Dassey has served 13 years of a life sentence following conviction for aiding in the murder of photographer Teresa Halbach
Netflix
Brenda Dassey, one of the subjects of the Netflix documentary series “Making a Murderer,” has been denied clemency after serving 13 years of a life sentence in prison following conviction for aiding in the murder of Teresa Halbach.
This week, Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers rejected a request for a reprieve made by Dassey’s legal team in October that included an audio interview with Dassey for a podcast about wrongful convictions. In addition to a petition that was signed by tens of thousands of supporters, the legal team also submitted an open letter to the governor that included the signatures of hundreds of legal and psychological experts, former police officials, and prosecutors and clemency experts, Dassey lawyer Laura Nirider told The New York Times on Saturday.
In an unsigned letter dated Dec. 17, the governor’s pardon advisory board wrote that Dassey was ineligible for clemency and that the governor would not consider any commutations.
“Specifically,” the letter says, “you are currently ineligible because: It has not been at least five (5) years since you completed your entire sentence for the conviction you want to be pardoned; You are currently required to register as a sex offender under Wis. Stat. § 301.45.”
Dassey was 16 when he confessed to aiding his uncle Steven Avery in killing Halbach. However, his attorneys have since seen it as a coerced confession given Dassey’s learning disabilities. At the time of the interrogation, no lawyers or other adults were present. The Netflix series “Making a Murderer” chronicled the trials and convictions of both him and his uncle, Steven Avery.
In December 2018, the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals decided that Dassey’s confession was voluntary. It was a tight vote, however, with a 4-3 outcome. Lower courts ruled that Dassey’s confession was involuntary. In June of last year, the Supreme Court of the United States declined to hear his case, but no reason was given. Dassey is currently serving a life sentence. At this time, Dassey is not eligible for parole until 2048, when he would be 59 years old.
Finished 'Making a Murderer'? 9 More Infuriating Documentaries Streaming on Netflix (Video)
- Before we go any further, we have to make sure: You’ve seen “Making a Murderer,” right? If the answer is “no,” then what are you waiting for? Watch the trailer to get an idea of what all the hype is about.
- “The Central Park Five” (2012): Documentarian Ken Burns examines the 1989 case of five black and Latino teenagers who were convicted of raping a white woman in Central Park, and spent between six and 13 years in prison before a serial rapist confessed. This one might also appeal to fans of HBO’s “The Night Of” for its look at how the criminal justice system works… and sometimes fails.
- “The True Cost” (2015): This deep dive into the fashion industry not only exposes the deadly cost of cheap clothing, it shows just how little executives at some of the most successful companies capitalizing on foreign labor care about it. Even more upsetting, though, is the uphill and seemingly hopeless battle workers in poor countries are facing for working conditions Americans take for granted.
- “The Race to Nowhere” (2010): Remember what it was like to be a kid without any responsibilities? Lucky you, because this documentary exposes a sad reality that grade-school students across the country are bombarded with so much homework and pressure to prepare for college before they even hit high school that they’re already as stressed out as working adults. And some of them end up taking their own lives as a result.
- “Kids for Cash” (2013): Prepare to be even more disgusted with the criminal justice system, as this film details the disturbing decision of a once-celebrated judge to sentence kids to outrageously long juvenile detention sentences in exchange for money from the private company building the detention center.
- “Divorce Corp.” (2014): As if the criminal justice system hasn’t failed enough Americans, this documentary makes family law seem downright criminal. After watching this terrifying exposé on how the big business of divorce ruins the lives of parents and children caught in the crossfire, you’ll think twice about ever popping the question.
- “The Farm: Life Inside Angola Prison” (1998): This doc chronicles the lives of several inmates inside the nation’s largest prison. While some of them were guilty of their crime, it’s heartbreaking to see one who swears he’s innocent show a parole board evidence to support his claim, only to have them promptly disregard it.
- “Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father” (2008): This heartbreaking film focuses on an unbelievable custody battle between a murdered man’s parents and the ex-girlfriend who took their son’s life, while pregnant with their grandchild. One would think this strange scenario would be an easy decision for a judge, but get ready to get angry.
- “Fed Up” (2014): The tragedy Katie Couric’s voiceover presents in this documentary isn’t just that both the government and food industry place profit above public health, it’s the realization that even those parents who are actually concerned about their children’s poor diet have no idea how to eat healthy themselves.
- “How to Survive a Plague” (2012): This Oscar-nominated documentary will make your blood boil when you see how the American government and members of the medical community turned their backs on homosexuals and HIV patients during the AIDS epidemic of the 1980s. Thanks to the tireless efforts of groups like ACT UP and TAG, the country has made substantial progress on the issue, but remember this battle when society inevitably finds another population to stigmatize and stand up before it’s too late.
The best documentaries are enlightening, infuriating and sometimes even frightening — “Making a Murderer” certainly was. But if you’ve finished all 10 episodes of the true-crime saga, check out these docs currently streaming
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