If you’ve been following the development of the Netflix true crime documentary Making A Murderer online since it became a mega-hit, you’ve probably seen interviews with everyone involved in the case, from the prosecutors to the reporters to random background characters. But none have gotten out in front of the media as much as Steven Avery’s defense lawyers from his 2006 trial, Dean Strang and Jerry Buting.
Now they’re taking things a step further and booking speaking appearances in what some are dubbing the ‘Making A Murderer Tour.’ Already sold out: a January 27 appearance by Strang at Sisyphus Brewing in Minneapolis. On March 18, both Strang and Buting will appear at the Riverside Theater in Milwaukee. Tickets will cost you $45.50. And then they roll into Detroit for a March 19 show at the Royal Oak Music Theater. Tickets for that one are $55.
Have we ever seen defense attorneys appearing in music venues to talk about the cases they’ve been involved in? It’s certainly unusual, and I won’t blame you if you think it’s part cash grab, part ego stroke. But before you think too poorly of Strang and Buting, consider this: both men have been very straightforward about using the platform Making A Murderer gave them to talk about serious problems with how the justice system works in America. You could argue that these talks will do a better job of that than a dozen five-minute interviews on morning talk shows, most of which are still focusing wholly on the Teresa Halbach murder case.
A portion of ticket sales from the event are going to the Wisconsin Innocence Fund, which was responsible for overturning Steven Avery’s original 1985 conviction. So, even if these events feel a little exploitative, they do contribute to good causes — both the Innocence Fund and sparking a conversation about our screwed up justice system.
