True crime stories have been thrilling audiences over the past few years, and perhaps no TV series illustrates this as much as Netflix's Making A Murderer. The massively popular docu-series was filmed over the course of a decade, and followed the conviction of Steven Avery and his nephew Brendan Dassey in the 2005 murder of Teresa Halbach. Making a Murderer strongly implied that they were both wrongly convicted, leading many to wonder if the new information presented in the documentary will help Avery be released from his life sentence. Avery's lawyers recently appealed for a new trial, a request which was just denied by a Wisconsin judge.
Judge Angela Sutkiewicz failed to see a reason for Steven Avery to receive a new trial for his convictions. Despite the information presented by Avery's representation and the contents of Making a Murderer, the judge believed the legal team failed to "establish any grounds that would trigger the right to a new trial in the interests of justice." As such, the request was denied, providing another speed bump on Avery's quest to clear his name.
That said, Steve Avery's lawyer Kathleen Zellner seems just as determined to get her client out of his current prison sentence. She recently made a statement to The Wrap, indicating that the team will attempt to vacate the judge's order and will continue to fight for Steven Avery's innocence. Her statement also said,
With the addition of these new scientific test results and new evidence, Mr. Avery's attorneys remain confident that his conviction will be vacated.
Both Steven Avery and Brendan Dassey's cases have become massively popular since Making a Murderer premiered on Netflix, with many of the streaming service's subscribers following their cases closely. And it does appear that the docu-series has affected its subjects, especially Dassey. Last year, the 27 year old had a big step forward in his quest for freedom. A federal judge in ruled that his confession to Teresa Halbach's murder was coerced, overturning his conviction. But he's currently still in captivity, as the Justice Department appealed this decision. Now he's still waiting, as the state has the options to dismiss the charges, retry Dassey, or take it all the way to the Supreme Court.
Making a Murderer's popularity also affected the way Netflix produced and released more true crime documentaries. True crime series The Keepers became very popular this year, as did the anthology show The Confession Tapes. The producers of Making a Murderer have maintained that they're crafting a second season, although they may be waiting to see how both Steven Avery and Brendan Dassey's proceedings turn out.
Making a Murderer is currently streaming in its entirety on Netflix. Be sure to check out our fall premiere list to plan your next binge watch.
