The "Owl Theory" - David S. Rudolf (2024)

David – I think you did an amazing job during the Peterson trial based off what I saw in the documentary. It amazes me that the prosecution can be such scumbags and get away with such sloppy work with people’s lives on the line. It’s really amazing to see how one can be judged, convicted, and locked away just like that with so many unanswered questions. I’ve never been in a courtroom, and I’m sure it’s emotionally intense for both defense and prosecution. Thanks for sharing all this information with the world!

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The way the circ*mstantial evidence has been broken down makes this theory the most credible though. I believe no one was truly prepared to hear it in the first trial. With almost all the evidence gone, I believe we will never be able to know what really happened, but at least this theory makes us think that there was much more evidence against a barred owl than against Michael.

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Just finished watching The Staircase and you did a fabulous job at managing this case. I know the heartbreak of the initial conviction was devastating for you and your team I applaud you for your perseverance with this case.

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David,
I just finished watching the staircase and I must say you and your team did an amazing job, proving that there were so many Discrepancies in the Prosecutions theories, that i was so astonished as I knew you were that a jury convicted someone on the evidence or I should say, lack of evidence.
But was amazes me more is when Dieber was found with his tampering of evidence and not disclising certain things, was there not a mistrial, the same with the earlier find of the blow poke.
Again, if I were a juror i would have said, not guilty, as would have many of my friends who watched Staircase. With no fingerprints or weapon, right there was reasonable doubt.
And as for the Radcliff case and his bi sexuality, I understand that Judge Hudson, even second guessed his decision to let that be summited in the first trial,
I understand why Michael Peterson, went for the plea bargain and why you were at wits end.
So many questions about how you can ever trust the system
Please if you speak to Michael and his family. Please tell them That I hope they can finally find some peace and so many have been affected by their story
Sincerely,
Cissy Hamel

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David, you are an amazing lawyer and person.

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If this were a barred owl, I strongly suspect there would have been screaming that neighbours or Mike Petersen himself would have heard. Why not run to Mike and not the stairwell?

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When i first watched the staircase before i heard anything about any of this case, when the autopsy pictures were shown, i paused it and turned to my girlfriend and said “That looks like a bird attack” When i was young an owl had attacked someone near a farm we own who was wearing an old raccoon fur hat. He lived, but barely. The pictures looked identical to Mrs Petersons. No broken bones, no brain injury, just shredded skin on the head. We warn everyone who goes for walks to wear a colored hat, preferably bright orange, or yellow. Then my girlfriend sent me the link to this “owl theory”. It’s a shame because people think this is improbable. Just the opposite. It doesn’t happen a lot but when it does, and if you can get photos, you’ll see it’s identical in outcome and severity.
Thank you,
Brendan

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I was riveted to this series and could not make up my mind thruout the series. I am now 100% convinced that Michael Peterson is innocent. However, I did wonder why the 2 girls lived with Michael after he divorced his 1st wife. I know that has nothing to do with the actual murder but I admired them for being so devoted to Michael. Just thought that was unusual. Also did Kathleens daughter ever come around or speak to Michael since the airing of the show?

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I was very impressed with your legal expertise and knowledge, and I’m so thankful that Michael and his family had you on their side. As an elected county officer, I was shaken to the core when I saw the level of corruption on the side of the prosecution / law enforcement. Literally horrified that Mr. Peterson’s liberty was revoked, due to the willful disregard for Justice.

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David, I truly believe an owl killed Kathleen. It’s a subject that years ago seemed outlandish to me. After watching The Staircase, I began to believe the owl theory is the most logical. You are the most incredible attorney that I’ve ever had the privilege of seeing in action. Thank you for allowing me the chance to view this case. The family is and was blessed to have you.

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Mr. Rudolf:

You are a terrific criminal defense lawyer. Lord knows we need good ones like you to keep investigators and prosecutors honest.

Question: Other than the case of Kathleen Peterson, is there another recorded case of a barred owl killing someone?

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Mr. Rudolph,
My husband and I also just finished watching The Staircase on Netflix. There was so much reasonable doubt that it shocked us both that the jurors came to their decision of “guilty”. I just saw the Owl Theory and it certainly makes perfect sense to me. Why wasn’t this theory brought to trial? If she had a feather on her body and a splinter of twig grasped in her hand then it certainly would prove this theory.
I am thoroughly disgusted with our justice system and definitely believe that Michael is innocent of this crime.
David, we think you are an amazing trial lawyer. I hope the jurors can live with themselves. Shame on them.

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I loved watching the Staircase. For me, the biggest problem of the judicial system is that the prosecution is not as much concerned as getting to the truth, but rather is concerned at getting a conviction, almost at all costs, almost to the point of sending innocent people to jail. I was actually surprised to see how much Kathleen Peterson’s sisters had access to the DA Office and how much pressure they seemed to be able to brought upon the DA. I assume that for some families, it is absolutely essential to a sense of justice to get someone guilty for the death of a loved one, whoever that guilty person can be. It is that drive to get someone to take the blame rather than finding out the truth (as much as possible) that is skewing the system. That drive probably permeates a lot of juries too. Unconsciously, for a lot of jurors, a not guilty verdict is probably felt as a failure on their part. That pressure means reasonable doubt these days may have become not enough to render a not guilty verdict. Something like close to “absolute” doubt is probably required now, even though they are being told reasonable doubt is enough.

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Was there ever any talk of going to trial again to get a not guilty verdict and then sue the Duram police deptarment for damages? Can you go back now with the owl theroy to overturn the civil case?

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It isn’t a question of whether proving that an owl caused the injuries to Kathleen. It is a question of offering enough evidence to support the theory in order to create reasonable doubt for the jury. This theory does that.
The original fall theory as presented at trial, in my opinion, also creates reasonable doubt and the jury put a lot of misplaced faith taking the state’s word.

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We just finished watching The Staircase and were very impressed by your professionalism, competence and compassion during the trial and beyond. A couple of unanswered questions crossed our minds regarding Michael being at the pool until 2 AM. Why was he at the pool if the average Durham temperature at night in December is around 35 F? Also, did he fall asleep poolside? Thanks!

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David,

I am speechless and fascinated for how much efforts you have put in the Peterson’s case. Even just watching the documentary was intense. YOU are such a good lawyer. Best of wishes from Japan.

