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CHILTON Wis. - Andrew Colborn and James Lenk are experienced investigators. Both work for the Manitowoc County Sheriff's Department. They each gave depositions in Steven Avery's lawsuit a few weeks before Teresa Halbach was murdered. Avery's lawyers point to them as being at the center of possible evidence planting. But both men denied planting evidence when questioned by prosecutors Tuesday.
Lenk Played Important Role
James Lenk testified Tuesday and will be questioned by Avery's attorneys Wednesday morning. The Manitowoc County Sheriff's Department Investigator justified his role in the search by saying that the crime scene was very large and manpower was short. He also said that the searches inside Avery's trailer were done as a team and that no one person was alone inside the trailer.
Lenk testified that he was told evidence would be collected by Calumet County officers. His understanding was that Manitowoc County Investigators were there to provide manpower for the search. He said their focus was to look for clues to Teresa Halbach's whereabouts. He said that no evidence was planted.
Colborn Insists Evidence Not Planted
Andrew Colborn testified that he was brought in to work on his day off to help search the Steven Avery property. He joined Lenk and others for an initial search of Avery's trailer looking for any sign of Teresa Halbach. That search recovered handcuffs and leg-irons but it did not find blood or physical evidence of Halbach in Avery's bedroom.
Steven Avery had guns hanging over his bed when investigators conducted the initial search. But Colborn said they did not see Teresa Halbach's car key. That car key was found in Avery's bedroom during a later search. Colborn said that during the subsequent search, he shook Avery's bookshelf out of exasperation. While he shook the pieces of furniture, he says the key fell out. Avery's attorneys have questioned whether that key was planted. Colborn was asked whether he planted evidence and told the jury "no."
Colborn also talked about the initial search of Avery's garage. He testified that there were some bullet shells found in the garage but that investigators did not move things around inside the garage to check underneath junk piles.
Avery's attorneys also drew attention to Colborn's lack of filing reports. After several days of being very involved in the investigation, attorneys introduced information that Colborn only filed one very short report. It was not until a considerable amount of time later that Colborn filed a second report; which was also very short.
There were also concerns about what Colborn knew and when. Avery's lawyers played recordings of conversations between Colborn and a dispatcher. In the call, Colborn recites Halbach's license plate number and confirms the make and year of her SUV. But that call with information about the license plates came several days before her license plates were discovered stashed in another car on the junkyard property. Avery's attorneys said that the ground work for their theory about a conspiracy against Avery continued to be set forth today.
Calumet County Sergent Assigned to Watch Manitowoc Investigators
Sergeant Bill Tyson was questioned by Avery's lawyers Tuesday morning. He was assigned to make sure Manitowoc County investigators followed protocol during the early search of Steven Avery's trailer. Tyson, who works for the Calumet County Sheriff's Department, said he was told Manitowoc County investigators should never be alone at the Avery junkyard.
"Have you, at any other time in your career, had to act like a babysitter for the other officers involved in the search?" Avery's attorney, Jerome Buting, asked Tyson during a heated exchange. Tyson said he did not feel like he was babysitting. But Tyson admitted he had never been assigned to watch other investigators to verify the quality of their work.
Attorney Buting questioned why Manitowoc Investigators were allowed to search Avery's trailer after the decision was made to hand the case over to Calumet County. That decision was made because Avery had a lawsuit pending against Manitowoc County and the Sheriff's Department wanted to avoid the appearance of a conflict of interest. Prosecutors have insisted that the investigation was properly handled.
Check back here for updates throughout the day from TODAY'S TMJ4 reporter Mick Trevey, live in Chilton.
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BEFORE THE TRIAL:
