A strand of hair collected from a 1985 crime scene has led to a proposal for wide-ranging reform of the state’s criminal justice system. The root of the hair, which police saved for nearly two decades, contained DNA evidence that ultimately exonerated Steven Avery, a Manitowoc County man who was released in 2003 after serving 18 years in prison for a sexual assault he didn’t commit. On Wednesday, state lawmakers and Gov. Jim Doyle unveiled a package of legislation addressing the problems that were highlighted by Avery’s case. The proposals would change the way suspected criminals are questioned and prosecuted. The bill is expected to be a top priority when the Legislature returns in September for its fall session. Avery was freed through the work of the Wisconsin Innocence Project at the UW Law School.
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