The creators behind the hit Netflix series Making A Murderer, Moira Demos and Laura Ricciardi, took to Twitter Wednesday to host a Q&A for fans of the show, reddit AMA style.
Thanks for all your great #AskMAM questions. There is so much to be learned from this story. Here are a few things we learned...
— Making A Murderer (@MakingAMurderer) January 20, 2016The creators insist that the show is not about Steven Avery’s guilt or innocence, but more about pointing out the “ uncomfortable questions about how guilt gets decided in this country.”
It is in everyone's interest that the process be fair and for verdicts to be reliable.
— Making A Murderer (@MakingAMurderer) January 20, 2016Making A Murderer has experienced a backlash recently as outlets such as Kathryn Schulz from The New Yorker or Dustin Rowles from Pajiba criticized the show in regards to editing decisions and what was left on the cutting room floor.
@MakingAMurderer A lot of people are saying the most important evidence was left out, do you believe that is true?#AskMAM
— Melissa Frontine (@MelissaFrontine) January 19, 2016No. Strongest evidence of guilt is in the series. The evidence left out is less significant, redundant... (1 of 2) https://t.co/fv38WDT3pr
— Making A Murderer (@MakingAMurderer) January 20, 2016Disputed, and in some cases inadmissible (unreliable/irrelevant/prejudicial) (2 of 2) https://t.co/fv38WDT3pr
— Making A Murderer (@MakingAMurderer) January 20, 2016The online response to these pieces have not been kind to say the least.
There are powerful external forces like the media impacting our court system and influencing verdicts.
— Making A Murderer (@MakingAMurderer) January 20, 2016Jodi Stachowski, Steven Avery’s ex-fiancée believes that Avery is “not innocent,” according to statements she made in an interview on Nancy Grace .
#AskMAM Do you think Jodi was afraid of #StevenAvery? Did U see anything that made you think she was being threatened/'forced' to act/lie?
— Amanda McCarthy (@JonesNTip2014) January 16, 2016We saw no indication of that. (1 of 2) #AskMAM https://t.co/Gf7NZNibTs
— Making A Murderer (@MakingAMurderer) January 20, 2016We saw a woman who was supportive of Steven & Brendan & under a tremendous amt of pressure frm law enforcement (2/2) https://t.co/Gf7NZNibTs
— Making A Murderer (@MakingAMurderer) January 20, 2016“Because he threatened to kill me and my family and a friend of mine,” Stachowski said according to the Rolling Stone. In an unrelated statement during the same interview, Stachowski said that “I ate two boxes of rat poison just so I could go to the hospital and get away from him and asked them to get the police to help me."
@Netflix_CA #AskMAM - Do any of the current news stories (Jodi's change of story, etc) accurately reflect your filming experience?
— Claire Miller (@cdnwildcat586) January 20, 2016There are many inaccurate stories being aired/printed about our process. https://t.co/bfXona3NgZ
— Making A Murderer (@MakingAMurderer) January 20, 2016The rest of the tweets from the Q&A have been included below.
This should be about us coming together to work towards the common goal of an improved system.
— Making A Murderer (@MakingAMurderer) January 20, 2016Anybody can be accused of anything and for every wrongful conviction there is a wrongful acquittal as we saw in 1985.
— Making A Murderer (@MakingAMurderer) January 20, 2016#AskMAM What are your best hopes for the documentary? What is your vision of a better legal future? What can the average person do to help?
— J Kel (@Audrey_sauraus) January 16, 2016Hope people think deeply about problems that plague our justice system (1 of 4) #AskMAM https://t.co/qxsLdjZfXk
— Making A Murderer (@MakingAMurderer) January 20, 2016Understand that every time someone is wrongly convicted that means the true perpetrator is left on the streets (2/4) https://t.co/qxsLdjZfXk
— Making A Murderer (@MakingAMurderer) January 20, 2016Learn from what happened in 1985. Support reform by writing to your elected officials (3 of 4) #AskMAM https://t.co/qxsLdjZfXk
— Making A Murderer (@MakingAMurderer) January 20, 2016And signaling through your vote that justice matters to you. (4 of 4) https://t.co/qxsLdjZfXk
— Making A Murderer (@MakingAMurderer) January 20, 2016@Netflix_ME #AskMAM what was the most challenging/difficult part when making this documentary?
