'Making a Murderer' Appeal Rejected by SCOTUS
In what is sure to disappoint fans of the 'Making a Murderer' series, the United States Supreme Court has denied certiorari in the Brandan Dassey petition. The rejection effectively ends the story of Brandan Dassey, at least as far as the crime drama docu-series story.
Dassey's time on screen now may be more appropriate for a prison life series, maybe one about inmates who became famous thanks to Netflix.
Dassey Denied
Appearing in the weekly Order List, under the heading Certiorari Denied, Dassey's case appears listed. For the high profile matter, the rejection seemed to fly under the radar.
The Court provided no explanation on the denial. However, as commentators are sure to note, it's likely the High Court simply agreed with the Seventh Circuit sitting en banc. After all, the issue of whether Dassey's confession was coerced was heavily litigated.
What's Next?
For Dassey, there may not be anything more to be done except to hope that new evidence comes to light exonerating him. Otherwise, his sentence has him behind bars for life, with the earliest opportunity for parole being in 30 years.
The makers of the series do have another season planned, but without any further legal recourse, the series may need to find a new cause to champion. Dassey's attorney, Laura Nirider, steadfastly maintains that Dassey was coerced to confess, and has vowed to keep fighting both on his behalf and "the many other children who have been wrongfully convicted due to the use of coercive interrogation tactics."
Related Resources:
- United States Seventh Circuit Cases (FindLaw's Cases & Codes)
- Supreme Court Lawyers Join Brendan Dassey Legal Team (FindLaw's Supreme Court Blog)
- Court: Brendan Dassey's 'Making a Murderer' Confession Was Voluntary (FindLaw's U.S. Seventh Circuit Blog)