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What struck me was the racial makeup of the jury. I wouldn’t have expected that the black Americans on the jury would fall so hard for the prosecution’s case. The prosecution and their witnesses (including Kathleen’s family) did not come off as likable or even rational and it seemed obvious that their sanctimonious prejudiced views of Michael’s sexuality could have been just as vociferously applied to an African American or member of another minority group. I was sure they were going to go against the prosecution. I also thought surely the whole “hardcore p*rn” thing would backfire, at least with the men on the jury as I think the majority of men of all races like p*rn. But, alas, that’s with a northern none-Christian bi-loving 2018 viewpoint. But, demographically speaking, I still can’t imagine that black southerners have a high level of trust for white prosecutors.

Were jurors willing to convict just to distance themselves personally from Michael’s proclivities and align themselves with accepted southern (straight white “Christain”) norms knowing that the very same courtroom might unjustly convict them?

David, was it as obvious then as it is now that Michael was being “railroaded”? I thought the theory on and then find of blow poke was obvious evidence that the investigators did shoddy work, were perhaps persuaded by Kathleen’s sister in blaming Michael and did little to figure out what really happened. Do you think if you went harder on the theme that Michael was being railroaded it would have made a difference?

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Mr. Rudolf, I read that after Mike’s plea, the feather fragments found on Kathleen’s body were to be sent for examination by a Ms. Dove, but the funding fell thru?

Surely with all the hype around this theory, the examination could be crowd funded? We’re all dying to know more after all.

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David, civil litigator here but from outside the US. What methods are available for challenging the admissibility of the Deaver blood spatter report and his testimony on the basis that he was either unqualified as an expert or that the report was junk science?

Also, was there a reason that the blood on Kathleen’s clothing was not tested for DNA evidence? Michael’s DNA likely would have been present regardless but if other DNA was found, that would have been another avenue for reasonable doubt possibly.

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My name is Hannes and I am from Germany. I am 31 and work for an energy company ruled by old conservative white men. My job is to enable innovations in this company. There is a weekly meeting where I have to argue why it is necessary that we have to change some things to be prepared for the future. I have been so frustrated because I could not believe how some people just don’t se the most obvious problems, contradictions and pitfalls. As a reaction I tried to improve the quality of my arguments and the content I presented. Unfortunately nothing really changed. Then I watched The Staircase and realized how incredible important it is how you speak and how you use your voice. I was so impressed how clear and rhetoricaly clever you presented your arguments. So I adjusted my way of presenting and it really worked. People suddenly took me serious and I could accomplish some major breakthroughs. Learning form a great lawyer how to present arguments was so helpful for me. Thank you.

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Even though we are only able to view a small glimpse of the effort required to try this case, I greatly appreciate having the chance to watch to watch you and your team at work.

The owl theory is interesting but from what I have seen the fall theory is entirely credible. Based on the limited facts as know to me, the prosecution only succeeded at character assassination.

I would like to note that your commentary on the verdicts of “guilty” and “not guilty” was powerful. Personally, I believe that the concept of “beyond a reasonable doubt” is lost on most jurors. By asking a jury to find not guilty instead of “not proven,” we are subliminally asking to find innocence, in contravention of the presumption of innocence.

Two brief questions. 1. Do you know if any serious initiatives to amend this language? 2. Final Alford plea aside, would a bench trial have been optional for the second trial?

Thanks again for exhibiting your talents!

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Mr. Rudolf,
What a captivating trial, documentary, and owl theory.
I am left wondering about the two brief mentions of a bloody footprint found on the back of Kathleen’s pants, and evidence that she may have been strangled. What’s the story there?

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Mr Rudolf

Like most viewers I went from guilty to not guilty and back again so many times. I am from Scotland and as you mentioned, this would almost certainly be Guilty Not Proven verdict if tried here. Whether the owl theory had been introduced or not I was gobsmacked that the jury could come up with their guilty verdict with no conclusive evidence from the prosecution. I don’t see that you could have done anything else to persuade them.

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David,

The owl theory is obviously an interesting one and seems to explain the unusual pattern of Kathleen’s scalp wounds (particularly the two tri-lobed wounds). In terms of evidence, would it not be possible to analyse Kathleen’s clothes for evidence of more feathers or bird/owl DNA (if such a thing is done) ?

Her clothes may be too contaminated to assess for the presence or absence of other human DNA but surely no other source of bird feathers will have come into contact with them?

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Wow! Such a sad story, yet it is fascinating. Appearantly the dysfunctional justice system is not only in my country…You did more than you could. And I feel sorry for the Petersons. No matter what, I believe they went through an unfair and extremely long and difficult process. Such a shame…

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As an attorney I was shocked that the Prosecution could argue that the blow poke was missing and infer that Mr. Petersen used it and then deliberately discarded it when it later came out (two days before the Alford plea hearing) that the police had photographed the blow poke themselves in the course of their initial investigation. This was evidence the prosecutor certainly had access to and undoubtedly would have seen. Yet an entire theory was presented in contravention to the facts. Is there no basis for attorney misconduct and loss of licence for such a blatant falsehood presented to the Court or does the fact that the former prosecutor is now is a judge on the same circuit court make him someone the Bar doesn’t dare take on?

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Query: Was Duane Deaver ever prosecuted for perjury in any of the 34 cases wherein he presented false testimony? If not, why not?

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David,

Thank you for sharing your experience with the masses. I am a teacher, and I was so attracted to the way in which you communicate, both verbally and non-verbally. You conducted yourself with great patience, respect, and even levity, when appropriate. I cannot imagine the frustration this case caused you, but you were seemingly able to maintain your composure, which is incredible! I think you would make an excellent teacher. Any interest in lending your abilities to a college? Thanks again.

Jessica

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I was engrossed with ‘The Staircase’ and watched all episodes in one week. I am a retired civil lawyer with some knowledge of the English criminal law and I would think that here Peterson’s conviction would simply have been quashed given the perjured evidence presented at trial. I hope the documentary leads to permanent improvements in the system and to more dedicated lawyers, like yourself, working to ensure that happens.

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Hi David,

Sorry to hear about Ron passing away.

My wife and I have just finished the Staircase and were totally gripped throughout!

We generally couldn’t believe the prosecution building their case around the whole blow-poke theory.

We were totally blown away by you and your team’s investigations and professionalism and we routed for you through the whole series.

We understood that you didn’t want take the re-trial but were so happy you decided to finish the case with Michael and the Alford plea.

We will be sure to follow your future cases, my best friend is a very good lawyer here in the UK and he will be sure to watch the show!

Thank you for all your hard work in trying to put the criminal system right.

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This is an example of the American “justice” system gone bad. Everyone needs to realize that this is not abnormal behavior for Prosecutors! I do not know how they sleep at night. I am disgusted with the entire system, from the Police up through the Judges in the USA. In reality, MOST Prosecutors should be put in jail for the crimes they have committed. We’re no better than Iran, or Russia, or insert any 3rd world shole. The only way to change it is to insert the public/watchdog or some sort of 3rd party entity that can oversee the “system” with the authority to fix it. There is absolutely NO accountability, nobody is minding the “minders” (at least nobody with any character/morals). This is a travesty. Blind justice? Shame America, shame.

