The stair case

Describe the crime scene and give your first impressions.

The crime scene:

• A dead woman’s body lies at the bottom of the stairs

• Her name is Kathleen Peterson

• There is a lot of blood: on the walls, on the floor, on the steps, on her clothes and body

Who called 911 ? What did they say?

• It was Michael Peterson who called 911.

• He is hysterical

• He explains that his wife has had an accident and that they need to come.

• He says she has fallen down the stairs (maybe 15/20 steps),

• He says that she is still breathing but she is unconscious.

What type of evidence is the accusation examining? What conclusions are drawn?

• They are examining pictures of the dead body at the crime scene + autopsy pictures.

• They are looking at the lacerations on her head and they believe they are inconsistent with a fall.

• One person adds that the blood was dry when they arrived.

What type of evidence is the defence examining? What are their conclusions?

• We see the defence team looking at the injuries and examining the same pictures as the prosecution

• We see them going to the crime scene to look at blood patterns

• they note there is no blood on the ceiling, no cast-off pattern

• they meet with a jury expert and discuss the fall theory

What are your first impressions concerning Peterson? Why?

I think he's guilty because the scene didn't look like a simple accident.

Briefly explain the history of the Peterson family.

Mic has 2 sons from a first marriage later he will adopt the 2 daughters of one of his close friends after his death

Katherine has a daughter

Katherine then married Mic

What do we learn listening to Peterson's children?

• Todd: Believes they had no reason to suspect MP. He is not a violent dad or person.

• Martha: Describes yellow tape and impossibility of going home. Two bombshells hitting her: adoptive mother is dead and her adoptive dad is suspected of murder. MP + KP had a wonderful, loving relationship and never fought.

• Margaret: Says they had a very open family that discussed problems

• Clayton: Says there was a very strong bond between K+M, more so than with his own mother.

What is the defence doing at the end of the episode? What are they trying to prove?

• They are testing how much you can hear when you are sitting by the pool as MP said he was when she fell.

• They play a tape with a woman screaming/calling for help.

• We realize the sound of the water drowns/covers everything else.

• They are trying to prove that MP could neither have heard the fall nor heard his wife calling for help if she had.

What is the prosecution’s theory? Is this a fa fact or a hypothesis?

• Liz would have found out about Michale Peterson’s illicit relationship(s) and he would have killed her.

• This gives their case a possible mobile.

• It’s a hypothesis: “I think/we believe”

Michael Peterson describes human relationships. What difference does he establish? What is your take on the question?

• He makes the difference between a loving relationship and an affair.

• As far as he’s concerned, an affair only implies sex, which he was capable of.

• On the other hand, a relationship is a strong bond he claims he only had with Kathleen.

What does the defence say about Micheal Peterson’s bisexuality?

• It’s to prejudice the jury against Michael Peterson.

• David R wonders what the link is between murder and bisexuality.

• They also state the hypocrisy of a “good marriage” being a monogamous marriage. They think they could depict this as being gay-bashing.

• They are worried that this makes Michael Peterson look like a liar (“Once a cheater, always a cheater”)

What does Michael Peterson say about the justice system in the United States?

• He explains how expensive it is for an American citizen to defend themselves. This sheds a negative light on the US justice system which appears as unjust.

• ⇒think of why laws were created and why one would call it a “justice” system

What does Michael Peterson reveal about himself and the D.A. (Jim Hardin)?

• We learn that Michael Peterson had written an article on the District Attorney in the past and openly ridiculed him on his apparent incapacity at solving crimes.

• He also openly criticises the State when saying City Hall is the home of crime.

What are the comments of the test jury on Henry Lee?

• The test jury is not convinced with Mr Lee’s testimony.

• They strongly insist on his foreign accent and the fact that they do not understand him.

• They add that he sounds biased and too general and that he doesn’t provide them with a precise alternative to the assault theory

What incredible fact has the prosecution brought forward?

Elizabeth Rattlif, the late mother of Michael Peterson’s

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