Making of a Murderer

[Save Continental]

Is anyone watching this Netflix documentary? I am 3 episodes in and its pretty riveting stuff.

for those who don't know, it's a documentary shot over 10 years on a man imprisoned for 18 years for a sexual assault he didn't commit as the local authorities railroaded him. 2 years after his release, he is arrested for murder of which the facts look increasingly sketchy...well worth checking out.

 

[HallsBalls]

I binge watched it over two days....it was an incredible documentary and series. I'm not sure if Avery killed Theresa or not...but what I can tell from what I've seen so far, there is no way he should have been convicted. Plus...the sheriff dept looks shady as heck!

 

[cernjSHU]

I am about 5 episodes deep in this. I can tell you one thing. I cannot fathom that officers that were involved Ina civil law suit were involved in the subsequent criminal investigation. That is a complete conflict of interest and
Any decent law enforcement would have kept those people away.

As far as the murder of Teresa goes, my feelings so far is this. Ok, you can explain the blood away in the car with tampering of evidence based on the tampering of the vial of blood. The defemse attorney's explanation that there were no fingerprints in the car is no reason the suspect tampering. It is extremely difficult to get fingerprints that can be used as comparison. But I want to see the explanation of the bones.

First, it seems as if the bones dismembered when found on the property. Where was this done then?
If a person went to such great lengths to get rid of the evidence of the body, why would you leave the bones there for anyone to see

Second, the story that the nephew gave is completely a lie. Where is the blood in the bedroom if her throat was slashed and she was shot in the head at close range? This clearly could not have happened.

Third, the attorney for the nephew should have his license suspended. I have never seen a defense attorney allow their client be questioned by law enforcement without their presence. In NJ, you could not question the juvenile without consent of parent. And in this case they repeatedly questioned slow borderline mentally retarded 16 year old. His statement is classic false confession.

Can't wait to watch the rest of the episodes. Thanks for turning me on to this.

 

[Save Continental]

I'm through 6 episodes and for now I will say this - I agree with HallsBalls that I have no clue if Avery killed Theresa. Maybe he did, maybe he didn't. But the county sheriff's department is crooked as hell and used the days between 10/31-11/5 to get their ducks in a row to hang Avery. The thing with Sergeant Colburn and the license plates was mindblowing...

Lots of people look sketchy as hell in this. Kratz comes off like a weasel, Kachinsky another scumbag (on the take?)...Colborn, etc.

I also feel terrible for Brendan Dassey. Unfortunately just a really dumb kid who was abused/manipulated by law enforcement.

 

[jcalz88]

Yeah this show really blew my mind. The Coburn license plate part HOLY HELL, how did they not make a bigger deal about this?

 

[HallsBalls]

If this story was a movie, I would have turned it off because it just seems all made up. Guys does 18 years for a crime he didn't do. Sheriff dept sat on information that he didn't do the crime. Guy gets released and sues a small dept and county. Guy gets arrested soon thereafter for murder. His blood was tampered with. Sheriff knew the make and model of the car without seeing it. Prosecutor is a dirt bag who acted inappropriately with sexual assault victims. I mean the nonsense doesn't stop. Like I said...I would have called BS if this was a movie...it's insane to think it is reality.

 

[Seton75]

A friend at work was telling me yesterday what an awesome show it was. It sounds sorta like the West Memphis 3 case.

 

[Section112]

Have not watched the show but one of the morning shows had the prosecutor on this morning and he said the show's producers have left a number of key pieces of evidence out of the show. He claimed this was not a documentary and more of a show and does not understand why they chose to leave out key pieces of evidence. He also said they added things about him in the show that were true but misprepresented. I have not seen the show but apparently the prosecutor was caught sexting someone (underage?). He said that occured 3 yrs after the case and was not relevant at all to the case and wondered why the producers included that. I'll have to check out the show sometime sounds good.

 

[Save Continental]

I think the filmmakers had a pretty reasonable response to the prosecutor's claims.

The sexting thing was with a domestic abuse victim (who's husband Kratz was prosecuting). No doubt the show takes the angle of the accused, the viewer needs to make up his mind how much you want to buy in. Interview requests with the DA/victim's family were refused through all of the filmmaking. Personally, there is enough shady business going on with the DA/local law enforcement where I don't think Steve Avery should have been convicted. Some really abhorrent behavior by many individuals through the whole thing.

 

[Vegas pj]

Apparently, there was "DNA" of Avery's on the car hood, but no finger prints. Documentary certainly makes you believe that Lt Lenk was dirty. Finding the car key with DNA of Avery but no prints in plain sight on the what 3rd or 4th search of his room is a little much.

