NationStates Jolt Archive


West Memphis 3

Snafturi
21-11-2006, 21:32
Guilty or innocent?

Crimelibrary.com (http://www.crimelibrary.com/notorious_murders/famous/memphis/index_1.html)

Wm3.org (http://wm3.org/splash.php)

From wm3.org 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.
Farnhamia
21-11-2006, 22:09
I don't know about guilty but "railroaded" certainly came to mind.
Snafturi
21-11-2006, 22:29
I don't know about guilty but "railroaded" certainly came to mind.

It's just sad that something like that can happen in America. Since when does circumstantial evidence get you the death penalty?
Yossarian Lives
21-11-2006, 23:17
Absolutely fucking ridiculous. I've known about this for a while. The only thing stopping anything being done is synchronised arse covering by all concerned. If they admit what a balls up the original trial was then it'll reflect badly on the whole lot of them.