Remembering the Michael Peterson Trial
In 2003, Michael Peterson was sentenced to life in prison without the chance of parole for the murder of his wife, Kathleen. The case seemed clear at first, with Peterson convicted of killing her in their home. But this was just the start of a much bigger story. Over time, new evidence and questions about the trial began to emerge, making people wonder if the right person was convicted. What seemed like a simple case of murder quickly turned into a complex mystery, with many twists and turns that would keep the public and legal experts questioning the truth.
Staircase Death
At 2:40 a.m. on Dec. 9, 2001, 58-year-old Mike Peterson called 911 to report his wife, Kathleen, 48, had fallen down a set of stairs inside their home. He said he had been sitting outside by the pool and came in to find Kathleen dead. Peterson claimed his wife had been drinking and possibly taken Valium, which might have caused her to trip. The toxicology report seemed to support this theory, showing that Kathleen's blood alcohol level was .07, just under the legal limit for driving. However, Kathleen's autopsy showed that she had suffered severe head and neck injuries, suggesting she had been violently beaten with a blunt object. She had actually died after bleeding for more than 90 minutes. Peterson was arrested and charged with murder.
The Prosecution
Believing they had a strong case, the prosecution launched into the trial saying Michael killed his wife after they had a fight, which they believed started when Kathleen found over 2,000 explicit images of men on Michael's computer. They also discovered emails showing he had been talking to a young male escort, with plans to meet up again after meeting a few months earlier. The district attorney argued Kathleen found out her husband was having an affair with the man, and in a fit of anger, Mike killed her with the blow poke from the fireplace to keep her quiet.
In addition, the prosecution pointed out Peterson lied about his military service. Since he wrote military fiction, his claims of being an honorably discharged Marine and a wounded Vietnam veteran helped make his novels more believable. However, Peterson wanted even more recognition. He claimed he had earned a Silver Star, a Bronze Star with Valor, and two Purple Hearts, one of which he said he got when shrapnel hit him after his friend stepped on a landmine. In reality, he could only prove he received one Purple Heart, which he later admitted was for a car accident while he was stationed in Japan, not from combat.
Another Staircase Death
The prosecution also relied on a surprising story from Peterson's past: He was the last person to see another woman alive who also died from head injuries after falling down a staircase. In 1985, Mike and his first wife, Patricia, had dinner at the home of their friend, Elizabeth Ratliff, in Germany. Afterward, Mike stayed behind to help put Ratliff's daughters to bed, while Kathleen left. The next morning, a housekeeper found Ratliff dead at the bottom of the stairs. The Petersons later adopted Ratliffs' two daughters.
During the Kathleen Peterson trial, Elizabeth Ratliff's body was exhumed and re-examined. Medical experts concluded that Ratliff's death was actually a homicide, not an accident like originally thought. While the prosecution didn't directly accuse Mike of killing Ratliff, they used her death as evidence to show that he might have known how to stage an accident like the one that killed Kathleen.
The Defense
The defense, however, argued that Kathleen was not OK with Michael's bisexuality, as reported by WRAL News. They also pointed out that the blow poke, which was a hollow tube instead of a solid metal rod, showed no signs of damage and had no blood on it, even though it was supposedly used to strike her.
Verdict...and a Feather
After one of the longest trials in North Carolina history, a jury found Mike Peterson guilty of murdering his wife, Kathleen Peterson, in October 2003. The judge sentenced him to life in prison without the chance of parole. For years, Peterson tried to appeal the verdict and requested a new trial, but he was unsuccessful.
However, in 2009, something new came to light. T. Lawrence Pollard, an attorney who lived near the Petersons, noticed a mention of a feather in the court papers from the trial. This discovery would eventually spark new hope in the case and lead to a closer look at the evidence.
The Owl Theory
Pollard, who had not been part of the original trial, came up with the idea that Kathleen might have been attacked by an owl before falling down the stairs. He believed this could explain the serious head and neck injuries she had. At first, many people laughed at the owl theory, but it soon became clear that it wasn't such a joke. Owl attacks were actually common in the Petersons' neighborhood. Microscopic owl feathers, a piece of tree branch, and cedar needles were found in a bunch of Kathleen's hair, which had been ripped out by the roots. Her scalp wounds also looked like they could have been caused by a bird's talons. Experts like Dr. Patrick T. Redig, a professor at the University of Minnesota, and Kate Davis, who runs Raptors of the Rockies, both agreed that Kathleen's injuries could have been caused by a large bird of prey, especially a Barred Owl.
The Outcome
Although the owl theory didn't directly lead to a new trial, attorney T. Lawrence Pollard advocated for Mike Peterson and helped uncover mistakes made during the original trial, and this effort turned out to be surprisingly successful. After Peterson's conviction in 2003, several key figures involved in his case faced serious consequences for other cases. District Attorney Michael Nifong was disbarred and imprisoned for misconduct in the Duke Lacrosse case, while State Bureau of Investigation analyst Duane Deaver was fired for falsifying evidence in 34 cases. These discoveries, along with other issues of corruption and incompetence, led to Peterson's release from prison in 2011. He was placed under house arrest while his lawyers fought for a new trial. By 2014, many of his restrictions were lifted, and the state agreed to grant him a new trial, which was scheduled to start in May 2017. However, on Feb. 24, 2017, Mike Peterson entered an Alford plea to involuntary manslaughter. This meant that although he didn't admit to the crime, he agreed that a jury would likely find him guilty. Since he had already served more time than he would have if found guilty, Peterson was set free, though he remains a convicted felon.
The Michael Peterson trial was a long and complicated journey that spanned years. Though he never fully admitted to the crime, Peterson's Alford plea in 2017 allowed him to walk free after serving more time than he would have if convicted. Even though the case didn't end with a clear answer, it showed the importance of making sure trials are fair and justice is served.
References: 5 Things To Know About The Mysterious Staircase Death of Kathleen Peterson | 'The Staircase': Where Is Michael Peterson Now? | Peterson Lawyers: Friend's Death, Bisexuality Unfair as Evidence
