On Thursday, November 21, 2024, NBC 26 reported that a judge from outside Manitowoc County will oversee the appeal of Steven Avery. Manitowoc Circuit Court Judge Anthony Lambrecht has recused himself from the case, although no specific reasons for his decision were disclosed in court records.
The case will now be handled by Judge Guy Dutcher from Waushara County, with a status conference scheduled for December 9.
Steven Avery, who gained widespread attention following the Netflix documentary “Making a Murderer,” was convicted in 2007 for the first-degree intentional homicide of Teresa Halbach. He was sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole. Avery has maintained his innocence and continues to pursue appeals regarding his conviction.
In a related development, a former lieutenant of the Manitowoc Sheriff’s Office, who was involved in Avery’s original trial, was recently charged with office misconduct due to issues related to misplaced funds. As of now, there is no evidence linking the lieutenant’s charges to the judge’s recusal.
Source: NBC 26
