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So, you want me to sit here?

Official YIFY movies site: YTS.MX

Yes. Make yourself comfortable.

Okay.

Right.

So, do I look okay? My hair, and--

You look fine. Don't be nervous.

I'm not nervous.

All right. Ready?

Yeah.

Tell me about Kathleen, your relationship with her.

Well...

she was, um...

We were...

-Can I start again? - Sure.

Kathleen was the love of my life.

We were together for 13 years and...

we got married five years ago.

And, uh...

We were soulmates,

best friends.

And there's just no way in the world that I would...

I'm sorry. I'm sorry.

I can't do this right now. I thought I could.

I'm so-- I'm sorry.

Would you turn that off, please?

I'm just...

I'm sorry.

All right. Cut.

Oh, God.

Oh, my God!

Oh, my God!

Oh. Oh, my God.

Oh, God.

Kathleen? Oh, God.

Oh, God. Oh, oh, God.

Oh, oh, my God. Oh, my God.

Kathleen, baby.

Oh, God. Oh, my God!

Oh, honey. Oh, God!

Oh, my God.

Oh.

Durham 911, where's your emergency?

-1810 Cedar Street, please! - What's wrong, sir?

My-- My wife's had an accident!

-She's-- She's still breathing! - What kind--

-What kind of accident? -Uh, she fell down the stairs!

She's still breathing! Please!

- Is she conscious? -No, no! She's not conscious!

-Please! - How many stairs

-did she fall down? -What?

How many stairs did she fall down?

Oh! Uh, I don't know! Uh-- Uh--

Uh, fifteen, twenty? Oh, please. Just hurry.

-Please. - Calm down, sir.

Oh, God. Oh, baby.

Oh, God. Oh, God.

Honey? Are you still with me, honey?

Kathleen? Honey? Oh, my God.

Durham 911. Where's your emergency?

She's not breathing! She stopped breathing!

- Calm down, sir. -Where are you?

What's taking you people so long?

- Sir, calm down. -Oh, God.

They're on the way.

-Hello? Hello?

That night, I was out at a party with this girl.

And my parents were at home celebrating.

My father's a best-selling author,

and he just sold the film rights to his latest book.

It was a big Hollywood deal.

Anyhow, when...

When I got home, the ambulance and cop cars were there.

I thought Dad had a heart attack or something.

I-- I didn't know.

It's crazy how fast your life can change.

Just like that.

And you believed your father's story?

That Kathleen fell down the stairs?

It's not a story.

It's the truth.

-Honey? Honey-- -Sir. Sir.

-Stay away from the body. -That's my wife.

-Dad. Dad, come on. -That's my wife.

-That's my wife. - Dad, come on.

They haven't even secured the property.

Geez, what's wrong with these guys?

Nice house. Whose place is this?

Michael Peterson.

What, you know him?

-Who is he? -Oh, some writer.

Is he the guy that ran for mayor two years ago?

Uh-huh. I sure didn't vote for him.

I didn't vote for him, either.

He seems to be doing okay as a writer.

Officer, this is our ballgame now.

-Where's the body? -Right over there.

-All right. Secure the property. -Yes, sir.

Well, the head and neck still seem to be in alignment.

Shouldn't they be out of alignment?

Mm-hm.

And how'd that get there?

-Kathleen. -Hey, uh, get him out of here.

-Sir, I'm sorry. We can't-- -Come on, take him out of here.

-All right. There you go. -Honey?

Dad. Come on. Come on.

Come on, Dad. Let's go sit down.

O'Neil, you know what to do.

Excuse me, who's in charge here?

Who wants to know?

Dr. Adams, State Medical Examiner.

State Medical Examiner?

- Yes, sir.

Son, have you even hit puberty yet?

Let's get some pictures.

You're the Peterson that wrote the column

for the Sun Herald,right?

Uh-huh. It's good stuff.

Let's see, you said, uh...

"Durham cops were so incompetent that the chance of them

catching a criminal was only slightly better

than getting struck by lightning," right?

That's nice.

I'm, uh, Detective Joe Castell.

Can you tell me what happened here?

Well, we had a bit to drink.

We were celebrating.

Afterwards, I assumed she'd gone to bed.

She had her flip-flops on.

-So, I posit that she was-- -"Posit?"

I'm sorry, I...

I assumed that she was walking up the stairs.

How did the blood get onto the wall?

Up so high up there?

I don't know. Maybe she...

tried to get up, and she fell again.

And all that blood splatter, how do you figure that happened?

I don't know. I don't know.

From the impact, I guess.

Hm.

And, sir, how long

between her fall and your first 911 call?

I was outside for a while,

so I-- I-- I don't know when she fell.

So, you-- you found her, just like that,

when you came running in?

I didn't run.

Why would I run?

You see, sir, what I don't understand is, um,

the blood on the steps over there is already dry.

-It's been dry for a while. -Look, my dad's already said

he doesn't know when she fell, okay?

Don't make me have to separate the two of you.

No, you're not gonna separate the two of us!

And my dad's obviously in shock. I'm not gonna leave him alone.

Yes, you are, son.

Who's the girl?

She's my date.

Maybe you ought to take your date home.

We got the search warrant.

Search warrant?

For what?

So, what can you give us?

She fell.

It was an accident.

I'm sorry, Junior.

This here is a crime scene.

What if it was just an accident?

Have you ever seen this much blood at an accident?

Uh, yeah.

I have.

Drive back over there.

-Oh, excuse me. - I'm sorry.

-Hold on, ladies. - It's our dad!

Dad, Dad, it's Martha.

-And Margaret. -Dad!

Dad, look at me, please, Dad.

Dad, it's gonna be okay.

We're gonna get through this, okay?

We will, together, as a family.

Dad?

I love you, Daddy. It's gonna be okay.

Were you not with your sisters that night?

I was at school, at Cornell.

I had been out all night.

And when I got back to the sorority house,

mm, there were all these messages on my...

answering machine.

My mom and I were really close.

And, um, Michael was--

is a great dad, step dad.

