Making a Murderer (2015–…): Season 1, Episode 9 - Lack of Humility - full transcript

Well, if they framed Steven Avery...

the question is,
is Brendan's case a whole charade too?

I mean, that's ultimately
gonna be the question.

Is his jury gonna believe
that he confessed to a crime

he never even commit--
a murder he never committed?

The two questions that the State
is gonna ask you to answer are these.

Was he there?

Did he help?

Was he there and did he help?

Now, you're gonna hear in this case
that there was nothing unique

about the March 1st interrogation
of Brendan Dassey.



We're gonna show you start to finish
the entire admission.

I think it's about four hours long.

And some of the details may be disturbing.

Now we have to give you those details.

We have to play
the entire statement for you.

Your job at the end of this case
will decide

whether that statement
ought to be believed.

We're gonna briefly go through
what Brendan Dassey says on March 1st.

Brendan's version
of what happened to Teresa Halbach.

Brendan Dassey, in again,
sometimes graphic detail,

will talk about approaching
Uncle Steve's trailer.

And before he even knocks on the door,
he hears screaming.

Brendan actually sees Teresa shackled
with handcuffs and leg irons to the bed.

And by force and by violence, he has
sexual intercourse with Teresa Halbach.



After the rape, Steven Avery praises his
nephew and says, "That's how you do it."

Then Steven and Brendan discuss

if they should and how they should
kill Teresa Halbach.

Steven Avery stabs the victim.

Brendan Dassey, handed the knife by
Uncle Steve, cuts Teresa Halbach's throat.

We're gonna be able to prove to you in
this case things the public didn't know,

things the police didn't know

were provided by a young man
who was at the scene.

Was he there? Absolutely.

Did he help? Absolutely.

It is important
to remember who is on trial.

You'll hear days and days
of evidence about Steven Avery,

his DNA, his blood found in the SUV,

the bullet fragment found in his garage,

the ignition key found in his bedroom.

You won't hear the same evidence
involving Brendan Dassey.

There won't be any DNA. No blood.

No saliva.

No sweat.

No hair. Nothing.

No science that's gonna point you
to Brendan Dassey.

This is Brendan Dassey's trial,
not Steven's trial.

It's about a 16-year-old
high school student

with below-average cognitive abilities...

a fourth-grade reading level.

It's about a shy introvert,

socially inept, suggestible child.

You'll learn that Brendan will meet
two highly-trained, intelligent,

adult police officers.

At times they cozy up to Brendan
to get the answer they want.

At times they pull back from Brendan

when he's not giving them
the answer they want and they expect.

It's like a new puppy dog.

When he does what he's supposed to do,
he gets his pat on the head and a treat.

"Good job, Brendan. Good job. Good boy."

But when it's not what they want,
"We're leaving, Brendan.

Until you tell us what we want to hear."

When you watch the videos carefully,
they'll be exposed for what they are.

And I think they're just garbage.

Love you, Brendan!

This first statement that you're gonna
hear is going to be from an officer

who was up in Marinette
and spoke to Brendan in...

somewhere between November 4th
and November 10th.

They actually spoke to him twice
so they may have both statements.

One was written,
one was actually audiotaped.

Last Monday,
do you remember seeing this girl at all?

- I was at school.
- OK.

After school you come home.

You ever see this girl before?

I just knew about it on Thursday
because my mom called me

and told me to turn on channel 11.

- OK.
- She was missing.

And you're dropped off,
it's such an event

that someone's standing in your field

taking a picture of that van...
that you remember that too, don't you?

The bus driver remembers it,
the kids on the school bus remember it,

the girl taking pictures,
you remember that?

- Well, I wasn't looking at the--
- Huh?

I wasn't looking in the field.

It's either a yes or no, I mean
I'm not putting nothing in your mind.

Now, tell us generally
about Mr. Dassey's demeanor

during the course
of your interview with him.

Um... I interview a lot of people and...

Mr. Dassey's demeanor
was, uh... different.

When it came to specifics
regarding Teresa Halbach, Steven Avery,

what happened on that day, he'd sit there,
head down, withdrawn, motionless.

It was a demeanor that I felt
from all the years of training experience

that I've had in dealing with people,

an inner struggle, a conflict,
he was hiding something.

It was not gonna be a ten-minute interview
as to what he saw.

There was something more.

Detective, I guess you
would agree with me that you...

you have no degrees of any sort,

education or training,

to evaluate why an individual
may react to you in the way they do.

