Monday, November 16, 2009
Thursday, November 12, 2009
West Memphis Three
Alright I saw a documentary from 1996 last night entitled "Paradise Lost: The Child Murders at Robin Hood Hills." It tells the story of the arrest and conviction of three teens for those brutal murders. The story really hit me, partly because I had already been aware or the WM3 about 10 years ago, when I was 12, and Trey Parker and Matt Stone ended an award speech with "Free the West Memphis Three!" I looked into the case and was appalled by the lack of justice for these young men. However in my selfishness and narrow-mindedness I had near forgot about them until seeing this film. And I couldn't have seen it at a better time.
Thankfully the internet has not forgotten about these 3 men, and the buzz is still there. And every year new evidence comes to light which will one day, hopefully, exonerate these men.
Now here is a brief synopsis of their story:
May 5th, 1993 three 8 year old boys disappeared and were later found brutally murdered, left n a ditch outside West Memphis, AK. Their bodies mutilated, sexual organs removed and left to rot. The police had little-to-nothing to go off of (This is before the use of DNA which is so commonplace now), and they were not used to such a terrible act in their district. Needless to say, the public was outraged and demanded justice. Police were scared this deed would go unpunished, until they found out about Damien Echols, Jason Baldwin and Jessie Misskelley. The police were told that the boys were different, weird, and because of Damien's professed interest in Wicca, they were labeled "Satanists" and the crime a "Satanist Ritual."
After a 12 hour, unrecorded, undocumented interrogation of Misskelley (who has an IQ of 72.) Gave a coerced and false confession of guilt. It was nearly immediately denied by Misskelley, not to mention filled with information the police knew to be incorrect: including, but not limited to, the time of day, (He said it was noon, than 4, than 8), the injuries sustained (He claimed the boys were raped, but medical examiners they this is not true), and even what was used to subdue the boys (He said rope, and the assailant(s) used shoelaces.)
The police and prosecution, on the strength of their coerced confession, as well as the boys obvious difference from the other citizens of West Memphis, were able to slander the boys (aged 16, 17, and 18 at the time of trial) through the media assuring them an unfair trial. All boys were convicted. Jessie Misskelley, and Jason Baldwin were sentenced to life in prison, and Damien Echols was sentenced to death by lethal injection.
They have all been in prison for 15 years, all over the age of 30, their entire adult lives stolen by a corrupt and prejudice system hellbent on revenge no matter who suffers.
Recently new evidence has come to light about their case: NO DNA taken from the crime scene matches any of the 3 accused, and although most of the DNA is the victims there was DNA at the crime scene of neither the 3 convicted or the 3 victims.
In September two legal advocacy groups including The Northwestern University School of Law's Center on Wrongful Convictions supported that the boys be granted a retrial.
In recent years, many of the parents of the victims have come forward supporting the West Memphis Three, and do not believe it was them.
However, because of our beautiful system, the boys have still not been able to get a retrial. Partly because the appeals process in West Memphis is run by a select few judges, none wanting to hurt the others. And if the appeals process continues to the Arkansas Supreme Court there is a good chance the judge from their original trial will be sitting on the bench, as he has announced his candidacy for next years election.
Chances are they will not see a retrial in Arkansas and this case will go to Federal court. I ask you all to look further into the case as this is only a very brief overview of this breach of justice at freewestmemphis3.org
Damien Echols has served 15 years on death row in solitary confinement.
Enough is enough.
Thankfully the internet has not forgotten about these 3 men, and the buzz is still there. And every year new evidence comes to light which will one day, hopefully, exonerate these men.
Now here is a brief synopsis of their story:
May 5th, 1993 three 8 year old boys disappeared and were later found brutally murdered, left n a ditch outside West Memphis, AK. Their bodies mutilated, sexual organs removed and left to rot. The police had little-to-nothing to go off of (This is before the use of DNA which is so commonplace now), and they were not used to such a terrible act in their district. Needless to say, the public was outraged and demanded justice. Police were scared this deed would go unpunished, until they found out about Damien Echols, Jason Baldwin and Jessie Misskelley. The police were told that the boys were different, weird, and because of Damien's professed interest in Wicca, they were labeled "Satanists" and the crime a "Satanist Ritual."
After a 12 hour, unrecorded, undocumented interrogation of Misskelley (who has an IQ of 72.) Gave a coerced and false confession of guilt. It was nearly immediately denied by Misskelley, not to mention filled with information the police knew to be incorrect: including, but not limited to, the time of day, (He said it was noon, than 4, than 8), the injuries sustained (He claimed the boys were raped, but medical examiners they this is not true), and even what was used to subdue the boys (He said rope, and the assailant(s) used shoelaces.)
The police and prosecution, on the strength of their coerced confession, as well as the boys obvious difference from the other citizens of West Memphis, were able to slander the boys (aged 16, 17, and 18 at the time of trial) through the media assuring them an unfair trial. All boys were convicted. Jessie Misskelley, and Jason Baldwin were sentenced to life in prison, and Damien Echols was sentenced to death by lethal injection.
They have all been in prison for 15 years, all over the age of 30, their entire adult lives stolen by a corrupt and prejudice system hellbent on revenge no matter who suffers.
Recently new evidence has come to light about their case: NO DNA taken from the crime scene matches any of the 3 accused, and although most of the DNA is the victims there was DNA at the crime scene of neither the 3 convicted or the 3 victims.
In September two legal advocacy groups including The Northwestern University School of Law's Center on Wrongful Convictions supported that the boys be granted a retrial.
In recent years, many of the parents of the victims have come forward supporting the West Memphis Three, and do not believe it was them.
However, because of our beautiful system, the boys have still not been able to get a retrial. Partly because the appeals process in West Memphis is run by a select few judges, none wanting to hurt the others. And if the appeals process continues to the Arkansas Supreme Court there is a good chance the judge from their original trial will be sitting on the bench, as he has announced his candidacy for next years election.
Chances are they will not see a retrial in Arkansas and this case will go to Federal court. I ask you all to look further into the case as this is only a very brief overview of this breach of justice at freewestmemphis3.org
Damien Echols has served 15 years on death row in solitary confinement.
Enough is enough.
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