10 Signs You're Obsessed With 'Making a Murderer'

1. You wake up in the morning, and the first thing you do is Google Steven Avery, Making a Murderer, and/or Brendan Dassey before you do anything else.

2. You get irritated when people who think Steven Avery is guilty tell you to “read the trial transcripts.” But you’ve read them. And you still think the Manitowoc County Sheriff’s Department is (or was at the time) full of liars. 

3. You also get irritated when people smugly tell you that by focusing on certain aspects of the case, you’re missing the point of the documentary, when actually, you’re perfectly capable of understanding what it was about. Trying to piece together the facts of what happened to Teresa Halbach doesn’t make you any less aware of the point of the documentary. 

4. You’ve used the term “Lenk’d”. 

5. You’ve woken up in the middle of the night thinking about the injustices shown in the documentary. (Bonus points if you’ve actually got up in the middle of the night because you REALLY couldn’t get back to sleep.)

6.  You’ve trawled through Reddit theories and possibly posted your own. 

7. You can no longer hear the words, “What’s going on here?” without also hearing it in Jerome Buting’s voice. 

8. You have had lengthy discussions over whether you’re a Strang girl or a Buting girl. Or, you’ve had had lengthy discussions over which of the gorgeous news reporter ladies you prefer.

9. You have high appreciation for the people who make Making a Murderer memes for giving you a chuckle while you’re getting stressed out reading the trial transcripts.

10. You can’t see a picture or read an article relating to Ken Kratz without uttering some very bad words. 

Yeah, that was a test, sorry ;)

Did Kathleen Zellner Take a Swipe at Steven Avery’s Former Lawyers?

EDIT: Thanks to Twitter's magic delete button, this tweet has now vanished - but the screencaps have already been taken.

This is the tweet that got people talking within seconds of its appearance in the Twittersphere early this evening. Although somewhat lacking in total clarity, the general consensus seems to be that Kathleen Zellner, Steven Avery's current lawyer, is sharing Avery's thoughts on the news that his former attorneys, Dean Strang and Jerry Buting, are planning a US tour.

Kathleen Zellner has been busting her butt to prove Steven Avery's innocence since she first got involved with his case, and has been extremely vocal, not to mention often cryptic, with her tweets, giving updates on the investigation, and on Avery himself. However, there have been murmurs amongst sceptics that Zellner might be all about the publicity, and claims that her constant "updates" could be viewed as unethical are not uncommon. Today's tweet might have taken those claims up a notch.

Nobody can deny Zellner's record for overturning wrongful convictions. In that area, she's quite the firecracker, and if she can get Steven Avery out, she WILL be a hero. But up until just five days ago, it was still being reported that Strang and Buting were "informally involved in working for Steven." In interviews, Dean Strang said that he and Jerry had even SEEN Steven Avery as recently as December. So why this sudden side swipe by Avery at the two men who fought so hard for him during his trial? And why did Zellner feel the need to share this information with the world?

Just two days ago, Jerry Buting tweeted SUPPORT for Zellner.

Regardless of whether people believe Zellner's tweets up until today have been professional, this one may well cross the line - which could explain why it got deleted so fast.

Just for the heck of it, let's take a little look at the way Strang and Buting have conducted themselves.

Remember that moment in Making a Murderer when a reporter asked Dean Strang if Ken Kratz's questioning of Bobby Dassey during the trial equated to misconduct, Strang said, "I'm not here to throw stones." When asked what he thought about Ken Kratz's upcoming book, Strang said, "I think the world needs more books, not fewer, in general." (With perfect grammar too, might I add!). Ken Kratz was the opposition - and yet Strang never once took a single opportunity to criticise him. Zellner herself may not have been the one to make this dig at Strang and Buting - it appears she was acting as a mouthpiece for Steven Avery - but it was entirely her call on whether or not to share it with her 139,000 followers.

Just to reiterate - nobody is questioning Zellner’s track record or her dedication to Steven Avery's case. However, her judgement of what to tweet... well, that one is still up for debate.