Is that a fair statement?
You're not a psychologist.

-I'm not a psychologist, that's correct.
-OK.

And certainly not a child psychologist.

I am not a child psychologist,
that's correct.

OK. You had never been around
this young man before, had you?

-No.
-You had no idea what he acted like

when he was dealing with a teacher,
for example.

-No.
-You had no idea what he acted like

when he was dealing with a person
like yourself, an authoritative figure.

-Prior to our conversation, no.
-OK.

You had no idea
whether you were dealing with

what you might typically call
an average teenager

or a teenager with any type
of limitations. Is that a fair statement?

-Yes.
-OK.

And you acknowledge there's nothing at all
in your report about his demeanor.

No.

So you're having to rely entirely
upon your memory

-when you describe his demeanor.
-Yes.

OK, and that's about 16 months ago, right?

-Yes.
-OK.

I think he's doing a damn good job.
Really good job.

Directing your attention
to February 20th, 2006,

what plans, if any,
did you investigators have

relative to speaking
with other members of the Avery family?

In order
to do a thorough investigation,

we needed to go back
and talk to everybody who had access

-or who lived on that property.
-All right.

Now who was the first one of the family
members to be re-interviewed?

By my recollection,
it was probably Kayla, most likely.

The interview started out
about Steve Avery

and Kayla was talking about
her relationship with Steve Avery.

And just about
at the end of that interview,

Kayla, out of the blue,
basically came out and told us that, uh,

she had a cousin by the name of Brendan

and that Brendan
was, quote, "acting up lately."

Brendan would just
start crying uncontrollably.

She also told us that Brendan had lost
what she estimated to be about 40 pounds.

Now, based on this information,
what did you decide to do?

We decided that, um,
we needed to talk to Brendan again.

And when did you talk to Brendan again?

On February 27th of 2006.

Myself and Agent Fassbender
had went to the Mishicot school system

and that's where we met with Mr. Dassey.

Brendan, we know that on Halloween,

you were with him
and helped him tend to a fire.

What did you see in the fire?

Some branches,
I saw a cabinet and some tires.

See any body parts?

Well,
some garbage bags on there.

Mark and I, yeah, we're cops.

But I'm not right now.

I'm a father that has a kid your age, too.

There's nothing I'd like more
than to come over and give you a hug

'cause I know you're hurting.

'Cause I gotta believe
you did see something in the fire.

Talk about it.

I promise, I will not
leave you high and dry.

I'll stand behind you.

The burn pit, Brendan,
was no bigger than this table.

I find it quite difficult to believe
that if there was a body in there

that you wouldn't have seen something,
a hand, a foot, a head, hair, something.

You saw some body parts.
Tell us what you saw.

- It's OK to tell us.
- It's OK.

Tell us what you saw.

Toes.

After this interview,
we contacted District Attorney Kratz

to inform him of what
we had learned from that interview.

Mr. Kratz requested that we memorialize
this interview in a better fashion,

so at that point we made arrangements
to go to Two Rivers Police Department

where there would be
a videotape interview done.

Where was the defendant's mother,
Barb Janda, at that time?

We had spoke to Barb prior
to doing the interview

and indicated she had every right to be
in the interview if she wished to be.

At that time she declined.

She waited in a outer waiting area
of the police department

while we conducted the interview.

All right. Now at that--

After those, um,
two interviews that particular day,

did you think that he was a suspect
at that particular point?

Well, at that time, that's the first time
Brendan places himself at the crime scene,

places himself at the fire.

In my thinking at that point,
he's still a witness,

a witness to something horrific.

He tells us that he sees
body parts in a fire. I mean...

So, we're thinking he's a witness
to something at that point, yeah.

Earlier we heard from
Special Agent Fassbender

that the defendant and his mother

were put up at the
Fox Hills Hotel in Mishicot.

How did that come to pass?

First and foremost,
on any law enforcement's mind is safety.

I mean, our job is to protect people.
That's bottom line.

Because of the information he told us,

if there was somebody else that
lived out there on the Avery property

that would've found out
and may have also been involved,

we were worried for his safety,

that they would somehow get to him
and maybe harm him.

So we thought, to be on the safe side,

we needed to put him up somewhere
off of that property.

Did you have any feeling
as to whether or not the defendant

had told you everything
that he knew at that time?

My feeling was no, he didn't.

He knew more 'cause every time
we would talk to him

he'd give you a little bit more,
give you a little bit more.

