Watch ‘Making a Murderer’ Lawyers Defend Arguments
Since true crime docu-series Making a Murderer hit Netflix in mid-December, many viewers have walked away convinced its central character – Wisconsin native Steven Avery, who was convicted of murder in 2005 – was framed by local law enforcement. Former prosecutor Ken Kratz and defense attorney Dean Strang joined Fox News’ Megyn Kelly for interview segments on Tuesday night, defending their respective cases – including material left out of the 10-part series.
Kratz held steady to his position about Avery’s non-blood DNA found under the hood of a car belonging to the victim, Teresa Halbach, emphasizing that the defense’s DNA theory rested on a vial of blood.
Kelly fired back, saying, “Your theory is that they raped her, stabbed her either in the bedroom or the garage, but somewhere on the property, and there was no trace blood evidence,” Kelly asked. “These two guys were such brilliant criminals that they managed to clean up all the blood evidence from shooting her and stabbing her, and people don’t find that plausible.”
“Brendan Dassey, in part of his three-and-a-half-hour confession that the documentary didn’t allow the viewers to see, talks about taking bleach – a good bit of bleach – and cleaning up the area where the shooting occurred,” Kratz responded. “Bleach is one of the only things that destroys or kills DNA. He and Uncle Steven were cleaning that up. In fact, Brendan turned over to the police and we recovered his bleach-stained jeans he was wearing that day.”
Kratz also got an opportunity to defend himself against the scandal that ruined his career as a DA years earlier, blaming his lewd text messages on prescription drug abuse – however, he maintains that 2009 incident shouldn’t be considered a blemish on his prosecution in the Avery case.
Strang maintained his defense that Halbach’s bones found in Avery’s yard “were moved there,” saying, “The body was not burned there. That was the stronger part of the evidence, and indeed the jury acquitted him of mutilating her corpse.”
Kelly questions the lawyer about Avery reportedly buying leg irons and handcuffs three weeks before the murder. “I don’t recall that, honestly,” Strang responds. “And there certainly was no evidence that leg irons or manacles or handcuffs or whatever it was were used on Teresa [Halbach].”
As for Avery’s “sweat” located under the hood of Halbach’s car, Strang says “there was no evidence” for it. “There was evidence of DNA transferred, Steven Avery’s DNA,” he says, “but the sweat idea is just Mr. Kratz’ theory and has never been anything more than that.”