Making a Murderer’s Brendan Dassey to walk free after conviction is overturned – but what does it mean for Steven Avery?
Dassey, who was 17 when he was convicted of murdering Teresa Halbach, could be free in 90 days
THE latest twist in Making a Murderer has seen Brendan Dassey's murder conviction overturned, leaving viewers wondering what this means for the show's central character Steven Avery.
The Emmy-nominated Netflix documentary followed the trials of the pair as they were convicted of killing Theresa Halbach in a brutal rape and murder case.
Avery was handed a life sentence for murdering the photographer in 2007 and is locked up at the Waupan Correctional Institution in Waupan, Wisconsin.
The makers of the Netflix show have now kick-started a campaign to overturn his murder conviction.
US lawyer Kathleen Zellner began representing Avery in January when an appeal, citing violations of due process rights, was filed at the Wisconsin Supreme Court.
RELATED STORIES
After Dassey's conviction was overturned Avery's legal team said in a statement: "“We are thrilled for Brendan Dassey that his conviction has been overturned. We fully expected this outcome from an unbiased court that carefully examined his confession.”
Zellner added: "I was just visiting Steven Avery and he is so happy for Brendan.
"We know when an unbiased court reviews all of the new evidence we have, Steven will have his conviction overturned as well.”
Avery's appeal case was delayed by 90 days in June after Zellner requested an extension.
The defendant-appellant's brief had meant to be finished by May 31, but Zellner requested an extension until August 29.
The brief stated: "Additional time is necessary for undersigned counsel to complete their review of the record and draft the brief," it stated.
"As noted by the Manitowoc County Clerk, the record in this court is 'considerable'."
"Although counsel has worked diligently on this case, additional responsibilities, as set forth below, require additional time to complete the brief in this case."
Avery's team are continuing their appeal with details to be included in the Netflix's second series of the documentary.
The show's executive producers and directors will be following Zellner as well as Dassey's legal team in the episodes.
We are thankful and proud that a federal court fulfilled its fundamental role for Brendan Dassey today. In doing so, this federal court served all Americans
Dassey's former defence lawyer Dean Strang
After Dassey's release, Avery's legal team said: “Today was a major development for the subjects in our story and this recent news shows the criminal justice system at work.
“As we have done for the past 10 years, we will continue to document the story as it unfolds, and follow it wherever it may lead."
A Federal judge in Wisconsin overturned the conviction Dassey received in 2007 for homicide and sexual assault charges.
He was sentenced to life without parole over the murder of Halbach in Manitowoc County, Wisconsin.
Dean Strang, Dassey's former defence lawyer, has said he is "proud" of the judge's decision.
He told the : "Brendan's statements were involuntary - by the standards of common sense and decency that most Americans apply in their own lives, as well as under binding law that the Wisconsin courts repeatedly failed to apply.
"His statements were also wholly unreliable and flatly wrong on essential details, which is one of the obvious risks of coercing a statement from someone in custody.
"Our federal courts are often the last protectors of liberties and justice. We are thankful and proud that a federal court fulfilled its fundamental role for Brendan Dassey today. In doing so, this federal court served all Americans."
Dassey's case rose to fame after the Netflix documentary Making a Murderer showcased flaws in the case against him and his uncle Steven Avery.
In the documentary Dassey appeared as a sympathetic character who appeared to be bullied by investigators.
According to court documents a federal judge said investigators made false promises to Dassey and claimed to "already know what happened" when they interrogated him.
He is reported as ordering Brendan to be "released from custody unless, within 90 days of the date of this decision, the State initiates proceedings to retry him".
The judge continued: "In the event the respondent appeals this judgement, this judgement will be stayed pending resolution of that appeal."
Brendan, 26, was found guilty of first-degree intentional homicide, second-degree sexual assault and mutilation of a corpse after Teresa Halbach's death in 2005, alongside his uncle Steven Avery.
Making a Murderer cast doubts on the investigation by the Mantiwoc County Sheriff department and the verdict.
Dassey is serving his sentence in the Columbia Correctional Facility, where he was recently transferred from the Green Bay Correctional Facility.
He said he lied to investigators during the nine-day trial, which ended when the jury took four-and-a-half hours to find him guilty.
Steven Avery, 54, is still behind bars at the Waupan Correctional Institution in Wisconsin, where he is serving a life sentence for murder.
Avery previously 18 years of a 32-year rape and attempted murder sentence before DNA tests exonerated him.
After his release in 2003, he was in the process of a civil lawsuit against Mantiwoc County, its sheriff and its district attorney when Teresa Halbach was killed in 2005.
We pay for your stories! Do you have a story for The Sun Online news team? Email us at [email protected] or call 0207 782 4368