Michael Peterson

The Michael Peterson case has been the subject of a documentary series and a high-profile drama, both titled The Staircase, and fascinating true crime fans.

The Staircase airs Thursdays on Sky Atlantic – sign up for Sky TV here. Ultimately, Peterson was found guilty in the initial trial, but that was far from the end of the story. 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. Their initial theory, that Michael had used a fireplace tool called a blow poke, was debunked when the object was found in the garage undamaged and with no trace of blood on it. 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 was argued meant the death couldn't be chalked up entirely to a drunken stumble. Michael claimed that he had been in the garden by the pool at the time of Kathleen's fall, thus he could not have heard her struggle or had anything to do with the tragic incident.

Colin Firth, Toni Collette and more star in the TV adaptation of the French documentary The Staircase, which documented Michael Peterson's trial after the ...

Peterson was set free and the team began to prepare for yet another trial, only for Michael to decide to submit an Alford plea—this allows him to maintain his innocence while recognizing there's enough evidence for a jury to convict him—in 2017. There was also the matter of the murder weapon, which prosecutors suggested was a a fireplace tool called a blow poke that Kathleen's sister, Candace, had given to the family. The Peterson family was devastated and worked tirelessly alongside Rudolf to clear their father's name. And ultimately, jurors felt "we had enough to deal with at 1810 Cedar Street and not to really talk about the death in Germany," one juror told NBC News. Blood analysts took the stand and gave their takes on the crime scene. But, after studying the corpse, medical examiner Radisch said that Elizabeth's death was due to blunt force trauma, not a stroke. The prosecutors said they believed Kathleen may have seen the message, leading to a fight on the night she died (and a murder motive). He claimed that he went home without incident, only to learn the next morning that Elizabeth had suffered a stroke while walking up the stairs. "My mother and Mike had an absolutely loving relationship," Caitlin said when Michael was first arrested, as shown in the documentary. True-crime fans were fascinated by the mysterious nature of the case and the family's decision to support Michael, who police quickly suspected of being guilty. The number, severity, locations and orientation of these injuries are inconsistent with a fall down stairs; instead, they are indicative of multiple impacts received as a beating." It wasn't hard to believe: The staircase was awkward and steep.

Following the release of the exciting HBO show, The Staircase, fans who want to see more of Colin Firth have several options available.

Like in The Staircase, Firth's character goes through a traumatic event, but, in this case, there's no possibility of murder involved. In this film written by Tom Ford, Firth plays George, a man who lost his boyfriend, played by Matthew Goode. Interestingly years later, both actors would be part of the Kingsman franchise. After all, entertainment is a definite constant with Colin Firth on the screen. For fans of The Staircase, this film is a must-watch, with the stellar cast sharing thrilling chemistry. Fans who enjoy the show due to Firth's excellence in telling a story through a look or a delivery will likely enjoy this film. Firth's role in The Staircase is all about ambiguity (or going against it), but this isn't the first time the actor has played a complex character. Although the film's tone is lighter than in The Staircase, Firth plays a complex character that finds himself in difficult romantic circumstances. In this adaptation of Wilde's novel, Firth plays Lord Henry Wotton, the responsible for influencing the naive Gray to follow a treacherous path. As Tucci's character struggles with a disease, the couple navigates through pain and their love for each other in gorgeous British scenery. In the movie, also starring Ralph Fiennes and Juliette Binoche, Firth plays a side character alongside Kristin Scott Thomas. Given Firth's illustrious career, fans of the show who want to see the British actor in other roles have many suitable options. The new HBO miniseries promises to be a hit, renewing the desire of viewers to discover more or revisit the actor's filmography.