Making a Murderer

It's this simple: once Steven Avery is accused of this murder,

and a lot of things... seem to clearly point to him having done it,

as much as you mentally want to give the benefit of the doubt to him,

it becomes impossible.

This is Action 2 News at five. Coverage you can count on.

Ironically, Steven Avery's arrest comes at the same time Governor Jim Doyle

plans to sign a sweeping criminal justice reform bill

inspired by Avery's wrongful conviction.

Two weeks ago, the bill passed unanimously

and Governor Doyle told me today he will sign it,

despite the pending murder charges against Avery.

I assume that the legislators who named this task force

probably wish they had a different name for it.

I just told the governor's office,

you know, you can actually just sign that behind closed doors, just get it done.

They made the Avery Bill so an innocent person

ain't gotta sit in jail for something they didn't do.

And their word ain't no good on it.

I was up there to all the meetings. They know me.

The should have some kind of respect to know what I'm like.

They just don't get what happened.

You know, they don't care about the truth.

Representative Mark Gundrum

says he's in utter shock over Avery's arrest.

It's just, it's kind of hard to grapple with

that somebody that shows emotions like that,

like a human being, could in fact be a monster.

We also learned today the deposition schedule for tomorrow

in Steven Avery's civil lawsuit against Manitowoc County had been canceled.

The transformation from Steven Avery

as wronged victim of a miscarriage of justice

to Steven Avery, the horrendous murderer

of an innocent young woman... was breathtaking.

It left me stunned.

The absence of any serious commentary

that the presumption of innocence that he enjoys may, in fact, be valid.

That there should not be a rush to judgment.

I thought it was just awesome how endangered he is as an accused.

- What are you gonna present today? - Uh, no comment.

Is he gonna wait or go ahead with his prelim?

We're gonna have a prelim.

- Watch out. - I'm sorry? I missed that.

- We're having a prelim today. Yes. - OK. Are you confident about the case?

As confident as I can be at this point.

We still have a lot of information to gather, so...

Thanks.

Would you guys put up your property as bond?

Are you willing to risk everything that you have?

Yes, we are.

Mr. Avery? Have you talked to him on the phone?

Have you said anything to him?

Wait right here, OK?

All rise.

You may be seated.

At this time, the court calls State of Wisconsin v. Steven A. Avery.

These matters are scheduled for a preliminary examination this afternoon.

Mr. Kratz, you may call your first witness.

Ms. Sturm, when you came across a RAV4 at the Avery Auto Salvage,

can you tell us what you saw and what you thought?

Well, it was so unusual because there were branches leaning up against this vehicle.

So I went around to the back and it says "RAV4" on it, Toyota, and it...

I just... I thought,

"Well, yeah, it's gotta be that car."

From the eight feet south of that burn pit,

I could clearly see that there was some bone matter

located around the debris pile.

And then I walked over and took a closer look at the charred debris

and there was quite a bit of bone matter

intertwined within the steel belts of burned tires and so forth.

At one point, we found a key that appeared to be from a Toyota vehicle.

It was on the floor when we found it,

next to a cabinet that Lieutenant Lenk and Sergeant Colborn had been searching.

All right. And Lieutenant Lenk and Sergeant Colborn

are officers of Calumet County?

- Uh, no, Manitowoc County. - Manitowoc County.

And as far as you know, no one saw this key until November 8th, is that right?

Correct.

And those slippers were moved before the key was seen?

Yes.

And the first time they were moved, nobody saw the key?

The key wasn't there the first time they were moved.

And when you saw it there, it was sitting out there in plain view

right on the floor, is that right?

It was actually Lieutenant Lenk that saw the key first.

He pointed to the floor and said, "There's a key there."

The profile developed from the buckle swabs that were taken from Steven Avery

was consistent with the DNA profile that I developed from both the Toyota key

and the apparent blood stains that were taken from the ignition.

Nothing further.

All right, the witness is excused.

We'll take our afternoon break at this time.

It's my belief, having attended the preliminary hearing,

that there's a tremendous opportunity to present a real and substantial defense.

But he would need a lot of money to put up the kind of defense

that should be put up in this criminal case.

