Treat Williams, Samaire Armstrong and Kevin Pollak Star in the Lifetime Original Movie 'The Staircase Murders' from Lionsgate, a Riveting Crime Story Based on Actual Events of a Best-Selling Novelist Accused of Murdering His Wife Premiering Sunday, April 15

Real Case Has Captured the Attention of Millions with Extensive Media Coverage on NBC's Dateline, ABC's Primetime Live, CNN and Court TV Special Encore Presentation to Air Monday, April 16

LOS ANGELES, Feb. 27 -- Treat Williams ("Brothers & Sisters," "Everwood"), Samaire Armstrong ("Entourage," "The O.C.") and Kevin Pollak ("The Usual Suspects") star in the Lifetime Original Movie, "The Staircase Murders," a provocative drama based on the actual events of the famed murder case involving Michael Peterson, the novelist accused of killing his socialite wife in their North Carolina home. Production is underway in Louisiana. Produced by Lionsgate, "The Staircase Murders" premieres Sunday, April 15, at 8PM ET/PT, with a special encore airing on Monday, April 16, at 9PM ET/PT, on Lifetime Television.

In "The Staircase Murders," loving father, aspiring politician and successful New York Times best-selling novelist Michael Peterson (Williams) was the picture perfect husband to his wife Kathleen. But when a panic- stricken Michael frantically calls 911 to report Kathleen has accidentally fallen down the stairs, investigators arrive at their home to discover several suspicious findings at the crime scene and soon begin to question the truth about Kathleen's death.

Michael's children, biological sons Todd and Clayton from a previous marriage, adopted daughters Margaret and Martha and step-daughter Caitlin (Armstrong), quickly rally to their father's defense until autopsy findings reveal Kathleen's injuries could not have been sustained by a fall. Shocked and betrayed by her accused step-father's actions, Caitlin breaks rank with the family to publicly accuse Michael of murder.

All the while, Michael consistently maintains his innocence, even going so far as to allow cameras into his home to document his legal team's defense strategies. But as the trial looms, shocking discoveries about Michael's sexuality, previous marriage, war service and the mysteriously similar circumstances of an old friend's death are revealed, making even his own lawyer, David Rudolf (Pollak), question his client.

"The Staircase Murders" is produced by Lionsgate for Lifetime Television. Judy Polone ("Widow on the Hill," "Infidelity") serves as executive producer and Judy Cairo ("One Day") produces. Aphrodite Jones ("American Justice"), who wrote the book, A Perfect Husband, on which this movie is based, serves as co- producer. Tom McLoughlin (Lifetime Television's "Odd Girl Out," "Murder in Greenwich") directed and Donald Martin ("The Amber Frey Story," "Family Sins") wrote the screenplay.

Lionsgate (NYSE: LGF) is the leading independent filmed entertainment studio, winning last year's Best Picture Academy Award(R) for CRASH, generating two consecutive years of $300 million-plus domestic theatrical box office, operating a $500 million-plus home entertainment business and producing a broad slate of primetime television series for fiscal 2007. It is a premier producer and distributor of motion pictures, television programming, home entertainment, family entertainment, and video-on-demand content. Its prestigious and prolific library is a valuable source of stable, recurring revenue and a foundation for the growth of the Company's core business. The Lionsgate brand is synonymous with original, daring quality entertainment in markets around the world.

Lifetime is the leader in women's television and one of the top-rated basic cable television networks. A diverse, multi-media company, Lifetime is committed to offering the highest quality entertainment and information programming, and advocating a wide range of issues affecting women and their families. Lifetime Television, LMN, Lifetime Real Women, Lifetime Home Entertainment and Lifetime Online (http://www.lifetimetv.com) are part of Lifetime Entertainment Services, a 50/50 joint venture of The Hearst Corporation and The Walt Disney Company.

SOURCE Lifetime Television
http://www.lifetimetv.com