New York – Carmine Persico, the 52-year-old boss of the Colombo organized crime family, was convicted along with eight co-defendants today of racketeering, conspiracy and other federal charges.
Persico is the first of several top-level mobsters to face a jury since federal officials launched a drive against organized crime two years ago. The nine defendants, who also included Persico’s son Alphonse and Colombo family underboss Gennaro (Jerry Lang) Langella, were all named in two racketeering counts that each carry a maximum of 20 years in prison. Los Angeles Times online article 13th June 1986, ‘Mobster Guilty of Racketeering’
PETERS, PETER JOHN: Crime Stories
January 24th 1990: In London, Ontario, police enter a basement apartment and find the naked body of a young woman, a plastic bag over her head. Before long the gruesome scene is tied to other violent crimes and a male suspect known as the Tattoo Man. Crime Stories s2e9: Peter John Peters: The Tattoo Man
Police go public with their suspect’s name … On the loose is a 28 year old ex-convict named Peter John Peters, known to many simply as the Tattoo Man: overwhelming evidence singles him out as the violent criminal behind a spree of robbery, abduction, rape and murder. ibid.
PETERS-BERGER, CARSON: True Crime Recaps 2022 -
April 24th 2022, Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin: The brutal murder of 10-year-old Lily Peters, and police say her killer is none other than her 14-year-old cousin. This is a developing case. True Crime Recaps: Lured Into the Woods, Allegedly by 14-Year-Old Cousin! Youtube 4.47, 2022
She was found beaten with most of her clothes off and bite marks on her backside. ibid.
PETERSON, DREW: Marcia Clark Investigates TV - True Crime Recaps TV - An American Murder Mystery: Drew Peterson TV -
In October 2007, 23-year-old Stacy Peterson disappeared. But this was not the first time something had happened to Drew Peterson’s wives. Marcia Clark Investigates: Drew Peterson, CI 2018
Drew’s third wife Kathleen was found lifeless in her bathtub. The coroner deemed her death to be an accidental trauma. Three years after that, Stacy goes missing. ibid.
Drew’s polygraph test wasn’t administered reliably. ibid.
Drew was convicted of first degree murder and sentenced to 38 years in prison for the murder of Kathleen Savio. ibid.
Her [Drew] husband, a former police sergeant, didn’t so much as lift a finger to help find his fourth wife. True Crime Recaps: Drew Peterson: Husband from Hell, Youtube 23.47, 2022
The nation followed along on television. ibid.
There were warning signs and they popped up early. The red flags started waving during marriage number one … She described him as extremely controlling … His controlling nature evolved into something much darker. ibid.
A steady stream of witnesses began to step forward with incriminating statements alleged by the victims themselves. ibid.
February 21 2013, Will County, Illinois: It’s one of the confounding cases of the century. 23-year-old mom Stacy Peterson vanishes from the suburbs of Chicago. An American Murder Mystery: Drew Peterson I, 2018
The man at the centre of this mystery: Drew Peterson. ibid.
‘A cop who was sworn to serve and protect, who was really a wife-killing machine.’ ibid.
‘A man hiding some horrific and dark secrets.’ ibid.
Drew Peterson is a cop with the local police force. ibid.
The media latches on to the story. ibid.
Stacy had recently been texting with another man. ibid.
A massive hunt for the blue barrel … Police find someone who can corroborate the existence of the barrel. ibid.
Stacy isn’t the only one of Drew’s wives who’s died. ibid.
‘This was a man who wasn’t afraid to use and abuse his position.’ ibid. journalist
They discovered troubling through-lines in all of his four marriages. An American Murder Mystery: Drew Peterson II
The scene was never processed like a crime scene. ibid.
‘We took him on now and he lost.’ ibid. prosecutor
PETERSON, MICHAEL: True Crime with Aphrodite Jones TV - News Observer online - Storyville: Death on the Staircase aka The Staircase TV - The Staircase 2013-2018 - WRAL online - Dateline: Michael Peterson TV - The Staircase TV -
The wife of a novelist is found dead in the couple’s North Carolina mansion. A seemingly idyllic life is cut short at the bottom of a staircase. Is it an accident or murder? True Crime with Aphrodite Jones s1e3: Staircase Killer, ID 2010
Raleigh – State prosecutors weighed on Tuesday whether to seek further review of an NC Court of Appeals ruling upholding a judge’s 2011 decision to grant a new trial in the Mike Peterson case.
Peterson, a Durham novelist accused of killing his wife, Kathleen, has been suspended between a state of freedom and captivity for nearly 18 months.
In December 2011, Orlando Hudson, Durham’s chief resident superior court judge, vacated the 2003 murder conviction that put Peterson behind bars for eight years.
The NC Court of Appeals issued a 16-page ruling on Tuesday that upheld Hudson’s decision to grant Peterson a new trial. News Observer online article 16th July 2013
Durham police are this morning investigating the death of a prominent city resident. The officers were called early this morning to the home of Nortel executive Kathleen Peterson, who was dead in her Forest Hill mansion after apparently falling down the stairs. Storyville: Death on the Staircase aka The Staircase I II III IV V VI VII VIII, news, BBC 2005
What caused the lacerations of her head? ibid. defence
Every aspect of Mike Peterson’s life is a lie. ibid. Jim Hardin
The murder case against Michael Peterson doesn’t just involve his wife any more, it involves a friend who died eighteen years ago. Just like Kathleen Peterson, [Elizabeth] Ratliff was found dead at the bottom of a staircase. ibid. television news
The rest of the evidence I think is pretty minimal. ibid. defense
This has become a show and it has got its own momentum. ibid. defendant
‘On the head there was seven areas of lacerations.’ ibid. expert on stand
Guilty of first-degree murder. ibid.
‘I didn’t do anything. I am innocent. I was wrongly convicted.’ The Staircase e9: Last Chance: Reopening the Case, Canal+ 2013
Duance Deaver and the Greg Taylor Case: Judge Calin E Murphy rules Gregory F Taylor has proved by clear and convincing evidence that Gregory F Taylor is innocent of the charge of first-degree murder of Jacquetta Thomas on September 26 1991. ibid. court announcement
Deaver admits to have misrepresented blood test in the [Taylor] case. ibid. news
It’s pretty devastating to see what can pass for science and justice in a courtroom. The Staircase e10: Last Chance: Final Appeal, critic
Is a new trial required for newly discovered evidence, due process violations and perjured testimony? The answer to those questions is yes. ibid. appeal judge
After Michael Peterson’s release from prison, nothing happened in the case for two and a half years. In July 2014 he’s still under house arrest. July 10th 2014: He’s finally set free for real. The Staircase e11: Looking for Closure
He’s become a very old man in a decade. ibid. attorney
I’ve spoken to a lawyer by the name of Mike Klinkosum … I just can’t commit to doing another one of these trials. Because the last one was crushing as you know not just for you and your family but for me … I just thought we’d be able to settle it and we’re not. ibid.
Two weeks before he’s set to argue the motion to dismiss, Mike Klinkosum suffers a stroke. ibid.
November 14th 2016: Hearing on motion to dismiss charges for due process violations. ibid.