Novelist's Murder Conviction Upheld

The state Supreme Court on Friday upheld the murder conviction of novelist Michael Peterson, who is serving life in prison for killing his wife.

Peterson's wife, Kathleen, was found at the bottom of a staircase in the couple's Durham home in 2001.

Peterson had tried to argue in his appeal that evidence was improperly obtained from his computer, but the court said that wouldn't have changed the outcome of the 2003 trial. The court also said that a judge didn't make a mistake by admitting evidence about the 1985 death of a Peterson family friend in Germany.

"We conclude that, because the state presented overwhelming evidence of defendant's guilt, independent and separate from the tainted evidence, no reversible error occurred," Justice Edward Brady wrote for the court.

The justices also ruled that statements made by Durham prosecutors during closing arguments don't warrant a new trial.

"I'm thankful that we've got a positive result and it's finally over," said Freda Black, a former Durham assistant district attorney who helped prosecute Peterson.

Black, who is now in private practice, said the Peterson family will be pleased that "they can finally lay Kathleen to rest."

Thomas Maher, one of Peterson's trial attorneys and his appellate attorney, didn't immediately return a phone call seeking comment Friday.

Peterson's novels include the 1990 "A Time of War," an in-the-trenches look at the Vietnam War, and a 1995 sequel, "A Bitter Peace."