In late 2015 Netflix premiered the documentary series Making a Murderer, bringing awareness to the issues of forensic science to mainstream pop culture. The series profiles the criminal case and aftermath of Steven Avery, a Wisconsin man from Manitowoc County, who was imprisoned for 18 years after being wrongfully convicted of sexual assault and attempted murder. Further, the case also implicated Avery’s nephew, Brendan Dassey. The Wisconsin Innocence Project, an entity of the University of Wisconsin Law School, was instrumental in overturning his conviction in 2003 through the use of DNA evidence. Subsequently, Mr. Avery had filed a civil lawsuit against Manitowoc County for wrongful conviction.
To continue raising awareness about forensic science issues, especially in the state of Wisconsin, CaSP is hosting a screening of Making a Murderer this Friday (03/16/2018) at 5:00 PM at Union South (Third Floor, Agriculture Room). We will first have a discussion about the scientific techniques used in the investigation and will then screen the first episode of the series. To pre-register for the event, please visit this site: http://bit.ly/2IriwfY. We hope you are able to join us.
