Three months after Steven Avery’s lawyer, Kathleen Zellner, announced that she had a plan to overturn his 2007 conviction, there has been a significant breakthrough.
USA Today Network-Wisconsin are reporting that an agreement to start independent scientific testing on several critical pieces of evidence has been signed.
The evidence that will be tested includes a vial of blood that’s said to be a sample of Avery’s own blood.
As told in the Netflix documentary ‘Making A Murderer’, Avery was sentenced to life in prison after being convicted of first-degree intentional homicide in the 2005 death of photographer Teresa Halbach in Manitowoc County.
Zellner has spoken about what looks like it could be a very encouraging development, revealing that Avery is now looking forward to a ‘Happy Thanksgiving’ after serving the best part of three decades behind bars.
Our judge just signed stipulation and order for the scientific testing to proceed in Steven Avery case. AG worked w/us.#MakingAMurderer
— Kathleen Zellner (@ZellnerLaw) November 23, 2016
Judge just entered order for scientific testing to proceed. Steven Avery says "it will be a Happy Thanksgiving after all." #MakingAMurderer
— Kathleen Zellner (@ZellnerLaw) November 23, 2016
The news comes as Brendan Dassey, Avery’s nephew, saw his potential release from prison blocked by a US federal court.
Dassey had been handed a life sentence in relation to the death of journalist Teresa Halbach – the crime for which Avery was also imprisoned in 2007 – but his conviction was overturned this year after a judge ruled that his confession was involuntary due to a parent or adult not being present with him at the time.