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I’m still on the fence about this case. If I were a juror at his trial, I would have seen reasonable doubt but I can honestly say, I cant say that MP did or didnt kill his wife.
I have to say that in the movie, he (MP) said a few chilling statements. Very strange indeed

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David, I agree with so many of the comments regarding the skill of your rhetoric throughout the deliberations.
You were so well grounded and accessible to the intelligence of others and one of the good things that had come from this tragedy is that your powerful and potent energetics foundationed in open honesty are able to be viewed by others.
It was ongoingly disheartening to watch the unjust proceedings of the prosecution and their criminal choices.
And equally disheartening to feel that the jury collapsed in their prejudices ie Michael’s occasional sexual behaviors preventing them from voting in justice.
The owl theory makes so much sense to me and for the family’s sake I’m glad it has come forward.
Thank you again for your hard work and compassionate clear thinking and your service to justice and the Peterson family.
To the Peterson family may you go forward loving your Kathleen and living out peaceful lives as would so be her wish.
I’m certain she’s sending you all her love and support from the other side.

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Such an extraordinary series. Thank you, Mr. Rudolph, for your committed, professional representation of Michael Peterson. You are a ray of hope for those of us who have little hope for fairness and justice in our legal system. If there is any interest in pursuing the owl theory, I believe you would find great support for it.

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Je suis impressionné de votre défense bravo et je suis convaincu de son innocence et je penche vers la théorie du hibou . Et félicitations pour votre implication dans la défense des droits de la personne ??

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I finished watching this gripping documentary yesterday night here in the UK.

It must have been soul-crashing for Micheal to have had to accept the Alford plea after all the injustice done to him at the hands of the prosecution but I think it was the right thing to do. His family and him deserved some peace at last. I hope they have been able to finally move on.

David, I truly admired your determination and perseverance during the whole trial. The way you handled this case with eloquence and grace while facing blatantly biased judge and shady prosecution was owe-inspiring. Also, I’ve not realised before that lawyers can be this cool!

Wishing you nothing but success in all your future cases.

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I grew up in a small North Carolina town much like Durham. You lost the initial case because the DA’s office was able to present your team and your client as outsiders.

The facts and evidence were almost secondary.

Something to remember if you take on a similar case in the future.

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Dear mr. Rudolf,

3 days ago I started watching the Staircase documentary and finished episode 13 this morning. As a Dutch citizen I can’t believe what I have seen. My take is that you have done an incredible job showing the court and the jury that there was not a single piece of evidence against Michael Peterson, let alone the criteria of ‘beyond reasonable doubt’ were met. I truly enjoyed your dedication and your precise, articulated and eloquent way of presenting, which should have been more than enough to have a ‘not guilty’ verdict in the first place. In our country we have no juries but a (hopefully) unbiased and objective judge that decides. I can’t stop thinking about how Michael Peterson, his beloved ones and you and the rest of the defense team must have felt in the past 17 years.

From Holland: All the best and a big thank you for being a great person, fighting for justice and fairness.

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David my wife and I stayed up till the early hours here in the UK watching The Staircase.
Thought you were amazing how you presented the case for the defence.Incredable hard work but all your team over the years to get some reasonable disclosure for your client.
We both agreed you would be definitely be on our dinner guest list.
Best wishes in all you do in the future.

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I felt tremendous outrage and sadness while watching The Staircase and disgust at the chicanery undertaken during the trial. It’s astonishing to see the judicial system fail so horribly and see corruption alive and well in the courtroom. I can understand why you were devistated when the verdict came in. You have my admiration and Michael has my deepest sympathy.

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I think the problem with the “Owl Theory” is that it vacates the possibility that the wounds to her scalp were a result of a fall. At a minimum, it concedes that there was certainly at least a possibility, if nothing else, that Kathleen was attacked by someone or something. If the defense had chosen to commit to this theory and the prosecution was able to poke a hole in it, then the defense would have been left conceding that Kathleen was in fact attacked, but if it wasn’t an owl and it wasn’t Mr. Peterson, then who was it? And that is a question I don’t think they would have been prepared to answer.

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David,
I was totally impressed with your presentation and preparation of this case. Your level of professionalism is remarkable. I can understand your frustration and aquish this must have caused you.
The Justice system is so badly flawed, especially today.
Wishing you every success in all your future endeavours.
Ray

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Hey, Mr. R,

I appreciate you addressing this. I’ve watched through the series twice and was rather gobsmacked that the prosecution insisted that Kathleen’s injuries were inflicted by force. With such deep lacerations, yet no bone or brain injury, their case seemed completely implausible to me.

I had only heard about the owl theory a few days ago and decided to read more about it. It certainly sounds like a solid possibility and it’s a shame it didn’t come to light earlier.

Understanding Mr. Peterson is not in a financial position to explore this theory, can any of the circ*mstantial evidence be used or explored to bolster his position of innocence? Is it even worth opening that can of worms?

I would think Kathleen’s family would want to know the truth.

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A truly compelling series and one which raises many serious questions about just how fair the American legal system really is. I was astonished at the assumptions and lies, the sloppy forensic methods, the purely circ*mstantial evidence relied upon by the State, the blithe (even gleeful) incompetence of the SBI and the prejudice displayed by prosecutors – in particular the appalling woman prosecutor who virtually encouraged the jury to convict Michael Petersen on her own subjective moral grounds. Outrageous. I’ve often heard that the legal system is not about truth but about justice which is a whole other animal. It seems that in this case there was neither. David Rudolf I really admired your clear presentation of the complex legal issues in the MP case; I often wondered how emotionally draining the trial was for you too, as well as of your excellent investigator. I’m very sorry to hear of his death.

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Mr. Rudolph – I do not write fan letters to anyone in the entertainment business or the law profession! However, after “binge watching” ‘The Staircase’, I found myself really impressed with you as a person and as an attorney. Of course the documentary only shows us what the producers and directors want us to see, but I have been around the block a few times to form my own “gut” feelings about people. I hope someday I get the chance to meet you in person, however, hopefully not because you have to represent me! However, if I did find myself in hot water I would want you on my side. In the end I guess I am writing a fan letter to you! I really have to think about that! Happy holidays and you really are impressive on many levels!

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brings a new meaning to the word “hoodunnit”

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Absolutely brilliant work on the trial David. The prosecution were disgraceful. Fantastic documentary and very thought provoking. Great job Sir. Dan from UK.

