Warning: Contains Season One Spoilers
Part one of Making a Murderer shook up true crime fans like no other documentary series before it.
Not since compelling podcast Serial made amateur detectives of us all has a murder case sparked so much public debate; both about the perpetrators and the difficulties of discussing such a serious crime in a documentary format.
The sentencing of Wisconsin man Steven Avery – and his then 16-year-old nephew Brendan Dassey – has been dissected in microscopic detail in pubs and offices across the world. You will find many people who are completely set in their stance, as well as plenty of those who just aren’t sure.
And now – at long last – we have the release date for part two, which will be October 19. So what can we expect next from this next hotly anticipated instalment?
There have reportedly been plenty of new developments since the first part wrapped up. This next chapter will follow Avery and Dassey’s investigative and legal teams as they challenge their life sentence convictions.
These ten new episodes will feature Avery’s post-conviction lawyer Kathleen Zellner, who has reportedly righted more wrongful convictions than any other private attorney in the US. According to a press release, Zellner will uncover unexpected evidence in support of Avery’s case.
Dassey’s new legal representation, Laura Nirider and Steve Drizin with Northwestern University’s Centre on Wrongful Convictions of Youth, will also be featured as they set out to show Dassey had made an involuntary confession during his interrogation.
Emmy award winning series creators Laura Ricciardi and Moira Demos have made the following statement:
Steven and Brendan, their families and their legal and investigative teams have once again graciously granted us access, giving us a window into the complex web of American criminal justice,
Building on Part 1, which documented the experience of the accused, in Part 2, we have chronicled the experience of the convicted and imprisoned, two men each serving life sentences for crimes they maintain they did not commit. We are thrilled to be able to share this new phase of the journey with viewers.
Vice president of Netflix’s Original Documentary Programming, Lisa Nishimura, said:
Because of Ricciardi’s and Demos’ incredible vision, commitment and keen eye, audiences around the globe became completely captivated by the personal stories of Steven Avery and Brendan Dassey and the unique lens their experiences provide into the criminal justice system.
We’re thrilled to be continuing our longstanding relationship with the filmmakers, and look forward to giving our global viewers eagerly anticipated updates on this story.
As reported by The Wrap, Netflix Chief Content Officer Ted Sarandos has promised there is plenty more avenues in this case to explore:
There is a ton of info that wasn’t explored just in the confines of the episodes we’ve already done. There’s a lot of new information coming up.
He added:
The folks who are associated with it are under exclusive agreement with us. The information they’re bringing up is totally proprietary. It’s going to be a fascinating follow-up.
The first part of Making a Murderer was filmed over the course of a decade, following the story of Avery who was convicted of murdering local photographer Teresa Halbach in 2005.
Dassey – who suffers from learning difficulties – was also charged after confessing to raping and murdering Teresa while under interrogation.
Avery was accused of Teresa’s murder just two years after being cleared of the 1985 sexual assault of Penny Beerntsen. He had wrongfully served an 18 year prison sentence for this assault and was subsequently awarded a $36 million (£28.2 million) compensation payout.
At the time of writing, Avery is serving a life sentence at Wisconsin’s Waupun Correctional Institution without the possibility of parole.
Back in August 2016, Dassey’s murder conviction was overturned by a US federal judge, with Dassey informed he would be released from prison within 90 days.
However, this decision was appealed by prosecutors in September 2016, in a 4-3 Appeals Court ruling which found his confession to be voluntary. On June 25, 2018, the Supreme Court Justices decided not to review this ruling.
This next part should be just as fascinating as the first, and will undoubtedly get everybody talking no matter what their opinion on the matter might be.
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Jules studied English Literature with Creative Writing at Lancaster University before earning her masters in International Relations at Leiden University in The Netherlands (Hoi!). She then trained as a journalist through News Associates in Manchester. Jules has previously worked as a mental health blogger, copywriter and freelancer for various publications.