I, along with many other Netflix account holders, have recently finished binge watching the new documentary series titled, "Making a Murder." Created and directed by Laura Ricciardi and Moira Demos, "Making a Murderer" features Steven Avery who served 18 years in prison for the sexual assault, attempted murder and false imprisonment of Penny Beernsten in 1985. Steven Avery of Manitowoc County, Wisconsin made national headlines after DNA evidence linked another man to the crime, exonerating Avery of all fault. Ricciardi and Demos began filming in 2003 in Manitowoc County, proceeding Avery's release from prison. What was meant to be a short, movie-documentary transformed into a ten episode series filmed over ten years. Here is a quick synopsis of the series, but trust me when I say, there is a lot more to it.

In 1985, at the age of 22, Steven Avery already had several instances on his record, including burglarizing a bar, animal cruelty and assaulting his cousin at gunpoint. His cousin happened to be the wife of a part-time Manitowoc County Sheriff.

The circumstances surrounding Avery's arrest in 1985 were plagued with missteps in protocol. Penny Beernsten gave a physical description of her attacker, but the deputy officer drawing the sketch did not use the description Beernsten reported. Instead, the picture was drawn according to a photograph of Steven Avery that was already on file. As a result, Beernsten misidentified Avery as the man who assaulted her. Also, despite 16 alibi witnesses in Avery's defense and another potential suspect, Steven Avery was sentenced to 32 years in prison.

After the exoneration, Avery filed a 36 million dollar civil lawsuit against Manitowoc County, which embarrassed officers and officials of the department. Shortly after filing the suit, Steven Avery was arrested for the disappearance of Teresa Halbach, and eventually convicted of killing her. The prosecution, led by Calumet County District Attorney Ken Kratz, based their case on several pieces of evidence, made up mostly of DNA findings found at Avery's family salvage yard, where he also resided.

Steven Avery's nephew, Brendan Dassey, also resided on the salvage yard's property. He too was arrested and convicted for the murder of Halbach. Both prosecution cases were fairly circumstantial, though. Reasonable doubt was apparent in each of their cases, but both remain imprisoned for the crime.

The Netflix series is fairly biased in Steven Avery's favor, but for the most part, the documentary series does well to include all areas of Avery's arrest and trial. People throughout the country are also showing their support of Avery. A petition asking President Obama to exonerate Steven Avery of the murder conviction acquired enough signatures that the White House had to respond. Since Avery is not imprisoned for a federal crime, but for a state crime, the president does not have the power to exonerate him.

Whether Steven Avery and Brendan Dassey actually committed the crime is still a mystery. Although the Netflix show attempts to give a final conclusion on the matter, they can only give the information available to them. That information, unfortunately, does not involve the truth surrounding Teresa Halbach's disappearance and murder. It will be interesting to see if any new information is gathered in defense or against Steven Avery or Brendan Dassey, but for the Halbach family's sake, I certainly hope this frenzy fizzles out. They deserve the truth, but ultimately, they deserve the right to remember Teresa privately, not by means of her face being plastered everywhere by the media.