Prosecutor Talks About Writing a Rebuttal to “Making a Murderer”

The prosecutor in the Steven Avery case plans to write a book to rebut the wildly popular Netflix series “Making a Murderer.”

Former Calumet County District Attorney Ken Kratz says he will spend the next four months penning the, “whole story.” Kratz prosecuted Steven Avery and his nephew Brendan Dassey for the 2005 murder of Teresa Halbach. Kratz is speaking out about his book as Steve Avery’s new post-conviction attorney is fighting back.

Ken Kratz, the man who led a team in the successful prosecution of Steven Avery and Brendan Dassey plans to write a book about the cases. His decision comes after the fallout from the Netflix series “Making a Murderer.”

According to Kratz, “For 10 years, I have chosen not to write a book, I’ve chosen not to do anything publicly. But, because the docu-drama raised all of these incindiary claims, somebody has to stand up. Somebody has to stand up, not only for the cops and the prosecutors and the criminal justice system, but obviously for the victim.”

News of Kratz’s decision to write the book was quickly criticized by Steven Avery’s new attorney Kathleen Zellner. On her law firm’s Twitter account, she posted a letter Kratz wrote to Steven Avery dated September 6, 2015. In the letter, a response to one Avery sent to Kratz, the former prosecutor says writes, “I apologize for misunderstanding your letters from a couple of years ago, as I thought you were interested in being honest about what happened…”

Kratz continued, “…I hoped that you would choose me to tell your story.”

In referring to the letter, Zellner added, “This bloodsucking gives vampires a bad name”

“Ask Miss Zellner, how many times since 2013, her client Steven Avery wrote to me asking me to come visit him in prison,” responded Kratz.

Kathleen Zellner and her law firm refused to answer any of our questions either via email or over the phone.

In the meantime, Kratz says he will spend the next four months writing his book, with plans for it to be published in the fall. He says he will share a portion of the book’s proceeds to honor the memory of Teresa Halbach.

Ken Kratz is not breaking any rules or laws by writing this book. The Wisconsin Supreme Court Rules of Professional Conduct for Attorneys says, “Prior to the conclusion of representation of a client, a lawyer shall not make or negotiate an agreement giving the lawyer literary or media rights to a portrayal or account based in substantial part on information relating to the representation.”