RALEIGH, N.C. — The premiere of HBO Max's "The Staircase" is renewing interest — locally and beyond — in the 2001 death of Kathleen Peterson in Durham, North Carolina, and the subsequent murder trial and conviction faced by her husband, Michael Peterson.
The series is a dramatization of Jean-Xavier de Lestrade's documentary series of the same name, which is available for streaming on Netflix.
In the new HBO Max series, Michael Peterson's brother, Bill Peterson, is portrayed by actor Tim Guinee. In real life and in the documentary series, Bill was present for much of Michael Peterson's trial, often sitting in on strategy and planning sessions with Michael's defense team.
