The 26-year-old, alongside his uncle Steven Avery, were jailed in 2007 for his part in the 2005 killing of Teresa Hallbach.
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In his order on Friday, Federal magistrate judge William E. Duffin wrote that “investigators repeatedly claimed to already know what happened on October 31 and assured Dassey that he had nothing to worry about”.
January 29, 2007: A judge dismisses sexual assault and kidnapping charges against Avery because Dassey may not testify at his trial.
In its report on the ruling, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel noted that Duffin “was highly critical of investigators, Dassey’s pretrial attorney and the state courts on how they handled the case, concluding that Dassey’s constitutional rights were violated”.
October 31, 2005: Teresa Halbach, 25, of St. John in Calumet County, a photographer for Auto Trader Magazine, goes to Avery’s Auto Salvage near Mishicot to photograph a minivan for sale by Steven Avery’s sister.
A statement from Avery’s legal team said: ‘We are thrilled for Brendan Dassey that his conviction has been overturned. The petition is meant to request a federal judge to investigate the legality of Dassey’s arrest and conviction. A federal judge in Wisconsin overturned Dassey’s conviction and life sentence from prison within 90 days. “Crucial details evolved through repeated leading and suggestive questioning and generally stopped changing only after the investigators, in some manner, indicated to Dassey that he finally gave the answer they were looking for”. “And it’s justice for anyone who cares about the truth in this case”.
However, while Avery was said to be “happy” for his nephew, the court order does not affect his case, which gained worldwide attention through the hit Netflix doxumentary.
The decision represents the critical moment in the sequel. the payoff for millions who watched the first installment in outrage as Brendan and co-defendant Steven Avery were convicted.
“We know when an unbiased court reviews all of the new evidence we have, Steven will have his conviction overturned as well”, Zellner said.
“The kid’s confession was not entered into evidence against Avery, and I don’t think it impacted Avery’s trial at all”, Friedberg said. “As we have done for the past 10 years, we will continue to document the story as it unfolds, and follow it wherever it may lead”.
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The next day, 16-year-old Brendan Dassey is questioned by county investigators.
