Shortly before Elizabeth passed away, George died of a heart attack during the US invasion of Grenada. However as Kathleen was not having any of it, I believe she decided to storm out and go to a relatives house or even a hotel, just to get out as some people do in the onset of a huge argument-just need to get out even to go for a drive. She was found dead at the bottom of a staircase, Ratliff was found tilted sideways at the bottom of a wooden staircase inside her home, according to "The Staircase.". I can't live in Paris. It also includes imagined dialogue for dramatic purposes but stays grounded in court documents, meticulous research by the team behind the show, and of course, content from Lestrade's 13-part documentary. Elizabeth's death was initially ruled an accident, but when her body was exhumed during the trial for a second autopsy in April 2003, the coroner found sufficient evidence to categorize it as a homicide. Judge Orlando Hudson Jr. will rule on whether the similarities between Ratliff's death and Kathleen Peterson's are sufficiently similar that jurors should hear the evidence. Nearly two decades before Michael's wife, Kathleen, was found lifeless at the bottom of a staircase, there was a woman named Elizabeth Ratliff, whose death would become crucial to the prosecution's story. Sign up forOxygen Insiderfor all the best true crime content. Michael moved back to the United States, taking his adopted daughters with him, and met Kathleen Peterson in 1986. Kathleen even has a brief run-in with Freda Black. Sam Smith is going to be in And Just Like That s2! Cat is Cosmopolitan UK's features editor covering women's issues, health and current affairs. When re-examined, Elizabeth's relationship with Michael's family and the details of her passing thicken the plot of this engrossing true crime case. The widow grew even closer with the Peterson family. Michael and his ex-wife, Patty (Trini Alvarado), had become the legal guardians of Margaret and Martha after both of their parents died. Michael Stuhlbarg portrayed Peterson's lawyer David Rudolf in the series. Patricia has always vehemently backed him up. There was a substantial amount of blood around the staircase, Witness Cheryl Appel-Schumacher testified during Petersons 2003 trial that the blood reached all the way up the staircase. Killen ordered attack on civil rights worker, jury hears, Father convicted of murdering 9 of his children, Gov. He also has the option of pleading not guilty and again facing a new trial in front of a jury. Wouldnt it make more sense to leave them with a relative.unless Elizabeth wanted Michael to know and raise his daughter along were her sister together. He paid that, or his brother paid it and that was it. Like Kathleen, she'd been found at the bottom of a staircase. So much so, that the court in Durham ordered the exhumation of Ratliff's body from her grave in Texas. They believe their adopted father is innocent of killing both of their moms, according to the documentary. "Because I know all aspects of his personality. I believe that the 2 were out by the pool having a glass or 2 of wine as they often did. He was granted a new trial in 2011, which was scheduled to begin in May 2017. "Can people just go dig up graves?". Michael is having a rough time in prison. George Ratliff died in a military operation in 1983, and two years later, Elizabeth Ratliff, 43, was found dead by her children's nanny, Barbara Malagnino, at the bottom of her staircase on November 25, 1985. Period. The prosecution used the evidence to draw parallels in court but never formally charged Michael with Elizabeth's death. Seeing Margaret everyday no doubt caused her much stress and probably was the reason for many arguments that eventually led to the divorce. "I was sitting here directly observing when the German medical examiner took the spinal tap and held the contents up so that he could view [it]," said Patty. Additionally, he was unimpressed with some of the early court scenes. With The Staircase retelling the tale of Michael Peterson and his alleged hand in wife Kathleen Petersons bizarre December 2001 demise, several related matters are coming back into the spotlight. His only respite is his new relationship with Sophie, the documentary editor, and her letters. The two were buried side by side after Ratlitt died. She was the first woman in Michael Peterson's life found dead at the bottom of a staircase, and featured in the aptly titled Netflix series "The Staircase.". It's believed that Michael was