The attorney who was hired to represent “Making a Murderer” subject Steven Avery on Friday says there’s “new evidence” to present, and that she’s “confident” that Avery’s murder conviction will be overturned.
In a statement provided to TheWrap, Illinois-based attorney Kathleen Zellner said, “We are continuing to examine every aspect of Mr. Avery’s case and all of his legal options. We are confident Mr. Avery’s conviction will be vacated when we present the new evidence and results of our work to the appropriate court.”
Wisconsin resident Avery is currently in prison for the murder of photographer Teresa Halbach. He continues to maintain his innocence, and the case has gained worldwide attention since the December premiere of the Netflix documentary series “Making a Murderer.”
Attorney Dean Strang, who represented Avery during his murder trial, told TheWrap on Friday that a “mass” of potential new evidence has emerged since the “Making a Murderer” premiere. Strang cited “leads, ideas [and] possibilities that have arrived in a mass from emails and calls since the film came out.”
Avery was convicted of killing Halbach after spending 18 years in prison for a rape of which he was ultimately cleared. Since the “Making a Murderer” debut, public support for Avery’s release has swelled. A White House petition calling for President Obama to pardon Avery amassed more than 100,000 signatures, enough to qualify for a White House review, though the administration ultimately said Obama can’t pardon Avery because his was a state conviction.
Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker has also signaled his intention not to pardon Avery.
Zellner’s firm specializes in reversing wrongful convictions. Her clients have included Joseph H. Burrows, who was sentenced to death for the murder of Illinois farmer William E. Dulin before being exonerated.