Andy Thompson

USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin

“Making a Murderer,” the ultra-popular Netflix series that introduced millions to the problem of wrongful convictions, has brought considerable awareness to innocence projects in Wisconsin and beyond.

While that hasn’t necessarily translated into a slew of new cases involving prison inmates seeking assistance, it has shed light on the ever-increasing number of exonerations in the United States.

“There has been an uptick in inquiries about the program, but not an uptick in inmate requests,” said Keith Findley, a University of Wisconsin Law School professor and co-founder of the Wisconsin Innocence Project.

Findley said roughly 300 cases are being examined by the innocence team for possible consideration.

“Those are requests from inmates to review cases to prove innocence. A small fraction of those are actively considered. About 80 cases are open at any one time. But they may have been open for years,” he said.

Among the most well-known cases of the Wisconsin Innocence Project is the exoneration of Steven Avery, the Manitowoc County man who served 18 years in prison for a sexual assault he did not commit. DNA evidence proved that the crime was committed by a man who had been convicted of sexually assaulting another woman.

Avery was released from prison in 2003, but was rearrested in 2005 and convicted of murdering Teresa Halbach, a 25-year-old photographer.

TIMELINE: History of the Steven Avery case

Authorities say Halbach was murdered after visiting the Avery Auto Salvage near Mishicot to take pictures for a car magazine. Avery is serving life in prison with no possibility of parole.

Avery’s exoneration on the sexual assault charge and the subsequent Halbach murder are featured prominently in “Making a Murderer,” a 10-part docu-series that was released in mid-December on Netflix.

The Innocence Project is not looking into the Halbach case. Avery is represented by attorney Kathleen Zellner, who has spoken confidently about Avery’s chances of getting exonerated a second time.

Avery’s nephew, Brendan Dassey, also was convicted in Halbach’s murder and is represented in his appeal by the Bluhm Legal Clinic Center on Wrongful Convictions at the Northwestern University School of Law in Chicago.

The Center receives about 3,000 inquiries a year from inmates around the country seeking legal representation.

Attorney Laura Nirider, who is representing Dassey, said “Making a Murderer” has boosted the visibility of the wrongful conviction center.

“There has been a little bit of an uptick; we get those requests (for reviewing cases) steadily,” she said. “I don’t think anybody anticipated that this program would become this sort of international hit.”

Dassey is serving life in prison, but will be eligible for parole consideration on Oct. 31, 2048. A ruling on his federal lawsuit could come at any time.

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At the Innocence Project, which was founded in 1992 at the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law at Yeshiva University in New York City, more than 300 people have been exonerated by DNA testing, including about 20 who were on death row.

Spokesman Paul Cates said “Making a Murderer” hasn’t led to a higher number of cases under consideration but has led to an increase in internet traffic.

“The biggest thing we’ve seen is (more) people coming to our website,” Cates said.

Every year, more than 3,000 people write to the Innocence Project asking for help. At any given time, the staff is evaluating between 6,000 and 8,000 potential cases, according to its website.

Cates said the key for taking a case is whether DNA evidence is available for testing or analysis. He said there is no timetable for individual cases to be processed.

“It varies from case to case,” he said.

Andy Thompson: 920-996-7270, or awthompson@postcrescent.com; on Twitter @Thompson_AW