EDIT: Since writing this, Kathleen Zellner herself took a shot at Strang and Buting. To say this pissed off their supporters is an understatement, however Dean Strang - once again - showed why he and Jerry are so well-loved by saying this: “That she is criticizing some aspects of the work I did at trial means that she is doing her job.”

You see? It is, in fact, possible to be successful without crapping all over other people. 

The Best Lighthearted Moments in 'Making a Murderer'

The Netflix documentary Making a Murderer has taken the world by storm since it hit our screens last December. The story of Steven Avery and Brendan Dassey has been the cause of much debate and discussion, and has seen an uprising of armchair sleuths eager to figure out exactly what happened to Teresa Halbach on October 31st 2005. 

Let’s be clear here - there is nothing lighthearted about the subject matter. However, what the documentary makers Laura Ricciardi and Moira Demos did well was inject a touch of lightness here and there, because let’s face it, most people’s stress levels reached a peak while viewing Making a Murderer. So, with that in mind, here is a look at some of the moments that allowed viewers a little smile (and occasionally a giggle) in between the seriousness.

7. Remember this lady? This is Reesa Evans, Steven Avery’s appointed lawyer back in 1985. We saw her a few times through the series, and in comparison with the other lawyers, she was somewhat more… laid back with her speech, let’s say. This moment of honesty was one that stuck in a lot of people’s minds and pretty much reflected everyone’s thoughts when the verdicts came in. 

6. That moment when you find a hole in a blood vial and immediately call your partner to let them know. The sheer joy on Jerry Buting’s (affectionately known here as J-Butes :p ) face brought a smile to many viewers because this looked like a major turning point in Steven Avery’s favour.

5. Another moment from Mr. Buting that made us giggle was this little bit of mocking on his way home from a hard day of… lawyering. Also, if you haven’t already, you really should follow Jerry on Twitter (@JButing) - he’s not only interesting, he also has excellent banter with his followers!

4. The look on Dean Strang’s (D-Strang - affectionate term :p) face here is awesome. Everything about him is saying, “I am SO over your crap, Colborn.” What’s missing from this GIF is the way he then very coolly replays the tape and watches Colborn squirm. 

3. This one comes in the form of a video, because, firstly I couldn’t find a GIF and secondly, it needs to be heard because it’s freaking hilarious. Yup, it’s the aliens. How Kucharski even had the balls to say, “It’s possible in the sense that aliens put it there,” will always amuse me, but not as much as Jerry’s epic, “There weren’t any aliens in the room, right?” Burn. 

2. This moment came after Bobby Dassey’s messed up testimony about “the joke” that he wasn’t actually supposed to be talking about. When Mr. Strang stepped out to speak to reporters, and someone blurted out, “What the hell happened?” - this was the result. The reason this Making a Murderer moment was so welcome was not only because it came after a very serious moment, but because this smile showed a lighter side to Mr. Strang we didn’t get to see enough of. (Plus, he’s adorable!)

1. Without a doubt, this was the best moment of happy in the whole documentary. The first episode was harrowing to watch, hearing the full story of everything Steven Avery went through, so his homecoming was a joy to see. It’s hard to imagine there’s a person in the world who didn’t laugh out loud when Steven was asked who that baby was and he said, “I don’t know.”


We thank Ricciardi and Demos for these moments of lightness that made Making a Murderer that little bit easier to take and allowed us a brief break from the overwhelming emotions we felt while watching.

Originally posted on my Tumblr blog

Making a Murderer - Making Friends - Making a Difference

Every now and again, something will come along and capture the attention of the world. 2016's first big thing was Making a Murderer. First airing on Netflix in December 2015, the documentary telling the story of Steven Avery and Brendan Dassey quickly picked up a following, and subsequently highlighted the huge amount of flaws in the US criminal justice system.

The natural side effect of anything that becomes well known to the public is the creation of a "fandom". Look at any trend over the years: LOST, Harry Potter, Pretty Little Liars, The Vampire Diaries, Twilight... every one of those things gripped people and created debates and discussions. Whether it was the question about whether Professor Snape was working for good or evil, or if you were Team Edward or Team Jacob, or... who on earth is A? These things set people talking. Inevitably, you get people bickering amongst themselves, but the very positive plus side is that in amongst all this discussion, friends can be made.

