Brandon Tatum and Candace Owens recap 'Convicting A Murderer', discussing key facts left out of 'Making a Murderer', the role of Manchaw County in the investigation, controversy and advocacy, complexities of the documentary and burden of proof, challenges of a citizen vs city case, and the difficulty of balancing perspectives on the show. They also analyze the involvement of Colburn in a conspiracy theory and the misleading depiction of an officer's involvement.
Small towns like Manchaw County face challenges in police investigations due to limited resources and personnel.
The conspiracy theory that the police killed Teresa Halbach to avoid a lawsuit is debunked, as they had insurance to cover such a situation.
Deep dives
Police investigations are not perfect
Police investigations are rarely perfect, and it is important to understand that mistakes happen. When it comes to police work, people tend to expect perfection, but the reality is that investigations involve many moving parts and technical aspects that most people are not aware of.
The small-town reality of law enforcement
Small towns like Manchaw County do not have the same resources as large cities, and their police forces may be limited in terms of personnel and equipment. In the case of Stephen Avery, the officers involved in the investigation were from the local county and were not part of a massive police force like the FBI. The small-town reality adds context to their involvement and the challenges they faced during the investigation.
The involvement of Manchaw County in the investigation
Contrary to the impression given by the Netflix documentary, Manchaw County was legitimately involved in the investigation of Teresa Halbach's disappearance. The county's officers were called in to assist Calumet County and provide local resources and expertise. The decision to let Calumet County take the lead in the investigation was a strategic one and not a result of any suspicion or cover-up.
Debunking the conspiracy theories
The podcast episode debunks some conspiracy theories presented in the Netflix documentary, including the idea that the police killed Teresa Halbach to avoid a $36 million lawsuit. The reality is that the police had insurance to cover such a lawsuit, and the theory that they would resort to such extreme measures just to protect themselves from financial repercussions is highly unlikely. Additionally, the portrayal of officer Colburn as a "dirty cop" is debunked, revealing that he was simply doing his job as a jail officer and transferring a call to a detective, as was appropriate in his role.