BREAKING: U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit sides with Wisconsin in Dassey v. Dittmann

November 17, 2016

Time of press release: 12:10 p.m.

The Brillion News 

CHICAGO, Ill. – Moments ago, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit granted the State of Wisconsin’s motion to stay U.S. Magistrate Judge William Duffin’s order to release Mr. Brendan Dassey. Mr. Dassey will remain in prison pending the outcome of the appeal.

On Monday, November 14, Federal Judge William E. Duffin ordered that Dassey be released from the Wisconsin state prison system.

In August, Duffin threw out Dassey’s conviction for the 2005 murder of Teresa Halbach, ruling that the confession of Dassey was coerced and thus not constitutional. Dassey was 16-years old when he confessed to killing Halbach. The state of Wisconsin is appealing the August ruling.

Later on Monday, Wisconsin Attorney General Brad Schimel said he planned to file an emergency motion in the Seventh Circuit federal court seeking a stay of Duffin’s order to release Dassey pending the appeal of the order vacating the conviction or a new trial.

Dassey’s uncle, Steven Avery, is also currently serving a life sentence for the murder of Halbach and is appealing his conviction.