Well, I taught Caitlin to drive,

helped her with schoolwork, history.

I taught her about the politics of war.

- The politics of war? -Mm-hm.

He was a Marine, a war hero,

and he has medals and whatnot.

And, uh, he's really smart.

Well, war isn't just what happens on the battlefield.

There's a-- There's a whole other level.

Unseen, the subtext.

He always encouraged me

to look at both sides of the situation,

and that's what I'm trying to do.

-Is that okay? - That's great.

You're doing just fine.

I've never done this before.

What do you think happened?

Sorry?

That night.

What do you think happened?

Towards the sidewalk.

My poor baby.

Hey.

It's okay.

It's okay.

What are they doing?

It's a crime scene.

It's a vendetta.

Payback for Dad's newspaper columns.

It's gonna be okay, honey.

They'll let us back in

as soon as they finish with their...

investigation.

Let's go inside.

Clayton and your sisters are waiting.

Hi.

Oh, thank you.

-Hi, Michael. -Hey, Candace,

thanks for coming. I am so, so sorry.

Thank you.

Candace, you remember my brother, Bill, from Reno?

-Kathleen's sister. - Hello, Candace.

-I'm so very sorry. -Thank you.

- Hi, Aunt Candace. - Hi, girls.

Caitlin.

- Accident? -Absolutely.

Why don't we listen to her side of the story?

The dead never lie.

So, Michael, what happened?

She fell.

Thanks, Clayton, but, I'm...

I'm talking to your father.

She fell. She just...

fell.

Seven distinct skull lacerations,

not in your preliminary report.

Hm, no skull fracture.

Which suggests a fall.

Possibly, but in her throat, we have a fractured thyroid,

suggesting attempted strangulation.

It could also be caused by a fall,

depending on point of impact.

Possible. Not likely. Look at her arms.

Defensive wounds.

Are you saying that she was drunk,

and that's why she fell down the stairs?

Well, she...

had a little too much wine, yes.

Aunt Candace,

we all know she drank too much.

Let's stop pretending.

Was it murder?

Well, it wasn't a fall. Blunt-force trauma,

a metal object hard enough to lacerate,

but not so hard as to fracture the skull.

The pattern, it's... it's like a pitchfork.

No, it wasn't a pitchfork. And I can tell you,

it was a slow death,

-at least two hours. -Wait a minute.

You're telling me she was laying on the floor

for two hours, bleeding to death?

And in horrible pain.

Can you dust for prints on these?

- Yes, sir. - All right.

No, it's too heavy.

You get hit with one of these things,

it's a definite skull fracture.

Take a look at this,

two crystal wine glasses.

Neither has Mrs. Peterson's fingerprints.

Really?

The husband says she was drinking from one of them.

No, both have only his fingerprints.

We have this bottle of wine.

The drain reeks of alcohol.

We sprayed this floor with Luminol.

Somebody tried to clean up the bloody footprints.

You sure that's what went down?

That's what the evidence suggests.

Huh.

Books on the O.J. Simpson case.

Interesting reading.

Research?

Well, the man is a writer.

Box of condoms.

No, two. No, make that three.

Maybe he was having an affair.

I use condoms. Am I having an affair?

Maybe they were on sale. Check this out.

-Huh? -Someone's been deleting emails.

-Can you retrieve them? -I'm already on it.

Someone sure likes porn.

Porn?

Oh, hey! How are you?

Hmm.

What happened when the detectives returned?

They removed Dad's computer,

his books, his files, everything.

He's a writer. How is he supposed to work?

They searched every inch of the house and grounds.

They found nothing.

What a nightmare.

You know, my mom was the first woman to graduate

from Duke University's School of Engineering.

She was a top executive at Nortel Networks.

She was a patron of the arts.

Everyone in town loved her.

If she didn't die by accident, then...

how did she die? Why?

Did your mother and Michael fight?

No...

Not really.

So, what did you do

when they finally let you back in the house?

Caitlin?

What did you do when the police

finally let you back in the house?

Okay, I think this one will look great here.

-It's perfect. -Ah.

-You got it on the first try. -Almost.

-It's just a little bit crooked. -Is it?

-Uh-huh. -Isn't it wonderful?

-I think it looks great. -I love it.

Good job.

It is interesting to note

that over one million people in the US

have been treated in hospitals this year alone

due to slips on staircases.

Okay, you ready?

And three, two, one.

Hey.

-Hey. -Brought you some cocoa.

Are you gonna stay in bed all day?

'Til we go to the funeral home.

Honey, uh...

those viewings are more for strangers, not family.

I'd prefer it if you would stay here with us,

so we could have our own memorial.

You're not going?

Well, I am.

You're coming to the funeral home with me, right?

Dad asked us to stay home tonight.

You should, too. He needs us right now.

We know something about losing a mother.

Our birth mother died before I was three.

I was barely one, and our birth father died

just after I was born.

So our mother named Michael guardian.

He's the only...

He's the only father we've known, really.

His first wife, Patty...

she was like a mom to us.

And after the divorce,

Kathleen was like another mom.

It just didn't feel like we could handle

seeing her in a coffin, you know?

I don't think Caitlin understood that,

or even tried to.

Someone tried to clean this, but, uh...

No one else should touch this.

I'd like it boarded up as evidence.

Are you sure about this guy?

He defended the NFL player, Rae Carruth,

-charged with murder. -Yeah, Carruth's in prison

doing ten years right now.

Not for first-degree murder, he isn't.

He's serving for other charges.

I successfully defended him on murder and the death penalty

using reasonable doubt.

That's my saving grace, reasonable doubt?

I will represent you.

You'll need a vigorous defense at trial.

Trial?

There haven't even been any charges or indictments.

Oh, those will come.

You haven't even asked me if I did it.

I never ask.

Well, if you were to ask me, I'd tell you I was innocent.

The Durham police hate you for what you wrote about them.

And you certainly wrote some very nasty things

about the DA, Jim Hardin, as well.

That is the good news.

And the bad?

This.

We believe we have a lead

on a possible murder weapon.

