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Steven Avery: Attorney Claims Forensic Evidence Can Clear Him

By Leigh Egan
Published on: 13:05 PST, Jan 29, 2016

Steven Avery, the subject of the popular Netflix documentary series, Making a Murderer, remains in prison for the 2005 murder of Teresa Halbach. Yet, in a recent interview, Avery’s attorney declared that forensic testing could clear her client.

NBC News reports that attorney Kathleen Zellner opened up to Dateline NBC‘s Andrea Canning about taking on Avery’s case and how forensic testing has changed quite a bit since Avery was convicted.

“Generally, since 2007, there have been significant advances in forensic testing… the clearest way to do this is with scientific testing. Am I going to tell you exactly what it is? I am not. But it’s been a long time. There was a lot of evidence that wasn’t tested.”

Zellner, a wrongful conviction lawyer based out of Illinois, took on the Avery case after reviewing the evidence and deciding the 53-year-old was wrongfully convicted. She boasts an impressive track record of getting innocent people who were found guilty exonerated. To date, Zellner has helped 16 people get their cases overturned, and according to her website, she wants to add Avery to her successful track record.

“The Zellner Law Firm is looking forward to adding Mr. Avery to its long list of wrongful conviction exonerations.”

Not only is Zellner optimistic about the case, but she stated Avery is as well. After questioning Avery for hours, Zellner was convinced of his innocence and assured him she would do her best to help him.

“When someone wants every possible test done that could be done that would prove their guilt or innocence, that’s when you know they’re innocent. He’s extremely positive because he knows that there’s a lot of new forensic testing that can be done, and so he’s thrilled that there is new development in technology. So he’s very positive.”

Zellner started her own independent investigation into the case, which included buying the same make and model vehicle that Halbach owned; the same type of vehicle, a Toyota RAV4, that was found on Avery’s property after Halbach’s death. The attorney explained that it was important to know the inside outs of the RAV4 so that she could investigate the things that were left out of the original investigation.

“I want to understand the hood latch, battery cables, where the blood was supposedly found in the car. I want to examine what was not tested in the car that should’ve been tested, because there’s a number of things on the car that obviously would have needed to be tested that weren’t.”

She also indicated that there are other suspects out there, roaming free, that need to be investigated and questioned immediately. Zellner didn’t provide the suspects’ names, but she indicated that there are other people who could have killed Halbach.

“Clearly there are other people we are looking at. That’s always done in a case like this.”

Once Zellner signed on to take his case, Avery withdrew his motion to be released on bond while awaiting a new trial. Yet, Zellner is confident that she’ll see some positive movement with the appeals within the next month, although the State of Wisconsin argues that Avery is a flight risk.

To see the full interview with Zellner, tune into Dateline NBC on Friday night, at 10 p.m. EST, which depicts both sides of the Steven Avery case.

[Photo by Morry Gash/AP Images, Pool]

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