The murder of Teresa Halbach gained national attention with the Netflix documentary Making a Murderer, and now one of the defendants in the case, Brendan Dassey is awaiting a ruling on his request for a new trail. Read more from Wausau Daily Herald.
A closely-watched federal lawsuit that has major implications for convicted killer Brendan Dassey is still awaiting a ruling, and there’s no telling when a decision will be handed down.
Final briefs in the case were submitted 13 months ago. The decision is in the hands of Federal Magistrate William E. Duffin of Milwaukee.
Dassey’s attorneys are seeking a new trial for their client, or a hearing on a request for a new trial, in connection with his conviction in the 2005 murder of Teresa Halbach. Dassey’s uncle, Steven Avery, also was convicted, and both men are serving life in prison.
The Wisconsin Department of Justice has argued against a new trial for Dassey, saying he deserves to remain imprisoned.
Attorneys for the Bluhm Legal Clinic at the Northwestern University School of Law in Chicago filed a writ of habeas corpus in U.S. District Court in 2014. The writ is used to bring a prisoner before a court to determine if an arrest and conviction were legal.
Legal experts say it’s not rare for cases like Dassey’s to take years before rulings are issued.
Read more from the Wausau Daily Herald.