Colin Firth
Michael Peterson
Search results
The series stars Colin Firth as Michael Peterson, a writer convicted of murdering his wife Kathleen Peterson (Toni Collette), who was found dead at the bottom of the staircase in their home. The series premiered on HBO Max on May 5, 2022.
Jun 11, 2018 · The 2004 documentary series 'The Staircase' is streaming on Netflix with three new episodes rounding out the true crime thriller. Here's what to know
- 2 min
- Mahita Gajanan
Accident or murder? After the mysterious death of his wife, author Michael Peterson watches his life go under the microscope. Watch trailers & learn more.
- 1
- 2 min
- June 8, 2018
With Colin Firth, Toni Collette, Michael Stuhlbarg, Patrick Schwarzenegger. Tells the story of Michael Peterson, a crime novelist accused of killing his wife Kathleen after she is found dead at the bottom of a staircase in their home, and the 16-year judicial battle that followed.
- (35K)
- 2022-05-05
- Biography, Crime, Drama
- 65
- Is The Staircase Based on A True Story?
- The Initial Charge
- Another Staircase Death
- Michael's Sexuality
- The Defence Case
- The Alford Plea
- The Owl Theory
- GeneratedCaptionsTabForHeroSec
In the early hours of the morning on 9th December 2001, Michael Petersonfound his wife, Kathleen, at the bottom of the stairs in their family home in North Carolina. He called the emergency services saying that she was still alive and begging them to arrive with the greatest of urgency, but dialling back shortly after he reported that she had stopp...
The medical examiner who conducted the post-mortem on Kathleen was alarmed by several findings, most notable of which were the deep lacerations on her scalp which weren't consistent with a typical fall down the stairs. In addition, it was found that her blood alcohol content at the time of death was low enough to pass a breathalyser test, which it ...
Further complicating matters was the revelation that, during a period living in Germany many years earlier, one of Peterson's close friends had also been discovered dead at the bottom of her own staircase. At the time, it had been thought that Elizabeth Ratliff – whose two daughters Michael became legal guardian of – had suffered a stroke on the st...
In the wake of Kathleen's death, authorities examined Michael's computer and found 2000 pornographic images of men on the hard drive, in addition to correspondence with a male prostitute with whom he discussed meeting. According to sex worker Brad, the hook-up never went ahead, but the conversation alone was enough for the prosecution to argue that...
In addition to emphasising the strength of Michael and Kathleen's relationship (and therefore lack of motive), defence lawyer David Rudolf brought in his own expert to give his analysis of the staircase scene. Neuropathologist Dr Jan Leestma argued that Kathleen's injuries could well have been sustained in an accidental fall, noting that the lack o...
A retrial was eventually ordered in 2011, after a blood spatter analyst for the prosecution was found to have given misleading testimony in the initial hearing. Some six years later, Peterson and Rudolf submitted an "Alford plea" of voluntary manslaughter, which allows the defendant to continue asserting their innocence, while conceding that there ...
As Peterson maintains his innocence to this very day, it is still unclear what exactly happened to Kathleen Peterson that fateful night in December 2001. One theory that emerged in 2009 and has captured the imagination of true crime fans is that she was attacked by a barred owl– a common species in Durham, North Carolina – with evidence at the scen...
Learn about the real-life murder case that inspired HBO Max's drama series The Staircase, starring Colin Firth and Toni Collette. Find out the facts, the evidence, the twists and the controversies of the 16-year legal battle.
A dramatization of the true crime story of Michael Peterson, accused of killing his wife Kathleen in 2001. See critics' reviews, cast, trailer, and watch options for this Showtime series based on the documentary.
People also ask
Is the staircase based on a true story?
Where can I watch the staircase — limited series?
Is the staircase a good movie?
Is 'the staircase' worth watching?
The Staircase: With Michael Peterson, David Rudolf, Ron Guerette, Martha Ratliff. The high-profile murder trial of American novelist Michael Peterson following the death of his wife Kathleen Peterson in 2001.