It's a blow poke.

-A what? -For the fireplace.

You blow in it, get air into the fire.

It's kind of flimsy, but it packs a punch.

It's just like the one Mrs. Peterson's sister gave her.

It was kept by the fireplace, but it's gone missing.

So, you're saying this is what killed her

-and that he did it? -Oh, he's the one.

But can we prove it?

Jim, this is the same Peterson

who wrote that you only went after underage voters

and bingo players because you couldn't get

-any real bad guys. -I know.

Good lord, imagine if he had become mayor.

Find the blow poke.

Good evening, Mr. Peterson. We have a warrant.

My family and I are grieving.

Our apologies.

We thought you'd be at the funeral home right now.

So, you'd just break in?

Well, Mr. Peterson, we've come to some conclusions--

A conclusion is the place you get to

when you've stopped thinking.

She was a good woman.

Thanks.

I'm so sorry.

Thanks.

-God bless you. - Thank you.

She doesn't seem real.

None of this seems real.

I really don't know how to feel.

I honestly don't.

Come on.

You're gonna have to pull yourself together.

-Mm-hm. - Okay? You have to.

You're the administrator of her estate.

Isn't my dad?

No, he's not.

And I've been speaking with the Durham police.

-I think you should, too. -Why?

Which way is it? This room?

Thank you very much.

-Dad.

Mr. Peterson! Mr. Peterson!

In Durham, North Carolina today,

a grand jury has handed down a murder indictment

against novelist, Michael Peterson.

Peterson has been charged

with the death of his wife, Kathleen.

...will receive a fair trial

with his negative relationship

with the Durham Police Department?

The DA's case is based

on the flimsiest of circumstantial evidence.

There's no motive. There's no murder weapon.

There are no witnesses. And why is that?

Because there was no murder.

I did not kill my wife.

I'm innocent.

I would never hurt Kathleen.

I whisper her name in my heart a thousand times.

She's there forever.

And I can't stop crying.

Mr. Peterson! Please, please,

one quick question.

With the best-selling author's bail hearing pending,

maybe it's time to take a closer look

at Michael Peterson.

In 1993, he was charged with a DWI,

Driving While Intoxicated.

Then, there's the mystery of his two Purple Hearts,

something many say cost him the mayor's election.

Now, he claims to have been awarded two Purple Hearts,

but the military has no record of them.

I've known Michael for 13 years,

almost my entire life.

I love him. He's my dad.

Why are you going after him?

Were you aware that Michael and your mom

have 142,000 in credit card debt?

-What? -And that they're spending

$100,000 a year more than they take in?

There must be some mistake. My dad's a best-selling author.

He bought the house.

He made $600,000--

And he hasn't made a dime since.

What about the Hollywood deal?

They're making a movie out of his latest book.

There is no such deal. We checked.

Look, your mother was stressed out over money, over her job.

She had to lay off a lot of people,

and she thought that she was gonna be next.

I had to think of something to calm her down.

And you figured lying to her about a Hollywood movie deal

would make her feel better?

Have you been talking to those detectives?

They're trying to drive a wedge between us.

You know that, don't you?

When did you stop making money?

What has that got to do with anything?

Just answer the question.

Do you know why we had money problems?

We send you kids to the best colleges,

buy you the best cars.

Life is very hard, Caitlin.

You have no idea what we've gone through.

Your mother and I were just trying

to be good parents,

trying to make you happy.

Is that such a terrible thing?

Time's up, Peterson.

Let's go.

Kathleen Peterson had both alcohol and Valium

in her system that night,

which any reasonable person might conclude

contributed to her fall.

But even if it were possible

that her injuries were not accidental,

the DA and the police have rushed to judgment,

not even bothering to consider

that an intruder may have been responsible.

Your Honor, the Petersons had the ideal marriage.

To believe he killed his wife

is to believe that he went from loving spouse

to premeditated murderer overnight,

and that just strains credulity to the breaking point.

Michael Peterson was released today

on an $850,000 bail.

After surrendering his passport,

Peterson left the Durham courthouse,

accompanied by his family, and returned to his home

in the exclusive community of Forest Hills.

His trial date is set for May.

We love you, Dad.

Kathleen Atwater?

Kathleen Atwater. I'm looking for my mother,

Kathleen Atwater.

Oh, my God, Mom. What happened to you?

Oh, I just miscalculated

when I dove into the swimming pool.

You dove in? You never dive in.

You always wade in.

This time I dove. Never again.

Were you drunk?

Of course not.

Thank you for believing in me.

- Ah, Michael. -David.

Evening. This is my investigator,

-Alan Crane. - Marines, right?

-Semper Fi, do or die. -I can always tell.

And this is Erica Azaria.

She's the filmmaker I told you about.

-Mr. Peterson, a pleasure. -How do you do?

- Very well, thank you. -Actually won an award

last year at a festival. Which one was it?

-It was Divia, actually. -Oh, well, congratulations.

-Thank you. -So, she'd like to do a film

about this case as a study of the US justice system.

Well, that's going to be a problem.

-Why? -Because this case

has absolutely nothing to do with justice.

My last film was on the US penal system.

When I read about your case,

I thought it would be a natural companion piece.

Well, now, that depends on your point of view.

Do you think I'm innocent or guilty?

Innocent, aren't you?

Well, I think a documentary might be a good idea.

I mean, camera doesn't lie, right?

Hey, would you mind spotting me?

- Hey, no problem. -Thanks.

You got it.

So, who is this guy again?

Says he knows a lot about Peterson.

Uh-huh.

Morning.

I'm David Rudolf.

This whole case, it's a diversion.

It's a show. I'm being victimized here.

Why doesn't the media focus on--

I'll get it.

Could-- could I just start again?

-If you please. -Thank you.

This whole case is a diversion.

It's a show.

I'm being victimized here.

Why doesn't the media focus on the city's real problems?

I mean, the DA came into office

making all sorts of promises, none of them fulfilled.

Corruption, theft, lies.

That is the story of Durham.

