A compelling true-crime documentary starts on April 4th.

[Lex]

.
The murder happened in my hometown and I followed the trial closely at the time.

The Sundance Channel will be showing a documentary about Michael Peterson's trial in Durham NC. The defense team and Peterson himself allowed the documentary to be shot during the trial. The documentary made from all the filming starts April 4th.

The prior documentary that this team did won an Oscar.

Most people can have The Sundance Channel added to their cable lineup by calling their cable company (usually it is only 2.95 per month and you can cancel it later).

Here's a blurb about it:

*"Sundance Channel acquired the eight-part true-crime
documentary The Staircase, about the investigation
into the death of Nortel executive Kathleen Peterson,
who was found unconscious in a pool of blood at the
bottom of her stairs on Dec. 9, 2001. One week later,
her husband was charged with first-degree murder.

The series, directed by Academy Award winner
Jean-Xavier de Lestrade, begins on April 4. Two
episodes will air back-to- back every Monday night at
9:00pm.

“The Staircase is a lurid and true story that must
be seen to be believed,” said Laura Michalchyshyn,
executive vp, programming and marketing. “It leaves
the viewer absolutely on edge and is the kind of
compelling television that Sundance Channel is eager
to offer to its audience.”


For more information on the episodes:
http://www.sundancechannel.com/popup/?ixFilmID=6088

[southlandshari]

1. Thanks for the heads up

And I second your recommendation for folks to get the Sundance Channel if they can (it's definitely worth the nominal monthly fee; of course, you also have to pay for at least basic cable if you aren't already...).

Sundance airs great documentaries - at one point, Mondays were "all-doc days"; don't know if it still is or not, but I've really enjoyed the channel.

I'll definitely tune in to the mini-series you mentioned.

[southlandshari]

2. This case sounds incredibly interesting

A couple more sites with info on this case, which I'm surprised I hadn't heard of before:

http://www.cbc.ca/documentaries/staircase/index.html

http://www.theage.com.au/news/TV--Radio/On-trial-for-an-unusual-life/2005/02/02/1107228756464.html?from=moreStories&oneclick=true


The title of the article in the latter link, "On Trial for an Unusual Life" is telling. I started a thread a few days ago on the West Memphis Three, who I, like many, believe were convicted of a heinous crime simply because they were "different" from the "norm", and their failure to conform cost them dearly in the eyes of their respective juries, unfortunately.

Thanks again for sharing the info on the air dates on Sundance.

On edit:

Lex, as someone who lives in the town where this all took place and who followed the case in real time, did you develop a feeling for whether or not Peterson was guilty? I certainly respect your right not to share your feelings on this, but the little I've now read about the case makes me very curious!

[Lex]

5. The documentary only filmed the Defense side of the trial, sooo

I think it leaves out a lot of stuff that tended to show Peterson's guilt--evidence that the State introduced.

The Defense tried to say that the State whipped up bad feelings toward the defendant because he was bisexual. In actuality, what the defendant was doing was crusing online for male sexual encounters--by setting up 'dates' to meet men for sex. But he was married! (to the woman he was accused of killing).

I thought it was pertinent in the trial that he had thousands of downloads of gay male porn and was arranging to meet men for sex--I mean, there was no evidence that his wife condoned this behavior.

There was unrefuted evidence that she went into his study to receive an email from a co-worker the night of her murder (and the State speculated she may have stumbled upon his emails or his gay porn on the computer and that led to a huge blowup.)

I don't think the documentary brings out the fact that there was blood spatter (high velocity) that was found on the INSIDE leg of the baggy khaki shorts he was wearing the night of the murder. That evidence was crucial to the jury too.

I think the documentary will be interesting, but I think it is definitely from the defendant's side of the trial. (The documentarians did not film the State or the DA while they prepared for the trial.)

The DA in the case is a Democrat and I don't believe him to be a homophobe--I do think the defedant being a cheating husband in the way he was didn't set too well with the DA, however.

