When Making a Murderer made its return to Netflix on October 19, fans of the true crime genre flocked back to the streaming service to check out the second part of a docuseries that had already divided the world. On one side, there are those convinced that Steven Avery and Brendan Dassey had been wrongly convicted for the murder of Teresa Halbach, while on the other, there are plenty of people who thought justice had been served and the two men were exactly where they belonged. Then of course in the middle, there are a scattering of people who simply cannot make up their minds.
No matter where you fall, it’s hard not to raise an eyebrow on a multitude of occasions when watching the series. When all is said and done however, and you take a look back at the personalities you’ve gone on this journey with through the power of television, it’s clear that a whole bunch of strong women are right in the midst of this madness.
Moira Demos and Laura Ricciardi
We’ll start of course with the filmmakers behind Making a Murderer; Moira Demos and Laura Ricciardi. The pair have done an incredible job of shining a light on a case that was beyond a shadow of a doubt built on suspicious evidence and a coerced confession from a 16-year-old with learning difficulties. Whether you believe Steven Avery and Brendan Dassey to be innocent or guilty, this is something that’s hard to deny.
Many have accused Demos and Ricciardi of being biased with their take on the Avery/Dassey trials, and that’s also something hard to deny. Still, the pair have stuck true to their vision and delivered one of the most talked-about true crime shows the world has ever seen. That’s something to be celebrated; especially in a world where women are still fighting harder than men to be recognised in the filmmaking field.
Kathleen Zellner
It’s strange talking about a “star” emerging from a true crime docuseries, but if anybody does that in the second season of Making a Murderer, it’s Kathleen Zellner. Having already exonerated 17 innocents (at the time of filming - the number is now 19) and overturning their wrongful convictions (many of them pro bono), she’s determined to make Steven Avery number 18.
From the very first episode, we see Zellner engage in a number of experiments to prove evidence was planted, including the blood and DNA found in Teresa Halbach’s RAV4, and that the narrative drawn up by former special prosecutor Ken Kratz was a false one.
Each experiment is meticulous and conducted not only by Kathleen, but by a group of leading experts in their respective fields, whether that be blood spatter, the burning of cadavers to dispose of a body, or something else entirely.
She is somebody to be applauded. A leader in her field, which is predominantly made up of men, she’s an incredibly intelligent woman and has been named as the only trial lawyer in the United States to romp to victory in five multi-million dollar record verdicts over just an 11-month time period.
If you’re looking for a feminist icon, you’ve found her.
Laura Nirider
One of Brendan Dassey’s post-conviction lawyers is Laura Nirider; a woman I imagine Zellner was likely very similar to in her earlier years. Determined to see her client released on the grounds that his his confession was an involuntary one, we see her pick apart the tape that secured a conviction in Dassey’s case.
Picking up this case in her final years of studying, it’s one she’s been on a heck of a ride with ever since. Now, instead of taking classes, she teaches them, all whilst juggling her legal work. She talks with such passion and raw emotion, that it’s hard not to indulge in and believe every word she speaks.
For young women looking to make it big in the world of law and help people who need it more than anybody else, Nirider is the ultimate inspiration.
Dolores Avery
I doubt anybody watching Making a Murderer doesn’t feel some ounce of sympathy for the Avery matriarch, Dolores. Her health seems to be in a constant state of deterioration, but she’s determined to see her son walk free. A woman of few words, we see glimmers of her cheeky personality escape when she’s at her most comfortable. She laughs with Zellner for example, when talking about how the cops she’s certain framed her son must be feeling with new evidence coming to light.
We must remember that Teresa Halbach, whilst being the victim who paid the ultimate price in this case, isn’t the only person affected by everything that has gone on. Dolores is the prime example of this, and we just hope she finds peace with the entire process in the near future.
Barb Tadych
Brendan Dassey’s mother Barb Tadych is a fierce personality, but she’s not made of stone. We see her get emotional a number of times throughout Making a Murderer, and whilst some may see this as a weakness, it’s actually one of her strengths.
It’s heartbreaking to see the family’s excitement when they believe Brendan is truly going to be released on bond, only to have all of that ripped away from them in the last few hours before his release. Still, Barb soldiers on and leads her loved ones in the fight to see her son acquitted. That’s to be admired; so many would not have the strength to keep on going.
Sandra Greenman
Whilst Sandra Greenman and Steven Avery once had a relationship, the pair are now simply friends. Sandra is the woman who spent years sending letters and emails to Kathleen Zellner, asking her to take a look at Steven’s trial and represent him. Finally, after an excruciating four years of waiting, Kathleen got in touch with Sandra and let her in on the good news; she would be willing to take on the case.
Sandra has been villainised by some of Steven’s more rabid fans, primarily due to a live interview she did with Dr. Phil. In that interview, she told the world that she would no longer be getting married to Steven, and it’s something she admits now she deeply regrets. What they all must remember however is that without Sandra, Steven may never have gained representation from one of America’s best attorneys.
Teresa Halbach
The argument made by Teresa’s loved ones throughout the original Avery and Dassey trials, and right through up to this day, is that she is somebody who should be remembered for the positive influence she had on the world in her life. Though she was taken in a brutal and cruel way, they want everybody to recognise the light she brought to many in her 25 years.
Whatever you think of the Halbach family and friends of Teresa’s, it’s hard for any of us to put ourselves in their shoes. Would we be up for the fight to claim what other people are telling us is the right sort of justice, so many years after laying our loved one to rest, or would we simply believe in the justice system our country is so proud of? We cannot say.
Making a Murderer Part 2 is now available on Netflix, alongside Part 1.
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