‘Making a Murderer’ Lawyer Writing Book About ‘Dysfunctional’ Legal System
Making a Murderer fans will have something to read while they await a second season of the Netflix series as Jerry Buting, one of Steven Avery’s defense lawyers during the murder trial, announced Monday that he is working on a book about the case and his career.
Publishing company HarperCollins confirmed to The Associated Press that they have agreed to a deal with Buting for a book that will arrive in 2017. Buting’s tome will focus on his 35-year career as a lawyer and the “dysfunction” of the criminal justice system, which would include his first-person look at the Avery murder trial.
Buting isn’t the only person involved in to the controversial murder trial to share their personal take on the Avery case: Former Calumet County, Wisconsin district attorney Ken Kratz, who prosecuted Avery in the 2005 murder of Teresa Halbach, is also working on his own book.
Kratz accused the filmmakers behind Making a Murderer of leaving out key pieces of evidence and skewing the footage to cast doubt on Avery’s conviction. “I believe somebody needs to stand up for the cops, the courts, and the victim by telling the truth and setting forth the vast amount of evidence proving Avery’s guilt beyond a shadow of a doubt,” Kratz said in January of his book.
However, in a video interview with Rolling Stone, Buting dismissed Kratz’s issues with Making a Murderer. “Mr. Kratz has complained that big portions of the state’s case were left out of the documentary,” Buting said. “First of all, that’s not true; the majority of their arguments were presented. But there are also defense arguments and defense evidence that wasn’t covered.”
In addition to the book, Buting and Dean Strang, Avery’s other attorney during the murder trial, have plotted a speaking tour where they will host a Q&A session regarding the Netflix documentary series and the criminal justice system.