The obvious difference with those things in comparison to Making a Murderer is they are all fictional. When I first got involved with voicing my thoughts and opinions about MaM, I did so with the intention of being fair to all parties - even the ones that are unpopular. Why? Because as much as they are on our screens and viewed as such, they are NOT characters. They are real people. Real people with real things to lose.

I very quickly found like-minded Making a Murderer fans. By like-minded I mean, people who were kept awake at night by the injustice. People who had very few people to discuss the documentary with. People who felt helpless. And on the lighter side, people who eased some of those feelings by sharing memes, giggling over things like the Simpsons parody, and having a joke about the now infamous love the world has for Jerry Buting and Dean Strang.

When I started writing about MaM, the last thing I expected was to make friends. I've made friends through other fandoms, but it genuinely never crossed my mind that I would make more because of Making a Murderer. Much of it happened after my last blog post - the very tongue-in-cheek post about Jerry Buting's Twitter. Imagine the shock when the man himself tweeted that he thought the post and following conversation was funny!

But here's the thing. Whilst we were having a bit of fun, and no doubt will continue to do so, real friendships began to form. And that's amazing to me.

Following on from that though, as much as we enjoy the JButes banter, we're all united in the fact that we want to do something that will help. We want to ask questions. We want to learn about all the ways things went wrong for Steven Avery and Brendan Dassey. You could be forgiven for thinking that just because I focus on the lighter areas when I can, that I don't take this seriously. That I'm not smart. But I do. And I am (well...relatively :p).

And then comes the making a difference part. Not just amongst the real friends I've made, but amongst those I've encountered and had short discussions with, people ARE trying to make a difference. Megan McGuinness and Megan Leigh Prather (apologies if I missed someone!) were involved in a protest outside the Manitowoc County Court House, and a protest is now also being planned in London. People are selling merchandise to raise money for the Innocence Project. People are selling merchandise to help the Avery/Dassey families. People are eager to study law, or they are looking other injustices that have happened. Garrett M. Scott has become an advocate for Valentino Dixon, yet another wrongly accused man sitting in prison for a crime he didn't commit(watch that video - it'll blow your mind).

My point is, when something like MaM comes along, it DOES bring people together and however slowly, it WILL make a difference. And I guess that was the point of the documentary in the first place.

8 Times Jerry Buting's Twitter Was the Coolest Place Ever

It's no secret that Making a Murderer's favourite criminal defense lawyers Jerry Buting and Dean Strang have captured the hearts and minds of the world since the documentary first landed on Netflix. Take a look around online and you'll see all manner of tributes to this dynamic duo, and rightly so. The level of dedication and integrity they have shown both through the series and since is inspiring, and has given hope to those who were left feeling angry and helpless after watching Steven Avery's story. 

Jerry Buting has now become even more of an internet sensation with his kindness, wit, and charm in the crazy world of Twitter. Mr. B is a busy guy, yet he still manages to carve out a little time in his day to talk to his followers, finding the perfect balance between discussing the things that matter, and having a laugh with his fans. Here's a look at 8 times Jerry Buting's Twitter account was the coolest place ever!

1. That time he embraced girl power...

Is there really any better endorsement than this? There are two levels of awesome here. Firstly, the fact that JB used the phrase "girl power" which will always elicit a chuckle - especially from 90's girls who can still hear the chants echoing around their skulls from overexposure to the Spice Girls. And secondly because, it was simply an extremely kind thing to say. Zig-a-zig-ah! 

2. That time he showed off his swagger...

If you're a Buting & Strang fan, you'll be fully aware of the amount of awesome and hilarious merchandise now available, and this t-shirt is right up there with the best. When someone tweeted this genius piece of artwork at Jerry, he wasn't shy with his response! ;) The debate about which way around this sentence should be continues to this day in chat rooms across the world! 

3. That time he embraced his street name...

#JButes was something that slipped out when I was writing an article a while back, and - praise the Lord - it sort of caught on! The fact that Jerry thought this was worthy of a mention made our day! 

4. That time he said what we were all thinking...

No further explanations needed. 

