Principal Witness Discredited
Back to that key witness, the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) analyst named Duane Deaver was fired from the SBI in 2011 when it was discovered he falsely represented evidence in 34 cases. When he testified in the Michael Peterson’s trial in 2003, he claimed that he was mentored by SBI bloodstain specialist David Spittle. Spittle later said he did not remember mentoring Deaver. Thus, the key witness statement in Peterson’s case was now disputed.
Principal Witness Discredited
New Trial Scheduled
A judicial order for a retrial came after finding SBI blood analyst Duane Deaver gave “deliberately false” and “materially misleading” testimonies about bloodstain evidence, along with exaggerating his training and expertise. Thus, Peterson was released from jail in December 2011 on $300,000 bail. In 2016, Peterson requested the second trial be dismissed, but that was refused and they scheduled a new trial for May 8, 2017. Before the trial could take place, a resolution was negotiated by the Durham County DA and attorney David Rudolf in February 2017.
New Trial Scheduled
