West Memphis Three Awareness Day

[Ravenbomb]

Today is West Memphis Three Awareness Day, on the 14th anniversary of their arrest.

Shortly after three eight-year-old boys were found mutilated and murdered in West Memphis, Arkansas, local newspapers stated the killers had been caught. The police assured the public that the three teenagers in custody were definitely responsible for these horrible crimes. Evidence?

 

The same police officers coerced an error-filled “confession” from Jessie Misskelley Jr., who is mentally handicapped. They subjected him to 12 hours of questioning without counsel or parental consent, audio-taping only two fragments totaling 46 minutes. Jessie recanted it that evening, but it was too late— Misskelley, Jason Baldwin and Damien Echols were all arrested on June 3, 1993, and convicted of murder in early 1994.

 

Although there was no physical evidence, murder weapon, motive, or connection to the victims, the prosecution pathetically resorted to presenting black hair and clothing, heavy metal t-shirts, and Stephen King novels as proof that the boys were sacrificed in a satanic cult ritual. Unfathomably, Echols was sentenced to death, Baldwin received life without parole, and Misskelley got life plus 40.

 

For over 13 years, The West Memphis Three have been imprisoned for crimes they didn’t commit. Echols waits in solitary confinement for the lethal injection our tax dollars will pay for. They were all condemned by their poverty, incompetent defense, satanic panic and a rush to judgment.

 

But there’s still hope for them, and you can help.

http://www.wm3.org/

[Dobbs 3K]

Yeah, I've heard about this one before. Kind of sad that their case doesn't seem to have even been reviewed in the lsat 14 years.

[vivalaultra]

I read up a bit on the case a couple years ago and while I can't say definitively that they did NOT have anything to do with the killing, I also can't definitively say that they did have something to do with it. Still, it's kind of a shame that with all of the 'murkiness' surrounding the case, they haven't been able to get a review of it.

[geniusMoment]

For my Constitutional Law class 3 semesters ago we had a mock trial covering this case. We went through all the evidence and had students picked out as the prosecuter and the defense. The outcome, 3 guilty bastards.

[Ravenbomb]

based on what?

 

 

EDIT: By the way, the case could be reviewed in the near future, as there's been some investigation into the DNA evidence that could lead to a new trial.

[Ravenbomb]

UPDATE: The DNA evidence tested so far does NOT match Echols, Baldwin or Misskelly

 

Reported by Janice Broach

Court documents reveal new details in the case of the "West Memphis 3"

July 20, 2007 09:55 AM EDT

 

DNA evidence may connect family member to West Memphis 3 crime scene

 

A jury convicted the West Memphis 3 nearly 14 years ago of the murders of three eight-year-old boys: Michael Moore, Stevie Branch and Christopher Byers.

 

Now, a high powered defense team is trying to prove Damien Echols, Jason Baldwin and Jessie Misskelley didn't do it.

 

New DNA testing by the defense shows that none of the genetic material recovered from the murder scene links Echols, Baldwin, or Misskelley to the scene. Instead, defense attorneys say, the tests found DNA from Terry Hobbs, the stepfather of one of the murdered boys.

 

Thursday, Hobbs told Action News 5 he didn't do it. "I'd have to laugh at that and say there's something wrong with someone who would think that," he said.

 

Hobbs claimed a private investigator from the defense team told him one of his hairs was discovered in a knot in one of the shoe laces used to tie up the three eight-year-olds.

 

"If Michael Moore or Christopher Byers had a piece of my hair on shoes strings, these little boys came to my home and played with our little boy pretty regularly," Hobbs said.

 

The DNA results also revealed, according to court documents, that most of the DNA at the crime scene came from the victims, but some of it cannot be connected to the victims or the defendants.

 

"I don't know what to think about it," Hobbs said. "It's their job to do what they do."

 

Hobbs, now divorced from Stevie Branch's, mother said he's not worried, because he knows he has done nothing wrong.

 

Prosecutor Brent Davis would not comment about the DNA, but did file a report acknowledging that DNA from the West Memphis 3 was not discovered at the crime scene. Davis also acknowledged there was a hair discovered in the knot in the shoelace.

 

Davis said he believes the West Memphis 3 are guilty, but he has agreed to allow the defense to do more DNA testing.

[Frosty]

For those of you who would like a good background in this case watch the documentary "Paradise Lost" by Joe Berlinger and Bruce Sinofsky. It is their take on it and while they think that the WM3 are innocent, the film portrays everyone is a very equal manner and gives a good outline of the case.

[Ravenbomb]

That and Paradise Lost 2, which I have yet to see but I've heard is enlightening as well.

[Frosty]

I haven't seen tha yet either, but I do have it on my computer just waiting for me to find time and sit through it.

[PILLS! PILLS! PILLS!]

I would also recommend reading Devil's Knot by Mara Leveritt.

[Ravenbomb]

Well, the best thing to do is just get as much raw information on the case and the trials as possible. There's a lot of information outside the documentaries and books available if someone were really interested.

[snuffbox]

Those black Metallica t-shirts was all theevidence I ever needed to see.

[Ravenbomb]

Don't forget those Stephen King books.

[dubq]

FYI: This user on YouTube has the entire Paradise Lost documentary posted in several parts - http://www.youtube.com/user/mprwac