Brendan Dassey, the nephew of Steven Avery (opens in new tab) who was convicted of intentional homicide in the 2005 murder of Teresa Halbach, had his conviction overturned by a Milwaukee judge this afternoon.
Dassey gave a videotaped confession to the murder—which he said he committed with his uncle—that he later recanted. Dassey's lawyers (opens in new tab)—as was detailed in the popular Netflix documentary (opens in new tab)Making a Murderer (opens in new tab)—argued that his confession had been coerced by police officers.
Dassey, who was 16 at the time of the murder, was serving a life sentence.
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reporter John Diedrich tweeted today that the judge cited Dassey's age, intellectual deficits, and the absence of supportive adult as to what rendered his confession involuntary.
Dassey will go free in 90 days if the state does not refile.
BREAKING: Brendan #Dassey conviction overturned by federal judge in #Milwaukee #Halbach murder #MakingofamurdererAugust 12, 2016
Dassey goes free in 90 days if state does not refile #makingofamurdererAugust 12, 2016
Judge: Repeated false promises ... Dassey's age, intellectual deficits ..absence ofsupportive adult, rendered confession involuntaryAugust 12, 2016
Fed judge calls conduct by #Dassey attorney's, Kachinsky, "indefensible" #MakingAMurdererAugust 12, 2016
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