Stairway Killer

[Amaurote]

Okay, cheating a bit here, because this isn't current at all for most of you, in fact it's very, very old news, however a quick search of the archive elicits nothing, so I thought I'd mention it: I've just been watching Death on the Staircase, a documentary about the Michael Peterson case (http://www.courttv.com/trials/novelist/), which most of you will no doubt have seen last year. The final two episodes are on tonight, and I'm already hooked: I think it may be the best documentary I've seen in the last year. The main thing that struck me wasn't so much Peterson himself, who seems nice enough but frankly fits the profile, but the totally brutal way Court TV misrepresented bits of what looked like a fairly strong defence case: the lawyers were obviously pretty slick operators, but their reactions to each respective op-ed piece were a picture. The irony is, the Court TV website is meticulously factual and informative, whereas the coverage was shamelessly sensational.

Great stuff, though: the insight it gives you into the American suburban elite is really gripping, and the cast of characters reminds me of a Stephen King novel. Interesting also to see that Amazon has now become a kind of bulletin board for authors (Anne Rice), satirists (David Hasselhoff - Best of/Hot Shot City) and readers alike: when I looked for one of his novels just now the latest was someone slagging him off as a cowardly little wife-murderer.

[Diva]

I haven't heard of this case. I read the full story section and it is fascinating. While I haven't read through it all, the paramedic's testimony was interesting. I find it funny that they tried to discredit him by saying he couldn't remember his wife's birthday. So many men (and women) forget birthdays and anniversaries that they make 'belated' cards for those, too. I would find it more questionable if he remembered it.

The dried blood at the scene and description of the wounds are suspicious, too. If she was drunk then her body would have been more relaxed. That is why more drunk people are not injuried in wrecks, etc...

Do you think that putting a trial on television is a good thing?

[Amaurote]

I do, yes, in fact that's one aspect of the US legal system I'm very envious about. I thought this might have been wall-to-wall stateside; in fact when I originally heard about the documentary I misconstrued the trailer and assumed it was about the Scott Peterson case.

I'm no expert, but the amount of blood and the number of contusions on her body was very suspicious, and the way he reportedly reacted afterwards was very peculiar (I mean, who comes up with explanations as technical as that when their wife has just died?). The main question for me was the one framed by the Prosecution: was the death of his first wife accidental and an exemplar for the ultimate murder of his second wife, or was that, too, a murder? I think the former explanation makes more sense, simply because he seemed too intelligent to be caught in such a stupid way. Either that, or he's the unluckiest serial killer on the planet.

[Diva]

Head wounds can bleed pretty bad, but not like how they are describing. Plus it is an automatic reaction to cover your head when falling. You're more likely to get gashes on your arms and legs.

[Amaurote]

That is interesting, but I think there were just too many coincidences in this case, and too many details he wasn't candid about: I mean, you just don't forget that your first wife died in almost identical circumstances, and although I thought the Prosecution laid on his bisexuality with a Calvinist trowel (whatever that might look like), you'd have thought he'd have brought it to his own lawyers' attention first without them having to find out for themselves.

I was really interested by the way they demanded the assent of the jury to their collective verdict at the end: I have no idea whether that differs at state level or not, but I was slightly confused by the fact that the documentary only showed eight of them being asked whether they assented. I have no idea why it took that form, maybe the editing was a bit cavalier at that stage but I don't think so. The best footage of the night was his brother mentally preparing him for the possibility of conviction, I just thought the way he did it was textbook, sensitive but emphatic: "You know, there's almost no chance of this happening, but in the unlikely event that it does, we're not going to have any time to speak to you, but don't panic..."

Nashville Profile (http://webapps6.doc.state.nc.us/apps/offender/offend1?DOCNUM=0816932&SENTENCEINFO=yes&SHOWPHOTO=yes)

[Diva]

The police procedure is once again questioned... You would think that they would be able to handle standard protocal more thoroughly... Especially when it could make or break a case.

I'm still reading through the case, and there are some things I don't understand. For instance... Why did the prosecution think Todd Peterson's affair had something to do with the murder?

[Amaurote]

I'm still reading through the case, and there are some things I don't understand. For instance... Why did the prosecution think Todd Peterson's affair had something to do with the murder?

I know, that puzzled me, too: I thought the Prosecution's case on paper shaded it, but in presentational terms they were just awful, totally out-classed by the Defence team (which isn't surprising, I guess, since money bought the latter). Their closing statement was couched in the most ridiculous terms: well, look, just look at this filth - it's homosexual porn, that's what it is - filth, hardcore porn, here, look at this: we found it on this filthy homosexual's computer...you've heard a homosexual testify...now look at the staircase, look how horrible and bloody the scene is. She was murdered all right, and there's this homosexual dude - y'see, a homosexual, filthy, and this murder. He's guilty all right. He writes fiction. And he's a homosexual. Your Honour, the State rests.

The real crux for me wasn't his bisexuality, it was the way his first wife died, the way he reacted after his second died, and the number of contusions on the corpse. The Defense made the mistake of ending its summation - which was actually very powerful - with his 911 call, asking them to judge for themselves whether he sounded sincere. The problem was, he sounded about as sincere as a smiling crocodile. I would have convicted him on that alone.

[Diva]

You know what was just as bad? The sudden 'reappearance' of the poker. Riiiiight.

[Amaurote]

You know what? Maybe he hit her with all five. I mean, I don't mean to be facetious, a woman died here and all, but - it was another largely irrelevant detail to set alongside his irrelevant bisexuality, his irrelevant career as a novelist, and his irrelevant emails to some gay marine. I have never seen such a strange example of misdirection on the part of both Prosecution and Defence - which isn't to say they aren't smart people...in fact, it's the fact that both sides were so smart that makes me so concerned about it.