| Soupçons | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Jean-Xavier de Lestrade |
| Distributed by | Maha Productions |
| Release date(s) | 2004 |
| Running time | 360 min (8 parts) |
| Language | English |
| Budget | €1.5 million |
Soupçons (also known as Death on the Staircase and The Staircase) is a 2004 television miniseries by Jean-Xavier de Lestrade documenting the trial of Michael Peterson, accused of murdering his wife.
Following from de Lestrade's Oscar winning Murder on a Sunday Morning, filming began soon after Peterson's indictment. Camera crews were given access to the accused's extended family, the defense attorneys, and to the court room.[1] The film features a brief appearance by Mike Nifong, a future figure in the Duke lacrosse case, working with the team prosecuting Peterson.
The film, told mostly from the point of view of Peterson, his family, and defense attorneys, strongly suggests that Peterson is innocent and that the deaths of his wife and one time neighbor in similar fashions were merely accidents.
An abbreviated version of the film was broadcast on the American news show Dateline NBC.
The BBC featured an interview with Lestrade in 2005.[2]
Reviews for The Staircase were generally positive. The film received an "exceptional quality" rating (8.5 out of 10) from Documentary-Review.com based on 9 reviews.[3]