Raise your hand if you spent the Christmas holiday binge-watching “Making a Murderer.”
With its twists and turns, the 10-part Netflix series has become an obsession for many.
Ten years in the making, the documentary follows the case of Steven Avery, a Wisconsin man released from prison in 2003 after serving 18 years after DNA evidence exonerated him in a woman’s brutal attack.
Two years later, in the midst of a civil suit he filed over his false conviction, Avery was arrested and convicted of the murder of photographer Teresa Halbach.
Filmmakers Laura Ricciardi and Moira Demos focused heavily on what they feel was authorities’ railroading of Avery, and “Making a Murderer” has drawn comparisons to other true-crime projects including the HBO series “The Jinx” and the hit podcast “Serial.”
Since the series’ release December 18, fans have been weighing in, including plenty of celebrities. Singer Mandy Moore tweeted “I. Can’t. Stop. Watching,” and actor Ricky Gervais tweeted “Never mind an Emmy or an Oscar…. @MakingAMurderer deserves a Nobel Prize. The greatest documentary I’ve ever seen.”
Former Calumet County district attorney Ken Kratz was the special prosecutor in the case against Avery and his nephew, Brendan Dassey, who were both convicted of Halbach’s murder. Kratz has reportedly received death threats from those unhappy about the outcome of the trials, and the Yelp page for his law practice has received so many critical reviews that visitors are greeted with an “Active Cleanup Alert.”
“This business recently made waves in the news, which often means that people come to this page to post their views on the news,” the alert says. “While we don’t take a stand one way or the other when it comes to these news events, we do work to remove both positive and negative posts that appear to be motivated more by the news coverage itself than the reviewer’s personal consumer experience with the business.”
Kratz told Fox 11 News in Wisconsin he felt the documentary was biased in favor of the defense.
“Anytime you edit 18 months’ worth of information and only include the statements or pieces that support your particular conclusion, that conclusion should be reached,” he said.
Manitowoc Police have attempted to distance themselves from the cases, tweeting that “All of the cases referenced in the Netflix series were the jurisdiction of the Manitowoc County Sheriff’s Office.”