the last person to see her alive. The coroner determined that she fell down the stairs after the brain bleed caused her immediate demise. All external sites will open in a new browser. "It is further my opinion that these injuries were incurred while Mrs. Ratliff was alive and are of sufficient severity to have caused her death.". After her passing, Michael adopted Elizabeth's two daughters, Martha and Margaret. Speaking to Newsweek, Rudolf raised several concerns he had about the show's accuracy, including its representation of Lestrade and documentary editor Sophie Brunet, and some small details in the earlier episodes. Bush: Prosecutor taking up Schiavo inquiry. The next morning, the nanny, Barbara, discovered Elizabeth's body. He later adopted Ratliff's two daughters, Martha and Margaret. At the time of the exhumation, Michael Peterson's lawyer, David Rudolf, requested that a "neutral" pathologist from Texas carry out the second autopsy. Around that same time, Elizabeth and George grew close to the Petersons, their neighbors, bonding over Michael being a Vietnam War veteran and his then-wife Patricia being her coworker. Newsweek has everything you need to know. Cosmopolitan, Part of the Hearst UK Fashion & Beauty Network. Authorities in Germany had determined that Ratliff's death was the result of a fatal stroke that sent her toppling down the stairs. Its construction of the case emphasized prejudicial aspects, like the judge allowing evidence of Ratliff's death, which a state medical examiner also deemed a homicide, and the prosecution exposing Peterson's sex life so as to use jurors' potentially anti-gay attitudes against him. I believe that Patty suspected Michaels infidelity with Liz, and with the girls left to Michael, this probably only reinforced her suspicions. But yet, they [in The Staircase on HBO Max] somehow create the impression that Michael was hiding this from me until four weeks before the trial. If you've reached episode three of Netflix's latest true crime addition, The Staircase, you'll have discovered one of many plot twists in the documentary series. Above, the real David Rudolf (R) and Michael Peterson (L) appear in court. U.S. Army doctor Dr. Larry A. Barnes carried out an autopsy on Elizabeth and confirmed that a cerebral haemorrhage was her cause of death. She also remembered the copious amounts of blood near the staircase at the scene of Elizabeth's death. When the Petersons resided in Germany, Elizabeth worked in the same school as Michael's then-wife, Patty. Everyone Practices Cancel Culture | Opinion, Deplatforming Free Speech is Dangerous | Opinion. The Real Housewives of Atlanta The Bachelor Sister Wives 90 Day Fiance Wife Swap The Amazing Race Australia Married at First Sight The Real Housewives of Dallas My 600-lb Life Last Week Tonight with John Oliver Elizabeth Ratliff's daughters continue to believe Mike Peterson. What we do know is that he was found guilty of the first degree murder of his wife, Kathleen. Elizabeth died in 1985. Link your TV provider to stream full episodes and live TV. So that's why today I'm very uncomfortable because I feel that I've been betrayed in a way.". How is The Last of Us TV series different to game? As Todd tries to explain social media followers to Clay and Martha finally comes out to Margaret, the family tries desperately to maintain a sense of normalcy. They call him "Dad" and have supported him without wavering since the second woman they called "Mom"--Kathleen Peterson--was found dead at the bottom of a flight of stairs. Editor Sophie Brunet (Juliette Binoche) finds herself so entranced with Peterson she begins reaching out to him via letters to prison. 43-year-old Elizabeth Ratliff was found dead in her home in Graefenhausen, Germany. In the end, Lestrade and Brunet won and the scene with Clayton Peterson was included in the documentary instead. "I could not give her what she really needed and deserved, and that would be a full-time partner living with her in Paris. Please select the topics you're interested in: Would you like to turn on POPSUGAR desktop notifications to get breaking news ASAP? Some speculate that Michael shared an illicit affair with Elizabeth. 