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Appeals Court Lets Dassey Conviction Stand

Tracy Symonds-Keogh

A federal appeals court on Friday overturned a ruling that could have freed a Wisconsin inmate featured in the Netflix series "Making a Murderer."  The 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals decided that police properly obtained Brendan Dassey's confession, and he should remain in prison. 

The judges were sharply divided, voting 4-3 that authorities did not cajole Dassey into admitting his crimes.  Dassey was sentenced to life in prison in 2007, after he told detectives that he helped his uncle, Steven Avery, rape and kill photographer Teresa Halbach. 

A federal judge overturned Dassey's conviction last year, ruling that investigators coerced the confession.  A three-judge panel from the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals agreed.  But, the state asked for a review from the full court -- and that led to Friday's decision.

Marti was a reporter with WUWM from 1999 to 2021.