MANITOWOC, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — Steven Avery will appeal a decision this week denying him a new trial or evidentiary hearing on his conviction for the murder of Teresa Halbach.
Avery is serving a life sentence for the 2005 murder of Halbach, a freelance photographer. Avery’s nephew Brendan Dassey was also convicted. Their cases received worldwide attention with the 2015 release of the Netflix series “Making A Murderer.”
Avery’s most recent motion focused on claims there is an alternate suspect actually responsible for Halbach’s murder. In the 31-page decision issued Tuesday, Sheboygan County Judge Angela Sutkiewicz recounts the various rulings in the case prior to this motion about possible other suspects in the case. She then reviews the statutory requirements for placing blame on alternate suspects, but says Avery does not meet those thresholds.
Notice of the appeal was filed Thursday.
Avery’s attorney, Kathleen Zellner, made two social media posts about the decision and next step:
Finally we are FREE to proceed to a HIGHER court!! Tomorrow we file the notice of appeal for Steven Avery. Onward! #TruthWins #MakingaMurderer
Notice of Appeal filed. No matter how long Wisconsin keeps dodging the TRUTH we will outlast them. That is a promise! #TruthWins
While the notice was filed in Manitowoc County, nothing has been filed with the Court of Appeals as of late Thursday afternoon.
Dassey has no appeals pending. His latest appeal was rejected by the U.S. Supreme Court in 2018.
