'Making A Murderer' documentary gets internet talking

Steven Avery has maintained his innocence since being convicted of Teresa Halbach's murder Credit: Free Steven Avery/ change.org

Warning: This article contains spoilers

A documentary series about a convicted murderer who had previously been wrongly jailed for rape has got people talking and led to viewers taking to social media to question the validity of the conviction.

"Making a Murderer", a ten-part Netflix docuseries, focuses on American convict Steven Avery who is currently serving a life sentence for the murder of a young American woman in Wisconsin 10 years ago in a crime that many viewers think doesn't add up.

Steven Avery pictured during his first time in prison, when he spent 18 years in jail on a wrongful conviction Credit: Making of a Murderer/Netflix

Now, a little after two weeks since the documentary was first available to view on the internet streaming service, hundreds of thousands of people have signed petitions calling for the US government to free Avery and for President Obama to pardon him for the crime.

The "Free Steven Avery" petition on change.org has clocked up over 150,000 signatures of support and a "Pardon Steven Avery" petition lodged on the White House website has clocked up more than 19,000 supporters.

Some viewers have turned online sleuths, with an area on Reddit dedicated to the series and the issues it raises.

Here we take a look at why the documentary - and the case it covers - is causing so much discussion.

  • Who is Steven Avery?

Steven Avery is a 53-year-old from Wisconsin who is currently serving a life sentence for the 2005 murder of 25-year-old photographer Teresa Halbach.

Avery's conviction for the murder was the subject of a high profile case that led to allegations of framing and police corruption and came just two years after his release from prison after serving 18 years behind bars following a wrongful rape conviction.

  • What was the case against Avery?

The case against Avery focused on evidence gathered by investigators during a police search for Teresa following her disappearance after being assigned to take photos at the Avery family's salvage yard.

Investigators said they found bones and teeth, along with Teresa's car, at the salvage yard and said tests showed blood subsequently found in the car matched that of Avery as did DNA found on a car key later discovered in the bedroom of his trailer.

Testimony from his nephew Brendan Dassey, who was also jailed for being a party to the murder, was also submitted in which he reportedly gave up his uncle.

The car salvage yard in Wisconsin where Steven Avery lived. Credit: Making of a Murderer/Netflix

  • Why do people think Avery is innocent?

Avery has always maintained his innocence in relation to Teresa's murder and claims of corruption have been implied by his lawyers as his arrest came at the same time he was pursuing a $36 million (£24 million) lawsuit against police after his previous wrongful imprisonment.

Lawyers have suggested that the bones that were found may have been moved from a different location and questions have been raised over the discovery of the car keys in Avery's bedroom, by one of the officers he had named in his lawsuit, only after previous searches missed them.

Avery's nephew Dassey, who was also jailed for being party to Teresa's murder and testified against his uncle, has also since come out and said his testimony was coerced.

  • What has been the reaction to "Making a Murderer"?

Twitter has been deluged with tweets talking about the show. Two well supported petitions have been set up calling for Avery's release.

Ricky Gervais is among the celebrities who have watched the documentary. Credit: Ricky Gervais/Twitter

  • What are those behind the petitions saying?

Hundreds of thousands of people are petitioning for Avery's release saying the case against him was flawed.

Michael Seyedian, who set up the "Free Steven Avery", petition said he was "outraged with the injustices which have been allowed to compound and left unchecked in the case of Steven Avery."

Credit: Free Steven Avery/change.org

And the Pardon Steven Avery petition states that the documentary shows the justice system has failed both Avery and his nephew Brendan Dassey.

  • What have people involved in the documentary had to say since it was released?

Former District Attorney of Calumet County, and prosecutor in the case Ken Kratz said key parts of the case were missed out in the documentary.

He said "80 to 90 per cent of the physical evidence" that tied Avery to the case was not presented in the show.

The documentary makers, Laura Ricciardi and Moira Demos, have responded to Kratz's accusations, saying that they had used what they felt was the strongest evidence from both sides of the case for the show.

Speaking to People magazine, the filmmakers added that while Kratz "is entitled to his own opinion, but he's not entitled to his own facts".

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