‘Making a Murderer’ Subject Steven Avery Files An Appeal, Throws His Old Lawyers Under The Bus

All of you Steven Avery supporters out there better hold your breath. As reported by the Associated Press and CNN, the subject of Netflix’s newest docu-series Making a Murderer has filed an appeal. Steven Avery, as you probably know by now from either seeing the series or hearing your co-workers obsessively talk about it, is currently serving life in prison for the murder of Teresa Halbach. His nephew is also serving time for the crime, but Brendan Dassey will be eligible for parole in 2048.

Avery has requested to be released from prison while the latest challenge to his 2007 conviction is being considered by the Wisconsin Court of Appeals. On Monday, Avery filed two motions, claiming that his prosecution violated his due process rights. That’s an allegation even the most skeptical of the series’ fans would probably agree with. The documentary explores whether or not Avery had a fair trial and even suggests that evidence may have been planted on the Wisconsin native by the local police force. The series has enraged many viewers to the point where people have taken steps in an attempt to free Avery. Two petitions have gained a large amount of attention, both of which have been addressed by the Obama Administration. The White House is unable to pardon Avery because he’s in a state, not federal, prison.

The appeal that was announced today was reportedly written and submitted before Avery’s new lawyer, Kathleen Zellner, a noted defense attorney, took his case. That would explain the several grammatical mistakes in Avery’s appeal, as highlighted by the Post. The motions for the appeal are about what viewers and Avery supporters would expect: the search warrant used to search the property was invalid and jurors were pressured into convicting Avery. That second one isn’t the craziest part of this case as a juror has already come forward, admitting they felt threat-induced pressure to convict during the trial. However, one of the most surprising aspects of the appeal to fans probably concerns Avery’s opinions of his lawyers. Along with writing that the judge of his trial made misleading statements, Avery wrote that his lawyers were ineffective. That’s right — current Internet champions, Dean Strang and Jerome Buting.

Avery is looking to be released on bond, and if you think this appeal news comes without some Ken Kratz commentary, then you haven’t been following this case very well. The lead prosecutor on the Halbach case had this to say about Avery’s decision to file the appeal:

This is just another example of how the series has affected the real world.