So then did you make arrangements
to re-interview the defendant?

We did. Yes.
That would take us to March 1st.

Um, at that point we contacted
Brendan's mother again,

told her that we would
like to take Brendan

to the Manitowoc Sheriff's Department

so we could do
a videotaped interview of Brendan

to see what else he maybe had known,
see what else maybe he saw.

It was obvious that he knew more
than he was telling us.

I just wanted
to just go over this real quick again.

You remember these rights?
Your Miranda rights that I read you?

-Yeah.
-You still want to talk to us?

-Yeah.
-OK. Just wanted to make sure of that.

Brendan, I want you to relax.

-Brendan? There you go.
-Thank you.

You're welcome.

Your Honor, I believe we have agreed
that the remainder of the discussion

does not contain pertinent...
questioning of the defendant,

and I think we agreed to stop the tape
at this particular point.

To the Defense, is that true?

It is, Your Honor.

All right.

The videotapes today...
it just shows me that...

-He wasn't--
-...the police were trying to get him

-to make up a story.
-Mm-hm.

-'Cause it's personal.
-You know, it just comes across that way.

Well, he told me umpteen times
that he didn't do nothing to her.

-That he's still a virgin. Yeah, I know.
-And there's no DNA evidence.

There's no DNA evidence
to prove that he was in the trailer,

there's no evidence of hers in that,
in Steven's trailer.

-Right.
-There's no DNA evidence.

And that was my biggest thing. If she--

If it happened
as Brendan supposedly said it did,

there would've been DNA evidence in there.
Blood, something.

That's just like Mark Wiegert
on the stand today.

He said that...
that I declined to go in with Brendan.

I wanted to go in with Brendan.
They wouldn't let me.

So he's lying up on the stand too.

Do you know how many times

either you or Agent Fassbender
on March 1st,

the video one that we all watched today...

suggested to Brendan or told Brendan
that he was a liar?

No. I don't know how many times.

Would it surprise you
that it was in excess of 75 times

during the course of the interview
that either you or Fassbender

said something to him suggesting
or directly stating to him,

that he was a liar?

Several times we told him we did not
believe what he was telling us. Yes.

Do you know how many times after

he was told that he was a liar

that he changed his answer?

No. I don't know how many times.

Take a look
at that middle paragraph.

"Fassbender is encouraging Brendan
to say things

that might make Brendan
look a little bad...

in order for him to be believed."

He tells him "to tell the whole truth,
don't leave anything out,

don't make anything up."

But it was in fact said to him,

"It might make you look a little bad

or make you look like you were
more involved than you want to be.

It's hard to do, but it's good
from the vantage point to say,

'Hey, there's no doubt
you're telling the truth.'"

Yes, that's what was said.
Part of breaking down those barriers.

But doesn't that encourage him
to say something

-irregardless of whether it's true or not?
-No--

Because someone in a position of authority
is telling him that,

"If you say something that doesn't
help you, then we might believe you."

No, I wouldn't characterize it that way.

The police are actually taught a technique

from this org--
this outfit out of Chicago, Reid.

And they're taught to elicit confessions,

not get to the truth.

They-- The police believe
it's the same thing.

Confession and truth
are the same thing.

But it's not.
The truth... is what happened.

A confession isn't necessarily
what happened.

You accused him during the course
of this interview

of shooting Teresa, correct?

Yep, and which he was able
to resist every time we accused him.

Well, the truth of the matter is...

you don't know if it's right
and you don't know if it's wrong, do you?

-Whether or not he shot Teresa?
-Correct.

I know he was there when she was shot.

-Whether he actually pulled the trigger--
-Well, let me stop you there.

You know he was there
because he told you that, right?

And because of the evidence.

Well...

The cuffs, the bullets, the shells,
the shovels, the seat,

everything that the government's
paraded in here...

none of these items
have fingerprints, DNA

or any other scientific evidence
connecting Brendan Dassey

to the death of Teresa Halbach, yes or no?

That's correct.
They had five days to clean up.

I thought Investigator Wiegert
did a tremendous job.

I mean, we've been
praising the police all along.

Uh... we-- We love the police.

The other family obviously doesn't, so...

Um...

But, yeah, we owe a lot to them
for their-- the work that they've done

for my family and for Teresa.

He never got into trouble before.
At all.

He was always a good kid.

Even his school wants him
to come back to school.

And my son always tells me,
"Blame it on Mark. Blame it on Mark."

And that's who I'm blaming.

