Today could be a day that many people have waited for since 1994. The West Memphis Three: Damien Echols, Jason Baldwin and Jessie Misskelley could be released from the Arkansas prison where they have been incarcerated for 18 years.
The highly publicized cased of a trio of teenagers (at the time of arrest) who were accused of slaying three boys: Stevie Branch, Christopher Byers and Michael Moore in a bizarre, gruesome fashion in West Memphis, AK.
The State of Arkansas convicted the three men with what seems to be lack of evidence and on the coerced confession of Jessie Misskelley, who possesses an IQ of 72 (making him borderline mentally retarded.)
(West Memphis Three Case Details)
Like many people I learned about The West Memphis Three through the critically acclaimed documentaries, “Paradise Lost: The Child Murders at Robin Hood Hills” (1996) and “Paradise Lost 2: Revelations” (2000).[Note: Production of Paradise Lost 3 has been announced today.] Since the original documentary, many celebrities have championed the cause of “Free The West Memphis Three” (or WM3.)
It’s always been appalling how three men can be convicted and thrown away for life, with virtually no evidence. The West Memphis Police Department clearly botched the investigation and turned a blind-eye to logic and other leads that would’ve taken the investigation down a different path.
Today, August 19th,2011, may be the day that the State of Arkansas rights its wrong. New DNA and physical evidence plus a key witness recanting her statement have forced the State of Arkansas’ hand to do something.
I don’t know what the outcome will be. There is speculation that the WM3 will be released by pleading No contest with time served. Others say they will be released, maintaining their innocence, while acknowledging the State has enough evidence to convict them. There is so much speculation as to what will come, but one thing seems constant – the imminent freedom of The West Memphis Three. (It’s been reported the WM3 left prison with all their belongings, which points to a release.)
NOTE: As I write this post, I have the CNN stream of the monitor and I am awaiting credible news of what will happen to Echols, Baldwin and Misskelley.
I want to be clear of one thing. Righting a great legal wrong is not the same as justice as long as the killer of Stevie Branch, Christopher Byers and Michael Moore is free.
NOTE: 9:55 pst am
The WM3 entered a plea guilty of the murders, reafirming the jury’s verdict of guilty.
As part of the plea the defendant’s sentences were amended to 18 years – with time being served. The WM3 will be free as of today, 8/19/11.
It’s been 18 years of fight, 18 years of public support and outcry, two – possibly three documentaries (if not more) and Damien Echols, Jason Baldwin and Jessie Misskelley have been released from prison.
What would you have done if it were your son’s killers? What would you do if your sons were wrongly accused of a crime so heinous? What would you do if you were behind bars for someone else’s crime? This all seems too crazy to even think about.
Article by Greg Taylor
Founder of WordPress Development Company, Marketing Press. Vegetarian. Hopelessly addicted to music. Blogger, Collaborator, Phoenix Suns fan. NJ Native living in AZ
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{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
I like many others have been following this case of injustice for years. I am so very happy to see these men free, but sick as well of the way the state was able to put them in a position that shows the state still convicted them. How much i respect Jason B. i could never put in words. It’s a shame the state only agreed to this plea if all 3 accepted the deal, I truly believe Jason wouldn’t of agreed if the pressure wasn’t placed on him to get his best friend out of deathrow . And of course we all know this is about the $$ these men would of received once they were exonerated. How many corrupt individuals enjoyed a ideal life off of these wrongful convictions? I realize they deserve time to enjoy life, (Lawyers & others working on case as well) However i truly hope all involved do not give up on getting this agreement throwed out and getting a truly deserved exoneration.
Thanks for the comment. I agree with you. Jason Baldwin did something that was totally unselfish in order to save his friend’s life.
The fight is not over. As I said, a wrong has been righted, but justice has not been served.
I have also followed this case for years…my only sadness is that they got stiffed by a legal system that is meant to only convict people guilty beyound a reasonable and they did and put one of the guys on death row….where is the justice….the americans would say “look what hppened – they were let off justice is served” but why put a human being thru this experience when all those cops still go home at night to their families and someone else sleeps on death row, a marked man
This case was a very interesting one. The three had no alibis. Misskelley confessed three separate times. Baldwin told someone else he committed the crimes. Echols was seen in muddy clothes near the crime scene. He bragged about the murder to two other teenagers, stating he killed the three boys. This was presented as evidence at the trial. Echols also had a history of psychiatric treatment. His reported actions included brutally killing a dog, starting fires at his school, threatening to kill his teachers and parents and stating he liked to drink blood.
Fibers on the murdered victims’ clothing were found to microscopically similar to things in the Baldwin and Echols homes. The serrated wound patterns on the three victims that were consistent with, and could have been caused by, a knife found in a lake behind appellant Baldwin’s parents’ residence.
Echols’ stated under cross-examination that he was interested in the occult. A funeral register found in his room with hand-drawn pentagrams and upside-down crosses. Echols’ journal contained morbid images and references to dead children.