The new series starring Colin Firth and Toni Collette retells Michael Peterson's now-infamous 2001 murder charge. Michael Peterson's first marriage was to Patricia "Patty" Sue (now Peterson), an elementary school teacher. Despite now believing his father to be guilty, he still considers The Staircase to be nonsense.. But that proved a tad more challenging in this case. 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. They also raised Margaret and Martha Ratliff, the daughters of their late friends, George and Elizabeth Ratliff. Michael opted out of the trial before it was due to begin in 2017. 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. Duane Deaver, a blood splatter expert, had testified that the evidence pointed towards murder. Since Michael cant profit from his crime, the proceeds from the books sales go to charity. 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. 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. The conclusion painted Michael as a murderer with a propensity for pushing his victims down staircases and no doubt contributed to his conviction. Rudolf said,"To suggest I assisted [Pfeiffer] with any interviews, that would be as much fiction as it is that a criminal defense lawyer is allowed in a Grand Jury proceeding. The production, deemed largely forgettable by critics, made extensive use of both the interior and exterior of the property. 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. Skyler Caruso is the Editorial Assistant of PEOPLE Digital. It also chronicles the work of French documentarist Jean-Xavier de Lestrade, who, from 2003 to 2018, worked on a docuseries about the case also titled The Staircase. 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. "We made plans to live in Paris. With no takers, the price was cut to $975,000 in December and it finally sold the following July at a drastically reduced $640,000. 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. At the moment, very little is known about Peterson's private life. 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. He is, however, still connected with his own firm, Rudolf Widenhouse. But, theres one thing that pretty much everyone can agree on: The man needs to avoid a home with staircases. 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. The staircase where Kathleen Peterson was found dead on Dec. 8, 2001 is seen above Credit: Netflix. However, it was nearly a very different ending. In 2003, the North Carolina medical examiner reexamined Ratliffs remains after they were exhumed in Texas. They had a real story, which lasted until May 2017. Michael was resentenced to 86 weeks in prison but was let free since he had already served more than that time. However, it might be his hopes of writing a new book that will give him a place in society once again. As shown in the miniseries, Michael took the Alford plea in 2017, pleading guilty to voluntary manslaughter. She also campaigned for the Durham County District Court, to no avail. Above (L-R): The real Todd Peterson, Martha Ratliff, Margaret (Ratliff) Blakemore, and Clayton Peterson. Michael was seemingly innocent at first as he was the one who dialed 911 after finding Kathleen at the base of their steps. However, since the release of the HBO miniseries, his Instagram profile has been deleted. He was fired from his job in 2011. "I'm too old. 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 . Elisa Guimares is a feature writer at Collider. He published his first memoir, Behind the Staircase, in 2019 and went on to write a follow-up, which was released that same year, titled Beyond the Staircase. 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. 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. HBO Max's new drama The Staircase reenacts the entire story, documentary included, in a star-studded limited series out now. 2023 BDG Media, Inc. All rights reserved. He now believes "maybe everybody's somewhat elusive and changeable and multifaceted. ), who in turn put it on the market this past July for $1.9 million. Able to use the clips eight years later, and that was a really important thing for the judge to see.. Peterson sold the five-story home he lived in with Kathleen. In 2002, his film Murder on a Sunday Morning, about the wrongful accusation of a Black teenager for the murder of a tourist in Jacksonville, Florida, took home the Oscar for Best Documentary Feature. Her most high-profile works have been in the critically acclaimed movie Blue Is the Warmest Color and in the Netflix series Call My Agent! In 2010, he was found culpable of withholding crucial evidence from defense attorneys in other cases. In . 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." 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.". "He is innocent of any involvement in Kathleen's death," she insisted to The News & Recordin 2014. 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. "You will be treated as guilty for murdering my sister Kathleen, and you will be a convicted felon forever.". 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. In 2019, he toldDr. Philthat Elizabeth fell down the stairs after suffering a stroke. Above (L-R): Tim Guinee, Sophie Turner, Colin Firth, Olivia DeJonge, Patrick Schwarzenegger appear as the Peterson family in "The Staircase" on HBO Max. In 2018, AP reported that Michael Peterson now lives in a 1,200-square-foot, two-bedroom condo in the same town, Durham, North Carolina. Following an investigation and an ensuing murder trial, the latter of which became one of the longest of its kind in North Carolina history, Michael Peterson was eventually found guilty. Sign up forOxygen Insiderfor all the best true crime content. ViaThe Independent, The Associated Press reported Michael moved into a two-bed condo in 2018. (The house was on the market for $1.9 million, according to ABC 11 News.). 