Did there come a time
where you re-interviewed Kayla Avery?

We did. Um, shortly after Brendan
was arrested, actually.

I believe it was March 7th of 2006.

Kayla came out and told us
quite a few things at that point.

Basically she indicated to us
that, um, Brendan had told Kayla

that he had went and got the mail
and went over to...

Steven Avery's residence.

And went into the residence

and observed Teresa Halbach pinned up
in Steve Avery's bedroom.

Kayla went on to tell us how Brendan
described seeing body parts

later that day, or that evening...

in the fire behind
Steve Avery's residence.

Good morning.

-How old are you, Kayla?
-Fifteen.

And how are you related to Brendan?

We're first cousins.

My dad is Barbara's brother,
and Brendan's Barbara's son.

OK, very good.

I want to direct your attention
to a time in December of 2005.

Did you have a conversation with Brendan
about Teresa Halbach?

-Kinda, yeah.
-All right.

Would you tell us about
that conversation with Brendan?

Well, um...

Well, not in December, in November.

OK. Tell us about it.

In November, um,
we were having a birthday party.

He was sitting in our hallway
and, um, he was just sitting there.

One of my friends looked out the door and
seen him crying and then she came to me

and then I went out there by him
and I asked him what was wrong,

-and all he did is shrugged his shoulders.
-OK. And then what did you ask?

And then I asked him
if it was about the Steven thing.

And then he just shrugged his shoulders
and I was like--

And then I was like,
"You know you can talk to me,"

and then I just went back inside my room.

Tell us about the conversation you had
with Brendan regarding Steven.

We didn't have a conversation about it.

Didn't you tell your counselors at school
about a conversation you had with Brendan?

-Yeah.
-All right.

And you told Officers Wiegert
and Fassbender

about that conversation as well, right?

These two guys right here?

You recognize those two guys?

-Yeah?
-Yes.

That's-- OK.

You told them about a conversation
you had with Brendan

about that bonfire
and what was in the bonfire.

Tell us about that.

I really don't remember.

All right. Now Kayla,
did you give the officers a statement?

-Uh, yeah.
-All right.

Kayla, I'm showing you what
has been marked for identification

as this exhibit 163.
Would you hold that for me, please?

All right.

I'm gonna take my seat here
and ask you questions.

And is that the statement that you gave
to Officers Fassbender and Wiegert?

-Yes.
-All right.

Does reviewing that statement
help you remember?

-Yes.
-All right.

What did Brendan tell you about the fire?

You'll have to pull the microphone
a little closer so we can hear you.

He didn't tell me anything. I...

I kind of made up the statement
and I'm sorry.

All right. What did you make up?

Tell us what you're saying you made up.

That he'd seen body parts in there.

I didn't-- He didn't see-- I didn't--

He didn't tell me anything like that

or he didn't see Teresa's body
or anything like that.

And you also told the officers
in a separate conversation that day

that Brendan had seen Teresa alive
in Steven's trailer

and that she was pinned up in a chair.

-Yes, but that's not true.
-All right.

So you're telling us you made something up
to get Brendan into trouble?

Not really. I was just really confused
about everything.

No further questions for this witness.

You'd heard some of the news that--
about what happened to Teresa Halbach?

-Yes.
-Was it--

It was kind of hard
to miss some of that, right?

Yes.

Grim details were made public yesterday.

Bones and teeth of an adult female
were found on the Avery property.

Investigators found pieces
of bone and teeth on the Avery property.

According
to Brendan Dassey's statements to police,

he came home from school

and went to Steven Avery's trailer
to give him his mail.

Dassey told prosecutors
that his uncle Steven

had Teresa Halbach
shackled to his bed naked.

The complaint says they continue

to torture and manually strangle her.

They then put her body in a fire pit,
investigators say,

throwing bed sheets
on top of the fire

and scattering some of the remains
in a nearby gravel pit.

Did you know about that burn pit
behind Steven's garage?

-Yes, I heard it on the news.
-Read it in the news?

-Yes.
-OK. Did you read that they found

-body parts in the burn pit too?
-Yes.

When they spoke to you,

did they ask you specifically
about the burn pit and the body parts?

-Yes.
-OK.

So when you say you--
that you told them you saw body parts,

it was in response to a question
they asked you about that?

Yes.

Do you think there's some sort of talk
in the family or collusion going on

where these people are kind of
rosying up their stories to each other?

I mean, I think, yeah, she's trying to
protect a family member just like, uh...