David! Hey, listen, we have some...

- Hi, David. -...wonderful al dente pasta

and a great pinot noir. Would you, uh--

Uh, actually, if I could, uh, just get a--

a word with you alone would probably be best.

- Uh-- -Truly alone.

But David, we-- we did promise total access.

-I-- I-- -Of course we did.

Then, could we step in the other room?

-Sorry to interrupt, really. -Oh, sure.

Thanks.

So, what's up?

Well, you failed to mention to me that you're gay.

I'm not.

Had a meeting with a man who said last year

the two of you were lovers.

Lovers? Come on, who is this man?

Can you give us a minute? Seriously.

No, no, that's all right.

Stay. I-- I've got nothing to hide.

Okay. Aside from that man,

the DA was kind enough to give me these photos

that were found on your computer.

Uh, how could you not be gay,

uh, and have relationships with men?

I don't have relationships with men.

I have sex with them. There's a difference.

Besides semantics, there's a difference?

I'm bisexual, David.

It has nothing to do with the case.

-No, no, you are the case. -But my sexuality isn't.

I stood in front of a judge

and talked about this great marriage you had.

It was.

Kathleen knew about me. She did.

She understood me.

It wasn't about my not loving her, or--

or loving her any less; I loved her more because of it.

We had a passionate life together.

Okay. Well, that's helpful.

I'm just afraid that this being the South,

your being bisexual is going to damage the case.

So, what do we do?

Well, the DA is gonna have a field day with this,

so we're gonna have to do exactly what you're doing now,

which is to be upfront about it, shrug it off,

treat it as inconsequential.

But I need to know that you're telling me everything.

David, I'm telling you everything.

As I said, I have nothing to hide.

Okay.

Have you told your family?

I think that's enough for tonight. Thank you, Erica.

Okay.

So, it's-- it's really not that unusual.

In ancient Rome,

sex between soldiers was encouraged

to ensure battlefield loyalty.

And the Greeks had a belief that--

Stop it! You're embarrassing yourself.

Were you having an affair?

No, Caitlin, I was not having an affair.

No, no, it's okay.

She just needs some time.

Let's talk about your brother's sexuality, shall we?

And why is that such a big deal?

I knew about it. So did our parents.

Uh, when Michael was a teenager he told us.

This case isn't about that, okay?

Honey, goodness.

He's a liar.

He's manipulative, and he's promiscuous.

The police showed me those emails.

What emails?

The ones that he tried to get rid of the night she died.

Emails to and from all the boys that he meets at the gym.

That's why he spends so much time there.

I know what happened that night.

I know my sister would never have tolerated

such a thing in her marriage. Never.

She confronted him. They argued.

And he killed her.

Uh, I'm not sure. I just--

I don't see him as a murderer. I'm sorry, I don't.

Are you sure?

Yes, she needs to see it.

Autopsy report and photos.

God.

Oh, my God.

How can that be from a fall?

It could--

It can't.

It can't. Oh, God.

There's someone here to see you.

Don't you think you need to be with your family right now?

Aunt Candace is family.

You know what I mean.

Can you leave us alone for a second?

Caitlin, Dad needs us with him right now.

He really needs our support.

I need some time on my own.

Fine. Whatever you need.

Just make sure and be

at the house tomorrow for a TV interview.

A TV interview?

I don't think so.

Caitlin, what-- what's gotten into you?

Nothing.

He's making a movie about all this.

Isn't that kind of weird?

He's telling his secrets to the whole world.

Don't tell me you're homophobic, Caitlin.

No! But don't tell me that you haven't wondered

for just one second if, you know, he actually did it.

Caitlin, don't do this.

We're a family.

We need a common front here.

There can be no desertions, Caitlin. This is war.

Do you ever actually listen to yourself?

So, all five of you kids stand by your father?

Absolutely, we're a family.

And we're gonna get through this as a family.

And how's your dad holding up through all of this?

He's good.

He's obviously having a tough time with this,

as are all of us, but he's doing the best he can.

Clayton has his girlfriend with him to make it seem

like we're all there supporting Dad.

-God. - This is so Michael.

...without a doubt...

And then there's this.

Todd's the family spokesperson now.

He said that you were too distraught

to participate in the interview.

...all very, very tight and supportive of one another.

What do you want to know about Michael Peterson?

Hi.

Is your aunt here?

No, but she'll be back any minute.

May I come in?

Wow...

the police have destroyed my family.

It's always about you, isn't it?

No, it isn't, Caitlin.

I've always loved you as if you were my own child.

And after the hell you went through

with your parents' divorce, I was the--

There's no cameras around. You can stop acting.

What do you want?

The estate attorney sent me these.

And it's a bill for funeral expenses, and....

I can't afford it, Caitlin.

And I never wanted a burial. I always wanted cremation.

So did your mom.

And we didn't pick that cemetery.

You and your aunt did.

And this is a bill from a florist.

It's-- It's $800 charged to my credit card,

without my approval.

Are you aware she never signed

the beneficiary designation?

Her life insurance, the 1.4 million.

The papers designating you as sole beneficiary?

They were filled out,

but she never actually signed them.

That means no matter what happens in court,

you get nothing.

Why are you doing this to me?

I'd hate to be running right now.

- Hey. -I'll see you guys later, okay?

Hey, how are you doing?

-Doing okay? -What do you want?

I wanted to talk to you. Look, I don't know

if anyone showed you the autopsy reports

-or Mom's photos-- -Dad told us not to bother.

He says what's in the report isn't true.

Look, she has over 38 injuries.

Thirty eight, Margaret.

To her head, face, hands, back, and wrists.

How do you get all that

-from falling down the stairs? -Will you put that away please?

We all knew that Michael had a temper.

Dad says he'll be exonerated.

You're on the wrong side, Caitlin.

-I didn't know there were sides. -There are.

We were a family, but you walked out on us.

-Margaret, can't you see? -Yeah, I can see.

And what I see is you being brainwashed

by a bunch of corrupt cops.

You know what Dad calls those cops in Durham?

