Trial by social media: Steven Avery's defence lawyer takes the case to Twitter to reveal new facts
Netflix documentary series ‘Making a Murderer’ stimulated a tidal wave of discussion in the news and online since its release late last year with viewers continuing to speculate whether the jailed Steven Avery was indeed the real killer.
making a murderer
Theories fuelled by unanswered questions from the trial dominated social media in the weeks following the premier of the 10-part series.
Similar to the Serial podcast which documented the case of Adnan Syed, who was jailed for the murder of his ex-girlfriend amid ‘questionable’ evidence, Avery’s case looks set to continue to feature in social media amid the possibility of new evidence or a retrial.
One of the obvious dangers of the immense popularity of an ongoing criminal case is that it will influence those chosen to be part of the jury.
Since the show was made available on Netflix many news stories have revealed evidence which was left out of the trail, casting doubt over the documentary’s position that Avery was clearly not guilty.
Social media will undoubtedly influence any retrial which might take place, it is now a court of judgement in and of itself and defence attorney for Avery, Kathleen Zellner, appears to understand the pearls of this.
The Chicago-based lawyer took over the case in January, joined by Tricia Bushnell of the Midwest Innocence Project , and has taken the case to Twitter, highlighting what she sees as major flaws in the prosecution’s case.
The first of many tweets raises the inconsistencies of the forensic evidence: (note SA = Steven Avery, TH = Teresa Halbach).
RAV4: no mix SA & TH DNA, no SA prints but skin cells on latch/blood in car. So SA gloves had holes or planters did not. #MakingAMurderer
— Kathleen Zellner (@ZellnerLaw) February 4, 2016
She touches on the fact that Teresa’s DNA isn’t on her own key:
That special RAV4 key only absorbs DNA of Plaintiff in civil rights suit against MC not owner's. Magic #MakingAMurderer — Kathleen Zellner (@ZellnerLaw) February 4, 2016
Zellner questions why there would be blood in the RAV4 if she was only moved from Steven’s trailer to the burn pit:
TH throat cut (- blood) Head shot (- spatter) But RAV4 has her blood -so she was put in car & driven 20 ft to burn pit? #MakingAMurderer
— Kathleen Zellner (@ZellnerLaw) February 17, 2016
If SA the killer why burn body just use crusher. SA crushes another car -11/3 so had access--clearly killer did not.#MakingAMurderer #Clues — Kathleen Zellner (@ZellnerLaw) February 19, 2016
Police reports: Others lie but cops turn a blind eye. "The killer (devil) is in the detail" #Eyeswideshut#MakingAMurderer
— Kathleen Zellner (@ZellnerLaw) February 16, 2016
Fassbender first suggested to BD that SA improperly touched.Allows BD to justify false confession-frame & defame#Factbender #MakingAMurderer — Kathleen Zellner (@ZellnerLaw) February 13, 2016
(Note BD = Brendan Dassey).
28 yrs: SA wrongly convicted of others crimes/wrongly accused of crimes that never happened. Poor+ disabled= disposable.#MakingAMurderer
— Kathleen Zellner (@ZellnerLaw) February 13, 2016
Theresa's car was locked when it was found. Killers don't do that-- preserves the evidence. Kinda obvious who locked.#MakingAMurderer — Kathleen Zellner (@ZellnerLaw) February 11, 2016
Killer would not reduce body to bone fragments to destroy evidence but leave car intact w/his blood. #MakingAMurderer
— Kathleen Zellner (@ZellnerLaw) February 19, 2016
Tunnel vision clear in TH case. No DNA taken except from SA family. No need to take DNA from others when planted. #MakingAMurderer — Kathleen Zellner (@ZellnerLaw) February 10, 2016
Police reports: Only SA suspect but BIG RED FLAGS on others. Must have to do w/BIG GREEN DOLLARS. #MakingAMurderer pic.twitter.com/mrAqjI53Kd
— Kathleen Zellner (@ZellnerLaw) February 8, 2016
Forensic Testing for SA was rudimentary & poorly done. Consulting w/best scientists in world. Luminol has no role. #MakingAMurderer — Kathleen Zellner (@ZellnerLaw) February 6, 2016
Fifth trip to Steven Avery. Collected samples for new tests. The inevitable is coming--he was smiling so were we. #MakingAMurderer #Science+
— Kathleen Zellner (@ZellnerLaw) February 20, 2016
Third visit WCC: SA thrilled about chance of new forensic testing--like innocent men always are.#MakingAMurderer pic.twitter.com/7p2JwaJoYt — Kathleen Zellner (@ZellnerLaw) January 29, 2016
Visit w/Steven Avery at Waupon CC. He is identical to the other 17 innocent men we've cleared. Won't quit until he's out. #MakingAMurderer
— Kathleen Zellner (@ZellnerLaw) January 12, 2016
Zellner also claimed that seven of her tweets about the case had been unexplainably deleted. Below are the seven deleted tweets.
Struck a nerve re planted evidence/Kratz book bc 7 of KZ tweets GONE. Kind of like TH's DNA on key #MakingAMurderer pic.twitter.com/KIWcmpeFIA — Kathleen Zellner (@ZellnerLaw) January 30, 2016
One of these tweets included a copy of a letter from prosecutor Ken Kratz to Steven Avery in which he implores Avery to admit his guilt so that Kratz can write a book on the case.
For those of you who believe the truth cannot be deleted--here is 1 of deleted tweets.#MakingAMurderer pic.twitter.com/t0nSUi2gJz
— Kathleen Zellner (@ZellnerLaw) February 3, 2016
As well as discrediting the prosecution, Zellner also tells TheLipTV that the identity of Halbach’s killer is “fairly obvious if you review the record of the criminal case”.