The Unsealed Blood Vial – Inflammatory Evidence?
On 30 Jan, 2007, Judge Patrick Willis decided to allow evidence of an unsealed blood vial, with lavender stopper, presumably containing Steven Avery’s blood. The was discovered by Avery’s Attorney Dean Strang in the Manitowoc County Courthouse December, 2006.
The prior week, prosecutors requested and received a closed door hearing on this blood evidence calling it “inflammatory.”
The unsecured vial of blood is now evidence in the upcoming trial. The reason for the blood evidence, the wrongful conviction and incarceration of Avery, will be allowed at trial although in a very limited way.
What is very shocking about this episode is that the Manitowoc County Authorities had no way of recording who had access to this and probably other evidence until the autumn of 2006. It is not noted what restrictions there were on access to evidence, but it appears that not much control was exercised.
As I recall, the Manitowoc County Board gave Calumet County Sheriff Jerry Pagel a vote of appreciation soon after Avery’s arrest for the murder of Teresa Halbach. Their prejudgment might have been premature. The inanity of management shows that members of the board need to pay close attention to the operation of their county and not prematurely declare people guilty.
The defense made a point of the coincidences that occurred when the same Manitowoc County deputies discovered evidence after others had performed exhaustive searches on the areas of discovery.
Due to the conflict of interest from Avery’s wrongful imprisonment lawsuit, the Manitowoc County Sheriff’d Department was supposed to be excluded from investigating associated crime scenes. Pagel has already attempted to shush this issue. I suspect he will have more explaining to do given the turn of events.
Avery is limited with what he can do with the blood and the related framing issue. He is restricted to his claims of a frame to two Manitowoc County Officers, James Lenk and Andrew Colborn. He can only name himself or his nephew Brendan Dassey as the perpetrator of the murder. There will be no Perry Mason moment in this trial if Judge Willis has his way.
But, in theory Avery does not have to identify the actual killer of Teresa Halbach. Nor does he have to provide a detailed chain of events for the two officers to plant false evidence. Of course, juries are not always reasoning entities.
Coincidences are mounting enough that a circumstantial case can be made that Manitowoc County is again railroading an innocent man.
by Brian McCorkle
in category Steven Avery
