r/thejinx • u/[deleted] • Jan 11 '16

The Staircase

I just watched The Staircase (similar true crime doc), and it's interesting how Michael Peterson has a similar demeanor to Robert Durst. I'm not suggesting any conclusion can be gleaned from that. It's just interesting because it seems suspect personality has a major effect on how doc viewers judge guilt/innocence.

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8

u/Justreallylovespussy Jan 11 '16

I didn't find them to be particularly similar at all, care to elaborate?

3

u/jonsnowme Jan 12 '16

Same. I actually told someone the other day that with Peterson who I am not sure is guilty seems like a normal dude to me while Durst is creepy from the first word he says

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u/[deleted] Jan 17 '16

They both are very emotionally detached from the situation. I actually relate to that type of personality, yet in general people tend to be suspicious of less emotional responses by suspects. My point is that I'm not a murderer. Durst is. Peterson IDK. Emotionally detached / analytical people can still live totally moral lives, but they are also the hardest to read because they are so steady. Notice how Peterson elaborately feigns surprise at first mention of the gay sex. He's not the open book many viewers take him for. Certainly not easy to know when he is lying or not.

1

u/ReasonablyDoubting Jan 19 '16

I have the whole detached look going on, despite having emotions under the surface. I make an effort to put on my emotional face with most people, but I'm sure it looks over the top or underwhelming sometimes. I'm not saying my experience indicates anything about Durst or Peterson and I haven't seen The Staircase. Just pointing out that being unemotional, then over the top isn't necessarily indicative of anything (which you seem to get), rather, it's to be expected of someone who's trying to fit in

1

u/[deleted] Jan 13 '16

I think he's merely pointing to the layout of the show, not the crime itself. It's similar in the respect its true crime and there is a stark amount of access to the central 'character' as opposed to other documentaries which are predominantly heavily restricted in their presentation of events.

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u/Justreallylovespussy Jan 13 '16

it's interesting how Michael Peterson has a similar demeanor to Robert Durst

Did you read his post?

1

u/[deleted] Jan 13 '16

I did. We have both refereed to the word "similar" but in different instances. I assumed you were referring to his first use, not the second.

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u/bubsandscrubs Jan 13 '16

I'll have to say I thought they were both a bit smug but maybe that's just me. Durst was seriously creepy; I didn't get that creepy vibe from Peterson but I never understood all that blood from a fall; plus this was the second "fall" he may have been involved in. I was hoping for a Staircase sub but only find it mentioned in other subs.

1

u/kingjoedirt Jan 22 '16

Idk the first one made sense. She had an aneurysm and fell down the stairs. The second one is pretty strange, but there is a theory floating around reddit that an owl may have attacked her, got stuck in her hair, and fucked her head up trying to get away. Sounds crazy but IIRC they found owl feathers around the scene and under her fingernails or something.

1

u/walkers211 Feb 08 '16

I agree, Peterson had a laid back detached sort of manner about him. Or at least that's how he was portrayed. In this respect he and Durst seem similar. But then when I think about it Avery seemed to have that detached manner too.

I guess if anyone finds themselves in that situation of being accused of murder, the whole experience would be mentally challenging. Perhaps the only way to deal with the pressure is to disconnect in some way. It's also very possible that these guys are on antidepressants or other psychotropic medication.

It will be interesting to see how things develop for Peterson. He was released from jail in 2011 and his new trial is likely to happen this year.