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? 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.". Do not trespass or bother the residents or the property in any way. Luckily for them, Firth has received rave reviews. The listing marketed the residence as having been featured in a Netflix documentary. I might have left that bit out, but what do I know because the place sold the following month for $1.6 million. We want to hear from you! After her death, German officials concluded that Ratliff died of a cerebral hemorrhage which led to her falling down the stairs. They wed in 1968 and had two boys together, Todd and Clayton. In July 2020,. Though the kitchen island was moved (it was formerly attached to the kitchen counter, cutting across the room at a diagonal), the space still looks much as it did when Michael lived there. (Romper reached out to Michael Peterson's representatives and Netflix for additional statements. However, Rudolf is the one who finds the dramatization most egregious. Still, she agreed to meet with Juliette Binoche and told Vanity Fair that her relationship with the actress was an unexpected happy ending to my painful story.". Most eerie of all, though, is the fact that a segment took place on the infamous back staircase! Pattys death, however, is surrounded by its fair share of mystery and controversy. Everything about Alla Bout. So beloved was the residence that Kathleen and Michael decided to tie the knot there, surrounded by family and friends, on June 21, 1997. Send us a tip using our anonymous form. 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). So, where is Michael Peterson now? Michael donates the proceeds from his book to charity as he wouldnt be allowed to keep them for himself. Petersons wood-paneled office (which Aphrodite Jones describes as an imposing, ominous and intimidating space, saying It was understood that Michael Peterson didnt want people in there.) had a prominent role in the film and in a macabre foretelling was the site of a very bloody murder scene. 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. Rudolf, sick of negative depictions of criminal defense lawyers, got on board. Currently, he resides in Durham, North Carolina but has since sold the house. According to News and Observer, Peterson sold the house in 2004. After Kathleen passed, the young woman developed a severe form of anxiety, aggravated by Michaels long and public battle against the justice system. He said that when he previously prepared for a role, he liked to delve right in and get "to the heart" of the character. Therefore, Michael lives a modest life in Durham, North Carolina. And then Michael had two adopted daughters, Margaret and Martha. Peterson's current financial state, while up for speculation, is most likely a shadow of what it was in 2001. Judge Clifton . One of the prosecutors in Michael's case, Freda Black, will be played by Parker Posey. 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. Before going AWOL, however, he changed his mind about his dads involvement in Kathleens death. 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". At the time of her mother's death, Caitlin Atwater supported her stepfather and after his arrest told the press of his innocence. She said: "My mother and Mike had an absolutely loving relationship and there is no way that either of them would ever wish any sort of harm on the other one.". Michael and Patty split up in 1986. Michael Peterson's conviction and life sentence in 2003 was only some of the story. We all know that these characters have names of living people, but its very carefully calibrated to tell the story in a certain way. Even after his prison release, Peterson has maintained his innocence and lives in Durham, North Carolina. Brunet still works as a film and TV editor in France. They were companions, Clayton told News & Observer. The Staircase follows Michaels more than decade-long legal battle toward freedom and paints a portrait of the Peterson family both before and after Kathleens death. Where Is Cary Stayner from Hulu's Captive Audience Now? The shy, dull, and very British Mark Darcy is as far as you can get from the confounding and unpredictable American novelist Michael Peterson. Newsweek has everything you need to know about his relationship history: No, Michael Peterson does not have a new wife today. 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. "We could have put a little blimp over my head saying, 'Jewish lawyer from New York,'" he said. Since his 2017 Alford plea, Michael Peterson has managed to keep to himself while continuing to remain in the spotlight. Defense Attorney David Rudolf says his famous former clientfeatured on Netflixs The Staircase is keeping it on one level now. In 2001, Kathleen was found unconscious at the bottom of their staircase in Durham, North Carolina and was pronounced dead. Michael suggested that Kathleen fell down the stairs after drinking too much alcohol and Valium, but no fingerprints were detected on the wine bottle or glasses out in the kitchen. 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. In fact, when his step-daughter Caitlin Atwater Clark attempted to sue him for $25 million in a wrongful death lawsuit, he specifically told his lawyer that he had no money at all. Because in fact, the story didn't really end there. "We originally had been to Harrison Ford," the HBO show's creator Antonio Campos told Entertainment Weekly. Speaking to the French publication L'Express, de Lestrade shared: "This is one of the incredible things that happened during those 15 years. 