Verdict Reached in Dassey Trial

Just breaking...

Expected to be read tonight, live during the 10 PM news.

Will update with what it is, I'll be watching streaming from DC.

UPDATE: Here are the charges Dassey faces.

Second Degree Sexual Assault - Verdict: Guilty

First Degree Intentional Homicide - Verdict: Guilty

Mutilation of a Corpse - Verdict: Guilty

UPDATE II: I commented at Owen's blog why Dassey was convicted on the Sexual Assault and Corpse Mutilation charges. The reason is pretty clear: The Confession of Dassey himself.

The key to that is the confession of Dassey himself. It was aired in this trial, it wasn't in Avery's. Likely because Avery's attorneys would have tried to get it thrown out in his trial.

Without it in Avery's trial, they had nothing [no physical evidence] to tie Avery to those charges.

That's the reality between the two cases.

Both Avery and Dassey look like they're going to die in State Correctional Institutes of natural causes.

May Teresa Halbach's soul finally find peace after these two trials; and may her family finally receive peace of mind.

Speaking of the Verdict

On Steven Avery.

My take is the verdict is it is the correct one. Yeah the not-guilty on the mutilation charge seems nonsensical but who knows. Remember we are dealing with the legal system here with its extreme attention to niggling detail. Also, as is rampantly speculated there could have been some jury nullification. Most experts have speculated about "charge trading", but the important charge was the first degree intentional homicide.

The defense utilized a very prosecutorial approach. They tried to prosecute the investigators. IIRC the defenses opening statement included a comment along the lines of Steven Avery and the investigators had one thing in common and that was neither killed Ms. Halbach. That is, they investigators found the body, car, etc and then planted it all. I think that was lame-lame-lame. The only real fact supporting the defense's case was motive.

Steven had no real motive to kill Ms. Halbach and the county did have motive to go after Mr. Avery. I heard some talk about if there was a frame-up, it was done by his family because he was hurting the business, but even that seems outlandish.

Of course, many people try to wonder why would he do such a thing or did not do a better job of hiding it. After all, he was in jail, or he should have known he would be a chief suspect, if he did it he would have done a better job of hiding the evidence etc. Too clever by half. Remember, Steven Avery even prior to the false imprisonment was one of the usual suspects. Is it considered recidivism even if you were in jail for something you didn't do?

One last note. Do not vent on the Wisconsin Innocence Project (WIP). Steven did not commit the rape he was accused of. In fact, comparing the recidivism of those sprung by the WIP to the general prison population supports the work of the WIP.

Most People

Are satisfied with the Steven Avery verdict. However, here is one blogger who is not.

For the most part it seems to be so much straw grasping.