Supreme Court declines to hear ‘Making a Murderer’ case

WASHINGTON » The Supreme Court said Monday it won’t weigh in on the case of a teenager convicted of rape and murder whose story was documented in the Netflix series “Making a Murderer.”

As is typical, the justices did not explain their decision declining to take the case. The justices’ decision leaves in place a lower court ruling against Brendan Dassey.

Dassey was 16 years old when he confessed to Wisconsin authorities that he had joined his uncle in raping and murdering photographer Teresa Halbach before burning her body in a bonfire. Dassey’s attorneys, however, say he’s borderline intellectually disabled and was manipulated by experienced police officers into accepting their story of how Halbach’s murder happened. They wanted his confession thrown out and a new trial.

Wisconsin officials had urged the Supreme Court not to take the case, telling the court it shouldn’t secondguess Wisconsin courts’ determination that Dassey’s confession was voluntary. Prosecutors noted that Dassey’s mother gave investigators permission to speak with him, that Dassey agreed as well and that during the interview investigators used only standard techniques such as adopting a sympathetic tone and encouraging honesty.

Wisconsin Attorney General Brad Schimel said in a statement that his office was “pleased” with the Supreme Court’s decision not to take the case. “We hope the family and friends of Ms. Halbach can find comfort in knowing this ordeal has finally come to a close,” he said.

Dassey’s attorneys can still try to get him a new trial but they’d have to convince a judge that new evidence warrants a new trial. Dassey’s attorneys haven’t said they have new evidence to offer. Still, on Monday after the Supreme Court announced its decision not to hear the case, Dassey attorney Laura Nirider said in a statement: “We will continue to fight to