Prosecutor evaluating sex assault allegation against Steven Avery
District Attorney John Zakowski will evaluate the sexual assault allegation as a special prosecutor against Steven Avery. Another sexual assault?
“At this point, what we have to do is meet with the victim and then evaluate the case and then decide under these circumstances whether we proceed with charges or wait pending the outcome of the murder case,” Zakowski said. “If (Avery) is sentenced to life without parole, he’s going to be of no threat to the victim and the fact is you know proceeding with charges could expose the victim to a media circus.”
Meanwhile Steven Avery already faces charges in the murder of Teresa Halbach. Why was the man walking the streets?
GREEN BAY, Wis. – Brown County’s top prosecutor said Friday he will evaluate an allegation of sexual assault against Steven Avery, who served 18 years in prison for a rape he didn’t commit and now is awaiting trial in a woman’s murder in Manitowoc County.
District Attorney John Zakowski said he was asked to evaluate the sexual assault allegation as a special prosecutor.
The murder case against Avery in the death last fall of Teresa Halbach is being prosecuted by Calumet County District Attorney Ken Kratz because of Avery’s civil lawsuit against Manitowoc County seeking damages for the rape conviction that sent him to prison.
Avery was freed in September 2003.
Inspector Rob Hermann of the Manitowoc County Sheriff’s Department said the sexual assault complaint was filed in August 2004 and immediately referred to Calumet County investigators due to the conflict of interest in Manitowoc County because of the lawsuit.
(Duluth News Tribune)
DA looks at possible new Avery case
“I think we’d be looking at what is in the best interest of the victim, considering all the circumstances,” Zakowski said. “It may be a better route to wait to see what happens in the murder case. If (Avery) is sentenced to life without parole, he’s going to be of no threat to the victim and the fact is you know proceeding with charges could expose the victim to a media circus.
“That could be difficult for the victim and would really result in no additional potential time for Mr. Avery if he is convicted of the homicide.”
(Appleton Post Crescent)
[...] Even though Steven Avery spent 18 years in jail on a wrongful rape conviction, with the recent events of the death of Teresa Halbach one would be hard pressed to see any jury awarding this man a dime. Also adding to the list of alleged crimes is a complaint filed in August 2004 by a woman who claims she was assaulted by Avery. The charges have yet to be investigated by the DA. The suit said the county, Kocourek and former District Attorney Denis Vogel were negligent in the investigation and prosecution of Avery on a 1985 sexual assault charge. [...]
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