The Whiners Step Forth
Not long after the Netflix series Making a Murder was released, people began realizing that we have a severely unjust criminal justice system in this country. Outrage followed.
The series focused on the convictions of Steven Avery and Brendan Dassey, and much of the outrage was directed at the law enforcement agency responsible for the 1982 wrongful conviction of Avery. The wrath was also directed at law enforcement and prosecutors involved with the Halbach case.
Calumet County District Attorney Ken Kratz was a special prosecutor in the case. Kratz was quickly caught up in his showboating.
His March 2, 2006 press conference, where he gave inflammatory and untrue statements claiming a heinous murder scene in which Dassey took part, was a behavior that deserves disgust. He clearly did not feel that good old‑fashioned evidence was needed for a conviction. Kratz and his fellow special prosecutors wanted Dassey to testify against Steven. They had failed to flip Avery's girlfriend, so Dassey was the next of the list to coerce. The fact that Kenneth Kratz never took responsibilities for the lies he stated in that press conference speaks directly to his character as a prosecutor in the State of Wisconsin.
Now, Kratz now comes forth claiming that his side of the story was not represented in the series. Manitowoc County Sheriff Robert Hermann, claimed the series was not a documentary while admitting, at the time, that he had not seen it. Both claim that the series is biased since it left out information which they feel was important for their side. Ken Peterson, the Manitowoc County Sheriff at the time of the arrest and investigation of Steven Avery doesn't care. He believes that Avery belongs in prison whether guilty or innocent. Peterson believes he is judge and jury.
These persons were given the chance to give input and interviews for the documentary. They chose not to.
The makers of the Documentary, Laura Ricciardi and Moira Demos, have stated that they sent three letters of invitation to Ken Kratz. He did not respond.
Kratz was plenty vocal throughout the investigation. His infamous press conference of 2 March, 2005 was one of series that he gave at the time. Kratz was happy to give daily press conferences during the trials. He was not shy about expressing his opinions. He was not shy to make unproven and untrue claims as fact.
The complaints from the Kratz gang have little merit. They did not expect a documentary of substance. . And, they were given a chance to be part of it.
There is a point that the complainers ignore. The investigations and trial of Steven Avery and Brendan Dassey are a frame for a much larger issue. That is the manipulation of public opinion by a legal system that places winning above honesty and truth.
Sheriff Hermann also complains that the documentary is unfair to the Halbach family. Kratz and others claim that the documentary should have been more about Teresa Halbach. This is a smoke screen by law enforcement and prosecution to deflect attention away from an honest discussion of their failings and prejudgments
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I am certain that if the victim's family approved, many would be willing to produce a work that would cover the anguish of family and friends of Teresa.
This documentary is not about the victim and her family. If all cases were decided on the basis of protecting feelings, innocent people would sit in prison while perpetrators continued. We would not be allowed to know that Gregory Allen continued to commit sexual assaults while Steven Avery sat in prison. This would protect bad behaviors of person like former Manitowoc County Sheriff Tom Kocourek and District Attorney Tom Vogel. We would not know how the victim in the wrongful conviction of Steven Avery was victimized again by the criminal justice system.
This documentary is about the dishonesties of the special prosecutors and investigators. This documentary is the extortion of false confessions by law enforcement. This documentary is about the terrible state of criminal justice in the United States.
by Brian McCorkle
in category Brendan Dassey,Steven Avery
