'Making A Murderer' Attorneys To Visit NYC; Directors Eye 2nd Season

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- The two defense attorneys who worked on the now-famous murder trial of Steven Avery will be honored with a special award from Manhattan's John Jay College of Criminal Justice on Thursday.

Attorneys Jerome F. Buting and Dean Strang rose to fame after the years-long trial took the Internet by storm as the subject of the 2015 Netflix docu-series 'Making a Murderer.'

Avery, of Mantiwoc, Wisconsin, spent 18 years in prison after being wrongly convicted of sexual assault and attempted murder in 1985. After DNA evidence proved Avery was wrongly convicted, he was released -- only to be sent to trial yet again for the murder of 25-year-old Mantiwoc resident Teresa Halbach.

'Making A Murderer' follows Buting and Strang's efforts to build a case for Avery, raising important questions about possible corruption and foul play in the local justice system.

While Avery was ultimately convicted and sent back to prison on a life sentence in 2005, the publicity of the case through 'Making a Murderer' has sparked petitions for Avery's exoneration, as well as public outcry in support of the defense.

Strang and Buting will receive the "Fierce Advocate" Award at Thursday's ceremony at John Jay College. Women's rights activist Gloria Steinem, Equal Justice Initiative founder Bryan Stevenson and Principal Clarinet of the New York Philharmonic Anthony McGill will also be honored.

Strang and Buting also plan to visit New York City's Beacon Theater on April 17 as a part of their new 26-city "Conversations on Justice," tour to discuss the Avery case.

'Making a Murderer' directors Moira Demos and Laura Riccardi have also taken steps to secure a second season of the hit series, Variety reports. According to Variety, the directors said they have spoken to Kathleen Zellner, Avery's new lawyer, about the possibility of filming as Avery seeks a new trial on his case.