Brendan Dassey, one of the men who were the focus of the critically acclaimed Netflix documentary Making a Murderer, has had his conviction overturned.
Dassey, 26, had been convicted of first-degree intentional homicide, second-degree sexual assault, and mutilation of a corpse.
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Making a Murderer protest in Wisconsin
Since the Netflix series Making a Murderer was released in December, there has been a renewed interest in convicted murderers Steven Avery and his nephew Brendan Dassey.
He was serving a sentence of 41 years jail in Columbia Correctional Institution in the US state of Wisconsin.
He was not due for parole until 2048.
Dassey's case was resurrected in court by the Northwestern University's Centre on Wrongful Convictions of Youth.
Their argument hinged on the claim that Dassey's confession was forced, and that he was "fed" details of the case by his police interrogators.
During the original investigation Dassey, who is said to have a low IQ, was questioned three times with no legal representation or adult present.
Dassey initially confessed but then later recanted his confession.
He was 17 at the time.
The decision by a federal judge in Milwaukee to overturned the conviction means Dassey could be a free man within 90 days.That would presume that the state of Wisconsin does not attempt to refile the charges.
One of Dassey's lawyers, Steven Drizin, told US media outlets it was unlikely that the Netflix documentary influenced the judge's decision.
"I don't think that the Netflix movie is going to influence a federal judge," he said.
"At the same time same time judges are human beings and the Netflix film has created a context for Brendan's case that didn't exist at the time of his trial or his appeals."
The 10-part documentary, written and directed by Laura Ricciardi and Moira Demos, examined the investigation into the murder of photographer Teresa Halbach.
Dassey and his uncle, Steven Avery, were both charged with Halbach's murder and both were found guilty in 2007.
Dassey, despite having been under the age of 18 at the time of the crime, was tried as an adult and sentenced to life in prison with eligibility for parole in 2048.
Avery was sentenced to life imprisonment without parole.
Avery's conviction is presently the subject of an appeal.Though the original crimes and court cases generated little media coverage outside the United States, the Netflix documentary which re-examined them created headlines around the world.
The documentary explored an earlier case in which Avery was charged with the sexual assault and attempted murder of Penny Beerntsen.
Avery served 18 years before being exonerated after new DNA evidence was introduced and he was released from jail in 2003.
After his release from prison, Avery filed a civil lawsuit for US$36 million in damages against Manitowoc County, its sheriff, and its district attorney.
In 2005, with the civil case still unresolved, he was charged with the Halbach, prompting accusations that he was framed by police as retribution for the embarrassment caused by his exoneration.
Ricciardi and Demos issued a statement saying the major development for the subjects in their story showed the criminal justice system at work.
"As we have done for the past 10 years, we will continue to document the story as it unfolds, and follow it wherever it may lead."