1 day ago. A second autopsy, conducted by Durham, North Carolina officials this time, revealed sufficient evidence to suspect the manner of death being clear homicide. With that said, no charges against Michael have ever been brought in connection to this matter, and he maintains his innocence. Elizabeth was just 43 years old when she died on November 27, 1985. Todd, who has always been the responsible one, starts to unravel under the pressure of the trial. "The worst of it, at least so far, is in Episode Five, when they paint a picture of Jean-Xavier, the director, and Sophie, conspiring to cut out a certain scene in order to make the documentary more favorable to Michael. 13 hours ago, by Njera Perkins "What's the fucking grounds?" From Rudolf's perspective, in HBO Max's The Staircase, it is implied Rudolf found out about Ratliff only a few weeks before the trial. Appel-Schumacher recalled that Ratliff had a severe headache four days before she died, severe enough that she made an appointment to see a doctor the following week. Michael had also been caught in a lie in the press when he claimed he won a Purple Heart in Vietnam when he had not. At their request, Ratliff's body was exhumed in Texas in April. }else { Just like with Petersons wife Kathleen, she suffered lacerations to the head which were attributed to her fall. Ratliff's two young daughters ended up living with Michael Peterson, and he raised them in North Carolina with his two sons from his first marriage. Create a free profile to get unlimited access to exclusive videos, breaking news, sweepstakes, and more! Ratliff taught second grade at a U.S. Department of Defense School. By John SpringerCourt TV.com Death: July 29, 2018, Durham, North Carolina, USA (end-stage liver disease from alcoholism) Bio: Assistant District Attorney / Prosecutor Cullen Moss Born: July 8, 1975 Birthplace: Buffalo, New York, USA Jim Hardin Born: February 1957 Birthplace: Durham, North Carolina, USA Bio: District Attorney / Lead Prosecutor Rosemarie DeWitt "We made plans to live in Paris. Coverage of the latest true crime stories and famous cases explained, as well as the best TV shows, movies and podcasts in the genre. 1 week ago, Here's the OTHER Death at the Centre of Netflix's The Staircase, A Tragic Twist in Part 2 of the "The Last of Us" Video Game Could Tease What's to Come on the Show, 12 Bone-Chilling Serial Killer Documentaries on Netflix Now, Selena Gomez Says She Avoided Her "Wizards of Waverly Place" Costars After Series Due to Shame, Eugene Levy Says a "Schitt's Creek" Movie Is Very Possible: "We're Open to Anything", "The Last of Us" Stars Storm Reid and Bella Ramsey Hit Back at Homophobes: "Don't Like It, Don't Watch", Jessica Chastain Tripped Over Her Dress at the SAG Awards, but It Didn't Take Away From Her Big Win. Lestrade appears throughout the series, filming Michael in the most mundane and dramatic of moments, capturing his family and his entire trial, appeal, and release. He was sentenced to time already served and freed from prison. On November 25, 1985, Elizbeth Ratliff was found dead at the bottom of her staircase in an eerily similar way to the way Kathleen Peterson was found on December 9, 2001. He was sentenced to time already served and freed from prison. Michael's adopted daughters also believe that he did not kill their biological mother. As per reports, Elizabeth often had dinner with the Petersons, and Michael would stay back to clean up or tuck her little girls to bed, which is precisely what they unwittingly did on her last evening alive. Elizabeth was just 43 years old when she died on November 27, 1985. Rudolf is highly skeptical of the documentary crew following their every move but eventually has to relent. In April 2003, a second autopsy was carried out by a Durham medical examiner, who concluded Ratliff's cause of death was "homicide." This meant he admitted the evidence against him would likely lead to a finding of guilt beyond a reasonable doubt but he did not have to admit he committed the crime. At the hearing for the Alford plea, the courtroom is noticeably less full. German police arrived at the scene and quickly deemed Elizabeth's fall an accident. Elizabeth Ratliff became good friends with Michael Peterson after meeting his first wife, Patty, when the women worked together at a school in Germany. The prosecution calls Kathleen's sister Candace to the stand, and she tears Michael a new one again. "They have a scene where Michael's brother is on the phone with me, telling me that he's selling all the furniture, to pay to write me checks for the appeal. However, he maintains adamantly that Kathleens death was an accident. He continued: "In other words, by that point, Michael didn't have any assets and the court appointed us to represent him on appeal and paid U.S. court-appointed rates. Where is Morgan from the Murdaugh Murders now? Covering the hottest movie and TV topics that fans want. It's believed that Michael was the last person to see her alive. "First of all, Sophie didn't edit any of the courtroom scenes. In the end, Michael Peterson was convicted of murdering Kathleen Peterson. document.write('Tuesday, August 19, 2003 Posted: 1440 GMT