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David,
What valiant efforts by you and your colleagues.
A takeaway from The Staircase: Your reaction to the parade in Germany that you and Ron perused. As I watched that scene (and heard your comments after), I couldn’t help but have the same shiver down my spine! What a dubious metaphor for the trial events that were soon to follow….

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Dear David, like many I watched The Staircase with interest. Would you have a televised case under your remit again?

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Owl gouging wounds, perhaps. We’re those fatal in themselves, surely not. But if that was what the lacerations were, where is the evidence to show the fall at the stairs killed her?

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Mr. Rudolf,

I too just finished the series. It’s already been said above, but you handled yourself and the case so well. I can only imagine how exhausting and soul crushing it was. I feel so bad for Micheal’s kids. It’s a disgrace what lengths the prosecution will go to just to put on a show to get a conviction.
I hope someone eggs and toilet papers Duane Deaver’s house!

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Mr. Rudolf,
Just watched the series. At the beginning my belief was 100% guilty. At the end of the original trial you changed my mind! Amazing job!
Thank you!

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Mr. Rudolf,
I am from Trinidad and Tobago and I have just finished watching The Staircase. Your dedication to the Peterson case is admirable. I have been very indecisive about the innocence of Mr. Peterson, but your dedication made my views shift in the favour of him being innocent. I must admit, I do still have doubts. When the verdict from the first trial was read, even though I had doubts about his innocence, my heart sank for his family. My heart also hurts for Kathleen’s family. I understand how both sides feel. I can only pray that they both get some closure about her death one day. Keep up the fantastic work, the world needs more lawyers like you.

Artee

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Fascinating and educating film. Mr. Peterson was a fascinating and consistent personable character in the documentary. I was worried that the jury would buy more into the judgement of the prosecution; and the moral-oriented closing statement of the prosecution. Resulting in their decision being based in bias, rather than beyond a reasonable doubt. Makes me think of the “We vs They” mindset (Altemeyer et. al) that some who have certain worldviews carry, this SDO does not look at right or wrong based on facts. Furthermore, their right or wrong will change according to their judgment on the “they” or out group. Sometimes an out group can be gay, non-christian, for example. They also do not like to go against their perceived in group.

Of course, I had to search after watching this, because I was puzzled about the head wounds. Having smashed my head once, on an edge of a dashboard about 1 inch thick, (old Datsun pick-up), my head was split open to a gash through two layers, requiring 36 stitches on two different layers of skin. I required so many stitches and not just on one layer but 2 layers of skin. I remember just being amazed at that accident, because I was only 2 2 1/2 feet from dashboard and we were not going that fast when the driver swerved and ran off the road. Additionally, I remember how much blood there was.

Finally, I have a close friend that hikes quite a bit. She was attacked by one owl that attempted to clench her head while also diving at her, and she had to fight it off. She felt she could have been very maimed or even killed from the attack.

I would donate toward testing for the owl theory, it may be both, owl and falls. Respectively, alcohol and Xanax might inhibit motor skills when mixed together. Beautiful loving and calm family.

Also, the interview with the Judge in the end, was very telling and so sad, so disappointing. Shame on him. He should have thrown it out on due process violations or P misconduct, but I guess that is easy to say…

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Mr. Rudolf you are an amazing advocate, thinker and attorney and anyone who has you in their life, to learn from, is very fortunate. I’m so happy to find this forum and look forward to checking in from time to time!

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I mistakely mentioned Xanax instead of Valium in my last post. Apologies.

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If the Owl theory is to be believed, how did the woman in Germany who died under similar circ*mstances have similar wounds to the head as Kathleen? Are owls to blame for both deaths?! Somebody made a comment in the series which said something along the lines of ‘in crimes like these there is no such thing as coincidence’ and that always stayed with me. There is just too big of a coincidence in both deaths for me to believe there was no foul play involved.

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If anyone has ever been attacked by a bird such as a blue jay or a blackbird it is astonishing how much damage is done. I was attacked by a blue jay when trying to refill the bird feeder in my back yard and it caused a severe laceration requiring 4 stitches on the side of my face and upon falling off the foot ladder a broken leg. Being attacked by a raptor would do an incredible amount of damage. Mr. Rudolph, you are an incredible attorney.

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The whole prosecution’s case was based on the stupid blow poke, and the blow poke was found, shouldn’t their case have “fell through”? I mean, you build a case ENTIRELY on a theory, but that theory proves false – therefore, you have no case, no? I understand that nobody knows what happened to Kathleen, so you have to speculate, but when you build a case around an imaginary murder weapon, that turns out to not be the murder weapon, I don’t understand why the prosecution still had a case…

Also, I found their experts and the police were more focused on convicting Michael than really trying to find out what happened to Kathleen… It’s very frustrating to watch!

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First I’ve heard of the owl theory, and it makes a lot of sense to me and answers many questions. I understand the value of the documentary as means of exposing, in this case, the NC (in)justice system, but I maintain that filming this case, or any case, in real time is a misstep. This series served as a reminder to me of my duty as a juror, should I ever have the opportunity. There are evidently a breathtaking number of unethical and frankly stupid people appearing in our courts, and the import of being convinced beyond a shadow of a doubt has never been clearer to me. Obviously I owe that to the film, but it could’ve been made now instead of then and done as much good, and less harm.

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I can’t believe that I just finished the entire series in one weekend. David I have a question in regards to the filming? How was it allowed in the courtroom, jails etc? Did everyone have to sign off to allow that?

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For this case regardless of Mr. Peterson’s guilt/innocence, the state failed to meet it’s burden.

Better that 10 guilty men go free than 1 innocent man lose his fundamental right to liberty.

There should be more pressure on the State to be above reproach in the prosecution of their cases.

If he did do it, I am still glad that he was granted a new trial. It is mind boggling that the prosecution wasted hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars prosecuting a case with so little physical evidence. I almost wish he was guilty, otherwise we, as a society, are responsible for tearing a man’s family and his world apart, for nothing.

So it doesn’t matter if he is innocent or guilty, what matters is that the system failed, all of us.

We can do better than this.

