MAKING A MURDERER, Season 2 - Sir Peter Jackson Statement

Hi everyone,

If you’ve seen Season 2 of "Making a Murderer”, you’re probably as depressed as I am.

It’s not that Moira Demos and Laura Ricciardi didn’t make ten episodes of compelling, must-watch television. They did - and by following Steven Avery’s attorney, Kathleen Zellner, so closely, they have thrown a much stronger and more focussed spotlight on what actually happened to Teresa Halbach. By the end of the second series, the audience is left with the inescapable conclusion that the State of Wisconsin convicted Steven Avery and Brendan Dassey using falsified evidence and a coerced confession.

What I find depressing is the obvious culpability of at least four members of the Wisconsin law enforcement, along with their immediate superiors. At least six men, who all swore to protect and serve the people of Wisconsin, actively undermined the course of justice and are perfectly happy to see two innocent men rot in prison. What evil scum these men are.

But that’s not the most upsetting part of Making a Murderer, Season 2.

What defies belief is the way in which the State of Wisconsin, and in particular the Attorney General, are totally obsessed with keeping Brendan Dassey in prison for several more decades. This smirking Attorney General looks so damned pleased with himself and is using every means at his disposal, to keep an innocent young man behind bars for the next forty odd years.

The Wisconsin AG, Brian Schmit, or whatever the hell his name is, keeps evoking the concept of “justice for Teresa Halbach’s family” - yet he is destroying Brendan Dassey with the same ruthless, cold-hearted efficiency as the killer who took Teresa Halbach’s life.

What the hell has happened to justice?

If you haven’t seen Making a Murderer, Season 2 yet, please do - you will not believe what happens. Brendan Dassey’s attorneys, Professors Steve Drizin and Laura Nirider fight incredibly hard for Brendan and yet it becomes increasingly obvious that the principles of justice they argue in court, principles that are enshrined in the US constitution, will have no bearing on Brendan’s fate.

The Teresa Halbach murder investigation has now been sucked into a cesspit of corruption and self protection within the Wisconsin justice system.

One thing leads to another - by freeing Brendan Dassey and Steven Avery, Wisconsin would have to send five or six of it’s law enforcement officers into prison in their place, along with the real murderer. And that’s before they would have to pay Brendan and Stephen tens of millions of dollars in compensation.

How likely is their release?

Excuse my language, but Fuck these Bastards! Fuck Barry Smith - or whatever the hell his name is. We can’t sit back and let these arseholes destroy Brendan’s life. His legal options are very limited, and it’s going to be tough - but please contact the Center on Wrongful Convictions of Youth (CWCY), based at Northwestern Pritzker School of Law’s Bluhm Legal Clinic, and find out what you can do to help. Steve and Laura will welcome your support.

If you object to the way Brendan Dassey has been treated - now is the time to speak up. There needs to be a powerful wave of public protest that not even the corrupt core of Wisconsin law enforcement can withstand.

The Center on Wrongful Convictions of Youth is dedicated to representing people like Brendan, with the ultimate goal of reforming police interrogation tactics in order to reduce the risk of false and involuntary confessions in the future. This could happen to you or your loved ones. The only protection against it is to help Steve and Laura re-define the way that police can legally interview juveniles. And that will require us all to be very angry and demand change.

For more information on what you can do, and for ongoing updates about the case, please visit www.cwcy.org or follow them on Facebook. Feel free to contact the Law Communications department at Northwestern Pritzker School of Law at law-communications@law.northwestern.edu.

The MID-TERMS

I generally avoid getting into politics on my Facebook page, because … well, movies are supposed to be an escape from the depressing political echo chamber we find ourselves trapped in.

However, I’m making an exception today, because there will no doubt be some folk from Wisconsin who are reading this - and you will hopefully be voting in the mid-terms, which is just two days away.

Who you vote for is your business, but if you believe in the innocence of Brendan Dassey, then please take a moment to consider casting a strategic vote. A vote that could change Brendan’s life for the better.

It’s very clear that the current Wisconsin Attorney General has zero intention of ever releasing Brendan - regardless of the total lack of physical evidence connecting him to Teresa Halbach’s death. Current Attorney General Benji Schemmal (or whatever the hell his name is), is so fixated on ensuring that Brendan is never released, his zealotry, combined, with a seeming disinterest in administering genuine justice, is bordering on the sociopathic. In my opinion, the way he has twisted his state’s justice system into knots, just to keep an innocent young man behind bars is disgusting and reprehensible. It’s no exaggeration to say there is something deeply unpleasant and venal lurking behind Bruce's shining eyes.

Yesterday, I thought I’d see if this prick’s AG appointment is on the ticket on Tuesday … and sure enough, I found this:

"In the latest Marquette University Law School Poll just released Wednesday, incumbent Brady Schmack (or whatever the hell his name is) has a narrow 2% lead over challenger Josh Kaul. However, a large portion of that poll found voters don't know much about the candidates".

I have no interest in what political party these AG candidates belong to - and if you care about Brendan, neither should you. The United States could well see another 4 or 5 presidents pass through the White House before Brendan Dassey is even eligible for parole.

So let’s put politics aside, and be strategic about this.

I also have zero knowledge about what AG challenger Josh Kaul thinks about Brendan’s innocence - but whatever his attitude is, we can only assume he’s going to be a little more interested in the concept of Wisconsin administering fair and genuine justice, than the arsehole AG who currently spends a chunk of his state's budget on making nice gold coins for himself, designed to achieve nothing but to flatter his ego.

So if you live in Wisconsin …

… and if you believe in Brendan’s innocence …

… your strategic AG vote might be the best chance Brendan has of achieving a fair hearing.

So please ...

Give JOSH KAUL your vote for Attorney General.

Tick what ever name you wish for your House Representatives, for your Senators, for your Governor..

… but when you get to the Attorney General box, please tick the name Josh Kaul.

Come on, Wisconsin!

Vote JOSH KAUL for Attorney General!