Idiots.

And you know what he calls you?

A traitor, a hypocrite.

And we all feel same the way.

Shame on you, Caitlin.

Shame on you.

- Morning. -Morning.

Hi, I'm Laura Baxter, and I'm a jury consultant.

And you're my mock jury.

Now today, I'm going to be presenting you

various facts and perspectives on the Michael Peterson case.

And all I ask is that you respond as frankly

and as honestly as possible.

Well, I don't think that, uh...

One guy hates that Peterson's a vet

who lied about receiving a Purple Heart.

Another says that being a liar doesn't make you a murderer.

-Uh-huh. -And half the women believe

that just because you get caught cheating

doesn't mean you're a killer.

What about cheating with another man?

That guy there said he'd kill to cover a secret like that.

So what does all this add up to?

Lack of consensus.

-It's a gift. -Hmm.

So, Michael's lying. When did that start?

- Look,

I'm just trying to paint a complete portrait

of your brother, and that is part of it.

Well, try painting this.

Eighteen years ago, he took on the responsibility

of raising the two girls of a friend who passed away.

Who was their mother?

Elizabeth Ratliff,

a friend when Mike and Patty lived in Germany.

She died of a cerebral hemorrhage

and entrusted her kids to my brother.

How many men that would do such a thing?

No witness, no murder weapon,

maybe not even a motive.

What we do have

-is reasonable doubt. - Mm-hm.

And I'm sure David Rudolf must love that.

Excuse me.

I-- I think your receptionist went to lunch.

May I talk to you? You're Mr. Hardin, right?

-Yes, ma'am. -Miss Black?

That's right. And you are?

Margaret Blair from Rhode Island.

Elizabeth Ratliff's sister.

Margaret and Martha's aunt.

Yes, of course. Please, have a seat.

Excuse the mess, Ma'am.

What-- What can I do for you, Mrs. Blair?

Well, whenever Michael or the girls

mentions my sister's death,

they say she died of cerebral hemorrhage.

Well, didn't she?

Maybe, but they never say where her body was found.

And where was that?

My sister was found dead at the bottom of a staircase.

And the last person to see her alive was Michael.

Oh, he called and said all the right things.

He was sorry for my loss.

He said she fell and that there was very little blood,

just a little behind the ear.

-That wasn't true. -How do you know that?

I got a photo from the German police.

And you didn't ask why?

Of course I did.

They said it was an accidental death,

that the case was closed.

An accident.

Hmm.

Good Lord almighty.

"Invitation to the Dance."

Kathleen loved this piece.

David!

You know the doorbell does work.

Forgive me for allowing myself in.

Erica, can you guys take a dinner break, please?

There something about the case you don't want us to hear?

I need to speak with Michael privately,

and I would greatly appreciate if, for once,

you would respect that. Thank you.

All right, let's cut.

Anything else you haven't told me?

I beg your pardon?

Your wife is found dead at the bottom of this staircase.

Your friend, Elizabeth Ratliff, is found dead

at the bottom of that one.

You think the DA might find that just a tad peculiar?

I did not kill Elizabeth.

Convince me.

In the early 1980s

my first wife, Patty, and I were living near Frankfurt.

She was teaching at the US base there,

and I was writing my first novel.

George and Elizabeth Ratliff were neighbors.

He was in the Air Force.

They had two baby girls, Margaret and Martha.

George was being shipped out to Grenada

for the US invasion, and we were worried.

I was trying to get him to request a leave,

you know, having just had a baby,

but that wasn't George.

He said if anything happened to him,

Liz and the girls would be well taken care of.

That was George.

He always said that God is in the details.

George died in Grenada.

He died of a heart attack,

and there were traces of cyanide found in his blood.

I know.

He had a heart condition for which he took medication,

-and there was speculation-- -That someone tampered

with his medicine before he left for his mission.

The operative word being speculation.

Were you and George having sex?

No.

What about you and Elizabeth?

No.

So, the night she died...

That was two years later.

It was in November. There'd been an early snowfall,

and Elizabeth had dinner with Patty and me.

And then I walked her home.

- Did you go inside? - No.

- You're sure? - I walked her home,

and then I went back to my house.

The next morning, Patty was making breakfast for the boys.

I'd been up late writing,

and that's when Elizabeth's nanny rushed in, hysterical.

She was crying so much that it was hard to understand

a word she was saying.

She'd found Elizabeth on the staircase.

- Did you love her? - Yes,

but not in the way that you think.

We were soul mates.

How'd your wife feel about that?

-Patty? -Yes.

Patty was a sensible woman. And Elizabeth was not sensible.

That's what I liked about her. She was just, uh...

a great person.

But she was having these terrible headaches.

And I tried to get her to go see a doctor.

But she just dismissed it as stress-related.

I wish that I'd insisted.

She had a cerebral hemorrhage.

But all that blood on the staircase.

Yes, she had a condition

that was called Willebrand's disease.

It's not unlike hemophilia.

Okay.

Thank you.

I guess I'll be going to Germany.

Well, there's a vote of confidence.

Both the German and the US military autopsy reports

back up everything I just told you.

I did not kill Elizabeth Ratliff.

And if I'm going to convince a jury of that,

-I'll need to go to Germany. -Well, then I'm going with you.

They took away your passport. No. You're not.

Well, then, I'll send Clayton.

I'm not gonna have Patty dealing with this on her own.

Let's jump over here.

David Rudolf, Alan Crane,

-this is my mother, Patricia. -Nice to meet you.

Hi, it's Patty. Welcome to Germany.

Hello. I'm Erica Azaria.

Just pretend we're not here and try not to look

-at the camera. -Oh, okay.

Um, I just baked some cookies. Want some?

-Uh... -Mrs. Peterson,

-we can't hear you. -Patty.

Mm, let me just...

There, and remember, please don't look at the camera.

Oh, okay. Um, I'll start again.

Um, I just baked cookies. Want some?

Actually, if we could just see the home Elizabeth

-was living in. -Oh, of course.

Uh, the woman who lived there gave me the keys

so we can take as much time as we like.

