Avery

The Case Against Steven Avery and What Making a Murderer Gets Wrong

By: Ken Kratz

Narrated by: Bradley Hayes

Length: 4 hrs and 50 mins

Publisher's summary

It's time to set the record straight about Steven Avery. The full record - including evidence never before revealed - makes his guilt clear.

The Netflix series Making a Murderer quickly became a huge hit, with over 19 million viewers in the US in the first 35 days. The series left many viewers with the opinion that Steven Avery - a man falsely imprisoned for almost 20 years on a rape charge - was railroaded into prison a second time by a corrupt police force and district attorney's office. Viewers were outraged, and hundreds of thousands demanded a pardon for Avery.

The chief villain of the series: Ken Kratz, the special prosecutor who headed the investigation and prosecution. Kratz's later misdeeds - prescription drug abuse and sexual harassment - cemented his guilt in the minds of the viewers.

This book tells what you don't know.

Making a Murderer raised convincing doubts about Avery's guilt. But now Ken Kratz puts those doubts to rest with Avery: The Case Against Steven Avery and What Making a Murderer Gets Wrong. In it, Kratz demonstrates how the Netflix series leaves out critical evidence, including bombshell facts known only to him. Avery systematically erases the uncertainties introduced by the series, confirming once and for all that Steven Avery is guilty of the murder of Teresa Halbach. What's more, Kratz even provides online access to detailed evidence so listeners can explore every aspect of the case - the largest criminal investigation in Wisconsin history.

Avery tells the full story of the investigation, filled with details and insights unknown to the public. Then Kratz candidly addresses the aftermath. He openly discusses his struggle with addiction and the disturbing behaviors he engaged in, which led him to lose everything: his job, his wife, his house, his car, and his reputation.

While our indignation at the injustice of Steven Avery's first imprisonment makes it easy to believe he was also falsely accused of Halbach's murder, Avery and the evidence it presents - examined thoroughly and dispassionately - prove that in this case, the system worked as it should.

Download the accompanying reference guide.

©2017 Ken Kratz (P)2016 Audible, Inc.

Nothing new, bias about me me and my troubles

I have to say I did watching the Netflix show Making a Murder. They start with part two and then move to part one. I am now on part one still waiting to see how that turns out. When I saw that Mr. Kratz wrote this story and so all the bad reviews it pecked my interest. Until I started this audio I had not a clue about all the issues Mr. Kratz had along with the texting he did, I have no trouble believing he thought he was all that and a bag of chips. So with an open mind I set down to listen to this audio. What I found was there was nothing I didn’t already know, there are no bombshells, no turning points to make me feel any different from I did before I started listening. If anything I am surer that Brendan should never have gone to jail and his mother should be trading places with him for letting him be question without a lawyer. It is not up to me to judge whether Steven is guilty or not but I will get into that later.

These are my thoughts I think the police were sure Steven did it and I do believe some planting of evidence did happen. Making a Murder did not say the police killed Teresa they said the law made it look like Steve did it by planting the evidence. As I watch the show Steven’s lawyer did everything she could to show that the police didn’t plant it from buying a car just like Teresa and trying to place the blood they way they found it. Her ex who is also her roommate was one who has some explaining to do from what I have seen, the author never talked about that and how things were found and leaves a lot out. My biggest issues is why wasn’t the defense allowed to put doubt in the case by saying this person or that person could have done it. The judge said they could not bring up anything about another person that maybe could have done it thus no reasonable doubt was allowed again the author does not talk about this or the reasoning behind it. I believe the law thought Steven really did it and did some planting of evidence to make sure he went to jail for the rest of his life. Does this mean he didn’t do it, I don’t know but I just don’t see why he would have.

As far as Brendan he was led over and over again until they got what they wanted as they filled in the blanks for him. When he said he didn't know they filled in some and would say if that is how it happened, they lead him giving him the information until he said what they wanted him to. Being from a lower income, and with his mental issues I am not sure he knew he could have a lawyer or that he could ask for one. They needed him to point the finger because they really had no case. Giving a plead bargain of 15 years and his grandfathers calling I saw nothing wrong with what his grandfather said. He told him to stick to his guns, no, to take the bargain because he didn’t do anything wrong.

The narrator did a wonderful job giving the facts as he was given, laying it out and showing no emotion just laying out the facts the author wrote. I thought his performance was outstanding, there was no need for character voices so none was used. He gave the details without showing he was for one side or the other. There are no background noises, no repeating of wording, and no volume changes. If any breaks were taken I could not tell. He paused when needed to and times I had to remind myself that this was not the author but a narrator. I look forward to listening to more of his work.