I think the rest of the family,
or most families would, so...

But the seriousness of--

I mean, if she is trying
to protect Brendan

by not telling the whole truth
on the witness stand,

I mean, that's...
that's pretty serious business.

I agree that is very serious. Um...

She should be telling what she knows,
but she didn't. Um...

She chose to...
um, basically lie on the stand.

So that was her choice and I think that
came across to the jury,

and there's really not much
we can do about it anymore.

We believe
Brendan's gonna testify.

If at the last second, he says,
"I'm not testifying," that's his choice.

But how Brendan stands up
to cross-examination is anyone's guess.

He might just roll up into a shell.

I mean, I can see where he might just
not even answer any questions,

so that could be interesting.

I mean, I think--

I don't think Brendan's the key to this,

but the person you see
in the courtroom every day,

sitting there staring at his fingers?
Um...

That's Brendan. There's--
That's not an act.

That really is Brendan, so...

Like I say,
he's not a sophisticated person.

He's not gonna put on a show for anyone.

Raise your right hand.

Do you solemnly swear that the testimony
you give now before the court

will be the truth, the whole truth,
and nothing but the truth so help you God?

-I do.
-Please be seated.

Please state your name
and spell your last name for the record.

Brendan Dassey. D-a-s-s-e-y.

- Morning, Brendan.
- Morning.

-How old are you, Brendan?
-Seventeen.

Where were you living
on October 31, 2005?

With my mom.

Who all lived in that general area?

Me and my family,

-Steven, Chuckie, my grandma and grandpa.
-OK.

Now you said that Steven,
that's your uncle, right?

-Yes.
-And he lived where exactly

-in relation to your house?
-Next door.

About how far from your house?

A few hundred...

A hundred or two hundred
or three hundred yards away.

OK. Yards or feet?

Do you know the difference
between the two?

-Not really.
-OK.

Was it farther than a football field
away from you?

-No.
-OK.

So less than a football field
away from you.

Yeah.

On October 31, 2005,
was it a normal day for you?

Yes.

Now did you go directly home
from getting off the bus that day?

Yes.

What'd you do
when you got home that day?

I played video games.

What did you do after you were done
playing video games?

I ate something. Food.

OK. What was Blaine doing?

He was in the kitchen
holding his duffel bag.

-Was he going somewhere?
-Yeah.

-Where was he going?
-Trick-or-treating.

OK. What did you do
after you were done eating?

I went into my mom's room
and talked to her about-- that she was--

I asked her...

She told me that she was going with Scott
to the hospital to see his mom.

What did you do after your mom left?

Watched TV.

Do you know how long you watched TV?

Until around 6:00
when I got a phone call.

Who called?

Blaine's boss.

Do you know for certain it was 6:00
or around 6:00 he called?

Yeah.

And how do you know that for certain?

'Cause he called after my mom left.

-OK, so sometime after 5:30 he called?
-Yes.

OK.

What'd you do then?

I watched TV until I got another
phone call at... around seven.

OK, and who called you around seven?

Steven.

What did Steven call you about?

He asked me if I wanted
to come over to the bonfire.

What did you do
when you got down to the fire?

He... told me that he wanted
to pick up the yard

and we drove around in the golf cart
and picked up stuff.

OK. What kind of stuff did you pick up?

Wood, tires, an old cabinet
and a van seat.

Now is this stuff that's
just lying around your yard?

Yes.

Did you throw them on the fire?

-Some of it.
-What'd you do with the rest?

Piled it or-- Pined it--
Piled it right by the fire.

So now you're watching the fire
for a while, right?

-Yes.
-What are you doing?

I only can recall that Steven
was talking to me about a phone call

that he got from Jodi.

When you got home...
was anyone else home?

No.

Did you talk to your mom at all?

-Yeah.
-How'd you talk to her?

She called on the house phone.

What time did you go to bed?

After I got done talking to my mom.

Now, following October 31, 2005...

did you lose any weight?

-Yes.
-How much did you lose?

Five, ten pounds.

Were you doing this on purpose or--?

-No.
-You weren't trying to lose weight?

-Well, I was trying to.
-OK.

Why were you trying to lose weight?

'Cause people were calling me fat

and because I thought that
my first girlfriend broke up me--

with me because of my weight.

-You mean first ever--?
-Yeah.

OK.

-Have you ever seen Teresa Halbach before?
-No.

Now you obviously know that name, correct?

Yes.

When was the first time that you recall
hearing the name or seeing her picture?