Okay, thank you.

So...

this...

is how we found her.

Like this.

And most of the blood was...

Oh, there wasn't any blood.

You still love Michael?

He's the father of my sons.

You don't just stop loving someone.

Did you know he was bisexual?

Are you sure you wouldn't like another cookie?

I'm sure.

Was he involved with Elizabeth?

No.

He was like a brother to her.

Was he having sex with George?

No.

Do you think he had anything to do with George's death?

Aren't you supposed to be defending my father?

Why did you and Michael leave Germany and return to the US?

It was his idea.

We had Elizabeth's girls and our sons,

and he felt it would be easier to raise them in Durham.

'Course that's where Michael met Kathleen.

Yet you still love him?

Would you lie for him to get him back?

No.

How much did Michael get from Elizabeth's estate?

It wasn't much.

That money was for the girls.

Maybe 30, 40 grand.

That's all?

Mm-hm. Yeah.

...and 48 degrees here in Durham.

It's eight o'clock, and here's our top story.

Citibank has filed a claim against

Kathleen Peterson's estate for credit card debt.

The amount is reported to be over $100,000.

Husband, Michael Peterson, is awaiting trial

on the alleged murder.

Since I'm paying for this,

I didn't think you'd mind my waiting here.

You didn't pay for this. Never did.

My mother paid for this.

Honey, this...

airing of your mother's financial dirty laundry is...

It's inappropriate.

Actually, it's your dirty laundry.

I'll tell you what.

You settle this thing with Citibank,

and I won't go to the police to report $100,000

worth of jewelry and clothing missing

from Kathleen's closet, okay?

I've already filed the papers with the estate.

There's nothing missing except for my mother.

And I don't really think that you're

gonna go to the Durham cops

that you have been calling a bunch of idiots.

Caitlin, I'm your father.

No, Michael, you are not.

Aunt Candace?

Can you give me the number to that lawyer?

When I learned about Caitlin's

wrongful death lawsuit against me, my reaction...

was a broken heart.

The police have chosen...

to provide Caitlin with only part of the evidence,

which has resulted in this precipitous action.

I feel sorry for Caitlin's pain,

for the loss of her mother.

But I also feel sorry for my other children, who--

having lost their mother...

have now lost a sister as well.

"See what the scourge is laid upon your hate,

that Heaven finds means to kill your joys with love.

And I, for winking at your discords, too,

have lost a brace of kinsman.

All are punish'd.

All are punish'd."

I am sorry that you've come all this way,

but as I tell Mr. Rudolf, we stand by our report.

Mrs. Ratliff died of accidental death.

Well, we feel that we can prove that her death was a homicide,

and a judge will allow it at trial.

Under 404B, which covers providing proof

-of a similar crime. -Or revealing a pattern

of criminal behavior, uh, of murder.

Yeah, I understand, but this was not a homicide.

Perhaps, if her remains indicate otherwise,

-we could reopen this file. -Her remains?

Her body's been buried in the ground for 18 years.

Precisely.

-Good night. -Good night.

Another dead body has surfaced in Peterson's life.

Another woman lied dead at the foot of the stairs,

that being Elizabeth Ratliff over one decade ago.

I just couldn't believe it

when Dad sat us down and told us.

It just seemed so wrong, you know,

exhuming our mother's remains.

Dad's lawyer said that if a new autopsy proves

she died of natural causes, it'll help exonerate him.

They had to get our permission.

I just didn't think it'd have such an impact on us, you know?

What if the DA offered you a plea?

Would you take it?

Put an end to this for the family, for yourself.

Michael, I'm scared for you.

I don't wanna end up in prison.

What happened with Elizabeth?

You told her sister, me, all of us,

there was just a bit of blood behind her ear.

Why'd you lie?

What would you've preferred I said?

That she was found dead in a pool of blood,

twisted around like a-- like a damned pretzel?

Well, what are they gonna find when they open that coffin?

What do you think?

She's been in the ground for 18 years.

All they'll find is a bunch of bones.

How were we to know a body

could be that well preserved after that much time?

It scared the hell out of me.

Aren't you concerned about what they might find

in the autopsy?

No. Not at all.

Do you play poker, Mr. Rudolf?

Because I do believe some people would call that a poker face.

Contusions to the left hand, left forearm.

Defensive wounds?

Huh, yeah.

Maybe.

Linear fracture at the base of the skull,

lacerations.

Let's look at the brain.

-Hi, Patty. - Hey.

Oh, thank you so much.

You didn't have to send a limo to the airport.

-I could've taken a bus. -Don't be silly.

You're the mother of my boys.

It just means so much for me to have you here.

Mm, I'm just glad I could help.

Please, don't look at the camera, Mrs. Peterson.

Do you really expect a jury to be swayed by this...

cartoon of Kathleen falling down the stairs?

-Judas Priest! -Calm down, Michael.

No, I won't calm down.

I mean, how much is this thing going to cost me?

As much as that-- that mock trial?

Really?

I mean, what am I spending on this?

To go to trial, conservatively, it will cost you about $800,000.

Well, you wanted to know

what the United States system of justice is about.

Well, this is what it's about. It's about money.

I mean, we wouldn't even be going to trial

if it weren't for Caitlin and Candace.

-Michael! -I don't care. Let 'em hear it.

I don't care!

Michael, this animation was created

by a biomechanics specialist.

It accurately reflects what we say happened on the stairway.

Well, that may all be very well and good, David,

but it-- it has no emotion.

None!

He's right, David.

Okay, fine.

You want me to put you on the stand?

Is that what this is about?

It's your call, your right.

But what if the DA somehow gets you

to lose your temper, or goes off on some tangent

about your bisexuality,

or asks you under oath to outline your distinctions

between sex and love? What happens then?

Does that help our case?

Please understand, your life is not in my hands.

It's in the hands of the 12 good citizens

of Durham, North Carolina. They decide.

So, you need to decide one of two things.

Either trust me to do my job, or hire someone else.

And please, if you do,

trust them to do their job.