Plus the county where it happened is probably the most liberal county in NC (with Duke University & Duke Hospital here and Chapel Hill and UNC only a few miles away). This is not rural, hayseed NC by any means.

(Sorry for the long post.)

[southlandshari]

7. No, thanks for the long post!

I only read a bit about the case on my lunch break today when I read your OP, but am already very interested in the case. I appreciate you sharing your perspective!

[Bunny]

3. Didn't he have another wife that died the same way, years

earlier? In Germany, or something? I don't get Sundance, so I won't be able to see it.

[Lex]

4. Yes, there was a woman (he was the last known person in her home)

and this woman was a close friend of the family when they lived in Germany--she too was found dead at the bottom of a staircase with wounds to her head (only).

At the time it was written off as a fall down the steps.

Flash forward 18 years (Dec. 2001) and lo-and-behold when the money starts to get tight, the guy's wife is found at the bottom of a staircase with wounds to her head and his story is that she must've fallen.

This is what the bottom of the staircase looked like after his wife "fell" (see all the spatter?):

[southlandshari]

6. He adopted the first woman's children

His friend who died in Germany from a fall down some stairs had two daughters, and he and his wife (the one who ALSO died from a fall down some stairs, some 20 years later) adopted those children.

WEIRD. For whatever it is worth, the two girls are standing behind their adoptive father.

[Lex]

8. Actually, he never did adopt the 2 girls and since

.
they were the orphans of 2 deceased Dept. of Defense parents, a pretty good check came every month from the Federal Gov't for their support.

Some here locally speculated that the defendant didn't want to disrupt the checks coming in by adopting them. (The 2 girls did have maternal aunts who were ready to adopt them but their now dead mother's will left their guardianship to the defendant. Family members have questioned whether the will is even valid.)

It's just such a strange case with twists and turns that are astonishing.

[southlandshari]

9. oops

I thought I read that in one of the sites on this case. In fact, I was sure I read it, including the term "adoptive father". Sorry if I was mistaken, though.

[Lex]

10. Oh no problem! Lots of people assume he actually adopted them

and even the local media kept saying that they are his "adopted" daughters.

He didn't take that legal step, however.

[southlandshari]

11. Just saw an ad for the Sundance series on Comedy Central

Interesting! It aired during the 6:00 - 6:30 pm CDT replay of last night's Daily Show on Comedy Central.

[southlandshari]

12. Just saw the same ad on MSNBC - wow

Interesting, the amount of publicity on this upcoming documentary series on the Sundance Channel. Are the Comedy Channel and MSNBC owned by the same corporation? Surely the Sundance Channel is still privately owned. Anyone know?

[Lex]

13. I thought

Sundance was privately owned too.

Hmmm.

It should be a good documentary although I think much of the Prosecution's evidence is left out.

[Lex]

14. Here's website that counters the documentary!

I just found this website:

http://www.peterson-staircase.com./

I guess there is a certain slant to the documentary that is defense-oriented, so this person did a website to balance things out.

Interesting.

I'm looking forward to seeing the documentary.

[southlandshari]

15. Thanks for the link

I like to have all sides on any case before forming my own opinion!

I had planned to take my car in for service today and take a good TC book along to read while I waiting. Unfortunately, I've spent the morning searching for my video camera and battery charger instead. And now I'm off to a kindergarten performance that may become very controversial, very quickly. See GD Forum for more ("President Bush is a great, great man!" thread) if you've got kids of your own!

Wish me luck!

[Lex]

16. There is a tc book on this Durham case.

It's out right now in paperback--by Diane Fanning called "Written in Blood."

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0312994036/qid=1111775206/sr=8-2/ref=pd_ka_1/103-4750960-1659017?v=glance&s=books&n=507846

[Lex]

17. A review of "The Staircase" which starts April 4:

.
NEW YORK Mar 29, 2005 — My verdict: "The Staircase" is one of the best TV programs I have ever seen. Billed as a true-crime miniseries, it's a cinematic fusion of reality show, legal drama and portrait of a man whose life is on the line. Along the way, it offers plenty of tabloid-worthy twists. But in the hands of Oscar-winning filmmaker Jean-Xavier de Lestrade, "The Staircase" indulges the titillation value while rising to the level of art.

