This is beyond reasonable doubt in Durham, North Carolina on BBC Radio 5 Live.

Five Live.

It is July 2003 and at the Durham County Courthouse built in

1916 on the city's main street the jury in the trial of Michael Peterson has

finally been sworn in. It has taken six weeks to select the four men and eight women who will serve as the

jury on what will become the longest and most expensive case in North Carolina history.

It involved some 70 witnesses, 500 pieces of evidence, and took 63 days.

It was typical in the sense that the players were the same sorts of players. The issues were the same sorts of issues. It was very atypical in how long the case lasted.

The battle lines are drawn. On the side of Michael Peterson.

What happened in that stairway on December 9th was a tragic accident.

A tragic accident.

Kathleen had had a bit to drink and as she went to bed she had slipped on a narrow wooden staircase originally used by servants at the back of 1810 Cedar Street and had bled to death.

As David Rudolph said in the trial.

The truth is, Kathleen Peterson, after drinking some wine and some champagne and taking some

Valium, tried to walk up a narrow poorly lit stairway in flip-flops.

She fell and bled to death.

Why would Michael kill her reason the defense?

There was no motive.

After all, Michael and Kathleen Peterson

were madly in love. Remember we heard from the couple's former neighbors.

They seemed to have a very loving relationship. We partied with them Friday night. My company had the annual Christmas party. They were dancing, they were socializing and...

They always seemed to be really good chums in a way.

...