5. That time he was flattered by Strang & Buting phone backgrounds...

He says this like it's not normal to set devastatingly handsome lawyers as phone backgrounds. I mean, I guess, it would be weird to have Dean Strang as your phone background... right? No...? *whistles innocently*

6. That time he politely shot down an admirer...

This is one of JButes' finest fan interactions. ccbabcocks took one for the team and asked the question many MaM fans wanted to know the answer to. Most would have casually breezed over this but not our Mr. Buting! The fact that he finished, with, "But thanks anyway," just made us love him even more!

7. That time he praised his wife (and it was so sweet, we weren't even jealous!)...

#Relationshipgoals 

8. That time he told his followers how badass we are...

It's true. Only people with high intelligence and exquisite taste follow The Buting! 

There is no question that there will be many more moments of awesome from Jerry Buting - so if you've yet to see it for yourself, get following him! You'll get the fun stuff, but most importantly (because even though we're having a giggle, the serious stuff matters more) you'll hear info on the Avery case, and all kinds of other legal matters that are affecting people right now. 

Mr. Buting - we salute you! 

Making a Murderer Protest Coming to London on April 2nd

Since December 2015, Netflix documentary Making a Murderer has become a talking point for the millions of people who watched and learned the story of Steven Avery and Brendan Dassey. For those not in the know, Steven Avery of Manitowoc County, Wisconsin, was arrested and jailed for eighteen years for a crime he didn’t commit. After filing a civil lawsuit against Manitowoc County for his wrongful conviction – a claim that could have seen him being awarded $36 million - he was then re-arrested for the murder of twenty-five-year-old photographer, Teresa Halbach. Avery’s sixteen-year-old nephew Brendan Dassey was also jailed for his involvement in the crime. Here’s the problem – the evidence suggesting Avery and Dassey murdered Teresa Halbach is not without flaw. In fact, if you dig a little deeper, the flaws are glaringly obvious, and viewers of the documentary are now demanding these men are given a new and fair trial.

Earlier this year, some of Avery and Dassey’s supporters participated in a protest at the Manitowoc County Courthouse, eager to make their voices heard. Now, UK supporters are getting ready to stage their own peaceful protest in London. I caught up with the organisers, Belinda Wilson and Kayleigh Brandon to find out more.

When did you first watch Making a Murderer?

Kayleigh: I had been nagging my boyfriend to watch it since I first heard about it in December. We finally got around to it in the first week of January. I was instantly hooked, and had to devour it – I couldn’t even wait for the evenings to watch with my boyfriend! Haha, sorry!

Belinda: I started watching Making a Murderer on 15/1/16. I kept seeing the Netflix advert on Facebook. When I was flicking through Netflix I saw it and decided to watch it. I watched the whole ten episodes in one go. My life then changed.

What were your initial thoughts after watching the documentary?

Kayleigh: Shock. Disbelief. Outrage.

Belinda: Anger. Disgust. Sad. Helpless.

What in particular about Steven Avery and Brendan Dassey’s stories affected you?

Kayleigh: With Steven, I was appalled at the blatant class warfare going on. I was hugely disturbed that a system which is meant to exist to see justice served contrived so purposefully and maliciously to steal this man’s life for a crime he was innocent of. He has almost no relationship with his four children as a result. All this, despite him having over a dozen witnesses to alibi him, and a timed receipt from a restaurant miles away from the crime! I was drawn to Brendan as he is the same age as me (born only two weeks to the day after myself). I felt guilt at the rites of passage I have enjoyed (learning to drive, first job, buying a house etc.) whilst he has been behind bars, and a deep, uneasy sense that it could have been any of us manipulated in that way as a naïve child. I also work with kids, so I am keenly aware of their vulnerability.

Belinda: With Steven's story, I was extremely sad that Steven had lost eighteen years of his life and his children's lives, seeing his marriage fall apart. Hearing the pain in his voice, seeing the pain in his face. I was appalled at what lengths the prosecution was willing to go to get a conviction for both the rape and murder. Brendan's story hit hard. Being a youth support worker myself, for children with learning disabilities, I instantly felt the need to protect Brendan. Seeing Brendan go through intense interrogation by those so-called professionals made me feel physically sick. Still haunts me now.