Let me be clear. I didn't watch these eight episodes. I binged on them then couldn't get the series off my mind. Premiering on the Sundance Channel 9 p.m. EDT Monday (with additional airings throughout the week), "The Staircase" will be rationed in two hourlong episodes for four weeks. Caution: You may find a week's wait between each fix much too long.

The series mines the aftermath of the death of Kathleen Peterson, a 48-year-old corporate executive and leading citizen of Durham, N.C.

The rest of the review:

http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/wireStory?id=623505&page=1

[southlandshari]

18. I missed it!!!!

I forgot this was premiering last night and watched the NCAA final instead. I would have at least liked to have taped it for later viewing. Is it re-airing any time this week before the next episode?

x(

[Lex]

19. If you go to Sundance Channel's website, you

can see the other times it is airing this week.

Click here: http://www.sundancechannel.com/staircase/

Then click on "Schedule"--I think tonight at 11pm and other times this week too.

:hi:

[southlandshari]

20. Thanks - I caught most of it tonight

By sheer luck, I sat down to fold laundry and turned on the TV right as it was starting tonight. I was up and down throughout the 90 minutes it was on, but saw about 90% of it.

I definitely plan to watch the rest of the series. I know the filmmakers had a lot more access to the defense team, and from what I've read, the whole documentary seems to lean towards the defense position. But if I had only seen tonight's episode (chapters 1 & 2), I'd have real doubts about Peterson. He was clearly lying to his defense attorneys early on about the extent of his sexual involvement with men during his marraige to Kathleen (though it seems that subterfuge didn't last long).

But the kids' and friends' insistance that there were no signs of trouble were striking. Who knows?

Thanks again for the heads up on this. I look forward to next Monday's show!

[Lex]

21. Did you think the kids' insistence that there was no trouble

between Michael Peterson and his wife seemed a little forced?

Maybe that was just my impression.

Here in Durham they were both known to be quite the heavy drinkers, and he was known to have a temper.

In Sept. 2001, just a few months before her death, she was wearing a neckbrace for a few weeks and told friends and family that she had dived into the pool and hit her head on the bottom. (Might be true, I suppose.)

[southlandshari]

22. Yes and no

It was a little much when only one could provide a single example of trouble - and that was "when Dad came home late from the gym. That drove Mom crazy, but it was really NOTHING."

I mean, I've been happily married for nearly 12 years, and my five-year old could cite more instances of disagreement between my husband and I than that, no matter how careful we are.

I guess the flipside for me was that these were adult children who should (in theory) be more objective and realistic than a five-year-old. That said, I get the feeling some of them may change their stories as the series develops.

It really is interesting!

[Lex]

23. For anyone who watched this documentary . . .

Now here are the 10 principle reasons I believe Michael Peterson was convicted:

1) Blood spatter up Michael Peterson's shorts leg that was blood in motion--the blood was Kathleen's.

2) No bruises on Kathleen's lower body (knees, legs, buttocks) even though the Defense said Kathleen fell.

3) Kathleen's thyroid cartilege crushed--injury seen usually in stranglings or throttlings.

4) MP (Michael Peterson)'s bloody tennis shoe print on Kathleen's sweatpants.

5) The red neuron evidence (KP bled out over several hours, not just an hour or so).

6) Evidence of the crushing credit card debt of more than $100,000 and MP was secretly begging, behind Kathleen's back, for money from relatives for the girls and for his sons.

7) Evidence of pursuit of sexual liaisons outside the marriage and behind Kathleen's back.

8) Conflicting stories about what he, MP, was doing during the hours that KP bled out.

9) Blood evidence and spatter more consistent with a beating, not a fall.

10) Head lacerations not consistent with a fall.