Once again, Michael Peterson is at the forefront of discussion among true crime fans, as a dramatisation of acclaimed documentary The Staircase arrives on Sky Atlantic and NOW (via HBO Max).
The brand new miniseries casts Colin Firth as the novelist and local politician who became a suspect in the death of his wife, Kathleen, played here by Academy Award nominee Toni Collette.
Peterson was convicted of murder in October 2003 following a long trial, but this verdict was thrown out eight years later when a judge found that a blood analyst for the prosecution had given false and misleading testimony.
In the retrial, Peterson submitted an Alford plea, which allowed him to continue asserting innocence while acknowledging there is enough evidence to convict, for voluntary manslaughter.
This resulted in a reduced sentence, allowing him to be released in 2017.
The Staircase: Where is Michael Peterson today?
Now 78 years old, Michael Peterson remains a free man.
In 2019, his former defence lawyer David Rudolf revealed that he was living in a ground-floor home with no staircase, describing that as a “really important” condition of the accommodation (via Oxygen).
It is understood that he lived with his first wife, Patricia, for a period of two years (via People), but she sadly passed away last summer after suffering a heart attack.
Since his release, Peterson has resumed writing war novels, as well as two books about his trial, conviction and time in prison: Behind The Staircase and Beyond The Staircase.
The Staircase airs Thursdays on Sky Atlantic – sign up for Sky TV here. You can also stream episodes on NOW. Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide to see what’s on tonight.
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