When she was reported missing.

And how did you come about
hearing about her being missing?

My mom called,
she told me to turn on the news.

-OK, so you watched TV?
-Yes.

I have nothing else, Judge.

Just to see the chains on him,
it just-- Yeah. It just makes me sick.

Because I know what kind of boy he is.
You know.

I'm glad I'm going to see him
because, you know,

I mean, he appreciates me
coming down and, you know.

I know that 'cause
I can see it in his eyes.

He had a dream that, um, when
he goes up on the stand and everything

and he says just as it was ending,

somebody came out with a black robe on
and they flipped the top out

and it was Teresa and she was alive.

And it was all a joke.

Mr. Dassey,
let me, um, play something for you

and I want to ask you
a couple of questions, all right?

OK.

Can I ask you a question?
Why would you even go over there?

- I don't know.
- Why didn't you just call 911?

Or tell me at 5:00 when I got home?

Were you afraid of him?

Well, yeah. He just kept--

You have one minute left.

- What?
- He's stronger than me.

Yeah, well, if you would've
came home and told me.

Yeah, but then I thought
that I would have to go to jail, too.

- No, you wouldn't have.
- Yeah, for knowing about it.

You wouldn't have gotten
much out of it then, Brendan.

You would've been more or less a hero.

She would have probably still been alive.

- Yeah?
- Yes.

Well, look at that one on TV
where that alligator ate this one girl.

- Yeah?
- Yeah.

I'm just saying, all you would--
That's all you would've had to done

because I would've put you
in the truck and we would've left.

Why didn't you tell your mother
at 5:00 what you had seen earlier?

-'Cause it really didn't happen.
-OK.

Was Teresa Halbach alive at 5:00,
Mr. Dassey?

She was never there at--
when I was there.

Never where, sir?

I never seen her there.

Mr. Dassey, you told the officers
that you were there and Teresa was alive.

Yes.

She was alive.

But it really didn't happen.

-You made that all up?
-Yes.

You just happened to know Teresa's words?

No.

How do you know what she said?

-I made it up.
-You made it up?

Yes.

-You made up the part that you raped her?
-Yes.

You made up the part
that she told you not to do it?

-Yes.
-To do the right thing?

Yes.

-And to tell your uncle not to do it?
-Yes.

-You made that up?
-Yes.

Mr. Dassey, didn't you tell your mother
in a phone call on May 13th

that you had gone over
to your uncle Steven's after school

-and before she came home?
-Yes.

And on May 15th, she's asking you
why you didn't tell her.

Why didn't you?

'Cause it didn't happen.

Why did you tell her
you went over there, sir?

I don't know.

-You lied to your mother as well?
-Yes.

-And you lied to the police.
-Yes.

-Are you lying-- You're lying today?
-No.

How is it that you were able
to tell the police officers so much detail

about what happened to Teresa
if you weren't there?

I don't know.

What do you mean, sir, you don't know?

I could've got it out of books.

-Out of books?
-Yeah.

What book that you read...

ever... had the story...

of a woman chained to a bed,

raped, stabbed...

and then her body thrown on a fire?

What book was that, sir?

I believe it was called Kiss the Girls.

All right. Who wrote the book?

I don't remember his name.

Mr. Dassey, please look at exhibit 208.

Yeah?

-You drew that, correct?
-Yes.

-That's your depiction...
-Yes.

...of Teresa Halbach chained to the bed.

I don't understand.

Is that your--
Is that your description?

Is that how she looked

when you saw her on the bed
in your uncle Steven's bedroom?

I didn't see it.

You just made that up?

As I said, I got it out of that book.

Exhibit 210.
You drew this as well, sir, correct?

Yes.

That is your description of Teresa
on the fire in the burn pit.

Yes.

-You made that up?
-Yes.

Well, you told the officers
on February 27th you saw body parts.

-Yes.
-All right.

You told your cousin Kayla
you saw body parts in December.

-No.
-No. She just made that up?

-Yes.
-OK.

How is it that you and Kayla
both came up with telling

and seeing body parts in the fire
if you never talked about it?

She could've heard it on the news.

What newscast would that have been, sir?

I don't know.

Your seeing body parts in the fire,
what newscast was that?

I don't know,
but I heard that they found bones.

How do you feel about this today?
Right now?

That I just want to go home.

That's all you feel right now?
You just want to go home?

And scared.

All right.

Do you feel sorry for Teresa?

