), who in turn put it on the market this past July for $1.9 million. The docu-series follows Petersons trial for the murder of his wife Kathleen,who was found dead at the bottom of their staircase in their Durham, North Carolina home on December 9, 2001 as well as the aftermath. No, Michael Peterson does not have a new wife today. She did not sign the deed over to Michael until their divorce was finally finalized in 1996. Margaret and Michael are both featured in the movie as interviewees. a livestream that has since been uploaded to YouTube, Margaret co-produced a documentary feature titled, he was also not happy with the fictional adaptation of his docuseries, The Best Korean Dramas on Netflix Right Now, 10 Best Reality Competition Shows Returning In 2023. However, Colin Firth has won over critics, with the show earning a 92% score on Rotten Tomatoes. Get our latest stories in the feed of your favorite networks. Michael Peterson had been forced to sell his assets, including the family home, to pay legal fees, leaving him broke. As shown in the miniseries, Clayton Peterson (Dane DeHaan) served four years in prison for an attempted bombing at Duke University years before Kathleen Petersons death. Everything about Alla Bout. And, Rudolf gave a wry summary of a key feature of Peterson's new living situation: And what's his life like today? He was fired from his job in 2011. It's the story of novelist Michael Peterson and the trial that followed his arrest for the murder of his second wife, Kathleen Peterson. After breaking up with Sophie ( Juliette Binoche) and refusing to move to Paris, Michael went to live with his ex-wife Patty ( Trini Alvarado ). Per The News & Observer, Petersons defense left him indigent. June 8, 2018. And although his initial murder trial took place in 2003, Michael Peterson's saga didn't have definitive ending until 2018. 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. In 1983, George died from a military accident, and in 1985, Elizabeth was found dead at the foot of her staircase with head injuries. Even after his prison release, Peterson has maintained his innocence and lives in Durham, North Carolina. Michael purchased the 9,372-square-foot property in August 1992 for $600,000. In 2001, Kathleen died on the staircase of the Peterson home in Durham, North Carolina. In an interview with Vanity Fair, she said that Lestrades The Staircase cost her many job opportunities in the documentary world, including at Netflix. 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. 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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. Michael had written a number of stories that were really critical of the Durham Police Department or the Mayors Office. 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. On Oct. 10, 2003, the jury found Michael guilty of Kathleen's murder and sentenced him to life without the possibility of parole. The same film crew began following Peterson yet again to make the multi-part docuseries for Netflix that will air on June 8 and follow the events that transpired with his 2017 plea deal and the aftermath. Created by Antonio Campos, the eight-episode long miniseries stars Colin Firth and Toni Collette as novelist Michael Peterson and his second wife, Nortel executive, Kathleen Peterson. Click back to the main page for more Dirt on the house. The woman who The Staircase viewers may be mistaking for Peterson's new wife could well be Sophie Brunet (played by Juliette Binoche), an executive producer of the Jean-Xavier de Lestrade documentary, also titled The Staircase. Firth threw everything into the part, and it turned out it changed his attitude and approach towards acting. 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. They also became the legal guardians of two young girls, Margaret Ratcliff and Martha Ratcliff, following their mother's death in 1985. He is portrayed in the Antonio Campos-created series "The Staircase" by actor Joel McKinnon Miller (best known as Scully from "Brooklyn Nine-Nine"). He said that when he previously prepared for a role, he liked to delve right in and get "to the heart" of the character. He was convinced it was going to be payback time once he got charged., While some viewers saw Peterson in the film and thought he was a narcissist, Rudolf said he wanted the film to be made for simple self-preservation on his part., He was making it hard for anyone to cheat, or at least to cheat without being caught, Rudolf said. Your Privacy Choices: Opt Out of Sale/Targeted Ads. Kathleen and Michael had been married since the 1990s and had quite the blended family. Despite Michael Peterson's murder conviction in 2003, his story was far from over. The pair divorced, paving the way for Michaels marriage to Kathleen Atwater. 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." As shown in the miniseries, Assistant District Attorney Freda Black (Parker Posey) quit law and started working as a cleaner in the decade following Michaels conviction. 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. Despite the couple eventually marrying, Rudolf insists their relationship had no bearing on her coverage nor granted her any special privileges. 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. Colin Firth will play Michael Peterson, and Sophie Turner will play Margaret Ratliff, one of Michaels adopted daughters. In July 2020,. Hopewell Junction, NY 12533-5516 Parris Island, SC 29905-1070 Pleasant Valley, NY 12569-7731 The case that dominated such a large part of his life still haunted him, however. The staircase where Kathleen Peterson was found dead on Dec. 8, 2001 is seen above Credit: Netflix. Michael's late wife Kathleen will be played byToni Collette. 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. 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. 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. Michael was resentenced to 86 weeks in prison but was let free since he had already served more than that time. 