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She never made it up the stairs. The blood evidence is all at the bottom. Animation could prove that. She slipped several times. When the officer said the blood was dry upon Medics’s arrival. That’s because he was outside by the POOL for quite some time. Jesus all these clowns that are suppose to be professional’s including the Judge were such an embarrassment I could puke. They acted like all they did was lunch and gossip. If it wasn’t for Rudolf. This man would have died in prison. Rudolf reminds me of the film. Al Pacino’s AND JUSTICE FOR ALL………

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I just watched the documentary and I agree that the true meaning of reasonable doubt is lost on most people serving in a jury. If they really understood it there was no way to convict Micheal Peterson. Also the judge allowing testimony about the other death was extremely prejudicial and I believe if the jury had not heard that they might not have convicted him. Seeing this case and others such as the Avery/Dassey cases, and many others makes me feel let down that we have a judicial system that a lot of the time is not about justice at all. This man’s life and his children’s lives were destroyed and what does he get for it? To still be a convicted killer and his once stepdaughter who spoke up in belief in his innocence suing him for 25 million dollars. How honorable to her mother’s memory but money heals all. You did a great job as a attorney and that conviction should have never happened.

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David you have made a difference, one case at a time.

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I believe Michael Peterson to be innocent of Kathleen’s death whether by accidental fall, or most likely the owl attack theory. Michael Nifong was the assistant DA in Durham during the Peterson trial. This is the same disbarred and criminally prosecuted (found guilty) scoundrel responsible for withholding evidence against the falsely accused members of the Duke Lacrosse Team in 2006. Something was definitely “Rotten in Durham,” and it is obvious that a culture of lies and deceit existed throughout the different levels of the legal system in Durham to garner a ‘conviction’ at all costs. Fantastic job on the defense at all levels. I am happy Michael Peterson and others are free to finally live their lives and that no matter, the Durham system corrected itself, or was corrected. “That it is better 100 guilty Persons should escape than that one innocent Person should suffer…” Ben Franklin.

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https://youtu.be/X92q4XfzBS8

They talk with victims of owls in the above video and they show their injuries.

The wounds are only very tiny scratches.

Any micro feather found at the scene can easily be from a pillow.

How come the woman in Germany had similar injuries. Also an owl attack?

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David, like other have said your work on the Peterson trial was great!

I myself have served on 2 jurys in the UK and from the limited court room footage in the documentary i cannot see how the verdict could be returned as guilty.
For me there was numerous issues that gave me reasonable doubt.

Deaver’s testimony and evidence given i court were laughable at best, i cannot believe that so much of the BS was allowed to be included in the trial, such as his sexual preferences and the whole Germany story.

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When I saw Mike Nifong in the the first or second episode, I knew Michael Peterson was in for it. Nifong did not just magically develop the tactics he used in the Duke lacrosse case. I suspect Deaver’s tactics were part of an overall wins at all costs the permeated the DA’s office in Durham.

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One of the best crime novels in history is E.A. Poe’s “The Murders in the Rue Morgue” where an orungutan happened to be killer. You cannot top this.
In this case an attack by an owl is probable – but wasn’t examined by any party! I think it was the most plausible version concerning the injuries – and still is.

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The comment about both lawyer and client being outsiders is probably the most relevant one, as well as the one about bias against hom*osexuals, and the fact that the author wrote books critical of authority figures. The fix was in, even if they had known that the owl did it. The judge with his hand perpetually over his mouth made me nervous. Did he know that he was participating in a kangaroo court? And those sisters!

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Watching this documentary, the behaviors, the commentary, the body and verbal language of Michael Peterson all scream “He’s lying.” It’s quite astounding. Immediately In the beginning of the doc when he was replaying his and Kathleen’s movements of that final evening of her life, he is changing tenses, seems unsure of what they actually did, (hasn’t he at this point already retraced these steps at least several times prior??) and his language is riddled with narcissistic plantings.
From top to bottom that man looks and acts guilty, disturbed, lying and conniving.
The weapon that he used to kill those two women was his bare hands against the steps.

My god.

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David, I invite you too watch https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8R5jdajk8Gs, an interview done by Dr Oz with MP. He lied and said that he never told Kathleen about his bisexual life while in the netflix documentary, he clearly said that he disclosed it to Kathleen and that she understood him. I believe he’s liar and not innocent

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I think a DNA test should have been done on the two adopted daughters as one is the spitting image of him! I think he was having an affair with their mother as he’s proven to be able to have a secret life with men ! His sisters read out his writings which indicated murdering which made him happy!

There was way too much blood and nothing made sense falling from a few steps! He didn’t even do CPR as far as I am aware!

Kids can be groomed and I don’t think they wanted to see the truth! The way he rough played with his grandchildren made me feel uneasy and he was old then but still had plenty of power ti throw them around .

Those are my thoughts on the matter.

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A DNA test should have been done on the two adopted daughters . One was the spitting image of him ! I believe he was having a secret affair with their mother as he’s proven he likes secretes! I don’t know how you couldn’t see the resemblance? However you did an exhausting job of defending him which was extremely impressive! Personally I feel he was as guilty as sin of both murders!

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Mr. Rudolf,

I truly appreciate your podcast and am directing people towards it after I ask them to watch “The Staircase.” Thank you for everything you do to make this world a better place

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Some people seem to think that head wounds don’t bleed a lot. Even a simple nose bleed is pretty bloody. Head wounds are extremely bloody. That is common knowledge. They have also done studies on falling down the stairs and if you fall from a low height it turns out it can look very much like you were attacked even tho you were not. Falling downstairs also kills people. It is not in any way uncommon. Factor in wine, Valium and a possible bird attack which would be disorienting, it seems within the realm of possibility. It’s obviously reasonable doubt. There are other pictures out there you can find that show proven accident falls from stairs with huge amounts of blood. Not to mention these are the back servant stairs. I’ve seen those in old houses and they are damn near death trap. You can not like the guy or have issues with his dark humor (which my entire family uses and is a coping mechanism) and see that he has lied. None of that makes him a murderer. And I absolutely think that his sexuality coming up prejudiced the jury against him especially during that time period. And lastly I’m from the Midwest 50-60 degrees in December and you will see people out in flip flops and shorts. That is not cold. I think he passed out longer than he realized outside. That has happened to everyone. Then he can in and found his wife. Stairs are no joke. I have fallen down them. My mother and father have also fallen down them and my Mom had to go to the ER. Many of us have fallen down stairs, probably more than once, indoor ones, outdoor icy covered once-it hurts, it takes you a minute to make sure you are even ok. I can’t believe the dr thought this was a homicide esp considering she had no head fracture.

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I know this doesn’t mean much, but I have a dog that was killed by an owl. I know it was an owl because I saw the entire thing. The wounds that my dog suffered were large gashes and slices that were so deep that the skin and surrounding tissue was able to be peeled back like flaps. I obviously have no idea if the wounds on a human should look similar, but I do know that they do.

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David,

It was amazing to watch you work this case. I’ve never seen this side of a criminal defense attorney and it shines a whole new light on what you guys/girls do for people who “might” be innocent. I still don’t know what to believe about Mike Peterson, but I do know that there was reasonable doubt from the beginning and still is.

