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Michael Peterson was a US novelist who was convicted for the murder of his wife despite his strong pleas of not being guilty. Following his wife's death, which occurred when she fell down the staircase, Michael became the subject of much rumor and speculation. This was more so since Kathleen was found with lacerations to her head.
Despite many theories and speculations regarding the case which included Michael being discovered to be bis*xual by his wife, and even an owl theory which albeit bizarre, theorized that Kathleen was attacked by an owl which led to the accident, Michael was convicted of murdering his wife in 2003.
The Staircase, by HBO Max, is all set to tell the story of the infamous court trial and the infamous death.
All about Michael Peterson's second trial and where he is now
After serving eight years in prison, Michael Peterson was given a new trial when the judge ruled that a key witness had given misleading testimony. It was then that Michael offered an Alford plea, which is a guilty plea but allows one to maintain their innocence because it is more of a submission to the allegations due to overwhelming evidence.
When Michael pleaded guilty to the crime in 2017, he was sentenced to the time he had already served in prison and was thus allowed to walk free.
Michael even settled a wrongful death claim brought against him by Kathleen’s daughter Caitlin for $25 million. Since his release, the author has written two books about his experiences with this ordeal, the trial, his time in prison and then as a free man.
They are titled Behind the Staircase and Beyond the Staircase. Michael Peterson, now 78, donates the proceeds from the sales of his book to charity and lives a modest and secluded life in North Carolina in a ground-floor apartment with no stairs.
About the HBO series on the Peterson case
It remains a mystery what happened to Kathleen on that fateful night when Michael found her dead on the landing of the staircase. There has been many features documenting the Peterson case comprehensively, dramatizing elements from the trial, but there seems to be no end to the speculation.
Thus, HBO Max is bringing forward another series based on the case, titled The Staircase, to give true-crime fans some more details to speculate about and be enthralled with.
The upcoming television drama series is all set to explore the life and marriage of Michael and Kathleen, who are played by Colin Firth and Toni Collette respectively. It will also cover the suspicious tumble down the stairs that caused Kathleen's death and how the trial panned out.
Don't forget to watch The Staircase this coming May 5, 2022, on HBO Max.
