"Making a Murderer"'s Brendan Dassey's murder conviction overturned, deemed unconstitutional

Dassey was sentenced to 41 years in prison for his involvement, with uncle Steven Avery, in a 2005 murder

Published August 12, 2016 9:03PM (EDT)

Brendan Dassey   (AP/Dan Powers)
Brendan Dassey (AP/Dan Powers)

Brendan Dassey — one of the subjects of Netflix's true-crime documentary series, "Making a Murderer" — had his conviction overturned on Friday, according to reports.

Dassey is serving a 41-year prison sentence for first-degree murder, second-degree sexual assault, and mutilation of a corpse for his involvement in the 2005 death of Teresa Halbach.

Dassey's uncle, Steven Avery — the focus of the Netflix series — is currently serving a life sentence without parole for Halbach's torture and murder.

According to TMZ, a federal judge ruled, "Dassey's borderline to below average intellectual ability likely made him more susceptible to coercive pressures than a peer of higher intellect."

Wisconsin prosecutors have 90 days to appeal. If the State decides not to refile within that timeframe, Dassey will be released as a free man.


By Brendan Gauthier

Brendan Gauthier is a freelance writer.

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Brendan Dassey Making A Murderer Steven Avery Teresa Halbach