Brendan Dassey

Brendan Dassey
Brendan Dassey during his trial on April 16–25, 2007
Born	Brendan Ray Dassey (1989-10-19) October 19, 1989 (age 27) Manitowoc County, Wisconsin, United States
Criminal penalty	Life in prison with eligibility for parole in 2048
Criminal status	Incarcerated at Columbia Correctional Institution
Parent(s)	Barbara Tadych, Peter Dassey
Conviction(s)	First degree murder Second degree sexual assault Mutilation of a corpse

Brendan Ray Dassey (born October 19, 1989) is an American man from Manitowoc County, Wisconsin who was convicted of being party, at age 16, to first-degree murder, mutilation of a corpse, and second-degree sexual assault, and sentenced to life in prison with possibility of parole in 2048. His videotaped interrogation and confession, which he recanted at trial, substantially contributed to his conviction. Parts were shown in the Netflix documentary series Making a Murderer (2015). The series examined the 2005–2007 investigation, prosecution and trials of Dassey and his uncle, Steven Avery, who were both convicted of murdering photographer Teresa Halbach on October 31, 2005.

In August 2016, federal magistrate William E. Duffin ruled that Dassey's confession had been coerced, overturned his conviction, and ordered him released the following month. In November, the state Justice Department appealed Duffin's decision to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, which blocked Dassey's release pending a hearing. In June 2017, the Seventh Circuit upheld the magistrate’s decision to overturn Dassey's conviction, leaving the state with the options of appealing Duffin's ruling to the Supreme Court, dismissing the charges, or retrying him.

Brendan Ray Dassey was born to Barbara and Peter Dassey in Manitowoc County, Wisconsin. He has three brothers: Bryan, Bobby, and Blaine, and a half-brother, Brad. His parents had divorced, and Brendan lived with his mother and brothers on a large family property associated with her parents' Avery Salvage Yard. His maternal grandparents and uncles, including Steven Avery, also resided on the property.

At the time of his indictment, Dassey was a 16-year-old sophomore at Mishicot High School. With an IQ in the borderline deficiency range, he was enrolled in special education classes.