Well, I know everybody feels sorry
for losing someone.

Well, what do you feel?

I feel sorry for them.

Why? Why?

'Cause I know how it feels
to lose someone that you love.

And you're telling us today
that you had nothing to do with the--

-with the death of Teresa Halbach?
-No.

All right.

Why did you tell the officers
that you did?

I don't know.

- That's all.
- Redirect.

What was the part that you made up?

Well, the stuff that didn't really happen

is the stuff that I made up.

And what stuff didn't really happen?

Where I was over there before 5:00.

Where I helped him kill her
and rape her and that.

Why should this jury believe you today?

'Cause I didn't really do it.

When the officers would tell you,
"This is not your fault,"

how did that question or how did that
comment in the question make you feel?

That I wouldn't be...

That I wouldn't be taken away
from my family and put in jail.

-No matter what you said?
-Yeah.

I have nothing else, Judge.

I was just wondering
if he was gonna tell the truth or not.

I didn't expect him to.

I was hoping he would, uh...
slip up a little bit. Um...

I don't know. It was just kind of a...

weird feeling seeing him up there.

You know, when a question
he didn't have an answer to,

he would say "I don't know." He said
nothing about being suggested answers.

He just said he didn't know
why he answered things the way he did,

so it's kind of foolish to be here
when we have a taped confession.

Hi.

You're gonna hear an argument about,
"Well, this is just good proper technique.

And that might be true if you're dealing
with someone of average, normal,

typical intelligence, demeanor and memory.

But this is not the typical young man.

He might have been on this earth
for 16 years at the time...

but he didn't act like it
and he didn't think like it.

And isn't it incumbent upon the government

when they bring these type of allegations

to be able to satisfy you
beyond a reasonable doubt

that the evidence that they're asking you
to rely upon is in fact credible?

Don't convict him
because this was a horrible thing.

Don't convict him...
because he couldn't pick his parents.

Don't convict him
because he simply doesn't know...

and he's honest about it.

We are here and we're here for one reason.
There's no issue, there's no doubt.

We are here because the defendant
has a constitutional right

to have us prove him guilty.

That's why we're here,
that's what we've done.

Now, if you were 16 years old,

if we were in a situation like this...

what would be the most disturbing images
for the experience

if you really had experienced it?

It would be those images of a woman
pinned up, of body parts in a fire...

of blood coming out of a concrete floor.

Those are the things
that would stick with you in your memory.

And I tell you that because you know what?
That's why he confessed.

'Cause he couldn't live with it.

And it started to eke out
in his discussion,

little by little,
to his cousin first, his peer,

followed by all that trauma that winter.

The loss of weight, the tearful sessions,

sitting at a birthday party
and he's in tears because he's by himself.

Why? It's not
because he lost a girlfriend,

it's because he couldn't live with it.
That's why he confessed.

People who are innocent don't confess.

The defendant confessed
because he was guilty, because he did it.

Just as Teresa's lifeless body
was consumed by that fire,

the defendant's presumption of innocence

has been consumed by the fires
of his own sexual desire.

He wanted to know what it was like.

There's only one verdict here
and that's a verdict of guilty.

And we ask you to bring that verdict.

We ask you to bring justice for Teresa.

Thank you.

Members of the jury,
you will not be swayed by sympathy,

prejudice or passion.

You will be very careful and deliberate
in weighing the evidence.

I charge you to keep your duties
steadfastly in mind

and as upright citizens,
to render a just and true verdict.

The verdict must be reached unanimously.

It's really all about whether the jury
believes that taped confession

or whether they believe
what Brendan Dassey said himself

when he testified on Monday
that he made up that whole confession.

- Who do you believe?
- That's right, Shelby.

After nine days of testimony,
evidence and arguments,

the jury now has the case in their hands.

They've only been deliberating
for about 30 minutes.

We of course have no idea
how long it's gonna take for them

to come back with a verdict.

The judge simply gave them the case
and did not give them any direction

as to how long
they should deliberate tonight.

So all indications are
is that we'll sit here and wait

until we hear from them
as to whether A:

they just want to call it a night,

go home and start tomorrow morning.

What's that?

- The verdict...
- Verdict?

Here we go!

Hey, Brendan.
How are you feeling? Are you nervous?

Brendan.

I want to remind all those
present that this is a court of law.

The court recognizes
the emotional nature of this case,

its importance to all parties involved.

However, vocal outbursts or displays
of emotion will not be tolerated.

Any violation will result
in removal from the courtroom.

