My Manifesto: The Incoherent Ramblings of a Madman

I've been enthralled by this documentary series currently showing on SBS television going through the trials and tribulations of a real life trial. That of one Michael Peterson.

Here is a loose background to the case for those not following the matter:

KATHLEEN PETERSON, (born Kathleen Hunt) wife of Michael Peterson, was found dead early Sunday morning (December 9, 2001) at the base of a staircase in their Forest Hills home. Police said Peterson told 911 operators his wife had been injured in a fall.

When rescue workers arrived at the home, Peterson's wife was lying dead on the floor.

A search of the property continued through Monday evening and details about what happened remain sketchy. Police will not say what kind of injuries Kathleen suffered. Her body was sent to the state medical examiner's office in Chapel Hill for an autopsy.

Durham police said that they would have a better idea of what happened if they could talk with Mike Peterson.

"We have not been able to interview Mr. Peterson. He has chosen not to answer any of our questions," said Lt. Ed Sarvis.

Police call the case suspicious and said that they will not rule it a homicide until they receive preliminary autopsy results.

source: Vance Holmes

Basically within the confines of the french documentary "The Staircase" Michael Peterson's version of events seems pretty suss. Equally as suss is the prosecutions case. Whichever way you look at it there are huge gaps in both sides. The most glaringly obvious gaps, in my opinion, in the defenses case are as follows:

1. Kathleen Peterson had a collapsed throat and minor, not major, defense wounds;
2. Michael Peterson is obviously lying about the 911 call - he said she was alive when he found her and that she died 15 minutes later - the blood had been dry for a few hours;
3. There was a shitload of blood, as is required to bleed to death obviously, but that much blood for falling down three steps and hitting her head?? Suss - very suss; and
4. His own legal defense team, right up until the trial, do not seem to take his word for a single thing he says unless someone else verifies it.

The gaps in the prosecutions case:

1. No murder weapon;
2. Contaminated crime scene, which is the norm, more so than the contrary;
3. A few issues with document control, such as, very important documents not making it from the FBI to the attorney's office etc.

Ok - when you put it into a few points like that he seems guilty as sin. But at no time does it feel like it's a clear-cut case. The jurors said they decided in a day it was not an accident - but as to whether or not they believed it was Michael Peterson who killed - it took them four more.

Post-verdict:

Two years later they have twice missed their deadlines for the appeal. Will the appeal ever happen? I have no idea.

All I can say is that I love a real life court room drama - much better than the Law and Order alternative by a long way. My only problem is that I was so enthralled with waiting to see how it all turned out that I bought the series on DVD so I could see the end of it. Now what in the hell am I going to do for the next 4 weeks on a Tuesday night when they put it on tv?