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'Making A Murderer' Case Details Explored In Fresh Discovery Channel Doc: 'The Steven Avery Story: Innocent Or Guilty?'

'Making A Murderer': Another Doc Picks Up The Case
Caroline Frost
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'Making A Murderer' may have rolled its final credits, but Steven Avery's story is showing no sign of going away, with his conviction now being explored on Investigation Discovery UK.

Following the success of the Netflix series which was released just before Christmas, more and more questions have been asked about the conviction of Steven Avery and his nephew Brendan Dassy of the murder of Teresa Halbach in 2007. Celebrities have been raving about the series on social media - including Ricky Gervais suggesting it might be the most important series ever on Netflix - and hundreds of thousands of viewers have signed a petition for the pardon of the convicted pair.

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Steven Avery is serving a life sentence for the murder of Teresa Halbach

Now the Discovery channel is premiering a fresh documentary, 'The Steven Avery Story: Innocent or Guilty?' next weekend, promising fresh insight into the many unanswered questions, and to explore some of the critical details surrounding the case.

Steven Avery has been in jail since 2007, but lawyers on both sides of the case have come out freshly fighting their side since the series aired. While defence lawyers Dean Strang and Jerome Buting have claimed they've had fresh letters of advice from other lawyers, particularly over improved DNA techniques which could strengthen their case, the prosecutor in the original case, Ken Kratz, has been peddling a strange course, admitting he "was a dick" during the televised trial nearly a decade ago, and saying he now works as a defence attorney, with more in common with his previous adversaries.

'The Steven Avery Story: Innocent Or Guilty?' premieres on Saturday 30 January at 10pm on Investigation Discovery UK. Investigation Discovery is available on Sky 522, Virgin 253, BT TV 324.

9 Things Not In 'Making A Murderer' That You Need To Know About
Ken Kratz claims key evidence was deliberately left out of the series(01 of09)
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The prosecutor claims the makers of 'Making a Murderer' "don't want to muddy up a perfectly good conspiracy movie with what actually happened".He cites the testimony of one witness a who said victim Teresa Halbach told her Avery had once come to the door wearing just a towel. This evidence was dismissed by the court as the dates and details could not be determined.
Steven Avery's DNA was found on the bonnet of Halbach's car(02 of09)
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According Kratz, Avery's DNA was found on a swab taken from the hood of Halbach's car. The swab was taken five months after Avery was charged and also after investigators Fassbender and Wiegert had interviewed Brendan Dassey during which they themselves brought up the idea that Avery did something to the hood of the vehicle. (credit:Netflix)
Brendan Dassey told his mother that Steve "touched" him(03 of09)
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'Making a Murderer' omits a section where Brendan Dassey tells his mother in a phone call from jail that Avery touched him inappropriately. It should be noted however that this was during the time where Dassey was still purporting the story that he was involved in the murder was true. Read the full transcript of the conversation here. (credit:Netflix)
Two members of the jury had links to the Manitowoc County authorities(04 of09)
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The son of one male juror worked for the Manitowoc County Sheriff's Department while another man's wife was employed by Manitowoc County clerk of courts office. (credit:Bryce Duffy via Getty Images)
Kratz cites phonecalls made to Halbach as evidence he acted creepily towards her(05 of09)
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He said: "Phone records show three calls from Avery to Teresa's cell phone on Oct. 31. One at 2:24 [p.m.], and one at 2:35 – both calls Avery uses the *67 feature so Teresa doesn't know it him...both placed before she arrives."Then one last call at 4:35 p.m., without the *67 feature. Avery first believes he can simply say she never showed up…so tries to establish the alibi call after she's already been there, hence the 4:35 call. She will never answer of course, so he doesn't need the *67 feature for that last call."However the second episode of 'Making a Murderer' begins with a voicemail Halbach left Avery on the morning of her disappearance, asking him to call back.
Prosecutor Ken Kratz has been diagnosed with narcissistic personality disorder (06 of09)
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In the 2014 case against Kratz brought by the Office of Lawyer Regulation it is disclosed "he has been diagnosedwith and sought treatment for narcissistic personality disorder".The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders lists the symptoms of the disorder as..- Has a grandiose sense of self-importance (e.g., exaggerates achievements and talents, expects to be recognised as superior without commensurate achievements).- Is preoccupied with fantasies of unlimited success, power, brilliance, beauty, or ideal love.- Believes that he or she is “special” and unique and can only be understood by, or should associate with, other special or high-status people (or institutions).- Requires excessive admiration.- Has a sense of entitlement, i.e., unreasonable expectations of especially favourable treatment or automatic compliance with his or her expectations.- Is inter-personally exploitative, i.e., takes advantage of others to achieve his or her own ends.- Lacks empathy: is unwilling to recognise or identify with the feelings and needs of others.- Is often envious of others or believes that others are envious of him or her.- Shows arrogant, haughty behaviours or attitudes. (credit:Netflix)
Steve Avery had only recently bought the leg irons he was accused of using on Halbach(07 of09)
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Avery claimed he had bought them to use on his girlfriend and none of Halbach's DNA was found on them. (credit:Netflix)
The prosecution's DNA expert had the worse record in her lab(08 of09)
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Sherry Culhane was the DNA witness in Avery's 2007 trial and the original 1985 trial for which he was eventually exonerated. The defence raised her work record pointing out that of all the experts in the State Crime Lab in Madison, Culhane had the highest error rate.
Ken Kratz recently said there could be grounds for a retrial(09 of09)
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In an interview with TMZ on 4 January this year, the prosecutor said that if science can improve enough to prove blood found in Halbech's car was planted then that would be ground for a retrial.

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