As for the author I am sorry but you didn’t win any support from me. I thought after what you did with the texting and such you should have lost everything. Do I feel you deserved the hate mail No! But then I am not sure you received all you said. I have a hard time believing you with seeing how you acted on camera. I do hope you got your life in order but I can’t see you being anything but the cocky man you have show to be. As far as the meds I am not buying it, I do believe you have one heck of an ego and you took off running with it thinking you could do no wrong. I believe you knew what you did was wrong and you didn't care nor did you think about it. Are you sorry about that, hum yes I believe you are but had you gotten away with it I believe you would still be doing it today. Have you got the right man, I don’t know, but I do believe you and all that was behind you do. Your book gave me a lot of thought but you didn’t sale me the goods, and I am not buying into what you have laid out. Give me something new, give me some facts that I don’t already know. I have to say your book put more doubt in my mind than I already had. I do believe evidence was planted, I do believe the law enforcement had it out for Steven from the start that they didn’t look for anyone but him and I believe they needed Brendan to give them the right to do the search they wanted. My heart goes out to him and nothing you have said has changed my mind.

That poor women you sent the text to how could you knowing what she had already been through. I try very hard in my reviews to be fair as anyone who knows how I review, but you over stepped everything to give your ego a boost. I feel heartbroken that you with your position have given more to the ME TO movement and you should be more than ashamed of yourself. I found this story to be about you and not the facts and case at hand. I feel this was another ego boost you were after. I don’t believe I ever heard you say you were sorry for what you put that woman through. I think you are just sorry you got busted. You have totally lost any credit ability with me for this and for saying that we the people are so dumb that we feel the police killed Teresa. You gave no facts or reason that can’t be twisted the other way. I was hoping for so much more and truly wanted to believe that again our law enforcement wasn’t corrupted. Yes some of them in question did have something against Steven as you well know. I try very hard not to give a low review but for you I cannot. I did start listen to this audio with an open mind, but I am sorry you closed it by the end. I still don't know if Steven did it or not but there was the money issues and how they sure didn't want to pay that out, plus more issues the law had with him.

glad I got the whole story

great listen. very detailed. so many innocent lives ruined. my deepest sympathies for Teresa and family

It's an eye opener

I wanted to read this book first before watching the Netflix case bc so many said Netflix so messed up the true story so now on to see how different the story will be from Averys view I'm going to assume.

Well done: Factual, clear and concise

As a Wisconsinite, I clearly remember the horror of this case when it first unraveled. Of course, something the Halbach Family never forgot. After the “documentary” of Making a Murderer was irresponsibly made and created ridiculous sensationalism, something needed to be done in response. Former Calumet County District Attorney Kratz accomplishes this by once again presenting the overwhelming evidence against coldblooded, irredeemable killers. Well written, Kratz pulls no punches, including on himself.

this book is so so.....

I listened to this book as objectively as I could. There were points that were very interesting and caused me to think. However by the end of the book I felt as though I were listening merely to someone who desperately wanted the last word and an attempt to redeem himself but it didn't work.

I like Ken Kratz.

I already believed in Avery's guilt, but I will say this book contained a ton of new information that I hadn't come across anywhere else. I think Ken was right to prosecute Avery and he's owned up to his personal failings, none of which have any bearing on Avery's guilt or innocence anyway. I think Kratz paid a bigger price for his personal missteps than he should have had to pay, and the personal impact on his life and others from the Netflix "documentary" was utterly unfair.

totally worth it!

definitely gives the whole story of the biased Making a Murderer. Get all the facts.

He speaks the truth

Avery is as guilty as OJ. Making a Murderer was for entertainment.
Avery is in the slammer where he belongs.

Crazy story

The whole Avery story is crazy. When I watched the Netflix series, I also thought the prosecutes were the bad guys. But I knew something wasn't being told. All the "framing" talk just wasn't believable. Thanks for having the courage to write the book and stand up to your faults. I would like to see a mini series about the real creep, Avery. Any Netflix watchers failing to do research to before judgement are just ignorant.

Amazing.

I have to admit I got caught up in the Making a Murderer frenzy, but as a lover of truth I was extremely interested to hear the Prosecution's side of the story. Totally convinced me of Avery's guilt and humanizes Ken Kratz. Wonderful book if you're into law & crime!