"We the jury
find the defendant, Brendan R. Dassey,

guilty of first degree intentional
homicide as party to a crime."

"We the jury
find the defendant, Brendan R. Dassey,

guilty of mutilating a corpse
as party to a crime."

"We the jury
find the defendant, Brendan R. Dassey,

guilty of second degree sexual assault

as party to a crime
on October 31st, 2005."

-No.
-Why not?

Because they sent my kid away for life.

Was it all Steve's fault?

- Did you get that?
- Yeah.

We lost!

We lost!

We lost!

Stop!

What the fuck? Would youse people
get the fuck outta here?

Goddamn it!
Give the fucking lady some peace!

All youse guys are ignorant motherfuckers.

Leave her be!

This lady--
Get the fuck out of here already!

You give the Halbachs respect,
but you won't give her respect?

What the fuck's wrong with youse?

You want something for me to say?

You want me to say something?

I think the Halbachs
set this shit all up! I really do!

You know... Um...

I can't imagine Brendan Dassey
did the things he was convicted of doing.

I just can't imagine he did them.

And I don't believe he did them.

Here's a 17-year-old boy who's...
who's lost his life.

In a real sense.

He lost everything
that makes life worth living

and that life might have held for him.

Um...

Again, the forces that caused that...

I understand and I don't think
are driven by malice...

Um... I think are just...

are just expressions
of ordinary human failing.

But the consequences...

are what are so sad and awful.

I love youse guys
and I know you're innocent.

I love hugs.

I love making people laugh.

I love laughing.

I love...

my sisters, my mom,
my whole family, of course.

I don't hate anyone.

I love a lot of people.

I feel loved.

Mike Halbach, Teresa's younger brother.

Honorable Judge Willis,

my family and I would never choose
to be involved in a situation like this.

We never chose to feel heartbreak,
to feel loss.

But Steven Avery chose my sister Teresa.

He thought only of himself.

He chose to end her life.

He chose to retain his sins inside himself
and to point blame at everyone else.

He chose not to hold himself accountable
and ask for forgiveness,

but to make a jury of 12 of his peers
decide if he was accountable or not.

They did that and in doing so, have put
you in the position you're in now.

As God guided Teresa's life,
let him guide your decision now.

It's your choice.

I ask that you sentence Steven Avery
to life in prison without parole.

Thank you.

Mr. Avery, do you--

You have the right to allocution
if you wish to speak now.

Well, Your Honor,
I'm sorry for the Halbach family...

Teresa Halbach's family,

what they're going through, the pain...

the hate they got.

There's nothing else gonna bring her back.
You know?

And my family,
what they're going through...

and everybody's friends and the community.

You know, it's hurting everybody.

And for myself...
Teresa Halbach I didn't kill.

I am innocent of all of this.

And I figure later on,
I'll prove myself innocent.

And I'll take it from there.
That's all I got. Thank you.

I have to say, Mr. Avery,
that what particularly strikes the court,

as I was preparing
for today's proceedings,

is the-- is the continuing danger
that you pose to those around you,

evidenced not only
by the homicide in this case,

but by its timing in your life.

Whatever crimes may
have been a part of your past,

at the time you committed this homicide,
everything suggested that your life

was poised to take a turn for the better.

However, despite having
the widespread sympathy of the public

and the prospects
for a significant financial award,

you committed the horrible crime that
brings you here to be sentenced today.

In terms of assessing
your danger to society,

the evidence forces me to conclude

that you are probably
the most dangerous individual

ever to set foot in this courtroom.

Your attorney has argued eloquently

that the court should make you eligible
for release at some point in the future.

But from what I see,
nothing in your life suggests that society

would ever be safe from your behavior.

One of the things that strikes me the most
is that as you've grown older,

your crimes have increased in severity.

This crime was committed at a time
when you were 43 years old.

Given the trend of your crimes, uh...

society has a legitimate right
to be concerned

that there is a serious risk
you would reoffend

and commit serious offenses if you're ever
permitted to be released from prison.

Most of what ails
our criminal justice system...

lie in unwarranted certitude on the part
of police officers and prosecutors

and defense lawyers and judges
and jurors...

that they're getting it right.

That they simply are right.

Just a... a tragic lack of humility

of everyone who participates
in our criminal justice system.

We could all say that
we're never gonna commit a crime.

But we can never guarantee that someone
will never accuse us of a crime.

And if that happens, then, you know,

good luck in this criminal justice system.