— ℛ eem (@R_AlMulla) January 19, 2016There were many challenges (1 of 4) https://t.co/ptkgwrymrw
— Making A Murderer (@MakingAMurderer) January 20, 2016One was when the State of Wisconsin tried to subpoena our footage. (2 of 4) https://t.co/ptkgwrymrw
— Making A Murderer (@MakingAMurderer) January 20, 2016We had to hire a lawyer and file a motion to quash the subpoena which we won. (3 of 4) https://t.co/ptkgwrymrw
— Making A Murderer (@MakingAMurderer) January 20, 2016If State had won they would have effectively shut down the production. (4 of 4) https://t.co/ptkgwrymrw
— Making A Murderer (@MakingAMurderer) January 20, 2016@MakingAMurderer Do you believe you would have a different opinion on the Avery/Dassey cases if you didn't make the documentary? #AskMAM
— Mr J (@GreatRedDragon7) January 17, 2016Yes. It was only because we went through all of the materials in depth... (1 of 2) https://t.co/l34jojhvNA
— Making A Murderer (@MakingAMurderer) January 20, 2016That we could begin to understand how these convictions came about. (2 of 2) https://t.co/l34jojhvNA
— Making A Murderer (@MakingAMurderer) January 20, 2016@MakingAMurderer #AskMAM Your opinions on Jodi's comments about not wanting to be part of the documentary
— john mcnabney (@lacazio) January 16, 2016We had her permission to use all the footage. It's not true that she asked us not to be part of the documentary. https://t.co/jqOQdMt33j
— Making A Murderer (@MakingAMurderer) January 20, 2016#AskMAM @MakingAMurderer Do you believe that Theresa Halbach's brother deleted critical evidence from her voicemail?
— Red (@ItsRedRidingH) January 20, 2016We don't know who deleted her messages. He testified he did not. #AskMAM https://t.co/D3IcnZwwmp
— Making A Murderer (@MakingAMurderer) January 20, 2016#AskMAM why not mention Teresa's complaint to boss that Avery had inappropriate conduct with her, such as greeting her wearing only a towel?
— Hepax Legomenon (@pizzalasagna) January 18, 2016The judge excluded the evidence. The woman who outside the presence of the jury testified abt conversation (1 of 4) https://t.co/DZmrAkYzFf
— Making A Murderer (@MakingAMurderer) January 20, 2016...with Teresa was the receptionist for Auto Trader (2 of 4) https://t.co/DZmrAkYzFf
— Making A Murderer (@MakingAMurderer) January 20, 2016Who said it was a 10-15 second conversation about unusual or funny things that happened with customers (3 of 4) https://t.co/DZmrAkYzFf
— Making A Murderer (@MakingAMurderer) January 20, 2016And here Teresa said "Ew" and laughed. You can check the trial transcript. (4 of 4) https://t.co/MRkQKdTqo9 https://t.co/DZmrAkYzFf
— Making A Murderer (@MakingAMurderer) January 20, 2016#AskMAM why did you fail to mention that every time Avery called the Auto Magazine he always asked for it to be Teresa to meet with him.
— Hepax Legomenon (@pizzalasagna) January 18, 2016Teresa was the only Auto Trader photographer who covered Manitowoc. (1 of 2) https://t.co/6Up7ausuET
— Making A Murderer (@MakingAMurderer) January 20, 2016As the only Auto Trader photog in the county, if he asked for her there is nothing suspicious about that. (2 of 2) https://t.co/6Up7ausuET
— Making A Murderer (@MakingAMurderer) January 20, 2016How do you explain the evidence of Avery's DNA found under the hood of Halbach's car? #AskMAM
— Meagan Hatton (@meaghat) January 20, 2016The question is how it got there. A crime lab expert testified that he went under the hood after... (1 of 4) https://t.co/2KN6Q5lAJD
— Making A Murderer (@MakingAMurderer) January 20, 2016(2 of 4) handling other evidence and did not change his gloves. The defense argued there was the potential... https://t.co/2KN6Q5lAJD
— Making A Murderer (@MakingAMurderer) January 20, 2016(3 of 4) for contamination. The alternative argument was planting. It was disputed evidence and ... https://t.co/2KN6Q5lAJD
— Making A Murderer (@MakingAMurderer) January 20, 2016(4 of 4) neither side was presented in the series with respect to this less significant evidence. https://t.co/2KN6Q5lAJD
— Making A Murderer (@MakingAMurderer) January 20, 2016#AskMAM what do you think to all the claims you skewed the show in Avery's favour when evidence not covered in the show points to guilty?
