'Making a Murderer' Filmmakers on 'Advocacy Journalism'

Moira Demos and Laura Ricciardi do not consider their hit Netflix docuseries “Making a Murderer” an example of “advocacy journalism,” nor do they feel obligated to justify why evidence that unearthed since the documentary aired was left out.

“We do not consider this advocacy journalism in the least,” said Demos during the show’s panel at the Television Critics Association winter press tour. “We are not taking sides. If anything this is a social justice documentary. We chose Steven Avery because we thought his experiences offered a window into the system. We don’t have a stake in his character, his innocence or guilt, that was not the question we were raising.”

The two directors also remained adamant that they did not deliberately leave out biographical details from Avery’s life in order to characterize him in a certain way.

Also Read: 'Making a Murderer' Creators Have Started Work on Potential New Episodes

“It would have been impossible for us to include every piece of evidence submitted or attempted to submitted to the court,” said Ricciardi. “We took our cues from prosecution, what they thought was the most compelling evidence. Of course we left out evidence, there would have been no other way to do it. We were not putting on a trial with the film. The question is, of what was ommited, was that really significant? And the answer is no.”

In particular, the two denied deliberately leaving out allegations of domestic abuse against Avery from former girlfriends, including Jodi Stachowski, who was featured prominently on the series.

“How is any of that relevant to this individual’s right to a fair trial?” asked Ricciardi when pressed on why the domestic abuse allegations were left out of the doc.

Also Read: 'Making a Murderer' Follow-Up Teased by Netflix Programming Chief

Both filmmakers all but admitted to justice not being served in the Avery case.

“My main takeaway is that each and every one of us is entitled to justice,” said Ricciardi. “Each and every accused, despite how they’ve been characterized or demonized, is entitled to justice.”

“What we document in this series is a long list of irrregularities,” said Demos. “If I was accused of a crime, this is not how I would want to be treated. The level of pre-trial publicity, the fact that there was a department who said it would not be involved because of conflict of interest, and then they were. And I’m supposed to trust that evidence? I think there are so many questions about the reliability of this prosecution. It’s hard to rely on these verdicts.”

The filmmakers have also began working on potential new episodes, and said they will follow significant developments in the case in the future.

'Making a Murderer': Where Are They Now? (Photos)

Ken Kratz: The Avery case prosecutor says he has overcome an addiction to prescription pain pills since the trial and gone through the public humiliation of a sexting scandal. He maintains his license and now serves as a defense attorney.
Netflix
Mike Halbach: The brother of murder victim Teresa Halbach has served as a Halbach family spokesperson is now the director of Football Technology for the Green Bay Packers.
Green Bay Packers
Sgt. Andrew Colburn is now Lt. Andrew Colburn. He holds the title in the Detective Division of the Manitowoc County Sheriff's Office.
Netflix
Gregory Allen: Allen, who was found to have committed the rape for which Steven Avery spent 18 years behind bars, is serving a 60-year prison sentence for a 1995 sexual assault. He's up for parole in October 2016.
Netflix
Sheriff Tom Kocourek: Kocourek retired from his post in 2001. He was named as a defendant in a $36 million federal lawsuit brought forward by Avery.
Netflix
Angenette Levy: Levy, a journalist who garnered a lot of "Making A Murderer" playback attention for asking the tough questions, is now an on-air reporter for WKRC in Cincinnati.
Netflix
Aaron Keller: Levy, another reporter, is now an English/Communications professor at NHTI, Concord’s Community College in New Hampshire.
Netflix
Dean Strang: Strang recently said that he occasionally speaks with Avery, his former client. The defense attorney is not shying away from the spotlight, and recently took part in a Facebook Q&A. The trial lawyer is a partner at Strang Bradley LLC in Madison.
Strang Bradley LLC
Denis Vogel: The ex-DA is now an attorney at Wheeler, Van Sickle and Anderson, S.C., where he concentrates on commercial litigation, with a focus on matters involving utilities, electricity use and distribution, and cellular telecommunications.
Wheeler Law
Steven Avery: Well, he's in jail -- the Waupun Correctional Institute, to be exact.
The Innocence Project
Brendan Dassey: On August 12, 2016, a federal judge overturned his 2007 conviction for first-degree intentional homicide, second-degree sexual assault, and mutilation of a corpse. Avery's nephew had been sentenced to Avery's nephew sentenced to life with no parole for 41 years for Halbach's murder.
Netflix
Sheriff Ken Peterson: Peterson retired as Manitowoc County sheriff in 2007, just two years after he now-famously told a TV station it would have been "a whole lot easier to eliminate [Avery] than it would to frame him."
Netflix
Barb Tadych: Brendan's mom has publicly kept a low profile since all the "Making a Murderer" hype began. Tadych appears to remain in the area, as her most recent social media check-in was at a Center for Diagnostic Imaging in Appleton, Wis.
Netflix
Sandy Greenman: It appears that Avery and Greenman are still an item. Per what appears to be her Facebook page, Greenman visited Avery in prison as recently as Monday.
Bustle
James Lenk: Lenk has managed to keep one of the lowest profiles of the entire "Making A Murderer" gang. It is unclear whether has a Netflix subscription.
Netflix
Jodi Stachowski: Steven's ex-fiancee has had some legal troubles. In April 2007, she was found guilty of using worthless checks. She was arrested three times in 2009. Since then, Stachowski has stayed out of major criminal trouble.
Bustle