Sundance
Channel Premieres True-Crime Series
The Staircase by Oscar Winner Jean-Xavier de Lestrade
Eight-Part Series Debuts as Special DOCday
Presentation
New York, NY, March 1, 2005—Sundance
Channel presents the acclaimed true-crime documentary The Staircase,
an eight-part series by Oscar®-winning director Jean-Xavier de
Lestrade (Murder on a Sunday Morning). The Staircase,
which follows the thrilling twists and turns of the investigation
into the cause of death of Durham, NC resident and Nortel executive
Kathleen Peterson, will premiere as a special Sundance Channel DOCday
series beginning on April 4, 2005, with two episodes airing back-to-
back every Monday night at 9:00pm. The Staircase, a Maha Films production,
is the latest film by de Lestrade, who won the 2002 Academy Award® for
Best Documentary Feature for Murder on a Sunday Morning. It
was produced by Oscar-winning producer Denis Poncet. The Staircase delves into the mystery
surrounding the death of Kathleen Peterson, a Nortel executive who
was married to novelist Michael Peterson. On the night of December
9, 2001, an agitated Michael Peterson called 911 and told the operator
that he had found his wife, unconscious but still breathing, at the
bottom of the stairs. When the police arrived, they found Kathleen
lying dead in a pool of blood and began treating the home as a crime
scene. One week later, Michael Peterson was charged with first-degree
murder. In eight tautly structured chapters, The
Staircase takes viewers inside an unpredictable real-life
drama, as Peterson’s sons and adopted daughters rally to
his defense and his legal team prepares to battle the prosecution. Meanwhile,
Durham’s district attorney and his assistant build a case
that will put the Peterson marriage—and Michael Peterson’s
private life—at the center of the trial. Reviewing
the series, which ran in Canada as Death on the Staircase,
Henrietta Walmark of The Globe and Mail wrote, “Death
on the Staircase is a rare thing: an eight-hour documentary
with twists and turns as compelling as any found in classic whodunits….
It's a masterful work from Jean-Xavier de Lestrade … that
will leave you unsettled.”  Episodes and airdates for The Staircase are
as follows:
Monday April 4th at 9:00 p.m.
Chapter 1: Crime or Accident. Michael Peterson recalls the night
of December 9, 2001, which began with dinner, wine and a rented movie, and
ended with his wife Kathleen’s death. After Peterson is charged
with murder, his attorney David Rudolf begins working with the investigators
and experts who will be critical to Peterson’s defense.
Chapter 2: Secrets and Lies. Shocking revelations
about Michael Peterson’s private life pose new issues for
his defense team, as it becomes clear that the prosecution will
use these details to torpedo characterizations of the Peterson
marriage as idyllic. Peterson discusses the culture and politics
of Durham, subjects he frequently addressed when he was writing
a local newspaper column.
Monday April 11th at 9:00 p.m.
Chapter 3: A Striking Coincidence. In
the spring of 2002, the case takes another surprising turn
when prosecutors turn their attention to the 1985 death of
Elizabeth Ratliff, a military widow who was found dead at the
bottom of the stairs of her home in Germany. The last
person to have seen Ratliff alive is believed to have been
her close friend and neighbor, Michael Peterson. Peterson
subsequently adopted Ratliff’s two daughters, who must
now deal with new accusations against the man who raised them.
Chapter 4: A Prosecution Trickery. The
defense team is forced to contend with the prosecution’s
latest bombshell concerning the death of Elizabeth Ratliff. In
April 2003, there is a pre-trail hearing regarding evidence,
a proceeding that ends with yet another twist. On July
1, 2003, the trial begins with opening statements.
Monday April 18th at 9:00 p.m.
Chapter 5: A Weak Case. District
Attorney Jim Hardin lays out the prosecution’s case and calls
witnesses to testify about three points of evidence: the amount
of blood at the scene; Kathleen’s head lacerations; and the
potential murder weapon, a fireplace tool called a blowpoke. Rudolf
puts on a tough cross-examination.
Chapter 6: The Prosecution’s Revenge. The
court rules on key evidentiary issues, and the prosecution calls
several witnesses who give emotionally charged testimony. Meanwhile,
the trial is receiving extensive and often sensational coverage
in the media.
Monday April 25th at 9:00 p.m.
Chapter 7: The Blowpoke Returns. The
defense begins presenting its case, which relies heavily upon such
experts as a biomechanical engineer and a prominent forensic scientist. But
the outcome may finally come down to a stunning find by Michael
Peterson’s oldest son.
Chapter 8: The Verdict. The long trial reaches
its conclusion and Michael Peterson learns his fate—at least,
for the immediate future.
Episodes of The Staircase will replay in April on Tuesdays at 11:00pm,
Thursdays at 8:00pm, and Sundays at 2:00pm. The first four episodes will also
air back-to-back on Friday April 15th, starting at 8:00pm, and the last four
will air Friday April 29th, starting at 8:00pm. All eight episodes will
air on Sunday May 1st, beginning at 2:00pm. Please visit www.sundancechannel.com for
all repeat airdates.  About
Sundance Channel Under the creative direction of Robert
Redford, Sundance Channel brings television viewers daring and
engaging feature films, shorts, documentaries, world cinema and
animation, shown uncut and with no commercials. Through its original
programs, Sundance Channel connects viewers with filmmakers, the
creative process, and the world of independent film. Launched in
1996, Sundance Channel is a venture between NBC Universal, Robert
Redford, and Showtime Networks Inc. Sundance Channel operates
independently of the non-profit Sundance Institute and the Sundance
Film Festival, but shares the overall Sundance mission of supporting
independent artists and providing them with wider opportunities
to present their work to audiences.
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