— Loop (@pedicabote) January 17, 2016MaM isn't about whether or not Avery is guilty. (1 of 2) https://t.co/7LR4RYm5TU
— Making A Murderer (@MakingAMurderer) January 20, 2016It's about what the state of Wisconsin did or didn't do in its efforts to convict Avery. (2 of 2) https://t.co/7LR4RYm5TU
— Making A Murderer (@MakingAMurderer) January 20, 2016@MakingAMurderer how are his parents doing? I really felt for them. #AskMAM #MakingAMurderer
— J-Reub (@josephreuben815) January 20, 2016They continue to suffer every day Steven and Brendan are in prison. But they're feeling uplifted ... (1 of 2) https://t.co/1TJkxTHctE
— Making A Murderer (@MakingAMurderer) January 20, 2016(2 of 2)... by the recent letters of support they've received, and encouraged that Steven has a new lawyer. https://t.co/1TJkxTHctE
— Making A Murderer (@MakingAMurderer) January 20, 2016@MakingAMurderer is the show to convey Steven as Innocent or that there is corruption in the police force? #AskMAM
— Aaron (@ThatAaron) January 19, 2016The point of the series is to get viewers to face uncomfortable questions abt how guilt gets decided in this country https://t.co/SvUvc6bdr6
— Making A Murderer (@MakingAMurderer) January 20, 2016What has been the biggest misconception from the public surrounding this project? @MakingAMurderer @netflix #AskMAM
— Moored As Before (@rsolonhamer) January 19, 2016Biggest misconception is that we went into the project to try to prove something. (1 of 4) #AskMAM
https://t.co/CINrmQHVdz
— Making A Murderer (@MakingAMurderer) January 20, 2016The truth is we set out to examine something and ask questions. (2 of 4) #AskMAM https://t.co/CINrmQHVdz
— Making A Murderer (@MakingAMurderer) January 20, 2016We went where the record, events and facts led us. (3 of 4) #AskMAM https://t.co/CINrmQHVdz
— Making A Murderer (@MakingAMurderer) January 20, 2016After 10 years of research and production we responsibly presented what we found as a documentary series. (4 of 4) https://t.co/CINrmQHVdz
— Making A Murderer (@MakingAMurderer) January 20, 2016#AskMAM how do we stop this from happening to again? How do we change the system? What r ur ideas/first steps? What exactly needs to change
— Renee Groom (@Renee_Groom) January 19, 2016Vote to encourage ethical behavior by those working in the system (1 of 4) #AskMAM https://t.co/Qnc3dmypF5
— Making A Murderer (@MakingAMurderer) January 20, 2016Support reforms re how juvenile suspects are questioned, support funding for public defenders (2 of 4) #AskMAM https://t.co/Qnc3dmypF5
— Making A Murderer (@MakingAMurderer) January 20, 2016Demand accountability for misconduct in office (3 of 4) #AskMAM https://t.co/Qnc3dmypF5
— Making A Murderer (@MakingAMurderer) January 20, 2016Write to editors and/or news directors when you see/read prejudicial pretrial publicity (4 of 4) #AskMAM https://t.co/Qnc3dmypF5
— Making A Murderer (@MakingAMurderer) January 20, 2016@MakingAMurderer why were you so interested in this case among many of the wrongly convicted prisoners?? #AskMAM
— Trisha Mcconnon (@Trisha_Mcconnon) January 19, 2016Steven's unique status as one of WI's first DNA exonerees efforts to improve the system (1 of 2) https://t.co/fahRgCNLoZ
— Making A Murderer (@MakingAMurderer) January 20, 2016(2 of 2) Before he was charged again made the context for the new case significant. https://t.co/fahRgCNLoZ
— Making A Murderer (@MakingAMurderer) January 20, 2016
