The Staircase

October. 07,2004      TV-MA
Rating:
7.8
Trailer Synopsis

Academy Award-winning documentary filmmaker, Jean-Xavier de Lestrade, presents a gripping courtroom thriller, offering a rare and revealing inside look at a high-profile murder trial. In 2001, author Michael Peterson was arraigned for the murder of his wife Kathleen, whose body was discovered lying in a pool of blood on the stairway of their home. Granted unusual access to Peterson's lawyers, home and immediate family, de Lestrade's cameras capture the defense team as it considers its strategic options. The series is an engrossing look at contemporary American justice that features more twists than a legal bestseller.

Seasons & Episode

1
Seasons 1 : 2004

|

13 Episode

|

MORE
Episode 1 - Crime or Accident?
October. 07,2004

Following his wife's suspicious death, Michael Peterson speaks about his version of the events while lawyers and expert witnesses prepare for trial.

Episode 2 - Secrets and Lies
October. 07,2004

As Michael's hidden life comes out into the open, defense experts debate if it will have a significant impact on the coming trial.

Episode 3 - A Striking Coincidence
October. 14,2004

The death of another woman close to Peterson from 17 years earlier sparks a new investigation. She also died on a staircase, casting major doubts over the defense case.

Episode 4 - A Prosecution Trickery
October. 14,2004

As the trial looms and media attention heats up, an autopsy report's wording ruffles the feathers of the defense team.

Episode 5 - A Weak Case
October. 21,2004

The prosecution presents its case while the defense strives to cast a reasonable doubt within the minds of the jury.

Episode 6 - The Prosecution's Revenge
October. 21,2004

A witness brings surprising levity to the stand. The judge rules on an important matter, and Michael's alleged temper comes under scrutiny.

Episode 7 - The Blow Poke Returns
October. 28,2004

Kathleen's sisters pore over Michael's writings. Jurors visit the staircase at Michael's home. A vital piece of evidence reappears.

Episode 8 - The Verdict
October. 28,2004

Is Michael Peterson guilty or not guilty? The jury delivers its verdict regarding the mysterious death of his wife, Kathleen.

Episode 9 - Reopening the Case
January. 30,2013

Eight years later, the possibility that a key witness for the prosecution may have misled the jury could prompt the need for a new trial.

Episode 10 - The Last Chance
January. 30,2013

After more experts testify about the questionable conclusions and claims of Duane Deaver, the judge rules on whether a new trial is necessary.

Episode 11 - Looking for Closure
June. 08,2018

Following two and a half years of house arrest, Michael must decide whether to push for a plea or risk his freedom with a new trial.

Episode 12 - Between Anger and Despair
June. 08,2018

Their faith in the justice system forever shaken, Michael and his family discuss what they can hope to achieve by continuing the fight.

Episode 13 - Flawed Justice
June. 08,2018

Michael speaks to a reporter about the reasons behind his plea. Later, Kathleen's sister delivers a statement of defiance in court.

Similar titles

The Witnesses
The Witnesses
The two-night investigative special follows the stories of four former Jehovah’s Witnesses, as they recount details of the sexual abuse they endured during their time within the organization.
The Witnesses 2020
Love & Death
Love & Death
Candy and Pat Montgomery and Betty and Allan Gore — two churchgoing couples — enjoy their small town Texas life… until an extramarital affair leads somebody to pick up an axe.
Love & Death 2023
Sleeping with My Murderer
Sleeping with My Murderer
British true crime documentary series revealing ten tragically, ill-fated love stories.
Sleeping with My Murderer 2023
Bling Ring: Hollywood Heist
Bling Ring: Hollywood Heist
As Nick and Rachel's crimes escalate to bigger and bigger stars, CCTV footage of the Hollywood Hills burglars begins to circulate the gossip blogs. Alexis and her family are on the brink of reality TV fame, but her drug issues spiral.
Bling Ring: Hollywood Heist 2022
Menendez + Menudo: Boys Betrayed
Menendez + Menudo: Boys Betrayed
Lyle and Erik Menendez infamously killed their parents in 1989. Menudo was the first mega-boy band to take the world by storm. In this explosive limited series, viewers will learn of the connection that links the two stories and could corroborate the brothers' decades-old accusations against their father, Jose Menendez. One former Menudo member could be the key to changing how the public views the brothers' case while simultaneously crusading for his own justice.
Menendez + Menudo: Boys Betrayed 2023
Heartland Homicide
Heartland Homicide
We all dream of possessing a part of that quaint small-town life. A friendly smile and wave from the neighbors as the kids run through the yards playing ball. Unfortunately, sometimes even paradise is visited by loss. Heartland Homicide tells the stories of these events, when big city crimes visit small-town America. Each episode uncovers the lives and circumstances of the victims while outlining and examining the convicted individual's motives, bringing the horrific events into the light with the people who were there.
Heartland Homicide 2022
Murdered by Morning
Murdered by Morning
True crime documentary series showcasing stories where individuals are unaware that the night in question will be their last. From a girls'-night-out gone bad to an overnight shift at a local toy store that takes an unexpected turn, the series recounts how an average night can quickly turn into a nightmare.
Murdered by Morning 2020
Homicide City: Charlotte
Homicide City: Charlotte
All cities, even the great ones, harbor dark secrets. Homicide City: Charlotte uncovers the most dramatic murders that have taken place in this southern metropolis.
Homicide City: Charlotte 2019
Heist
Heist
Millions in stolen cash. Missing luxury bourbon. Watch ordinary people almost get away with these extraordinary heists in this true crime series.
Heist 2021
Southern Gothic
Southern Gothic
The South can be as shadowy as the muddy waters that run through it, especially when it comes to crime. This true crime docuseries is an exploration of the duplicitous characters, unique settings and boundless mysteries of the American South.
Southern Gothic 2020

