News Release

                                          Wednesday, September 15th, 2003

Innocence Project

40 Worth Street, Suite 701,

New York, NY 10013

Telephone: 212.364.5340

                      Wisconsin Man Exonerated After 18 years in Prison

Steven Avery who was convicted of rape and spent 18 years in prison was exonerated on September 11^th, 2003 Avery was exonerated and released, with the help of the Innocence Project.

Avery was convicted in 1985 of a sexual assault and attempted murder charge, he was accused of sexually assaulting a woman by the name of Penny Ann Beerntsen. Beerntsen was jogging alone along Lake Michigan when a man pulled out a knife and forced her into a wooded area. She was sexually assaulted, beaten, and left for dead. At the time of this assault, DNA testing was not advanced enough to keep Avery out of prison and after his court hearings was sentenced to 20 years in prison.

Men who have also been exonerated with the help of the innocence project

·      Neil J Miller

·      Glen Ford

·      Joseph Buffy

·      Greg Taylor

·      Lamar Johnson

And many more

At the time of his case, Avery presented 16 alibi witnesses, receipts, and employees at a local store confirmed Avery was there at 5:13 p.m., 75 minutes after the murder took place. Even with all of these things to prove Avery’s innocence the District Attorney and Sheriff pushed Avery’s guilt and he was convicted by a jury.

On September 10, 2003, A lab in Wisconsin tested 13 hairs recovered from the victim at the time of the crime in 1985. The hairs did not match Avery.

Avery has filed a $36 million dollar lawsuit against ManitowocCounty, the former sheriff and the former district attorney for wrongful conviction and imprisonment.