. >> reporter: michael griesbach is an author and assistant district attorney in manitowoc county. >> who was the steven avery that the police knew back in the day? >> steven avery was known for quite a while to the police and to the whole community. >> reporter: and was racking up a criminal record. >> what did he do? >> he poured gasoline on a cat and threw the cat in the fire. pretty, you know, telling things about -- what was going on in his mind, violent stuff. he also had rammed his pickup truck -- into the vehicle of a woman who was driving by. and he held her at gunpoint. >> reporter: avery had been convicted of burglary as well. in penny's case, avery was charged with attempted murder, false imprisonment and sexual assault. >> i was just absolutely devastated, when that happened. it's like, there's no way stevie did somethin' like that. >> reporter: avery pleaded not guilty, insisting he was nowhere near the beach that day. he went on trial in december of 1985. >> he produces 16 alibi witnesses who confirm that he was in green bay 75 minutes after the assault occurred. >> rig