The hit Netflix series "Making a Murderer" first aired in December 2015, and has both captivated and polarized the world. Debates rage on, both in person and on social media, regarding the guilt or innocence of Steven Avery and Brendan Dassey in the 2005 murder of photographer Teresa Halbach. Most people familiar with the case fall into one of two camps. You are either a guilter, or you are a truther. Both sides agree on just one thing -- that the death of Teresa Haibach was a tragic, terrible thing. Beyond that, there is very little that the two groups can agree on.
The docu-series made many aware of the case, but very few of the supporters of Avery/Dassey based their opinion on the docu-series alone. Many hours have been dedicated to research, reading of court transcripts, and reading articles and books written by both camps. With research comes transparency, and supporters want people to know what they have found, and why they believe in the innocence of the two convicted men.
'An American tragedy'
Avery/Dassey supporter Scott Burton didn't want to believe that law enforcement or officials from the district attorney's office would stoop to the level of planting evidence. A very vocal supporter of law enforcement, he applied for, and was offered a position with a local police department in Arizona, before ultimately deciding to join the military.
When I asked what convinced him during a Facebook Messenger interview, Mr. Burton replied: “The mountain of evidence against the integrity of the Wisconsin district attorney. How they continue to state things proven false such as blood on the bullet.” Burton stated that he was not immediately convinced of the innocence of the two men, but now is very moved by their plight.
He went on to say, “This is an American tragedy. It should scare all of us, the lengths and the amount of effort that law enforcement will go through to avoid having a light shone on them.” Burton, like many others, now believes that Manitowoc framed the men to avoid paying out the wrongful conviction lawsuit filed by Steven Avery for his 1985 rape conviction and incarceration.
Scott Burton is not the only person that feels this way. Many seem to believe that the focus was on Avery strictly because of the lawsuit. Most supporters feel that the death of an innocent woman was used to bail Manitowoc out of what looked to be a very costly mistake. People all over social media have been quick to point out that there was no serious inquiry into Ms. Halbach's ex-boyfriend, current roommate, or other acquaintances. They note that Avery was treated like a murder suspect before it was even confirmed that there had been a murder at all.
'On delicate ground'
Another supporter that asked to not be named has a different take on Steven Avery, but still believes in his innocence. As I sat and spoke with her on the phone, she stated that she feels that Avery is not a good person in general, but “Being a scumbag doesn't make him a killer.
I'm on delicate ground here, because I irritate guilters and truthers both. I can see, just based on what kind of person he is, why the police would look at Steve. But it's obvious that they planted evidence, they were out to nail him from the start. He didn't get a fair trial, not in the media or the courtroom.”
More disturbing to her than Avery's conviction is the conviction of Brendan Dassey. She, like many many others, believes that Dassey was manipulated into saying what the police wanted him to say. “Our system failed that poor boy, and I don't know how those people sleep at night anymore.”
These supporters, or truthers if you will, come from all walks of life. One Facebook page has almost 25,000 members.
Among them are lawyers, doctors, business owners, shop keepers, authors, musicians, retirees, IT specialists, teachers, and fast food workers. Everyday people, living every day lives, united in one common cause. They want to find the truth of what happened to Teresa Halbach. They want justice for her, and the men convicted of her murder. They have a voice, and it wants to be heard.