I am ruling the death of Elizabeth Ratliff

a homicidal assault.

As you can see, the scalp shows lacerations similar

to the ones suffered by Kathleen Peterson.

Clearly, ladies and gentlemen,

there were two murders committed.

-Any questions? - Would you issue

a coroner's report?

What tipped you off about...

And now the specter has risen that a Germany case

will be reopened as to the death

of Michael Peterson's family friend,

Elizabeth Ratliff, over one decade ago.

Mr. Peterson! Mr. Peterson!

Mr. Peterson! Mr. Peterson!

Hey, Caitlin! Caitlin!

Do you have a statement for us, Caitlin?

I can respect that people have

their own belief as to what happened.

But I have faith in the evidence

that will convict Michael Peterson.

Good morning to each of you.

Good morning.

This was Kathleen Peterson,

full of life, beautiful.

We're told she and her husband had an ideal marriage.

But, ladies and gentlemen,

this case is all about pretense and appearances.

Now, the defense says what happened to her

was an accident.

We say its murder,

at the hands of Michael Peterson with this.

It's called a blow poke.

And this is an exact replica of the murder weapon.

Kathleen kept it next to the fireplace.

But it mysteriously disappeared.

Now, this...

This is the Kathleen Peterson the EMT unit found

when they arrived at her home on December 9th, 2001.

Accident or murder?

You decide.

And when you arrived at the Peterson home that night,

what was one of the first things you noticed?

Apart from the fact that the body was in perfect alignment?

Yes, apart from that.

Well, I noticed that some

of the blood on the stairs

-had already dried. - Already dried?

How peculiar.

And, uh, what did that suggest to you, Detective?

It suggested that the victim had died much earlier

and that the scene had been staged.

Please explain what you mean by staged.

Durham 911, where's your emergency?

1810 Cedar, please.

What's wrong, sir?

My wife's had an accident. She's still breathing!

What kind of accident?

She fell down the stairs. She's still breathing!

On the night you arrived at his home,

were you aware that this was the same Michael Peterson

that had written newspaper columns

-critical of the police force? -Yes.

Well, they were more than critical, weren't they?

Let me see if I can-- Ah!

"It would not be an exaggeration to call our police force

a laughing stock for they solve

a mere five percent of reported crimes."

-Do you remember that one? -Yes.

So, is it fair that there may have been some police bias

towards Mr. Peterson?

You could put it that way.

Could you also put it that you and other officers

conspired to exact revenge on Mr. Peterson

-the night his wife died? -Objection.

Sustained.

Moving on.

You and the DA contend that

the defendant murdered his wife using, uh,

what did you call it, a blow poke?

Yes.

And after exhaustive searching of his home

and the entire property,

were you ever able to find this alleged murder weapon?

-No. - No?

No murder weapon? Not anywhere?

Could it be that there was no murder?

Objection.

Withdrawn.

I have a letter you wrote a while back

in which you referred to your sister's relationship

with her husband, Michael Peterson,

as perfect.

Right there. "Perfect."

You also went on to say that their marriage

was loving and healthy and respectful.

Next photo, please.

You recognize this photo?

Yes, it's the fireplace in my sister's living room.

It was taken in 1999. Do you see a blow poke by the fireplace?

-No. - No?

And yet you said under oath that you remember seeing

the blow poke by the fireplace

as recent as last year. Isn't that what you told the DA?

Yes. And there was.

Really? Next photo.

Recognize this one?

That photo was taken in 2000.

Do you see a blow poke by the fireplace?

No.

No, because the truth is, the blow poke

hasn't been anywhere near the fireplace in years.

-Isn't that right? -No, it was there last year.

Right. So then, where is it?

Where?

Where?

Agent Deaver, you told the court that five blood drops

found near the stairwell were caused by

someone swinging an object back in an arc.

-Uh, did I get that right? -Yes.

Uh, look at the defendant if you would, please, Agent.

He's five-foot-eleven.

Now, if he were to swing a fireplace poker,

or some such instrument,

where you say he did, right here,

wouldn't it hit the molding of the door frame

leading to the stairwell?

It is possible.

And yet, the police reported no such markings.

-That is correct. - Now, are you aware

that the world-famous forensics expert, Dr. Henry Lee,

reviewed your work and determined that the scene

is not consistent with a beating?

Um, no. I was not aware of that.

No. Were you aware that, uh, he felt the--

the state's handling of the forensics in this case

-are utterly incompetent? -Objection.

Withdrawn.

Happy Birthday!

♪ And many more♪

Happy Birthday.

Happy Birthday, Uncle Bill.

- Happy Birthday. - Come on, make a wish.

Hello. Yeah. Yeah.

The DA's calling Brent Wolgamott

as a witness giving him immunity.

Hardin can't get a conviction with the evidence,

so he's gonna create some drama with this Brent.

-Well, who is Brent? -You know him as Brad,

the male prostitute.

Why didn't you tell me about this guy?

The state calls as its next witness,

Brent Wolgamott.

At the time, I was on active duty

at Fort Bragg, and charging 150 an hour as an escort,

using the name Brad.

Uh, my clients were mostly doctors, lawyers,

and a few judges.

Not this judge.

What types of services did you offer as a prostitute?

I prefer the term "male escort."

Okay.

What types of services did you offer as a male escort?

Ooh, just about anything under the sun, safely,

-I might add. -Good to know.

And how did you connect with Michael Peterson?

Over the Internet. It's...

how I met all my clients, from my website.

So, you and he exchanged emails.

-Yes. -Discussing what, precisely?

Well, basically what kind of sex

-we were going to have. -And what kind of sex

were you and Mr. Peterson going to have?

Can I say it?

Anal sex.

Thank you.

Just so everyone is clear,

you and Michael Peterson never actually met.

-Is that right? -That is correct.

So, you never had sex?

That's right. We never did.

And in these email exchanges,

did he ever talk about his marriage?

Yes, he said that he had a great marriage.

And that he had a lot of warmth and affection for his wife.

And when did these emails end?

