Two decades later, it looks like we’re still circling The Staircase. Well, not literally the one in the Peterson home, but the metaphorical spiral surrounding the death of Kathleen Peterson. If you’ve been binge-watching The Staircase (starring Colin Firth and Toni Collette), you’ve probably thought about whether Michael Peterson was prosecuted for murder or for being bisexual.In the series, the cards are laid on the table. Michael had affairs with men during his marriage, and the prosecution saw that as a motive. In a conservative southern courtroom in 2003, bisexuality was weaponized. But did that have anything to do with Kathleen’s death? Let's find out. Did Michael Peterson’s sexuality actually connect to the crime on The Staircase? View this post on Instagram Instagram PostHonestly, no one knows precisely what happened the night Kathleen Peterson was found at the bottom of The Staircase. What we do know is that Michael has always denied killing her. In 2003, he was convicted of murder, though. Eight years later, he was granted a retrial and pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter while maintaining his innocence. This legal strategy is known as an Alford plea, which helped him walk free with time served.The Staircase makes it clear (like the real trial) that Michael’s bisexuality was used as a strategy. Prosecutors framed it as betrayal. Kathleen discovered explicit images of men on Michael’s computer, a confrontation ensued, and (according to the state), Michael beat her to death. It was convenient and believable.But there’s another version of the story which Michael has repeated. He said he loved Kathleen deeply, but she also knew about his attraction to men to some extent. It didn’t impact their marriage because he wasn’t replaced. Michael said it was just a part of himself he didn’t broadcast to the world.But is that comforting or infuriating?There's more context on The Staircase View this post on Instagram Instagram PostDurham, North Carolina and that too in the early 2000s, was not an easy landscape for a closeted bisexual man. Plus, he had military credentials, novels to his name, and wanted to enter politics. The area is part of the Bible Belt, so it adds up. In that era, a man who admitted to sex with men risked it all.So when explicit material surfaced during the investigation, the case became a character assassination. Jurors were no longer just being asked to consider patterns. They now had to think, could a man married to a woman love men too? If so, was that deceitful and therefore could lead to murder?Even the judge later admitted the sexuality narrative shouldn’t have been allowed in court if the trial were held today. But the real question is, if Michael had never been exposed as bisexual, would he have been found guilty? Even Colin Firth (who played Peterson) says he can’t answer that! Oof. RELATED: Who is Colin Firth’s girlfriend, Maggie Cohn?The rest of us may never know either, then.The Staircase is available on HBO Max.NEXT UP: Crime drama shows that should be on your watchlist