Noted post-conviction lawyer Kathleen Zellner threw several jabs at the evidence presented during the 2007 murder trial of her Making a Murderer client Steven Avery Saturday.
“Experiment =’ hood latch swab’ never swabbed a hood latch. Swapping swabs–forensic for dummies,” Zellner tweeted, referring to former District Attorney Ken Kratz’s claim that Avery’s DNA was found underneath the hood of Teresa Halbach’s 1999 Toyota RAV4.
Kratz claimed that Avery unlatched the Toyota’s hood to disconnect the battery and disarm the vehicle’s GPS system. In the process, his DNA was deposited on the latch via his sweat through a process called sloughing. Not so, Zellner says.
It is not that she doesn’t understand sloughing or still maintain that multiple pieces of evidence were planted to frame Avery. She does. But, she says the DNA on the hood latch was not one of them. The DNA the state claims was lifted from underneath the hood wasn’t taken from the vehicle at all. Zellner said it came from a groin swab police took from Avery after he was arrested.
Zellner also tweeted about the disposal of Teresa Halbach’s remains. Care was taken to destroy the body, alluding to the allegation she made in her 1,200-page post-conviction motion that the evidence points to Teresa’s ex-boyfriend.
Michael Griesbach says Kathleen Zellner “surrendered to the siren song of fortune and fame” by taking Avery case. https://t.co/uQDFQnF2pc
— The Post-Crescent (@PostCrescent) June 24, 2017
“Sutter Cty Sheriff ‘when somebody goes to that much effort to dispose of body it is someone close to the victim’ scratches #Makingamurderer,” another tweet says.
In her June 7 motion, Zellner mentions scratches seen on the hands of Ryan Hillegas, wounds Dr. Larry Blum claims are consistent with those caused by human fingernails. Those fingernails were likely Teresa Halbach’s, but it is unclear if police ever investigated the possible connection to her on-again, off-again boyfriend of five years.
Then there’s the RAV4 key, a significant talking point among Making a Murderer fans around the world. Thousands of theories have been presented as to how the single key on a woven fabric lanyard ended up in Avery’s bedroom. Manitowoc County Lt. James Lenk says he found it on the floor next to a bookcase that had just been searched by Sgt. Andrew Colborn. The state claims it slid out from inside, coming to rest near a pair Avery’s slippers. Not possible, says Zellner. The lanyard and carpet would have prevented the placement.
“Key & lanyard dropped on floor. Experiments proved lanyard kept key from sliding–putting fabric back in fabrication#Makingamurderer,” Zellner tweeted.
Will new forensic testing dispute previous evidence used against Steven Avery? #MakingAMurderer pic.twitter.com/fk4J8YcswE
— Making A Murderer (@MakingAMurderer) August 24, 2016
Avery’s DNA was later found on the key, a seemingly strong piece of evidence for the state. However, Zellner claims the amount of DNA found was inconsistent with Kratz’s case. Avery was said to have been bleeding from a gash on his finger, the source of the blood inside the RAV4. But the key had none. Nor did it bear any trace of Teresa Halbach, indicating it could have been scrubbed before Avery’s DNA, likely from his toothbrush, was added.
[Featured Images by Monica Schipper/Getty Images]