A Milwaukee federal judge has overturned Brendan Dassey’s conviction, clearing him to be freed from jail in 90 days.

Update: Making a Murderer Directors/Executive Producers Laura Ricciardi and Moira Demos have issued the following statement: “Today there was a major development for the subjects in our story and this recent news shows the criminal justice system at work. As we
have done for the past 10 years, we will continue to document the
story as it unfolds, and follow it wherever it may lead.”

Making a Murderer viewers watched in agony when investigators manipulated Dassey into confessing his involvement in the 2005 rape and murder of photographer Teresa Halbach. Dassey and his trial were fascinating because he was clearly not in the right frame of mind.

“I am just beyond excited,” Dassey’s attorney, Steve Drizin said. “I had to pick myself up off the floor.”

According to NBC News, “Judge William E. Duffin found that investigators repeatedly made false promises to Dassey, who was 16 years old and a slow learner, in extracting a confession, which Dassey’s legal team had maintained was coerced. The judge found that confession was involuntary in a 91-page decision handed down Friday.”

Said Judge Duffin in his decision, “The court finds that the confession Dassey gave to the police on March 1, 2006 was so clearly involuntary in a constitutional sense that the court of appeals’ decision to the contrary was an unreasonable application of clearly established federal law.”

Dassey will be free in 90 days unless the state attempts another trial.

Steven Avery is still in prison, though Making a Murderer viewers are led to believe that he is just as innocent as Dassey. Today’s ruling will surely come as encouraging news to Avery.

Funnily enough, Netflix announced one month ago that Making a Murderer would be returning with additional episodes following Avery and Dassey’s stories. We’re sure this overturned ruling will be a huge moment in the new series.