<\/span>'); That's number one. Their lead analyst, Duane Deaver (Myke Holmes) leads the charge in recreating the scene to prove the prosecution's case. However, back in Germany Michael Peterson's BFF Elizabeth Ratliff also happened to die in another "freak staircase accident" in 1995. Three, she never wrote to Michael while she was working on the project, never ever, ever. Newsweek reached out to HBO and director Antonio Campos's representatives. At the time, the German police ruled her death an accident, and an autopsy concluded that she died of a brain hemorrhage. The Staircase is streaming on HBO Max now. Michael is convinced that the DA is on a witch hunt since Michael had written critical columns on the DA in the past. Those who were there in the aftermath of Elizabeth's death were called as witnesses, and the the state pathologist took to the stand to confirm Elizabeth Ratliff had sustained similar injuries to the ones Kathleen Peterson suffered. by Lindsay Kimble Create your free profile and get access to exclusive content. The prosecution shockingly reveals to the jury that, at age 43, Ratliff turned up dead at the bottom of her stairs in 1985, some 16 years earlier. } else if ( host.indexOf("edition.") But the autopsies were enough to convince Kathleen Peterson's daughter Caitlin to change her mind about her stepfather. The filmmakers, with Michael's permission, are granted 24/7 access to document the entire process from prepping for the trial, the trial itself, and after the jury verdict is announced. Either of these scenarios give him time, time in which the blood to dry to the point it did when the EMTs got there and noticed it was not wet as it should be, had it just happened. The DAs case focuses mainly on Michael Petersons lifestyle. She continued: "Rather, they are indicative of multiple blunt force impacts, either from blows to the head caused by a blunt object or by the head being forcibly struck against a hard surface. Elizabeth's death is a tragedy, but whether it was brought upon by an ill-fated accident or contemptuous murder, we'll never know. We charge Michael a fee for the trial. Lawyer David Rudolf (L) and Michael Peterson (R) address reporters after his court hearing in Durham, North Carolina, on February 24, 2017. Firth portrayed Peterson for eight episodes of the HBO Max drama based on the documentary of the same name. Powered by WordPress.com VIP. The Scene of Her Death. Why would you do that just to sort of create a negative impression about Michael Peterson?". The similarities between the deaths of Elizabeth Ratliff and Kathleen Peterson raised eyebrows among the Durham authorities. Peterson's lawyers took issue with the examiner's assessment. In 2017, Michael is contemplating taking the Alford plea, in which he would have to plead guilty to the lesser charge of voluntary manslaughter for a reduced sentence, but he could not be retried. In response, Michael Peterson's lawyer, David Rudolf, argued he had never seen such inflammatory wording used in an autopsy before. She filed a . At the age of 43, Elizabeth Liz Ratliff had created a good life for herself as a teacher for military children, signifying that she often got the chance to travel across the globe for work. According to the second autopsy, seven deep lacerations on Elizabeth's head - just like those found on Kathleen's - were concluded to have been sustained as a result of blunt force trauma. Thus, all we can positively state is, whatever the case may be, both Elizabeth and Kathleens deaths were simply tragic. Her husband, George Ratliff, died shortly before her in a secret military operation overseas in 1983, according to CourtTV. The neighbour, Karin Hamn, testified that she saw MP hurrying away from ER's house at 12.50 am on November 25th. The Staircase launches on Netflix on 8 June. However, it was carried out by Durham-based state pathologist Dr. Deborah L. Radisch. But, in February, just months before the scheduled retrial, Peterson submitted an Alford plea to the reduced charge of manslaughter. I spoke with a German investigator. (We dont know if this is factual or just a dramatized coincidence.) "There was blood splatter all over those walls.