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. 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. The steps sit just beyond the darkened opening on the right side of the kitchen in the photograph above. Peterson retreated to Durham, North Carolina, after his release. 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. And according to .css-16acfp5{-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;text-decoration-thickness:0.125rem;text-decoration-color:#d2232e;text-underline-offset:0.25rem;color:inherit;-webkit-transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;}.css-16acfp5:hover{color:#000;text-decoration-color:border-link-body-hover;background-color:yellow;-webkit-transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;}Newsweek, Peterson entered a relationship with an editor on the 2004 documentary The Staircase, and the two dated from 2011 to 2017. Life is really full of surprises. 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. Wanted folks like you to see what we, criminal defense lawyers, actually do. In July 2020, the infamous five-story Cedar street mansion where Kathleen died was put up for sale. Michael and Patricia later divorced, and not long after, he moved in with telecoms exec Kathleen Atwater before eventually tying the knot in 1997. "They took care of each other." "He visits his grandchildren; he's writing. It sold the following year to medium Biond Fury (I shudder to think about the seances that took place there during his tenure! After spending eight years in prison, Michael Peterson was given an unexpected reprieve one granted by way of state corruption. His moms cancer battle. The topic is also at the center of Rudolfs 2022 book, American Injustice: Inside Stories from the Underbelly of the Criminal Justice System. Clayton and Todd chose to live with their mom, while Martha and Margaret moved to North Carolina with Michael. However, it was nearly a very different ending. However, they eventually joined their father in Durham, North. The most confounding aspect of The Staircase is tough to pinpoint. They married in 1987 and together they raised a large, blended family with children from previous relationships. He Lives in a House Without a Staircase. But, in February 2017, just months before the scheduled retrial, Peterson submitted an Alford plea to the reduced charge of manslaughter. 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. While many elements have been updated, the layout is the same, making it very recognizable from The Staircase.. She's a journalist, a translator, a linguist, an aspiring author, a lover of trivia games, and a first time cat owner. To recap the case, Kathleen Peterson was found dead at the bottom of her staircase in 2001. 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. 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. Police also uncovered transactional emails the supposedly devoted husband had exchanged with a male prostitute in the months before the killing, as well as a plethora of pornographic images on his computer. Elisa Guimares is a feature writer at Collider. 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. After breaking up with Sophie ( Juliette Binoche) and refusing to move to Paris, Michael went to live with his ex-wife Patty ( Trini Alvarado ). They wed in 1968 and had two boys together, Todd and Clayton. Todd also claims his father cheated on Patty with Kathleen. The couple shared two sons, Clayton Peterson and Todd Peterson. 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.. Do not trespass or bother the residents or the property in any way. To boot, the couple was in severe credit card debt, to the tune of $100,000. Taking a cue from O.J. Michael and Patricia parted after she died due to a massive heart attack in July 2021. According to their son Clayton Peterson, Michael and Patricia lived together between 2019 and 2021 as "companions. They took care of each other.". Though the majority of the time it was captured by de Lestrades cameras, it was open for all to see with the family regularly enjoying meals together, laughing over cocktails and pasta, just a few literal steps away! Speaking to the French publication L'Express, de Lestrade shared: "This is one of the incredible things that happened during those 15 years. Played by Sophie Turner, Margaret is the eldest daughter of Air Force captain George Ratliff and his wife, Elizabeth, who lived next door to Michael and Patty Peterson in Germany. What Happened to Michael Peterson After Prison? Duane Deaver, a blood splatter expert, had testified that the evidence pointed towards murder. 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. 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. 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. 21. Despite now believing his father to be guilty, he still considers The Staircase to be nonsense.. 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. He said: "We made plans to live in Paris. Join half a million readers enjoying Newsweek's free newsletters. Who Was Mallory Beach in 'Murdaugh Murders'? Her partnership with de Lestrade is still going strong, with Brunet having edited his two TV series after The Staircase, true crime drama Latitia, and the political thriller Jeux dInfluence. Rudolf, sick of negative depictions of criminal defense lawyers, got on board. 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. The last person to see her alive was Michael Peterson. The pair moved in together in 2019. She also stood by Michael Peterson when suspicions were raised during his trial about the death of their friend Elizabeth Ratliff in 1985. 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.". At the moment, very little is known about Peterson's private life. Michael Peterson murder trial in July 2003. A new HBO series, The Staircase, follows Peterson's murder trial after his wife, Kathleen, was found in a pool of blood at the bottom of a staircase in the couple's home in 2001.
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