As far as the nephew, his first lawyer and investigator should be disbarred and sued. and where's all the blood evidence? Clear his IQ isn't exactly that of a rocket scientist. During his trial testimony he was asked by the prosecutor how he made up with his story line. He said he read it in a book. Prosecutor asked what book? Kid said "kiss the Girls" and that's all you hear. Well, as it turns out James Patterson, one of my fav authors wrote a book called "Kiss the Girls" and, if I remember correctly, the kid's version of what allegedly happened was the plot line in that book! Does anyone here remember the plot line? I've read so many Patterson novels, they all blend in now. That answer could be crucial on his appeal.

Can't believe I'm saying this, but Dr Phil fan an episode on it Friday with Nancy Disgrace and the is a follow up with a teaser from Avery's trial counsel "that's the first time I heard that". So I'll watch my second Dr. Phil show ever today to find out. Peaks my curiosity as a former prosecutor for the Organized Crime Section of the DOJ and a trial attorney. Series drove me crazy. (I know short drive)

 

[cernjSHU]

Apparently, there was "DNA" of Avery's on the car hood, but no finger prints. Documentary certainly makes you believe that Lt Lenk was dirty. Finding the car key with DNA of Avery but no prints in plain sight on the what 3rd or 4th search of his room is a little much.

As far as the nephew, his first lawyer and investigator should be disbarred and sued. and where's all the blood evidence? Clear his IQ isn't exactly that of a rocket scientist. During his trial testimony he was asked by the prosecutor how he made up with his story line. He said he read it in a book. Prosecutor asked what book? Kid said "kiss the Girls" and that's all you hear. Well, as it turns out James Patterson, one of my fav authors wrote a book called "Kiss the Girls" and, if I remember correctly, the kid's version of what allegedly happened was the plot line in that book! Does anyone here remember the plot line? I've read so many Patterson novels, they all blend in now. That answer could be crucial on his appeal.

Can't believe I'm saying this, but Dr Phil fan an episode on it Friday with Nancy Disgrace and the is a follow up with a teaser from Avery's trial counsel "that's the first time I heard that". So I'll watch my second Dr. Phil show ever today to find out. Peaks my curiosity as a former prosecutor for the Organized Crime Section of the DOJ and a trial attorney. Series drove me crazy. (I know short drive)

Vegas, Getting fingerprints off any surface is very difficult especially prints that are pristine enough to make an actual comparison. DNA is much easier to get than fingerprints. The odd thing about the victim's key that was found was that the only DNA was of Avery. If it was the victim's key, there should be a mixture of DNA that matches Avery and the victim. Again, not out the ordinary that you would not get prints off a key.

the most damning evidence against Avery is the bones on the property. If this is a plant, you have to believe that the Sheriff's office actually killed the victim and planted all the evidence. I am not buying that. There is something up with Avery.

The nephew is a tragedy. That is classic false confession. It is horrible how the system failed him to his first attorney and to the DA who prosecuted this kid after the only thing that pointed to his guilt -his own statement - the most important parts were untrue.

 

[Vegas pj]

Agree about DNA and fingerprints. However, you would think Avery's prints would have been somewhere on the car although gloves would prevent that. But then the blood. Interesting, since Avery clearly isn't a nice person, although not being the brightest bulb in the chandelier didn't help. Family from Deliverance. Wouldn't surprise me if another Avery did it, Avery knew about it and said nothing. That would explain bone fragments in the barrel by the other family members house.

Today, the original arresting officer in '85 and Chief in '03 when he was released admitted he knew of the '95 call from another police dept asserting the wrong guy (Avery) may be doing time for a crime he didn't commit and someone else in custody in another county admitted to it. The Sgt who rec'd the call in '95 passed it off in his civil depo and said he didn't document every call he got like that. However, one day after Avery was released that Lt Lenk told him (Sgt) to write up a report that was given to the Chief and the Chief put it in a safe. The Chief said the report was never given to him, but to the Chief at the time. (That would be him - oops) and that he didn't put it in a safe. Amazing.

As for the kid, he was railroaded by original counsel. Would love to know if his trial counsel cleared up the "Kiss the Girls" book testimony since it supported the kids testimony and he's not the brightest bulb either. Lack of blood evidence anywhere to support his alleged confession is mind boggling.

This has movie written all over it.

 

[Section112]

Watched episodes 1-7 this snowy weekend. Great docu-drama. Well done can't wait to see the next few episodes.

 

[Vegas pj]

There's an alternate theory of what happened on the net. Makes one wonder even more after watching the 10 episodes.