Able to use the clips eight years later, and that was a really important thing for the judge to see.. 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. One of the prosecutors in Michael's case, Freda Black, will be played by Parker Posey. They separated in the 1980s and divorced in the early 1990s. 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? 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. 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." 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. Ratliff was found dead at the bottom of the staircase in her home in similar circumstances to Kathleen Peterson. But since it's been some time since the 2001 alleged crime and initial trial in 2003, where is Michael Peterson now? Usually when you're convicted of murder, you're sentenced to something like life, or close to it, in prison and that's essentially that. Kathleen was apparently bludgeoned to death after a medical examiner noticed several lacerations on her scalp. Yes, The Staircase on HBO Max is based on a true story. Read ahead to learn more about Michael Peterson and where he is now. The new series starring Colin Firth and Toni Collette retells Michael Peterson's now-infamous 2001 murder charge. He said: "We made plans to live in Paris. Kathleen Peterson, seen above, died on December 1, 2009. 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. ), who in turn put it on the market this past July for $1.9 million. 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. And what's his life like today? As shown in the miniseries, Michael took the Alford plea in 2017, pleading guilty to voluntary manslaughter. After breaking up with Sophie ( Juliette Binoche) and refusing to move to Paris, Michael went to live with his ex-wife Patty ( Trini Alvarado ). Kathleen Peterson, ne Hunt, and Michael Peterson became acquainted when Kathleen Peterson moved to Durham and became one of Michael's neighbors. She's a journalist, a translator, a linguist, an aspiring author, a lover of trivia games, and a first time cat owner. In 2001, Kathleen died on the staircase of the Peterson home in Durham, North Carolina. 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. In 2019, he toldDr. Philthat Elizabeth fell down the stairs after suffering a stroke. But, in February 2017, just months before the scheduled retrial, Peterson submitted an Alford plea to the reduced charge of manslaughter. Colin Firth will play Michael Peterson, and Sophie Turner will play Margaret Ratliff, one of Michaels adopted daughters. Michael, who has maintained his innocence, spent nearly a decade behind bars after being . 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? ", He told the News & Observer: "They were companions. In Lestrades docuseries, she speaks at length about her mental health issues. He also stated that he had worked on 500 bloodstain cases. "That we dont cheat or invent evidence, that we actually care about truth and representing people as well as they can be represented. "But we parted ways because he had to go do an 'Indiana Jones.'" So beloved was the residence that Kathleen and Michael decided to tie the knot there, surrounded by family and friends, on June 21, 1997. Despite the fact Michael was the one to call 911 the night Kathleen allegedly fell down the stairs, Michael soon . He enjoys a secluded life with the occasional media appearance to again discuss that fateful staircase. We all know that these characters have names of living people, but its very carefully calibrated to tell the story in a certain way. 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. 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. 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. Located in the Forest Hills neighborhood of Durham, the house boasts a patio with an outdoor fireplace, a library, a game room, five bedrooms, and five-and-a-half bathrooms, not to mention the pool. Earlier this year, Margaret co-produced a documentary feature titled Subject, directed by Jennifer Tiexiera and Camilla Hall. According to their son Clayton Peterson, Michael and Patricia lived together between 2019 and 2021 as "companions. Kathleen left early; Michael stuck around. But part of the central pull of "The Staircase," aside from its various twists and turns (among which included the discovery that a close family friend of Peterson's had died under similar circumstances, also involving a staircase, nearly 17 years prior to Kathleen's death), was the central figure to the story. 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. Despite Michael Peterson's murder conviction in 2003, his story was far from over. 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. 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. Originally built in 1940 by architect George Watts Carr, Sr. for wealthy Durham businessman John Adams Buchanan, the lavish five-bedroom, six-bathroom property had plenty of room for Kathleen and Michaels large blended family, which included Michaels two sons with his first wife and his two adopted daughters, as well as Kathleens daughter from a previous marriage. Sophie and Michael were together from 2004 to 2017. The political thriller Jeux dInfluence had two seasons released between 2018 and 2022 in the European streaming service Arte. Kathleen, the familys breadwinner, had deferred much of her income to purchase Nortel Networks stock and though its value once totaled almost $2.5 million, the 2001 crash whittled it down to about $50,000 by the time of her death. 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! At the time of her mother's death, Caitlin Atwater supported her stepfather and after his arrest told the press of his innocence. Peterson had a different rationale, Rudolf said. Patty was also a staunch defender of Michael. Michael was resentenced to 86 weeks in prison but was let free since he had already served more than that time. The miniseries will draw on the2018 Netflix documentarythat followed the same case. Warning: This article contains spoilers about The Staircase. He later met his first wife Patricia Sue, an elementary school teacher, in West Germany. 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). ", one of the longest of its kind in North Carolina history, is not synonymous with his conviction being overturned, losing the civil suit his step-daughter, Caitlin Atwater, brought against him, Michael Peterson's first wife, Patricia "Patty" Peterson, forced to sell his assets, including the family home. 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. Sign up forOxygen Insiderfor all the best true crime content. 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. 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. 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. They were companions, Clayton told News & Observer. She also stood by Michael Peterson when suspicions were raised during his trial about the death of their friend Elizabeth Ratliff in 1985. 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. 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. Then there was Kathleens $725,000 life insurance policy (which doubled to $1.4 million in the case of accidental death) of which Michael was the beneficiary (not to mention the almost $400,000 in deferred compensation benefits he was owed from Nortel upon her passing). And although his initial murder trial took place in 2003, Michael Peterson's saga didn't have definitive ending until 2018. 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 couple also hosts a podcast together, Abuse of Power, which focuses on stories of people victimized by the justice system. Before the new trial commenced, Peter submitted an Alford plea to the lesser charge of manslaughter and was set free as hed already served time for murder. Before that, she ran twice for District Attorney, in 2006 and 2008, but never got the job. We may earn a commission through links on our site. While living together, Michael and Patricia became close with their neighbors-turned-friends George and Elizabeth Ratliff. Get the latest scoop directly in your inbox. 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. 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. Deavers ethics and expertise were first put into question regarding the wrongful conviction of Greg Taylor, in 1993, for the murder of Jacquetta Thomas. 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. The conclusion painted Michael as a murderer with a propensity for pushing his victims down staircases and no doubt contributed to his conviction. "He's in a ground floor apartment with no stairs that was a really important accommodation," Defense Attorney David Rudolf said of his former client at CrimeCon in New Orleans, per Oxygen. He and Patty maintained a close friendship so close that CNN reports she "loaned" Michael $168,000 towards his legal fees in April 2003. As a result, he was re-sentenced to time served and released from prison at that time. In 2001, Kathleen was found unconscious at the bottom of their staircase in Durham, North Carolina and was pronounced dead. . 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 prison. Scroll on to find out. He said that when he previously prepared for a role, he liked to delve right in and get "to the heart" of the character. Link your TV provider to stream full episodes and live TV. Can also be found at Delirium Nerd, writing in Portuguese. He was not a friendly columnist. 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. Where does The Staircase's Michael Peterson live now? Her name was Elizabeth Ratliff, and she was a family friend of Peterson and his first wife Patricia, who was also living in Germany at the time. 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. He was caustic and sarcastic and mean sometimes, Rudolf said. Above (L-R): The real Todd Peterson, Martha Ratliff, Margaret (Ratliff) Blakemore, and Clayton Peterson. buckles comic david gilbert, shaun o'neale still married,
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