For Northfield Man, 'making a Murderer' Hits Close to Home

IF YOU HAVE ONE, E-MAIL IT BY GOING TO WCCO.COM/LINKS. WELL, A RUNAWAY HIT SERIES ON NETFLIX HAS VIEWERS TAKING ON THE ROLE OF JUDGE AND JURY. "MAKING A MURDERER" HAS PUT OUR JUSTICE SYSTEM UNDER THE MICROSCOPE. THE DOCUMENTARY FOCUSES ON STEVENAVIARY. HE WAS WRONGFULLY CONVICTED OF *** AND FREED AFTER 18 YEARS, ONLY TO GO BACK TO PRISON FOR A *** HE SAYS HE DIDN'T COMMIT. THE WISCONSIN INNOCENCE PROJECT WORKED TO FREE AVERY IN THE FIRST CASE THROUGH DNA TESTING. TONIGHT, WE GO THROUGH MINNESOTA'S CHAPTER. WCCO SHARES THE STORY OF A MAN WHO KNOWS WHAT IT FEELS LIKE TO SERVE TIME FOR SOMETHING HE DIDN'T DO. Reporter: AS A BUSINESS OWNER IN NORTHFIELD BUSTLING DOWNTOWN, YOU'D LIKELY NEVER KNOW ALL MICHAEL HANSON HAS BEEN THROUGH. IT WAS HORRIBLE. I LIVED IT ALL MY LIFE, EVERY SINGLE DAY. Reporter: HE SPENT SIX YEARS IN PRISON AFTER BEING WRONGFULLY CONVICTED OF KILLING HIS DAUGHTER, AVERY. MEDICAL EXPERTS SAY THE THREE- MONTH-OLD DIED IN 2004 OF ACCIDENTAL SUFFOCATION WHILE SHE SLEPT ON HER STOMACH. AT HANSON'S TRIAL, THE MEDICAL EXAMINER CALLED HER DEATH A HOMICIDE DUE TO A SKULL FRACTURE, DESPITE THE FACT IT HAD ALREADY BEEN DOCUMENTED HOW AVERY FELL FROM A SHOPPING CART JUST DAYS BEFORE HER DEATH. TUCKED INSIDE A SMALL BUILDING ON HAMLIN'S CAMPUS IN ST. PAUL, THE MINNESOTA INNOCENCE PROJECT PAVED THE WAY FOR HANSON'S RELEASE. JUST A SAMPLING OF WHAT YOU MIGHT SEE HERE. Reporter: BOOK SHELVES OF BOXES AND FILES, STILL ROOMS. ALL PRISONERS IN MINNESOTA, NORTH OR SOUTH DAKOTA, PLEADING THEIR INNOCENCE. WE WORK WITH PEOPLE WHO ARE CLAIMING THAT THEY'RE ACTUALLY INNOCENT TO, DO INVESTIGATION INTO THEIR CASES AND PROVE THEIR INNOCENCE, AND ALSO WORK TO PREVENT WRONGFUL CONVICTIONS IN THE FUTURE. Reporter: THE NONPROFIT HEARS FROM AT LEAST 300 PEOPLE BEHIND BARS EACH YEAR, PUSHING IT TO TAKE THEIR CASE. THE ORGANIZATION IS CURRENTLY INVESTIGATING 40 CONVICTIONS, WORKING THROUGH SOME FOR MORE THAN A DECADE. FIVE ARE IN LITIGATION, MEANING THE MINNESOTA INNOCENCE PROJECT IS CERTAIN THOSE PRISONERS ARE INNOCENT. . IT'S A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF WORK TO UNDO A CRIMINAL CONVICTION. . Reporter: SINCE THE RELEASE OF "MAKING A MURDERER," THIS OFFICE HAS HEARD FROM EVEN MORE PEOPLE HOPING FOR FREEDOM. WELL, THE WOMEN WON'T COMMENT ON STEVEN AVERY'S GUILT OR INNOCENCE, THE ORGANIZATION BELIEVES THERE IS GREAT VALUE IN ALL THAT'S HAPPENED SINCE THE SHOW'S RELEASE. WHAT HAS HAPPENED, I THINK, FOR THE AVERAGE PERSON IS THE POTENTIAL PROBLEMS IN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM. I THINK IT'S DOWN TO THE CORE OF WHAT LIBERTY MEANS AND WHAT OUR SYSTEM MEANS. Reporter: HANSON HAS TAKEN STEVEN AVERY'S STORY PERSONALLY. THERE'S PROSECUTORS THAT WANT TO WIN NO MATTER WHAT, AND THAT'S NOT THE WAY IT SHOULD BE. IT SHOULDN'T BE A WIN OR LOSE. EVERYBODY IS LOSING. WHEN YOU GET TO COURT, EVERYBODY IS LOSING. I'VE BEEN THROUGH A LONG JOURNEY. Reporter: FIVE YEARS AFTER *** CHARGES AGAINST HIM WERE DROPPED, HE'S STILL GETTING HIS LIFE BACK TOGETHER. HE'S ENGAGED AND HAS A NEW SON, NEVER FORGETTING HOW FAST IT COULD BE TAKEN AWAY. IT'S A SAD THING WHEN A LOT OF THINGS CAN BE MISSED AND SOMEONE'S LIFE WILL BE LOST. THAT'S THE TRUTH OF IT. I'LL NEVER BE THE SAME. Reporter: PAST STUDIES HAVE SHOWN 1-5% OF PRISONERS ARE INNOCENT. ON THE LOW END, THAT'S 20,000 PEOPLE IN THE UNITED STATES. LAST YEAR, MINNESOTA ADOPTED A WRONGFUL CONVICTION COMPENSATION LAW.