about the role of the documentary in his trial and criticized the HBO miniseries, calling it an abomination and stating that Campos trashed his familys life. After Michael and Pattys divorce, they went to live with Michael and Kathleen, whom they called mom, in the United States. During filming, Peterson began dating one of the documentary editors, Sophie Brunet. At the center of the story is Kathleen and Michael's sprawling Colonial home, located in Durham's tony Forest Hills neighborhood. They took care of each other.". "That we dont cheat or invent evidence, that we actually care about truth and representing people as well as they can be represented. 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. They did, however, use her death as an example of an incident that could help him "fake" Kathleen's accident. Alongside Pfeiffer, Rudolf is the owner of the Elder Gallery of Contemporary Art, in Charlotte, North Carolina. However, it might be his hopes of writing a new book that will give him a place in society once again. We want to hear from you! As it turned out, thats what happened. Todd was the first person to see Michael after Kathleen died, as shown in the first episode of HBO Max's new series. 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. 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. Now 79 years old, he lives alone in a ground-floor . "He visits his grandchildren; he's writing. The Staircase: Where Are Michael Peterson and His Family Now? - MSN At the time, Council of Residential Specialists spokesman Jack Cotton expressed that the murder shouldnt affect the sale, telling The News & Observer, Crimes of passion dont have a huge negative impact on the value of the house. Michael and Patricia parted after she died due to a massive heart attack in July 2021. 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. Then I went and realized, no, I can't. Who killed Kathleen Peterson? The one theory about Kathleen Peterson's 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. I don't speak French," Peterson admitted to The News & Observer. The topic is also at the center of Rudolfs 2022 book, American Injustice: Inside Stories from the Underbelly of the Criminal Justice System. The new owners renovated the property and relisted it in 2007. Michael Peterson is the subject of one of Netflixs most riveting and polarizing true crime documentaries,The Staircase. Much like his client, Rudolf took issue with Campos version of events, especially with scenes that implied Michael kept information from him and that his professional relationship with Pfeiffer was unethical.