Steven Avery

Steven Allan Avery is an American convicted of murder in 2007 from Manitowoc County, Wisconsin. He gained attention when he was wrongfully convicted in 1985 of sexual assault and attempted murder, but was exonerated by DNA testing and released in 2003. Avery's case sparked a discussion on Wisconsin's criminal justice system, leading to the implementation of the Criminal Justice Reform Bill in 2005. After his release, Avery filed a $36 million lawsuit against Manitowoc County, its former sheriff, and former district attorney. However, in 2005, he was arrested for the murder of photographer Teresa Halbach. Avery was convicted and sentenced to prison.