24. Michael Peterson (The Staircase) Part 3

[@WitchyTrista]

I don't always take the time to listen to the outtakes, but after today, I think that may change forever...

[@MissLibra-ce8qe]

I’ve just discovered you guys (and subscribed) and absolutely love the fact you not only talk in depth and detail about cases, but you also discuss from your professional point of view, highlighting certain aspects that us mere mortals wouldn’t otherwise understand. I also love the fact you both talk openly about your own lives/families/careers and bring your personalities to the podcast. You sound like you both have great fun recording. Keep up the laughter guys. Some may complain about it, but I love it. 👍

[@rosab7372]

I am so glad somebody finally said at loud that 911 responders can be annoying.

[@drewb007]

First of all, I am a huge fan of this podcast and find both of you absolutely helpful in understanding some of the cases you cover. Thank you for making time for this. I wanted to address the "annoying," 911 operator and the question about the stairs. I was, for a short time a 911 operator and I suspect that I can give you an answer to this question that might help a little. Whenever a medical call came in, there is an immediate triage that happens. This is based not on whether an ambulance will be sent, but on what type of ambulance. Where I worked, we had ALS and BLS ambulances. ALS are Advanced Life Support and BlS are Basic Life Support. That matters because not every call needs an ALS response, but the operator needs to get that info for the dispatcher so that a decision can be made. Now, to be clear, anyone who isn't breathing is an ALS response. But the question here is about the number of stairs. She (the 911 operator in the Peterson call) was probably trying to determine the severity of injury. If it's a fall from 20 steps, that's probably a really bad injury. A fall from 2-3, might be far less critical. Peterson is understandably upset and sometimes it's difficult to get accurate info from a person in crisis. Also, as she mentioned, there is no delay in dispatching an ambulance, but the call taker is still going to get as much info as possible while the caller is on the line. It's not slowing response. It's an attempt to understand what level of response is necessary. Also worth noting is that you might have 2 ALS ambulances to cover a specific area of a county and 8 BLS ambulances to cover the same area. My point is, you don't want to sent ALS to scenes that don't need that level of response because 22 seconds later that same call taker could get a MVA call that requires ALS. I hope that makes sense. Again, I love your podcast and I appreciate all that you both do. I just wanted to comment on why sometimes those questions are asked.

[@realhousewifeoftransylvania1.0]

He was ready for them to come when he called, he's not stupid. All that blood and slashes on her scalp, how on earth is that from a fall?!

[@INDLIS]

Plus why did Lizzy die under similar circumstances

[@Trust_The_Plan]

Yeah my thinking to. They say it was a owl 🦉😂😊

[@realhousewifeoftransylvania1.0]

@ƒ.ʍօմՏՏɑ 😂🤣😂 That is absurd! There would be feathers somewhere besides a microscopic bit! That owls wings would be flapping like hell if it got caught up in her hair and slashed her up! They are so ridiculous.

[@Trust_The_Plan]

@@realhousewifeoftransylvania1.0 or dna 🧬 of the bird (anything)

[@maryannsy4129]

I recently discovered you two. I am binging on episodes. Your detail and some new facts in old cases makes listening rewarding. (PS: You sound chipper and alert to me!) Thank you very much.

[@wldncrzy1971]

Y’all do great…you gotta be exhausted!!! Thank your families for sharing y’all with us!!! You feed my obsession!! 😂

[@dayo8843]

Didn’t Michael admit Kathleen didn’t know he was bisexual?

[@kaialexander6806]

I'm like a year late to this, but I've listened to this case so many times and the bit about "anyone who finds a loved one in that situation wants them to be alive" thing always sticks out because it is true. I know it is because of experience. A few years back, there was a day where I followed a blood trail to what looked like the bloody body of my brother who didn't respond when I called his name. And every time I thought "oh my god he's dead", it was immediately countered by another thought of "he can't be dead" and that was happening up until I leaned over to take his pulse and he woke up and moved. The idea that Michael saying she's still breathing points to his guilt is ridiculous because in that situation, you will take any fleeting sign that they're alive and run a marathon with it.

[@fearandloathing75]

Im so sorry for your loss. Its so traumatic to lose a loved one in such a way. Hope you are getting on well in your life nowadays.

[@tassymccormick]

Omg I’m dying at the end. 😂

[@grimtt]

Listening to that laugh track/outtake at the end, I think Brett had red neurons on the brain… 🤣

[@chrispierro1524]

OK you guys literally had me laughing out loud all by myself at the very end when Brett introduced himself as another name I was laughing so hard to tears just another example of how much I enjoy your podcast. Ps. Any plans on selling prosecutors T-shirts and hoodies coffee mugs? I would love to purchase all of the above. Thanks again for another extremely fast one hour show

[@customerz5834]

Todd has a video on KZbin claiming that his dad did it and he helped cover it up.