You May Also Like

Cobra Kai
Cobra Kai
This Karate Kid sequel series picks up 30 years after the events of the 1984 All Valley Karate Tournament and finds Johnny Lawrence on the hunt for redemption by reopening the infamous Cobra Kai karate dojo. This reignites his old rivalry with the successful Daniel LaRusso, who has been working to maintain the balance in his life without mentor Mr. Miyagi.
Cobra Kai 2018
Evil Genius
Evil Genius
This baffling true crime story starts with the grisly death of a pizza man who robs a bank with a bomb around his neck - and gets weirder from there.
Evil Genius 2018
The Boys
Prime Video
The Boys
A group of vigilantes known informally as “The Boys” set out to take down corrupt superheroes with no more than blue-collar grit and a willingness to fight dirty.
The Boys 2019
Chernobyl
Chernobyl
The true story of one of the worst man-made catastrophes in history: the catastrophic nuclear accident at Chernobyl. A tale of the brave men and women who sacrificed to save Europe from unimaginable disaster.
Chernobyl 2019
Westworld
Westworld
A dark odyssey about the dawn of artificial consciousness and the evolution of sin. Set at the intersection of the near future and the reimagined past, it explores a world in which every human appetite, no matter how noble or depraved, can be indulged.
Westworld 2016
Sherlock
Sherlock
A modern update finds the famous sleuth and his doctor partner solving crime in 21st century London.
Sherlock 2010
And Then There Were None
And Then There Were None
Ten strangers, drawn away from their normal lives to an isolated rock off the Devon coast. But as the mismatched group waits for the arrival of the hosts -- the improbably named Mr. and Mrs. U.N. Owen -- the weather sours and they find themselves cut off from civilization. Very soon, the guests, each struggling with their conscience, will start to die -- one by one, according to the rules of the nursery rhyme 'Ten Little Soldier Boys' -- a rhyme that hangs in every room of the house and ends with the most terrifying words of all: '... and then there were none.
And Then There Were None 2015
American Horror Story
Prime Video
American Horror Story
An anthology horror drama series centering on different characters and locations, including a house with a murderous past, an asylum, a witch coven, a freak show, a hotel, a farmhouse in Roanoke, a cult, the apocalypse and a summer camp.
American Horror Story 2011
Big Little Lies
Big Little Lies
The tale of three mothers of first graders whose apparently perfect lives unravel to the point of murder.
Big Little Lies 2017
SpongeBob SquarePants
Prime Video
SpongeBob SquarePants
Deep down in the Pacific Ocean in the subterranean city of Bikini Bottom lives a square yellow sponge named SpongeBob SquarePants. SpongeBob lives in a pineapple with his pet snail, Gary, loves his job as a fry cook at the Krusty Krab, and has a knack for getting into all kinds of trouble without really trying. When he's not getting on the nerves of his cranky next door neighbor Squidward, SpongeBob can usually be found smack in the middle of all sorts of strange situations with his best buddy, the simple yet lovable starfish, Patrick, or his thrill-seeking surfer-girl squirrel pal, Sandy Cheeks.
SpongeBob SquarePants 1999