Steven Avery is the main person of interest in both this 10-episode Netflix documentary series and in the eyes of the Manitowoc, Wisconsin police department. Avery is a Manitowoc County resident who spent 18 years in the jail system, wrongly convicted of sexual assault and attempted murder of Petty Beernsten.
Upon his release in 2003 Avery fell back into the routine of working on the cars in his family’s auto salvage junkyard. Soon after his newfound sense of comfort came back, Avery once again found himself tangled up with the law, when in 2005 he was arrested on suspicion of murdering Teresa Halbach.
“Making a Murderer” appeals to those who want to better understanding how our justice system works. The documentary draws in viewers by exposing the flaws in the system, a system that supposedly catches the bad guys and helps the “good guys.”
Avery’s hired lawyers, Dean Strang and Jerry Buting, help point out many inconsistencies in the murder of Teresa Hallbach, yet constantly find themselves being set back by the judges, police, and the prosecuting attorneys that may be working in cahoots.
Although the justice system is put in place to defend the innocent, “Making a Murderer” demonstrates how the human element in our courts can bring about prejudice and unjust rulings.
The documentary shows the public a lesser known side of the government that many of us trust. The show was recorded and pieced together throughout the trial of this case, which gives viewers an ultra-realistic experience and makes for a gripping, binge-watch worthy series.