Opinions & Feelings on Netflix's "Making a Murderer"
It appears that the latest fad around the country is binge watching the Netflix documentary Making a Murderer. I don't necessarily participate in the latest fads but this one had me intrigued especially when everyone is talking about on Facebook, signing petitions to free this man. I had to see what the fuss was about. So all in all as a broadcasting student and my own personal study into film, I feel we need to view this with an open mind. Why, you ask? It's important to remember that a life has been taken and not to lose the victim in this. The other thing to remember is that films are made to be edited. The filmmaker has a specific message they want to send to the world and so edit their footage to convey that message whether it be key interviews, phrases, visuals, etc. This documentary is no exception.
Now for what I think of all this. First the fact that Steve Avery spent 18 years of his life in prison for a crime he didn't commit is absurd. It shows that our justice system is flawed and it is. This isn't the first time an innocent man served time for a crime he did not commit however nothing can make up for that lost time. That being said, it's rare that this would happen twice to the same person.
Here are the facts presented in the documentary:
Teresa Halbach was in touch with Mr. Avery to take pictures of a van. She arrived and did her job as for what happened afterwards is unclear. However she lost her life senselessly. That is 100% fact.
Teresa's vehicle was found in the Avery junkyard with blood inside.
The keys to Teresa's car was found in Steve Avery's trailer.
Her smoldered remains were on the property.
Now here are details we learned from the interrogation with Brendan Dassey:
She was tied to the bed in Avery's trailer where Brendan allegedly raped her. Her throat was slit and she was shot.
Now here's the other piece of fact that we know is 100% true:
There was no DNA evidence found inside Steven Avery's trailer confirming that Teresa was ever in his trailer. Now correct me if I'm wrong (I've watched a considerable amount of crime shows), now they cannot claim that the scene was cleaned up because they have to tools to find traces of blood even after it's been cleaned up. There is a special solution they can spray/apply on particular spots then go over the spot with a black light.
This being said, if there was indeed a rape and she was on that bed when it happened, there would have been DNA evidence recovered in the trailer. Also if the trailer was thoroughly searched the first time the key, if it was there the entire time, would have been found during the first search. If it was in plain sight then why is it that the accused didn't see it to hide it? Why incriminate himself?
Furthermore, Brendan was 16 at the time he was interrogated and without a lawyer or his parent present. Brendan was underage and it is required, as far as I know to have the parent present because he is underage. He is also impressionable. Watching Brendan during the interrogation at his school, you can see that he is reluctant to talk to police not because he's guilty but because he is a scared kid. The investigator lead him into the confession because no matter how many times he said he didn't do it they counteracted him until he gave in and agreed with everything. The confession should have been thrown out.
With Avery himself, I can agree with both sides. While accusing law enforcement of framing him a second time is far fetched, it doesn't mean it's not probable. I'm not saying whether he is guilty or innocent but there are many holes in this story especially that law enforcement pinpointed him from the beginning before they had a body or any evidence. All I'm going to say is Teresa Hulbach has been put on the back burner because of this. I think the quest should be finding Teresa's true killer because in this you will free the other two and all will be solved but it's difficult to know where to start. Maybe with the blood found in the trunk which apparently wasn't tested.
We also have to remember that because someone is innocent of one crime doesn't mean he is of another but it doesn't mean he's guilty either. I think all the evidence needs to be present and put forth by an outside jurisdiction so then there is a chance for a fair investigation. That's my opinion and I'm sticking to it.
Now for what I think of all this. First the fact that Steve Avery spent 18 years of his life in prison for a crime he didn't commit is absurd. It shows that our justice system is flawed and it is. This isn't the first time an innocent man served time for a crime he did not commit however nothing can make up for that lost time. That being said, it's rare that this would happen twice to the same person.
Here are the facts presented in the documentary:
Teresa Halbach was in touch with Mr. Avery to take pictures of a van. She arrived and did her job as for what happened afterwards is unclear. However she lost her life senselessly. That is 100% fact.
Teresa's vehicle was found in the Avery junkyard with blood inside.
The keys to Teresa's car was found in Steve Avery's trailer.
Her smoldered remains were on the property.
Now here are details we learned from the interrogation with Brendan Dassey:
She was tied to the bed in Avery's trailer where Brendan allegedly raped her. Her throat was slit and she was shot.
Now here's the other piece of fact that we know is 100% true:
There was no DNA evidence found inside Steven Avery's trailer confirming that Teresa was ever in his trailer. Now correct me if I'm wrong (I've watched a considerable amount of crime shows), now they cannot claim that the scene was cleaned up because they have to tools to find traces of blood even after it's been cleaned up. There is a special solution they can spray/apply on particular spots then go over the spot with a black light.
This being said, if there was indeed a rape and she was on that bed when it happened, there would have been DNA evidence recovered in the trailer. Also if the trailer was thoroughly searched the first time the key, if it was there the entire time, would have been found during the first search. If it was in plain sight then why is it that the accused didn't see it to hide it? Why incriminate himself?
Furthermore, Brendan was 16 at the time he was interrogated and without a lawyer or his parent present. Brendan was underage and it is required, as far as I know to have the parent present because he is underage. He is also impressionable. Watching Brendan during the interrogation at his school, you can see that he is reluctant to talk to police not because he's guilty but because he is a scared kid. The investigator lead him into the confession because no matter how many times he said he didn't do it they counteracted him until he gave in and agreed with everything. The confession should have been thrown out.
With Avery himself, I can agree with both sides. While accusing law enforcement of framing him a second time is far fetched, it doesn't mean it's not probable. I'm not saying whether he is guilty or innocent but there are many holes in this story especially that law enforcement pinpointed him from the beginning before they had a body or any evidence. All I'm going to say is Teresa Hulbach has been put on the back burner because of this. I think the quest should be finding Teresa's true killer because in this you will free the other two and all will be solved but it's difficult to know where to start. Maybe with the blood found in the trunk which apparently wasn't tested.
We also have to remember that because someone is innocent of one crime doesn't mean he is of another but it doesn't mean he's guilty either. I think all the evidence needs to be present and put forth by an outside jurisdiction so then there is a chance for a fair investigation. That's my opinion and I'm sticking to it.
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