When did you first think of the idea for a UK protest?

Kayleigh: After the recent protests in Manitowoc and Madison, many UK supporters had expressed a desire for something similar over here. I suggested it a few times on various posts and got lots of likes, but it wasn’t until I connected with Belinda that I found somebody willing to go for it!

Belinda: After watching closely on the family Facebook page and seeing their protest coming together, I felt gutted that I lived so far away. I felt helpless. I wanted to be there showing my support to Steven, Brendan and his family. I also wanted to express my disgust at the criminal justice system. I posted a post to the Facebook group with my intentions for a protest in the UK as I received private messages from people in the UK who felt as helpless as I did. There was a lot of interest and this is how Kayleigh and I came together and decided to set up an events page

Can you give us some more details of what will happen on the day of the protest?

Kayleigh: April 2nd 2016. 11am US Embassy then 2pm Parliament Square. People are free to join at any point in the day they like, and any short time they can spare would be hugely appreciated! People are encouraged to use their imagination and create their own signs, but we will likely have some spares! We have ‘FREE STEVEN AVERY & BRENDAN DASSEY’ t-shirts available, and are also encouraging people to make an impact visually with orange jumpsuits, handcuffs, taped mouths, etc. We want to show solidarity with Steven and Brendan whilst also commenting on the way the US system is trying to hush up this injustice. We have international MMA fighter Jimmy ‘Justice’ Millar attending, as well as former US prisoner turned author/public speaker Shaun Attwood. We have received messages of support from Jerry Buting, and the admin and family in the official family Facebook page.

As you can see, these ladies are extremely passionate about this cause, and they are ready to get out there and seek some justice! If you would like to be part of this protest, you can find all the details on their Facebook events page here.

Fozzy's New VIP Makes Us Dance Like Mick Jagger For An Hour

...Actually, a bit longer than that. Around three days, to be precise!

 Now, those of you who have followed this blog for a while will know I have written about Fozzy VIPs before. But they aren't quite the same as they used to be. The band has evolved, more people want to come to VIP, and so things had to change a little. This is NO bad thing.

On Sunday, I headed to Southampton to experience Fozzy VIP 2015, and I have to say, I loved it! As always, we were given a signed photo, early access to merchandise, a group VIP photo, plus individual photos with the band. That would be enough of a treat for most fans, but what's new this year is the soundcheck, the mini private gig, and a question and answer session!

"Why do we need a mini private gig?" I hear you ask! Well, I'll tell you! First and foremost, the best thing for me was the chance to be very close to the stage and enjoy a bit of the show without any concerns about being squished against the barriers. I know, I know - that is all part of the fun, but not everyone is as... moshy as some, and some of the VIP'ers I spoke to were thrilled because this private show meant they could relax and take very close up photos without any concerns. Not only that, but Fozzy take requests - and not just their own songs, either. In Southampton, we were treated to an awesome version of You Really Got Me that had everyone rocking out!

The Q&A session was also a brilliant addition to the VIP package. A lot of times, if you meet a band member in passing, there isn't enough time to ask a question, and if there is, the answer can be rushed because these guys don't have a lot of time to chat. This designated time for questions was brilliant as it meant everyone who had something they always wanted to ask could so in a relaxed way, without feeling too hurried.

One thing I always need to mention when it comes to Fozzy VIP is this: A lot of times people are on the fence about whether to upgrade to the VIP package. The reasons for the hesitation vary, but a lot of fans want to know firstly if it's value for money, and secondly, whether they can handle their nerves! The answer to question one is yes, it's absolutely worth the money! I have done VIP a few times, and each time it's different, for different reasons. I have never had two identical VIP experiences, and as you get to know the band better, you will eventually end up with your own inside jokes!  And nerves? Perfectly normal, but the guys are SO down to earth, they put you at ease from the first hello.

SO, if you are considering a VIP package - just go for it!

Also, if you are a Fozzy virgin, it's a really good idea to let them pop your cherry, because you will leave their shows with a buzz that cannot be beaten.