Brendan Dassey — the Making a Murderer subject convicted of rape and murder alongside uncle Steven Avery — officially asked the Wisconsin governor for a pardon or commutation today for his life prison sentence.
Lawyers for Dassey entered the request for clemency Wednesday, announcing their move to the media this afternoon after their client has spent over a decade a prison.
"We're filing a petition for executive clemency with Governor Tony Evers of Wisconsin," Dassey's lawyer Laura Nirider told CBS News. "This is his best shot, and the moment is now. The moment is now for Brendan to come home."
If the governor does grant clemency, Dassey will be released. However, as Making a Murderer repeatedly pointed out, such a decision feels remote.
Last year, the U.S. Supreme court said it would not consider Dassey's appeal — the most recent of many legal setbacks for Dassey.
Dassey was just 16 years old when he confessed to police that he participated in the 2005 rape and murder of photographer Teresa Halbach. However, Dassey and his legal team have repeatedly argued that he was coerced into making the confession, all the while proclaiming his innocence in Halbach's murder.
As reported late last month, a Wisconsin inmate — who was neither Dassey nor Steven Avery — recently confessed to the murder of Teresa Halbach. The confession was unearthed during the making of the new series Convicting a Murderer is slated to be released early next year and aims to shed light on the information that was left out in the original Making a Murder series.
At his point, Dassey will be eligible for parole in 2048.
Lawyers for Dassey entered the request for clemency Wednesday, announcing their move to the media this afternoon after their client has spent over a decade a prison.
"We're filing a petition for executive clemency with Governor Tony Evers of Wisconsin," Dassey's lawyer Laura Nirider told CBS News. "This is his best shot, and the moment is now. The moment is now for Brendan to come home."
If the governor does grant clemency, Dassey will be released. However, as Making a Murderer repeatedly pointed out, such a decision feels remote.
Last year, the U.S. Supreme court said it would not consider Dassey's appeal — the most recent of many legal setbacks for Dassey.
Dassey was just 16 years old when he confessed to police that he participated in the 2005 rape and murder of photographer Teresa Halbach. However, Dassey and his legal team have repeatedly argued that he was coerced into making the confession, all the while proclaiming his innocence in Halbach's murder.
As reported late last month, a Wisconsin inmate — who was neither Dassey nor Steven Avery — recently confessed to the murder of Teresa Halbach. The confession was unearthed during the making of the new series Convicting a Murderer is slated to be released early next year and aims to shed light on the information that was left out in the original Making a Murder series.
At his point, Dassey will be eligible for parole in 2048.
