GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — The powerhouse legal team made famous by the widely popular Netflix documentary series 'Making a Murderer' made a stop in West Michigan on Sunday.
Dean Strang and Jerry Buting are currently on a nationwide tour, which included a stop in Grand Rapids.
The two of the attorneys moderated a discussion surrounding failures in the justice system and touched on the Steven Avery case.
"I don't think there was any way to anticipate this," said Strang of the popularity of the Netflix docu-series. "I think that caught everyone by surprise."
"Initially, we were both reluctant to do it," said Buting of the series. "Once the film maker explained the project, we thought, well, you know, this is a chance to give people a behind-the-scenes view of what it's like to be a criminal defense lawyer."
"I hope frankly, it's a gateway to better trials, better investigations, better police work, better prosecutions and defense work, so we don't have to talk about exonerations of someone who has been wrongfully convicted," said Buting.
Both Buting and Strang tell FOX 17 they do not see any Netflix series in their future.
Buting is writing a book. As for Avery, he has a new lawyer and is hoping to be re-tried.
"I think there is a rising interest in all aspects of criminal justice," said Strang, "and that attention to it will cause people, regardless of people’s party affiliation or general political orientation, to generally find common ground on the ways we can improve the administration of justice."
