'Making a Murderer' subject pleas for release in handwritten note
Brendan Dassey, the man convicted of rape and murder when he was 16 years old, has sent a handwritten note to Wisconsin's governor requesting a pardon.
His case was documented in the 2015 American true-crime documentary Netflix series “Making a Murderer.” The series recounted the story of now Dassey, now 29, and his uncle Steve Avery who are now serving life sentences for the infamous slaying of Wisconsin photographer Teresa Halbach in 2005. The documentary, which surged in popularity following its initial release, sparked conjecture about the pair’s innocence. Avery insists police framed him while Dassey argued detectives coerced him into confessing that he helped Avery rape and kill Halbach.
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The documentary won Avery and Dassey legions of fans demanding their release with advocates launching yet another formal attempt to free Dassey just this week -- the same time as Dassey's request.
In his note to Gov. Tony Evers, Dassey said he should be pardoned because he’s innocent and wants to go home. He says he enjoys Pokemon and hamburgers. He drew two hearts on the note with the word “hugs” in one and “love” in the other.
Attorney Laura Nirider says she hopes Evers takes a serious look at this case even though Evers has said he will only consider pardons for people who have completed their prison sentences.
This latest development comes after a possible revelation in the case. In September, an unnamed Wisconsin man, who is already in prison for a separate slaying, reportedly admitted he was responsible Halbach's death, according to Newsweek.
The director of the upcoming separate true-crime series “Convicting a Murderer,” Shawn Rech, told Newsweek the reported confession allegedly came during a taped interview. Rech said at this time, the legitimacy is still unconfirmed but he can confirm the confession did not come from Dassey or Avery.
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After the documentary was released in December 2015, the streaming service reported that U.S. revenue rose from the following January to March 18 percent year-over-year, reflecting 14 percent growth in average paid memberships.
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The number of new subscribers amounted to a record 6.74 million during those three months, surpassing their prior high water mark of 5.59 million, according to the company which cited the late December debut of “Making a Murderer” as being in part the reason.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.