On Dec. 14, novelist Michael Peterson was granted a new trial after spending eight years in prison for allegedly murdering his wife, Kathleen, in 2001.

Peterson won a retrial after testimony discredited a key prosecution witness in the original 2003 trial, former SBI agent Duane Deaver. Peterson is now free on a $300,000 bond and with restricted movements.

In an interview Peterson, 68, said he did not kill his wife, a Nortel executive.

"Of course not, no, absolutely not, " Peterson said. "I loved Kathleen, I still love Kathleen."

Peterson said he regretted not taking the stand in his own defense during the 2003 trial.

District Attorney Tracey Cline has appealed Hudson's ruling to grant Peterson a new trial.

That could take months to wind its way through the legal system.

Kathleen's sister Candace Zamperini said she agrees with the guilty verdict. She told The News & Observer: "My sister was beaten so badly at one point, she was basically scalped; that's how much her head was ripped open. And they want me to believe that happened from falling down a staircase."

Neither defense attorney David Rudolf nor Peterson said they could explain what happened to Kathleen Peterson.

Rudolf said, "That's the big mystery, isn't it?"