The Staircase: Where is Michael Peterson today?
He is portrayed by Colin Firth in a new drama series.
HBO Max’s latest true crime drama, The Staircase, has landed on Sky Atlantic and NOW, enthralling fans across the globe.
The brand new miniseries, which is a dramatisation of acclaimed documentary The Staircase, delves into the tragic 2001 death of Kathleen Peterson and the criminal trial that followed.
Colin Firth stars as the novelist and local politician who was named the prime 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.
But what are the real life people that The Staircase is based on up to now, more than two decades on from the tragedy that gripped America?
RadioTimes.com has delved into the real story behind HBO Max's The Staircase to determine what happened to Michael Peterson, and where he is today.
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The Staircase: Where is Michael Peterson now?
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.
- Read more: The Staircase true story - Michael Peterson case explained
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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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Authors
David Craig is the Senior Drama Writer for Radio Times, covering the latest and greatest scripted drama and comedy across television and streaming. Previously, he worked at Starburst Magazine, presented The Winter King Podcast for ITVX and studied Journalism at the University of Sheffield.