My question to you, have you ever defended a person who you absolutely knew was guilty and either got them off or still tried to get them off while knowing they were guilty? Or once you find out, or figure out that you know they’re guilty, do you stop representing that person? Thanks, and again, it was fascinating to watch you work

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I’ve been mesmerized by The Staircase, not due to the details, twists, characters involved but because of your demeanor Mr. Rudolph, your commitment to your client, your thorough thought process and your respect for human dignity. Thank you for choosing the legal profession, for following the rule of law as set forth in the 14th Amendment and maintaining your calm during many unexpected storms in this case. The core of this case is ensuring a person is afforded ALL of their Constitutional rights and you should be commended for this. Thank you.

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I just watched the Staircase and was blown away by your skills and abilities as a lawyer. That must be a great feeling to look back and realize all of the great work that you have accomplished, despite the setbacks.

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I’m confused on how Micheal Peterson didn’t hear anything. If she had gotten attacked by an owl, we can assume she would scream and yell for help. If he did hear anything, why wasn’t it mentioned or brought up. If I remember correctly, they were out at the pool house when Kathleen decided to go inside because she had an early morning the next day. Then Micheal would go inside and find his wife dead. If she was attacked outside, Micheal would of been out there. Maybe i’m missing something but to me it doesn’t make sense.

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Hello Mr. Rudolf,

I just watched the whole “Staircase”-Series on Netflix and I just have to give you probs for the immense job you did in this case. It’s amazing how much energy you have put in your work and how you always stood behind Mr. Peterson, especially in the first trial.

Amazing Lawyer. Amazing Person 🙂

Keep it up – but stay healthy ^^

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David
You have restores my faith in lawyers, Americans, human decency, generosity and caring. You really are a Good man.

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My wife and I are pretty big wine drinkers. Michael admitted they went through two bottles, plus Kathleen had Valium in her system. What amazes me with many court cases is how naive prosecutors and jurors seem to be about the crazy things that happen to an impaired person. My wife and I had no problem believing the repeated slipping, falling, coughing theory presented by Mr, Rudolf and supported by Dr. Lee. I’m very happy that none of my worst impaired moments are recorded. I have seen far too many trials where puritanical or naive thinking dismisses the effects of impairment.

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Mr. Rudolf, I am impressed with your work shown in the documentary. I’m also impressed that you went above and beyond your obligation as a trial attorney to continue with this case when the money ran out and when you’d become spent.
I’m appalled at the level of incompetence and corruption with the Durham County prosecutors office and law enforcement. It was heartbreaking to see this family victimized time and time again–especially the girls.
However, with all due respect, I am equally appalled that you didn’t include the owl theory as a reasonable doubt theory. I just don’t understand why you didn’t include it. For me, it is the only thing that makes sense. Do I understand correctly that this was presented to you as a possibility by a neighbor? That you had some idea of it before the first trial? I could be mistaken. If I am mistaken, please forgive me.
I hope that the Peterson family is doing well. My heart goes out to all of Kathleen’s friends, family, and loved ones. Live in her honor, and honor her memory. Peace.

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Also- i found duane deavers testimony about the blood splatter left me confused as hell! I dont see how the jurors said his testimony was most convincing. He proved nothing at all and especially didn’t explain why there was no cast off pattern which for me was a big red flag that it wasnt mr.peterson

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one question bothering me that was truly crucial to the whole case – Duane Deaver. why did you fail to demonstrate his lack of qualifications, his lies and discredit him as an expert in the first hearing?

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David what a journey. As an attorney who never practiced, I lived this vicariously through you. People need to understand that our criminal justice system needs to be overhauled. I’ve never understood how judges can be neutral when employed by the government. The admission of the hom*osexual component particularly bothered me because these jurors where never screened and potentially impeached based on their views on this topic during jury selection. Duane Deaver to my knowledge was never charged with a crime for ruining countless lives and neither was Deborah Radisch or Jim Hardin. I cringe at the thought that he is a judge. I think judges do a poor job of emphasizing that the state must prove their case beyond a reasonable doubt prior to deliberation. Giving the instruction is not enough. These jurors took justice into their own hands. Society has to accept that not all crimes will be solved. There are guilty roaming this country, but we will always error on the side of caution to ensure that innocent men and women are not incarcerated for crimes they did not commit. At some point, the State should have considered the position of Peterson’s children. The embarrassing display put on by Candace at the Alford hearing was self serving and I can only imagine the amount of restraint required when dealing with an individual looking for their five minutes of fame who has been unleashed on the court room. This following her racist tirade in addressing the State attorney who argued against the motion for a new trial. Your work on this case was exemplary. Your statement on behalf of Mr. Peterson at the Alford hearing perfectly summarized his position and your thoroughness at the appeal hearing was the best I have seen. Few people who serve the public get the opportunity to have their work documented. Your legacy will be cemented for decades to come. This documentary should be shown in law classrooms across the country. Bravo and congrats on helping his man get home to his family.

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Incredibly impressive work, Mr. Rudolph!! I’ve watched The Staircase twice now and recommend it to anyone interested in a behind the scenes look at how a top-notch legal defense team operates. Absolutely enthralling! I implore you to make a sequel about the highly persuasive Owl Theory — though I imagine the thought of revisiting the case yet again is simply too exhausting a Hoo-Dunnit to consider. 😉 But please do!!!

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David. I have watched this doc 3 times in the past two years. I started out disliking you. Not because I thought MP was guilty but because of all the scenes of casual talk about her death and laughing between Henry Lee, defense and MP. I get it. but it still sat wrong. Tonight I watched your last words to the Court ….on the Alford plea. It was incredible. Vincent Bugliosi level logic and brilliance. You seemed different 10 years later. I no longer feel after this last viewing that MP is guilty. Wonderful work as an attorney. PS Are you looking for an assistant?

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Why a t.v. crew- from the beginning?
Why a ridiculously botched DA case?
Why would the DA make a plausible murder weapon to be something they knew could be found by the defense in the home?
To add to insult- the documentary throws in the idea that the DA took pictures with the poker stick- going against one of their own strongest theories?
Too many things to list that does not add up for true crime fighting cases
Tragic Entertainment of the worst kind

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There is no way an owl did this.
If the owl attacked so viciously, it would have happened outside and she would have been yelling loud enough for Michael and probably the entire neighbourhood to hear.
No owl every killed anyone.

He didn’t kill the German, but he got the idea from the incident.

Peterson is a guilty. Full stop, end of story.

