Steven Avery, the centerpiece of the popular Netflix docu-series, “Making a Murderer,” will not be getting a new trial.
On Wednesday, the Wisconsin Court of Appeals gave a unanimous rejection to Avery’s request to show new evidence in a hearing that he ultimately wanted to provide during a new trial.
According to the Associated Press, Avery’s attorney, Kathleen Zellner, asked the court to review new evidence in the case, claiming that Avery had insufficient counsel during his first trial. Zellner also claimed there was “insufficient scientific evidence”
As CrimeOnline previously reported, Teresa Halbach, a freelance photographer for Auto Trader magazine, was murdered on October 31, 2005, after driving to Avery’s house to take photos of his sister’s van. Her bone fragments, vehicle, and other evidence were found on Avery’s property in Manitowoc County, Wisconsin, days later.
Both Avery and his nephew Brendan Dassey are behind bars for Halbach’s murder. Avery was incarcerated in November 2005 and Dassey the following March, after confessing that he raped Halbach and helped move her body. Dassey later said that detectives coerced a false confession out of him.
Since 2016, Zellner, an attorney with a high success rate of overturning convictions, has been working on Avery’s case in an attempt to exonerate him or get him a new trial. Following the court decision on Wednesday, Zellner tweeted that she was “not deterred.”
Not deterred by the appellate court decision—-it pointed out the specific doors that are still open for Mr. Avery’s quest for freedom. We appreciate the careful review.#Onward #TruthWins
— Kathleen Zellner (@ZellnerLaw) July 28, 2021
Avery and Dassey both maintain that they had nothing to do with Halbach’s murder. Check back for updates.
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[Featured Photo: Steven Avery/Police Handout]
