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| Steven Avery and attorney Jerome Buting are shown in an apparently illegally produced surveillance video at the Calumet County Jail that shows a criminal defendant meeting with his attorney in a confidential conference. |
Madison, Wisconsin — Advocates working for the exoneration of Steven Avery and Brendan Dassey are criticizing former Calumet County District Attorney (R) Ken Kratz for his possession of and Oct. 25 release of a video that appears to show illegal police surveillance of Avery meeting with his attorney in the Calumet County Jail on an unknown date believed to be between 2005 and 2007.
Kratz is now a private citizen. Kratz can no longer practice law in Wisconsin because his law license remains suspended following his sexual assault and harassment scandal that forced his resignation in 2010.
The YouTube video is posted by Kratz as part of a series of videos to promote an update to his book that was published in 2017.
In the bizarre video entitled "Sacrificial Lamb," Kratz appears to advocate for Brendan Dassey despite the fact Kratz prosecuted Dassey for the 2005 homicide of Teresa Halbach. Legal observers and human rights advocates regard the Dassey prosecution and conviction as a miscarriage of justice.
Law enforcement surveillance of the attorney-client meeting in the video begins at the five-minute, two-second mark. The law enforcement camera looks over the shoulders of attorney Buting.
The confidentiality of the attorney-client relationship is a hallmark of the American criminal justice system and of the American legal profession, (Cornell Law School Legal Information Institute).
Wrote Buting on social media on a pined (featured) Tweet on Oct 26:
Buting's Tweet makes the point that Kratz inadvertently revealed more law enforcement misconduct in the video that could work in Avery's favor as he pursues post-conviction litigation.This is first I have seen of surveillance video during atty-client jail mtg with SA. This was confidential mtg room reserved for attys, no camera was visible & no notice that we were being recorded. Thanks @Ken723Ken for deciding to #workwithKZ by releasing this. 🤗 @ZellnerLaw https://t.co/TiMMpOYJJQ— Jerome Buting (@JButing) October 26, 2019
Writes Buting in a follow-up:
Questions raised by Kratz' video include:@Ken723Ken disclosure on Friday that Calumet Jail secretly videoed SA’s atty-client mtgs is yet another explosive revelation in this case. Camera was pointed so SA’s lips could be easily read. All should be shocked at these unconstitutional tactics. #MakingAMurderer @ZellnerLaw— Jerome Buting (@JButing) October 26, 2019
How did Ken Kratz come in possession of this law enforcement video when he is now a private citizen?
How closely is Kratz still working with Wisconsin law enforcement?
Was the Avery legal team made aware of the existence of the surveillance video?
Observers believe the existence of the surveillance video may provide more grounds for appeal in Steven Avery's post-conviction litigation.
The Wisconsin Dept of Justice is currently defending the misconduct by law enforcement in the Avery case.
The case is State of Wisconsin v. Steven A. Avery, Appeal Number 2017AP002288.
For updated legal filing and explanations, see Work with KZ.
Wow. More evidence that Avery and Dassey were railroaded by a corrupt and apparently mis-named "Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice System."
ReplyDeleteI don't understand why this has not been addressed yet and nobody is being held accountable??? This is a HUGE VIOLATION and highly illegal and could cause the whole arrest to be tossed so WHY is nobody doing something?? I mean my Lord, there have been more than enough things that the whole entire world can see proves corruption and all of it has been allowed to go on but here is PROOF and still nothing is done. This is the very worst mockery of "justice" I have ever seen
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