The family of Making a Murderer's Brendan Dassey have spoken out after the state of Wisconsin appealed the decision to overturn his conviction.
Through his lawyer, the family released a statement saying they would continue to defend Brendan.
“We are disappointed in the State's decision to prolong Brendan's case by seeking an appeal,” they said. “We look forward to continuing to defend his rights in court. Like Brendan, we remain grateful to his many supporters for their continued loyalty and strength”.
Kathleen Zellner, the lawyer for Dassey's fellow Making a Murderer subject Steven Avery, also weighed in, saying the decision was “prolonging the injustice”.
Wisconsin AG appealing Brendan's decision. Just prolonging the injustice.@MakingAMurderer
— Kathleen Zellner (@ZellnerLaw) September 9, 2016
Last month, Dassey’s conviction was quashed following a ruling by Milwaukee Federal judge William E. Duffin.
However, the Wisconsin Attorney General said yesterday that the state of Wisconsin would be appealing the ruling overturning Dassey’s conviction.
Speaking to Variety, Wisconsin Attorney General Brad Schimel said, “We believe the magistrate judge’s decision that Brendan Dassey’s confession was coerced by investigators, and that no reasonable court could have concluded otherwise, is wrong on the facts and wrong on the law.”
“Two state courts carefully examined the evidence and properly concluded that Brendan Dassey’s confession to sexually assaulting and murdering photographer Teresa Halbach with his uncle, Steven Avery, was voluntary, and the investigators did not use constitutionally impermissible tactics,” he said
He added, “The Halbach family has been notified of the appeal and fully supports the State’s decision to seek justice on behalf of their daughter."
Dassey was found guilty of the first-degree intentional homicide, second-degree sexual assault, and mutilation of the corpse of Halbach after a nine-day trial in 2007.
He admitted to helping Avery rape and murder Halbach during an interview with the two investigators in March 2006, six months after she was killed.