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I think you only need to look at the prosecutors bench when the verdict came in to see how surprised they were themselves that a jury would convict. However having served on a jury in the UK I know that strong personalities and all sorts of personal feelings overtakes the without reasonable doubt theory. The judge should not have taken any part in appeals or subsequent motions. His part in all of this decided that this case was never going to come close to a fair hearing. I think most people would have taken a deal, truly terrible.

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I have to say I feel awful for Mr. Peterson. Every time I read about a wrongly convicted person I am sickened by the waste of years they spent in prison. Nobody can give that back to them. It proves so much when they are set finally set free. (Not Mr. Peterson’s situation but similar). It should not be as difficult as it seems to be. Prosecutors and anyone who lies to convict someone should be more accountable when these things happen. They should not be immune from everything. That’s the real crime. The arrogance and power that they possess is outrageous. People like you, Mr. Rudolph, restore my faith in the human race.

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If he wanted to kill his wife, I would think, being by to pool and her being drunk, a accidental drowning would be a more easier method, with no mess left for evidence. I think it is sad that there is so many wrongly convicted in prison today, knowing they are innocent, and there is nothing they can do.

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First of all, it I am ever accused of a crime, I would want David Rudolph in my corner. His relentless search for answers and belief in his client’s innocence were exemplary!
Second, the very end of this series depicting Peterson’s loss of faith in the criminal justice system is the take-away message. I served on a jury once and was appalled by the apparent lack of commitment to the process in terms of taking notes to remember what had been presented in the courtroom and subsequent willingness to review & analyze it during the deliberations…both of which were totally lacking with my fellow jurors. It was Friday afternoon and everyone just wanted to go home- the fate of the injured party was not important! The lesson for me was never to depend on a jury to take a case seriously, and to choose to be tried by a judge instead.

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That’s all well and good whether it was the lacerations that killed her or not how can you explain the strangulation an owl wouldn’t have strangled her whether that was what killed her or not too many coincidences especially with the other woman to have fell down the stairs with him involved he did it he lied several times

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A tragic example of how dangerous it can be to draw conclusions based on generalizations and prejudices. There are very interesting links online about owl attacks, and this account from a skier in Canada on http://www.cottagelife.com really struck me.

“As I was going down a hill, I felt an impact on the back of my head and sharp pain in my skull,” Bozdech told CBC News.
He was skiing at night, lighting his way along with trail with a headlamp, and when he spun around, there was nothing behind him. He initially thought it might have been a moose, a falling tree branch, or even a human, but eventually he spotted an owl in a nearby tree. Bozdech kicked the tree, and the owl flew off, so he resumed skiing.
But the bird hadn’t gone far. It attacked him from behind a second time, digging its sharp talons—generally reserved for hunting mice, rabbits, and squirrels—into the back of Bozdech’s head. The owl left him with 16 puncture wounds on his scalp, a sore neck, and a few different theories as to why it targeted him.”

Throw several glasses of wine and Valium on top of this type of disorienting attack, and I don’t think any of us can claim to know how we would react… whether we would run into the house or think to turn back towards the pool to seek help.

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Why were the feathers not raised by the defense or did they not know about them. I think intoxication of both Michael and his wife played a big role in the death. She “slipped” on stair and he failed to check on her for over an hour while drinking. I did not know it was that long and that she was still breathing after an hour……might have lived had he checked on her sooner???

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I have no idea why the pathologist who conducted the autopsy would not have realized that the injuries on Kathleen’s skull were that of a bird. Before I found out about the “owl” theory after watching the whole series yesterday, I went to bed trying to figure out how all those injuries could have occurred without fracturing her skull, etc. It made no sense. Also, this morning, I was looking up why the “strangulation” information was not in the documentary because I felt like I had been had and mislead and thought perhaps the filmmaker edited out all references to the strangulation when I came across the owl theory. For heaven’s sakes — wouldn’t the fact that there were no skull fractures and brain trauma make the ridiculously inept medical examiner at autopsy try to figure out where all those injuries could have come from since there was no fracture or brain bleed and the fact that the owl claw marks are right there for all to see? I also think the defense team should have picked up on this, as well. Everyone knew she bled to death. They knew she bled to death from the wounds on her head. If I was going to bed wondering how all those wounds could have happened, I don’t understand why they weren’t looking at those photos of her scalp with a find toothed comb. Maybe they were afraid it would go against MP. I don’t know, but I know MP is not guilty of murdering his wife.

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You are a remarkable lawyer David. I viewed The Staircase documentary and conducted some research online.

I have mixed feelings about Michael Peterson’s innocence, or guilt, but I don’t believe if guilty it would have been premeditated. I don’t see Michael as callous, but I am not convinced about his true affection for both his wives. His `romantic’ poetry lines seem glib. But I don’t believe there was enough genuine evidence for a jury to arrive at guilt. There must be the benefit of doubt applied.

Accidents can be deadly. A family member fell, in rather heavy rain, in a spate of wet weather, when all outside surfaces were wet and slippery, when attending the pool. They foolishly walked backwards and tripped backwards,on the pool’s coping edge splitting their forehead open from the eyebrow to the crown of their head. It was not a pretty sight, and required many, many stitches. If memory serves correct 15 in total in hospital emergency, where there was quite a problem with bleeding from the wound impeding the stitching. The following day their eyes were very black and blue all around, as large an area as fried eggs which took two weeks to clear and not completely traces remained for weeks. i.e. there was a lot of blood seeping internally down to their cheeks and eye sockets.

It was many people’s belief the individual was fortunate not to have been dazed, if not, knocked out and thus bleed out and die at the pool edge, in the constant rain until family went looking for them. There was no fracture to the skull, just a thick gaping wound deep to the skull. Horrible and all happened in a second. Obviously a concrete coping edge is harder than timber, but then hardwood timber is also very bad to fall against. No one uses soft timber for door jambs, skirting boards, and stairs.

I’ve had a couple of severe falls, one from the stairs, and as I was rushing I missed the last stair and was catapulted forward, sprained my ankle badly, the pain was so intense I could hardly get up the stairs crawling. I managed to get to the freezer to apply a cold compress. When I was catapulted forward, I landed, on my knees on a hard ceramic tiled surface while also twisting my ankle(severely), just missing collecting my forehead on the corner of a camper-wood box corner. It took weeks for my ankle pain to heal. This fall was due to missing only one stair. Had I been home alone and struck my head on the timber box, I have no doubt I could have gashed my forehead open and bled out. Fortunately both times there was no alcohol involved as I do not consume it otherwise my reflexes may have been different with bad outcomes.