September 5th, 2001.

So, the two of you never met.

And all communication stopped in September of 2001.

And what do you know about the death of Kathleen Peterson

in December of 2001?

I know diddley.

I take it that means "nothing?"

I know nothing. Zip.

So, then, why are you here?

I don't know.

I trust that you do.

Are we dead?

No, we're not dead, just wounded.

The prosecution has rested. Tomorrow, is our turn.

Get some rest. We'll get 'em.

So, what do you think? How's it going?

Great. Tomorrow's the big day.

Well, I guess that was it.

He's bisexual! He watches hardcore porn.

I saw the emails, the photos on the computer.

My God, how long has this been going on?

I don't hate you, Michael.

But I want a divorce. I want a divorce.

Do you swear to tell the truth...

the whole truth, and nothing but?

I do.

Dr. Henry Lee has been flown in

to testify for the defense in this case,

the defense for Michael Peterson.

As you all know, he is on trial

for the murder of his wife, Kathleen.

Remember the infamous O.J. Simpson case?

Where do you go? Where do you run?

To Dr. Henry Lee.

Ten thousand pieces of blood splatter can't be wrong.

You must look at the totality.

You can't look at just one isolated pattern.

So, Dr. Lee, in your expert opinion,

what caused this blood splatter?

In my opinion, Mrs. Peterson coughing up blood.

Would you like me to demonstrate?

Yes, I would.

Your Honor, this is ketchup.

Here we are.

See? Oh, I think I got a bit of ketchup on your suit.

Oops, sorry.

If you believed that Mrs. Peterson

coughed up blood and that's what caused the spatter

then why didn't you test the supposed

blood aspiration spatter for saliva, sir?

It's not my job.

If your local officials did their job properly,

then I don't have to be here.

As Peterson's defense team winds down its case,

pundits are predicting a hung jury,

saying things would be different if the police had only produced

the murder weapon.

A trial is a lot like sex,

all this buildup, friction,

back and forth, aggression, submission,

control.

I'm on top. You're on top.

Well, that's a unique perspective.

Mm-hm. It is.

I've been giving it a lot of thought.

In fact, I'm thinking about writing a book on all this.

-Are you really? - Mm-hm.

You know, it's gonna be a fascinating film,

this documentary of yours.

Just...

...don't make me look too awful, okay?

Just try to be fair.

I'm always fair.

I know. I trust you, Erica.

And this film, your film,

it's gonna be my only legacy,

my only truth.

Sorry, just want to let you know we're leaving

for the night.

Thank you. Have a good night.

The blow poke,

what you and the DA have described as the murder weapon.

Did you ever think to ask us

-if we had located it? -No.

You just figured it was gone?

-Gone... or put up somewhere. -Really?

Please tell the court what it is

you're now holding in your hands.

-A blow poke. - Not just a blow poke,

the blow poke found by his two sons

in the Peterson's garage last night,

where it has been all along.

Detective, have you ever given any thought to what might happen

to an item like this if it were actually used

to beat someone to death?

-Probably be marked up. - Precisely.

See any dents on this one?

A little, tiny indentation of any kind?

- No. - No.

Blood? Hair?

Anything other than cobwebs,

-dead insects and dirt? -No.

Thank you.

And suddenly, all this time later,

lo and behold, just the eve before

the defense wraps its case,

voila, they produce another poker.

-What do you make of it? -Uh, maybe it's like,

uh, Mr. Peterson said all along that the police in Durham

just can't investigate a crime.

-Do you have more of this? -Lots.

-Erica, why don't you come on

over here and have a glass of wine with us?

Why don't you guys quit for the day, relax?

Mm-hm. You don't wanna miss this.

-Thank you. -Mm-hm.

-So, David. - Yes?

This blow poke business.

A rather convenient 11th-hour discovery.

Oh, the truth is the truth.

I mean, Clayton and Todd found it, called me right away.

You were there in the garage

when we saw it for the first time.

-It's all on tape. -Still, some people think

-it was planted. -Yes, of course, they would.

Kathleen Peterson had no concussion

or swelling of the brain. What does that tell you?

And this year, uh, in the city,

there were 162 cases of blunt-force trauma,

all of which had concussions and swelling.

What does that tell you?

That their whole case is based on circumstantial evidence.

And now, the murder weapon has been thrown out,

and I think that's what the jury's going to do

with this entire case. Throw it out.

Mark my words.

You want to gloat, don't you?

Me? No, of course, not.

Go on. They've put you and your family

through bloody hell.

Gloat.

Her camera's down, give it a shot.

All right. I'll gloat a little.

Has the jury reached a verdict?

Yes, we have, Your Honor.

We, the 12 members of the jury unanimously find the defendant,

Michael Iver Peterson,

-guilty of first-degree murder.

Mr. Peterson,

do you have a statement you'd like to make?

Anything you wish to say?

It's okay.

It's okay.

It's okay.

Michael Peterson,

this court hereby sentences you to mandatory life in prison

-without parole.

This court stands adjourned.

You knew, didn't you?

That he used to beat your mom, right?

Yet you never told anyone. Do you think justice was served?

True justice would be having my mother

back here with me.

Failing that, yes.

Don't you?

What?

You still believe he's innocent?

I don't know what to believe.

Cut. We're done here.

It's pretty bad in here.

I filed the papers for the appeal.

And as I mentioned, these things take time. Years.

-What do you suggest I do? -Request protective custody.

What about the film?

Erica sold it to some network.

-Which one? -Does it matter?

Yes, absolutely.

That's all I've got left.

We did it!

Hurry up, Caitlin!

Just give me a second. I'm just gonna change.

"See, what a scourge is laid upon your hate,

that Heaven finds means to kill your joys with love.

And I, for winking at your discords, too,

have lost a brace of kinsmen.

All are punish'd.

A glooming peace this morning with it brings.

The sun for sorrow will not show his head.

Go, hence, to have more talk of these sad things.

Some shall be pardon'd, and some punish'd.

For never was a story of more woe

than this of Juliet and her Romeo."