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‘Making a Murderer’ Directors: Steven Avery Is Not ‘Guilty Beyond a Reasonable Doubt’

On his side. The creators of Making a Murderer don’t believe that Steven Avery is guilty beyond a reasonable doubt for the 2005 murder of photographer Teresa Halbach. Laura Ricciardi and Moira Demos opened up about their Netflix series during an appearance on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert on Tuesday, January 12.

“I would say, in my opinion, not guilty,” Ricciardi told the host.

Demos added, “There are things that say he could be guilty, but is he guilty beyond a reasonable doubt? Nothing I’ve seen, and I’ve seen a lot of stuff, nothing has convinced me of that.”

Steven Avery is escorted to the Manitowoc County Courthouse for his sentencing on June 1, 2007, in Manitowoc, Wisconsin.
Steven Avery is escorted to the Manitowoc County Courthouse for his sentencing on June 1, 2007, in Manitowoc, Wisconsin.

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Making a Murderer details Avery’s 30-year battle with the Manitowoc County, Wisconsin, police department. Prior to Halbach’s disappearance and murder, Avery, now 53, was wrongfully convicted for sexual assault and put behind bars for 18 years. In 2005 — just two years after his release — he was accused of murdering Halbach, and is currently serving a life sentence. Manitowoc County authorities also handled his second case, leading many to believe that they tampered with evidence to put Avery behind bars.

The filmmakers spent 10 years creating the 10-part series. They believe that “no winners” have come from the process, but they are hopeful that viewers will look at the justice system a bit differently now.

Moira Demos and Laura Ricciardi film
Moira Demos and Laura Ricciardi film “Making a Murderer.”

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“What we hope to achieve by sharing this story with as many people as we can is to engage Americans, and get people to feel responsibility and understand their own agency here,” Ricciardi said on Tuesday. “For instance, if we see someone in a perp walk on television, we can check ourselves and reserve judgment about that person, because at that point that person stands accused, has not been proven guilty.”

As previously reported, the documentary has landed Avery a new lawyer. According to The Wrap, Kathleen Zellner plans to present new evidence to the court to exonerate him once again.

Watch their interview in the video above.

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