Watch a live stream of the Steven Avery trial. (When court is in session)
CHILTON Wis. - It's a phone call that gives jurors a window into the human side of this trial. Teresa Halbach left a message on Steven Avery's sister's answering machine on the day she was murdered. Jurors did not hear any new facts in the recording. But the recording could help "humanize" Halbach and give jurors an understanding into her last day alive.
Listen to the recording of Halbach's phone message
In the recording, Halbach indicates that she will arrive at the junkyard shortly after 2:00PM. She also said that she did not have an address for where to go and asked for someone to call her with an address. Even thought Halbach had previously been to the junkyard, she did not realize that is where she was being called to this time because Avery used the name "B. Janda" when he called Auto Trader Magazine. He was apparently referring to his sister, Barb Janda, who owned the van Avery arrived to photograph. The message was left on Janda's answering machine. Prosecutors say Avery used an alias to "lure" Halbach to the junkyard.
Watch Halbach's Family as they listen to the message
Earlier Wednesday, Manitowoc County Sheriff's Department Lt. James Lenk was grilled by Steven Avery's attorney, Dean Strang. Lenk is at the center of Avery's claims that investigators planted evidence.
Early Wednesday morning, under questioning from prosecutors, Lenk said that he did not plant evidence or have any knowledge of anyone planting evidence. Lenk also said that he had never heard of a Manitowoc County Sheriff's Department deputy planting evidence.
But Avery's attorneys questioned Lenk about how the key to Halbach's SUV could have fallen out of Steven Avery's bookcase during the seventh search of Avery's bedroom - even though it was overlooked on earlier searches. Avery's attorneys have raised suspicions over why the key was not found during the first six searches of Avery's trailer. Previously, a Manitowoc County investigator testified that he vigorously shook the book case out of exasperation on the seventh search and the key fell out. Jurors saw a picture of the bookshelf while Attorney Strang asked where on the bookshelf key could have been hidden. Lenk said there were no secret compartments but could not explain where the key was hidden that it was not found in early searches.
District Attorney Ken Kratz raised questions about how Lenk felt when he was accused of planting evidence in a story in the Manitowoc newspaper. Lenk said he felt upset and angry. Kratz asked whether Lenk felt like he was falsely accused of a crime by Avery's attorneys (who made the evidence planting claim) and Lenk indicated he did. The issue came up because Avery's attorneys asked Lenk whether he had ever been falsely accused of a crime.
Avery's attorneys asked Lenk detailed questions about his access to the Manitowoc County Clerk of Courts office. That office is important because a vial of Steven Avery's blood was stored there, along with evidence from Avery's 1985 wrongful conviction. Avery's attorneys have indicated that the blood vial there could be a source of blood for someone who wanted to plant it at the crime scene.
Attorney Strang also asked Lt. Lenk how he felt about Avery's $36 million lawsuit against Manitowoc County for the 1985 wrongful conviction. Lenk said he hoped Avery would be compensated for spending 18 years in prison on a false conviction. But Lenk also said he did not really care either way about how the lawsuit was resolved. The lawsuit is relevant because Avery's lawyers have said it could have provided an incentive to frame Avery in order to avoid paying him the large sum of money.
Watch Newsradio 620 WTMJ's Jeff Wagner, former prosecutor analyze Wednesday's court events, including the playing of a phone call from Teresa Halbach to Avery's sister the day she died.
Check back here for updates throughout the day from TODAY'S TMJ4 reporter Mick Trevey, live in Chilton.
For more information, visit: Newsradio 620 WTMJ-AM
BEFORE THE TRIAL:
