'Making a Murderer's Brendan Dassey Just Had His Conviction Overturned

He could be walking free within 90 days.

Brendan Dassey, the nephew of Steven Avery 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—as was detailed in the popular Netflix documentaryMaking a Murderer—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.

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Matt Miller

Matt Miller is a Brooklyn-based culture/lifestyle writer and music critic whose work has appeared in Esquire, Forbes, The Denver Post, and documentaries.