Final Project

  • New witness

    New witness
    According to an article posted on April 12, 2021, a new witness came forward to Kathleen Zellner alleging he saw Theresa Halbach’s vehicle planted at the Avery salvage yard after her murder. According to Zellner, this new evidence points to Bobby Dassey as being involved in the murder and framing Avery. Link
  • Motion denied

    Motion denied
    In July of 2021, Kathleen Zellner filed a motion for a new trial for Steven Avery which ended up being denied. The appeals court who denied this request states that Avery is not entitled to an evidentiary hearing. After getting this denial, Zellner stated that she will continue to fight for Avery’s freedom. Link
  • Wisconsin Supreme Court

    After the filming of “Making a Murderer”, Kathleen Zellner tried to get the Wisconsin Supreme Court to review Avery’s case, but they denied it. Zellner requested that the state’s highest court review the case after the state appeals court ruled against them. Link
  • Clemency request for Brendan Dassey

    On March 2, 2022, Brendan Dassey’s lawyers reached out to Wisconsin Governor Evers to grant clemency to Dassey. The letter they sent to the Governor consisted of the injustices that occurred in Dassey’s case and urged the Governor to lessen his sentence -- the first petition for clemency was back in 2019 and it was denied; this clemency request was denied as well. Link
  • Letter to Wisconsin Lawmakers from Steven Avery

    Avery wrote a letter to Wisconsin lawmakers mentioning the issues that happened to him throughout his trial and incarceration; He states that the Justice system is broken and he wants to see it fixed. He also mentions how his lawyers before Zellner did not do their job and did not listen to him which is why he is now in prison. Link
  • Maximum security to medium security

    Maximum security to medium security
    In June of 2022, Avery was moved from maximum security to a medium security prison upon Kathleen Zellner’s request -- he was moved from Waupun Correctional Institution to Fox Lake Correctional Institution. Brendan Dassey was moved from maximum to medium three years prior. Link
  • Third request for new trial

    On August 16th 2022, Kathleen Zellner requested a new trial for the third time stating that Avery’s conviction and sentence should be reversed because real evidence was never tried at the beginning. She uses new evidence such as a newly discovered recording of a phone call that was never provided to Avery’s trial attorneys at the beginning of trial. Link
  • Ryan Hillegas

    During the “Making a Murderer” documentary, Kathleen Zellner initially claimed that Theresa Halbach’s ex-boyfriend, Ryan Hillegas, had something to do with the murder and planted Halbach’s vehicle. She has since abandoned that theory as of August 17th 2022. Link
  • Post-conviction motion

    Post-conviction motion
    In August of 2022, Kathleen Zellner filed a post-conviction motion which continued to argue that Avery was framed and is innocent and someone else is responsible for Halbach’s murder. On November 23, 2022, the State denied the motion saying that motion was flawed. Link
  • Denial for evidentiary hearing

    On November 23rd 2022, Wisconsin State asked the Judge to deny Avery’s request for an evidentiary hearing due to “new and compelling evidence”. Link