'Inside the Staircase' shows interest in Mike Peterson trial remains strong after 17 years
A jury convicted Durham author Mike Peterson of killing his wife, Kathleen, in December 2001. Her body was discovered at the bottom of a staircase in the couple’s home and for years people have debated whether her death was an accident or murder.
A Netflix series, “The Staircase,” examines that question and a discussion Wednesday night in Durham went inside the series with the show’s producer and Peterson’s attorney.
Wednesday night’s discussion was moderated by WRAL News anchor David Crabtree, who sat down with Peterson’s attorney, David Rudolf, and “The Staircase” producer Allyson Luchak at the historic Carolina Theatre.
The Netflix series, which aired in Europe in 2004, debuted this year in the United States.
The series looks at the Peterson trial, the many theories surrounding the murder, Peterson’s life then and now and how the trial impacted the Durham community.
During the “Inside the Staircase” discussion, Rudolf recounted his experience during the five month trial in 2003. He also talked about his client being granted a new trial in 2011 and Peterson’s subsequent release after an Alford plea five years later.
Rudolf also discussed why he agreed to have a film crew in the courtroom to follow the trial.
“Michael felt strongly that he would not be getting a level playing field in this trial. He had been a journalist in Durham, he had criticized the police in columns, he had criticized the District Attorney’s Office, he had criticized the Durham city government,” Rudolf said.
Luchak and Rudolf fielded questions from Crabtree and the audience that touched on the crime scene, Peterson’s family, the investigation and the owl theory that surfaced days before the trial wrapped up.
“I think it’s a very plausible theory. I can't prove it, but I sure think it's a lot more plausible than the blow poke theory," Rudolph said.
Seventeen years after the murder, a packed Carolina Theater showed the case is still captivating.
“In watching the series, it was just totally fascinating. It was a story within itself and had so many twists and turns, I just want to get to the bottom of it, ” said Roxboro resident David Bradsher
“It was astonishing that it happened and then it was really astonishing to me what happened and then that it continued for so long. It was just fascinating," said Durham resident Rosemary Wellons.
“The Staircase” was made without the approval of Kathleen Peterson’s family and they have publicly said that they believe the series does not take an objective look at the case.
Peterson still makes his home in Durham. Rudolf will be taking the discussion across the country and to several cities in Europe as the case continues to captivate people’s imaginations.