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). His life had been dissected and picked apart by the media for almost two decades, and it was high time he got some much-needed privacy. Despite the couple eventually marrying, Rudolf insists their relationship had no bearing on her coverage nor granted her any special privileges. On Oct. 10, 2003, the jury found Michael guilty of Kathleen's murder and sentenced him to life without the possibility of parole. 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. His defense. 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. Disclaimer: Please remember this is a private home. Today, Michael Peterson, 78, is still alive and remains a free man. However, back in 2002, streaming hadnt been invented yet, and young Margaret had no idea just how much her life would be in the public eye in the following decades. Click back to the main page for more Dirt on the house. Now, he resides in a 1,200-square-foot, two bedroom condo and. 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 prosecution didn't accuse Peterson of Ratliff's death at his trial. They took care of each other.. 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. According to him, Michael waited three hours to call 911 while Patty was having a heart attack. 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. Due to the impact of Duanes testimony, the court ordered a retrial for Peterson. After spending eight years in prison, Michael Peterson was given an unexpected reprieve one granted by way of state corruption. 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. According to the News and Observer, Peterson has not owned the home since he sold it to Jason Balius for $640,000 in 2004. 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. Is 'Daisy Jones & The Six' Based on a True Story? Peterson's second son, Todd (who was adamant that his step-mother's death was alcohol-related), currently lives in Tennessee. Investigators swiftly homed in on Michael as a prime suspect as he was alone in the premises with Kathleen when she passed away. He concluded her death to be a homicide caused by blunt force trauma. At the center of the story is Kathleen and Michaels sprawling Colonial home, located in Durhams tony Forest Hills neighborhood. The most vocal of Kathleens sisters, Candace (Rosemarie DeWitt) was the one to present the prosecution with the alleged murder weapon, a fireplace poker, or blow poke, that she had given the Petersons for Christmas. Flash-forward to the present day and true-crime enthusiasts want to know every possible detail about Peterson's life and personal relationshipslike, does he have a new wife? Michael and Patty became even closer post-trial. Currently, Rudolf is in "occasional" contact with Peterson since his 2017 release. 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. Still married to journalist Sonya Pfeiffer (Teri Wyble), defense attorney David Rudolf (Michael Stuhlbarg) relocated to Toronto in 2021, where he works for litigation and corporate law firm Brauti Thorning LLP. That wasnt what the documentary was going to be about. The pair are believed to have formed a relationship whilst Peterson was in prison and following his release in 2011. Now Judge Clifton Newman will hand down the sentencing in the double murder trial Friday, March 3, at 9:30 a.m. Murdaugh, 54, faces 30 years to life in prison in his conviction on the murder count . 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 July 2020, Michael and Kathleen Peterson's five-story mansion where Kathleen lost her life was put up for sale. He later met his first wife Patricia Sue, an elementary school teacher, in West Germany. First off, in 1985, Peterson was the last person to see yet another woman alive just before she died from head injuries from falling down a staircase. Michael was born in Nashville, Tennessee in 1943 before moving to work for the U.S. Department of Defense after college. 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. Behind the Staircase and Beyond the Staircase were self-published in 2019. According to CNN, Patty Peterson loaned Michael Peterson $168,000 to help him fight his case. Portrayed by Olivia DeJonge, Caitlin was Kathleens only biological child and the sole child from the Peterson household to believe that Michael was responsible for her mothers death. They married in 1987 and together they raised a large, blended family with children from previous relationships. At the time, authorities concluded that Elizabeth fell down the stairs after suffering a cerebral hemorrhage. ", It turns out Firth landed the role out of pure Hollywood happenstance. Soon after Georges death in an overseas operation, in 1983, Elizabeth lost her life in circumstances so similar to Katherines death that her body was exhumed during Michaels trial in search of evidence of foul play. Michael had written a number of stories that were really critical of the Durham Police Department or the Mayors Office. In 2017, Peterson submitted an Alford plea to the reduced charge of manslaughter and was released on time served. 'The Bear''s Jeremy Allen White Keeps His Awards In His Kids' Room For A Cute Reason, 'Yellowstone' Prequel '1923' Really Earned Its TV-MA Rating, 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, What Parents Are Talking About Delivered Straight To Your Inbox, By subscribing to this BDG newsletter, you agree to our. They dated until 2017. The newlyweds were captured gloriously posing for photos on the homes staircase. "Its not fair, Its not right. "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. Todd was the first person to see Michael after Kathleen died, as shown in the first episode of HBO Max's new series. He said: "We made plans to live in Paris. The real Patty (Trini Alvarado) not only stood by her ex-husbands side throughout the trials, but she also took him in after his release. What Happened to Michael Peterson After Prison? Where are the real-life people of 'The Staircase' now?
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