The other accident was an unseen crater(quite large) I walked into on a footpath beyond a mound, so it was unseen. so I fell right into it, tripping and again nearly gashed my head on landscape rocks beyond near the footpath edge. It was a heavy fall resulting in me aching all over especially my legs for 6 months. I managed to just keep my head away from the rocks, using my knees, elbows and hands taking most of my weight – all in a momentary reflex action. Falls are extremely dangerous and often deadly.

So it is entirely possible Kathleen, may she rest in peace, fell on the bottom two or three stairs as your team proposed slipping in her own blood, when trying to raise herself, and hitting her head again.
However, I still cannot completely exonerate Michael because of his manner and speech jars with me. There is something which strikes me as insincere in his stated attachment to Kathleen despite all his words to the contrary. Of course it could all be due to trauma impacts, which may be long standing, added to with Kathleen’s death, but initially due to his war service.

You come over as professional, thorough and caring – an asset to your profession.

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Hi David, I thouroughly enjoyed watching you articulate the case during the program, and the calm, measured manner with how you conducted yourself. MP was incredibly lucky to have you representing him, and after watching the Netflix documentary I am spending more time than I should compelled in researching this further!

I’ve read every comment above, and thus it shows the cross section of attitudes and how spread our views are, much like a jury would be. Many comments are merely peoples minds made up without careful appreciation of fact, and most importantly (which I took from the documentary) was that if there was doubt, or not conclusive evidence, then the jury cannot find the accused guilty. It’s tragic how many people are wrongly serving time for crimes they didn’t commit, and also how many are walking free for those that did, and I’m certain if the standard of representation was better, and to use yourself as the benchmark, then the criminal justice system would be a much better place. It was a pleasure to watch you in court, and I literally hung onto your every word when you spoke about the guilty verdict and how it had affected you. Wonderfully articulated.

The frustration of never knowing the full truth must be something that is very difficult to live with, alongside having to defend a case where the prosecution behaved so recklessly. I imagine it’s consuming and exhausing to battle this in your professional life daily.

From the evidence alone the owl theory (which at first I thought was a joke!) is the only credible possibility, even if it is hard to accept because it’s very rare. The case should have been dismissed completely after the evidence tampering, testimony of Duane Deaver (who was so smug in court!), and all the other inconsistencies I won’t list out here.

Thank you for the outlet to share, I wish you every success

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My theory (of course I do not have all the evidence to review): In the Staircase MP said it was a 2 bottle night of wine, yet her BA was only .07. That suggests to me she had 2 glasses and he had the rest. Given his military experience, and it was frequently mentioned he worked out at the gym, I wonder if she had taken too much valium and he decided to put her over his shoulder to carry her upstairs via the “fireman’s carry”. He was intoxicated, stood up to quickly and passed out as he got to the 3rd step, falling backward and her head (upside down) hits the door frame, and her face is hit by his back, which then pushes her head into the door frame more causing complicated injury and tearing with both force and gravity and weight, and then they both drop to the floor where she hits her head again and her face is possibly landed on by part of his body. Maybe he did not have a shirt on at all and was passed out on the stair case as she coughed (some blood when up his shorts). When he came to, she was already dead or close to it and he panicked realizing that it was his fault (though still arguably an accident). He likely immediately started going through scenarios and thought it best to say she fell down the stairs so his kids (who he clearly loves deeply) would not be disappointed in him. I don’t believe he beat her and I don’t believe it was intentional.

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I can’t help but somehow believe that an owl could possibly be to blame, but trust me, it is not because Michael comes across as innocent by no means. His inappropriate chuckling at serious moments gave me the creeps. His 911 call gave me even worse creeps. His infidelity gave me the creeps, and not because of his sexuality, but his overall disregard for the sanctity of their marriage. Pretty much, I felt like everything he said was a lie throughout the entire documentary. He just came across as a person completely capable of murdering his wife, not out of hate, or for money, but because she had found out he was being unfaithful and his idealistic marriage and family was at risk. And for that reason, he snapped. He couldn’t have his big lie exposed. His daughter had mentioned not being upset about finding out he was bi-sexual. Ok, I get that. Neither would I. Would I be upset that he was attempting to pay for sex while married to my mother? Yes! I would be! Would I be even more concerned that my mom also ended up at the bottom of the stairs dead of circ*mstances not coinciding with a fall? Yes! Absolutely! Would I believe my dad? Heck no! Anyone with half a brain can see that the amount of blood alone was not indicative of a fall. Let alone the positioning of the lacerations on her head. She would have needed to fall down sideways, hit only the back of her head on nearly every step on the way down, with extreme force, but not enough force to break a bone, or her nose, or her cheek, or any bruise for that matter. It just made absolutely no sense. So if it wasn’t a fall then what was it? One would assume that Michael killed her. And trust me, if it wasn’t for the owl theory, I’m completely convinced if a fall didn’t kill her, Michael did. Maybe not with that stupid blow thingy. That was just ridiculous. Maybe something else. Who knows. If you can fathom an owl doing this, you can fathom just about anything else being used. Did anyone else hear that creepy phone call between Michael and David when talking about the results of whether blood was found on the mysterious cob web infested murder weapon? You can’t hear what Michael is saying, but you hear David say something like, “doesn’t matter what you used, no blood.” Is that David pretty much saying “I know you did it, know you used something, but there’s no blood on the murder weapon that the prosecution is focusing on. Anyways, again I’ll say, if an owl didn’t do it, Michael did! No doubt about it. So, she was either heinously attacked by a bird or by her husband. End of story!

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I am so impressed bij The Staircase. I Just want to say that You are an incredible good lawyer !
The Staircase shows how people can be misled.
Thanks !

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Nobody knows the case better than you and your team.
You showed an extraordinary amount of patience, diligence and compassion during the whole process.
In addition to watching the documentary, I have read around the case, unfortunately most of the sources are tainted with somewhat unfounded opinion and conjecture. Much like the trial, from what I could gather.
The Staircase is a very interesting journey through the case of North Carolina vs. Michael Peterson, but for me it was a startling look at incompetence, prejudice, obstinence and how people can be swayed by what they have already chosen to believe rather than what they are presented with to process. Indeed, people often make their decision before this point.
It’s an interesting insight into the effort that people are prepared to expend to reach a valid conclusion.

I remain convinced, based on the cases presented by both parties, that there wasn’t any material evidence to find Michael Peterson guilty of any crime.

I cannot see how another conclusion could be reached – unless the jury had already decided on Michael Peterson’s guilt and married what they’d heard and seen in such as way as to validate their decision.
If the facts cannot convince 12 individuals, perhaps the system itself is flawed?

I admire your persistence and your ongoing fight to help those who need it.
I only wish you were part of a legal system that needed you less and deserved you more.

All the best – keep doing what you do.

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