Based on the evidence presented,

the court is going to determine that there's probable cause

to believe that a felony has been committed.

We are adjourned for today.

Mrs. Avery, I'm Angenette from Channel 5.

- We just wanted to ask you... - My son is innocent.

- What's the matter with you? - Ma'am, can you please tell us about that?

In spite of all the evidence today?

You know, he's denying this.

He certainly has to blame it on someone else.

Why not... I mean... He chooses the Manitowoc County police.

I don't believe that one bit. Um...

All the evidence I know about and the evidence, other evidence,

that was presented today obviously are leading to him.

Today, the Halbach family came face-to-face with Steven Avery,

the man accused of killing their beloved Teresa.

Steven Avery remains in the Calumet County jail on a $500,000 cash bond.

If convicted of these charges,

Steven Avery will spend the rest of his life in prison.

They got two weeks to get me out.

- Who does? - Anybody.

If I ain't out, it's over.

Now you're talking stupid again.

No, I'm giving myself two weeks.

- Don't act so stupid! - You watch me.

- What? - It's over.

- Don't get strange. - I ain't strange.

'Cause I'm sick of this world. I'm sick of suffering.

You know, better days are coming. Just...

No, there ain't no better days coming.

Yeah, there is.

No, there could be worse days coming.

- Just hold on and... - I'm gonna hold on. Two weeks.

...you'll be out. 'Cause I'm putting the business up.

That's more than your bail, even.

That should've been put up a long time ago, then.

I told you, I'm sick of this.

I know you're going through hell,

but... settle down and settle the mind down.

- We won't give up on this side. - I'm giving up on this side.

You don't give up on your side, either.

Well, then you gotta put your ass in gear, then.

We're trying, Steve, so you just gotta hang in there and whatnot.

They're gonna win anyway.

No, they're not.

Poor people lose. Poor people lose all the time.

Yeah, I don't know.

- Well, I'll put Ma back on here now. - All right.

Now don't talk stupid. You're innocent. What's the matter with you?

- I know. But so what? - I'll give you a "so what."

I'll hit you right on your nose through the phone.

Yeah? Come on, then.

- There. Now I hurt my finger. - Yeah.

Critical evidence builds the case against Steven Avery.

We're live with how DNA leaves little doubt about the fate of Teresa Halbach.

State Senator Alan Lasee introduced an advisory referendum

that would let voters decide if the death penalty should be brought back.

Every statement he makes to the press, to the media, will be taken apart.

These are the Easter cards Steven Avery sent

to his four children in 1988.

He asked for kisses, then threatens to kill his ex-wife.

Just another side to this man's seemingly split personality.

"Steven Avery is a murderer. May your entire family rot in hell. Bastard."

That's just one of the letters that we get.

Well, this one was real nasty.

This one says "Steven Avery is a killer. Please tell his mother to shut her mouth.

The public does not want to hear it."

It seems to me right now that he's getting treated just like a dog

or anything else that's cooped up.

But... who am I to say? Who am I?

I think they ought to just leave him out

and let us go on with our lives and leave us alone.

They can have the money.

You know, if it's 'cause of all that money.

I'll give that money up.

As long as they let me alone.

I want my freedom, and I want to get married again.

Money ain't nothing, you know, if I can't live it.

I pray the media, the people that said, "Find him guilty," think about that.

Why would he do it?

Don't people see this?

He had his whole life ahead of him.

Spent 20 years in prison trying to get out.

Parents trying to get you out. You get out.

You got a big smile on your face.

You're walking out. You're happy.

To put the handcuffs back on you?

No. No.

Something... Something is terribly wrong there.

Something is terribly wrong.

They don't care.

They'll take an innocent man and make him guilty,

and that's what they're doing right now.

We went through this... 20 years ago.

And we're going through it now again.

I really do think he was framed. You know?

There's a lot that points to where the Sheriff's Department

could've had something to do with it.

And then I don't know if it's true or not,

but I also heard that Manitowoc County was not supposed to be allowed in to search

and they were in there and they searched.

And that's who found the key apparently after the third day

was the Manitowoc County Sheriff's Department.

So I mean, none of it, like I said, none of it really adds up.

I only have one word, from the cops on up: corruption.