[@tumbleweed576]

Haven’t heard much about Michael Peterson‘s first wife, Patricia Sue Peterson. They were back together after a separation, then divorced and they were living together when she died in 2021 from a heart attack. He had her body cremated and I find that suspicious.

[@Snoooozieee]

Lol I had to rewind and register to the judge too and said to myself shit he thinks he’s innocent

[@plumup]

I find it interesting to hear how focused you are on legal aspects - naturally, I know, but so different from the way an ordinary citizen who could be a jury member might consider things. I've read everything I could find about this case and watched the trial when it happened on Court TV, and it would never occur to me to think that because the blow poke was found the way it was that the case was over - phfftt. The point of the case for me would be - did. he. kill. her. If not with the blow poke, then in some other way. The question would still be there. For ordinary people a murder trial isn't a chess game where either the prosecution "wins" or the defense does, it really is about wanting the truth. And sometimes figuring out the truth can be messy.

[@JTM1987]

For some reason, to me it sounded like Michael was faking how upset and shocked he was.. it just sounds so manufactured to me

[@hotkeyafl]

He didn't just wander over to his computer, he was deliberately deleting files.

[@brynacoonin2134]

Just catching up on Prosecutors - great podcast. Lived in Durham for years including during the Peterson case. As a runner I have had a few near misses with owls - that theory wasn’t as crazy as it sounded at the time. One thing I would add is that Kathleen was wearing thong sandals. Ask any woman who wears thong beach sandals how many times they have, or nearly, tripped on stairs while wearing them. They are deadly. Add wine. Another odd piece is that my recollection is that there was an add-on escalator on the staircase, as you might have when someone lives in the home who cannot readily climb stairs. These make stair navigation somewhat more complicated for the person who is walking the stairs, not using the escalator, as the railing is compromised at some point on the staircase. Thongs, disorientation from owl, escalator interference, plus wine. The gay business is a bit of a red herring in Durham, which was part of the Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill triangle. A liberal stronghold in NC, where being gay would not have been an automatic icky. Thanks again for the podcast - sorry for being a few years late writing this.

[@LL-jt1xt]

If she fell down the stairs why wasn't there blood splatter further up the stairwell?

[@INDLIS]

That’s because she actually flew off

[@INDLIS]

I feel that Patty was the only lucky one to leave Michael or she would’ve been killed too

[@hotkeyafl]

There was an odd comment from one of the daughters about the gay thing, prob episode 7 or something. She says something along the lines of " oh yeah we knew dad was bisexual because the attorney warned us about it before the trial, and I was like yeah I'm totally fine with that, that's not important at all". You have to question her judgement if she is so blinded as to not have an issue with her father seeing gay escorts while happily married and her mother ends up at the bottom of the stairs after she found the emails which was proven with the login.

[@factsmatter8667]

The one thing that bothers me is the tiny blood spatter spot(s) inside MP's shorts. How did they get there?

[@ProsecutorsPodcast]

We talk about that at some point.

[@vladrapchan5330]

"There's no reason to believe they didn't have a good marriage. Even if he was a sociopath." [PODCAST, Prosecutors].

[@ritaeichler2066]

Listen to Martin Mcneil call ..he also sounds concerned for his wife

[@enfieldlover8145]

Editor of the documentary... was involved with him???????????????????? You are kiddddding me

[@lauraburger1272]

He put his foot on her back! He murdered her! He’s such a liar, such a narcissist/sociopath.

[@hotkeyafl]

commenting 8 mins in. why did kathleen have marks on her face? prosecution argued that she fell backwards into the sharp bit on the wall.

[@Zephaerie1]

It is sooo creepy how similar this case is to the Scott Peterson case. The wife using the husband’s computer and potentially finding out the husband is cheating and then dying shortly after. The questions about premeditation. The question about cause of death…

[@notnavormes]

What's the deal with the owl?

[@josepha.9196]

We all know why Micheal goes to the gym so much

[@TheYoli182]

Yes we do.

[@lauraburger1272]

So people can’t have more than one blow-poke? Also, the blow poke was found without the top, it was broke! So they put it out of the way when the sister bought her a new one.

[@tracyfins]

Does that mean that they had two blow pokes in the house?

[@factsmatter8667]

The Ramseys did it.

[@factsmatter8667]

@@spacefox1813 the case is as far from closed as you can get.

