Reddit users claim to have found huge amounts of new information about the Steven Avery murder case, covered in Netflix’s new Making a Murderer.
Online detectives on the forum have been poring through information that is covered in the series — as well as that which is left out — in an attempt to work out what happened in the highly-controversial and now infamous case.
Users of the site claim to have found, for instance, that some of the people involved in the case may have had more connections to it than was previously thought. One of the forensic scientists involved in Avery’s conviction had been involved in a previous charge where he was later proven innocent, and had testified there that DNA evidence had proven he was guilty.
They have also unearthed new evidence that was discussed in the trial but was not shown in the series. For instance, holes were found in the way that the searches and other forensic work was carried out — but they still served as a large part of the prosecution’s evidence.
But all of the work done by Reddit and other online sleuths is unlikely to actually lead to the review of Avery’s case, or any likely appeal or pardon.
As the documentary reveals, the only likely thing that would actually lead to Avery being set free would be evidence that the crucial blood evidence used in the trial was planted. That is what defence lawyers in the series attempt to argue, but any re-opening of the case would rely on finding evidence.
Avery could also be pardoned by Governor Scott Walker. But despite a hugely popular petition, Governor Walker has said that he will not use that power, and has not watched the documentary.