[@user04683]

Great podcast. Quick question, I noticed with American 911 reps that they ask strange questions that just don’t make sense to me. There’s a good example here of asking how many stairs there are. What’s the point? Edit: Ah Brett just repeated what I said 😂🤣 This will teach me not to comment part way through the podcast.

[@tatianaramos6193]

To determine the degree of injury. It’s a standard question when determining how gravely ( or not) the victim may be, and to relay it to medical personnel.

[@lovelysphynx7396]

You also forgot to mention he had high velocity blood spatter inside his shorts which he tries to clean up unsuccessfully

[@sammismith8089]

Wow they look alike 😳😳

[@emoshmeer]

who Mary said.

[@beaver6d9]

Took me a sec to catch it!

[@lauraburger1272]

Come ON! He killed her in the heat of passion. They where fighting and he killed her in a Rage! I think a movie and wine and tine out by the pool was planned to keep her busy so she wouldn’t go work on his computer.

[@hotkeyafl]

who drinks wine before a meeting the next morning

[@lauraburger1272]

@@hotkeyafl , Those two did…. A lot of people do … a meeting in the morning ? So what.

[@colonelreb1014]

Who was the beneficiary on Elizabeth Ratliff's life insurance?

[@ProsecutorsPodcast]

I think the girls, but Mike got it by virtue of taking on the girls. That's the best I recollect.

[@colonelreb1014]

@@ProsecutorsPodcast 2 dead women at the bottom of the stairs and Mike benefits from them both. Too coincidental for me.

[@ProsecutorsPodcast]

@@colonelreb1014 He didn't really benefit from the first. He got a few thousand dollars and a lifetime of expenses for two young girls he voluntarily took into his care. If he did it for money it was the worst murder ever.

[@colonelreb1014]

@@ProsecutorsPodcast Ratliff's policy was only a few thousand dollars? Their dad was military and died during service right? Many lifelong benefits that come with that. Death gratuity just being one. I have friends that get monthly checks and other benefits due to their dad dying in service.

[@ProsecutorsPodcast]

@@colonelreb1014 Once again, two girls. If he did it, it wasn't for money

[@sandygrogg1203]

Chevk out the Behavior Panel... Their analysis of the Oeterson case...including the 911 call is quite interesting/. It’s a podcast.

[@tatianaramos6193]

She asked about the number of stairs of to determine if it was a long fall or just a small flight of stairs. Difference between a fatal roll down or just passed out due to a trip, fall and concussion. How you call themselves “the prosecutors”, but don’t know this is hilarious 😆

[@colonelreb1014]

Foreshadowing a Jon Benet Ramsey episode?

[@luckewoman0348]

Going back in time and re-listening to this and just reached the part about how did the prosecution win once the blow poke was found. In my opinion....which could be way off....I really think the secret gay lifestyle and affairs did him in lol. I think it was prejudicial enough that guy that can be quasi-unlikable became outright repulsive. The "lie" of the perfect marriage...I think the jury took Rudolph's opening statement as a slap to the face once they heard about what Peterson was doing behind doors. Just my thoughts there....but thoroughly enjoyed listening again...and laugh that I might be the only comment that thinks he very likely could be innocent...mostly for me....it is based on her injuries. I work in the medical field and it is bizarre to imagine a beating that would produce wounds like that but not fracture the skull. And the blood is par for the course with any kind of laceration to the head. So I initially wasn't convinced this was a murder. I feel similar with Todd Kendhammer....another unlikable guy...but those injuries could absolutely come from the giant travel mug she brought along. 😄 hopefully Alice and Brett will cover that case someday soon too!

[@alabama.worley]

See Peter Hyatt.

[@marynelson7995]

🦉

[@enfieldlover8145]

Maybe she didnt leave Michael because... he murrrderrred her before she could leave. How about that

[@ghostlyc646]

What

[@EmiliusReturns]

“A rambling 911 call that wouldn’t be helpful for the police” ...like the Ramseys? (Sorry couldn’t resist) A lot of us have ingrained in us that the first thing you do when you call 911 is give the location. Some people obviously will forget if they’re panicking (which could be the case for Patsy Ramsey), but it doesn’t surprise me that he doesn’t forget. I’ve been taught since I was little that’s what you do. Address and whether you need police/fire/ambulance first. He could be the same and this instinct just kicked in.

[@breereilly7112]

All the laughing at the end was really annoying.

[@ProsecutorsPodcast]

This may not be the podcast for your, Bree. Laughing is half our content.

[@breereilly7112]

@@ProsecutorsPodcast Fair play.

[@michelleshafto4141]

love Alice's laugh!!

[@josecardoso3033]

Keep laughing guys