What's your verdict on the West Memphis 3?

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Just curious to know what everyone thinks about this case: Guilty or Not Guilty for these guys?

If there's anyone here who's been living under a rock for the last 20 years, or anyone who needs a refresher, here's an overview:

The West Memphis Three are three men who were tried and convicted as teenagers, in 1994, of the 1993 murders of three boys in West Memphis, Arkansas. Damien Echols was sentenced to death, Jessie Misskelley, Jr. was sentenced to life imprisonment plus two 20-year sentences, and Jason Baldwin was sentenced to life imprisonment. During the trial, the prosecution asserted that the children were killed as part of a Satanic ritual. A number of documentaries have been based on the case, and celebrities and musicians have held fundraisers in the belief that they are innocent.

In July 2007, new forensic evidence was presented in the case, and a status report jointly issued by the state and the defense team stated: "Although most of the genetic material recovered from the scene was attributable to the victims of the offenses, some of it cannot be attributed to either the victims or the defendants." On October 29, 2007, the defense filed a Second Amended Writ of Habeas Corpus, outlining the new evidence.

Following a successful decision in 2010 by the Arkansas Supreme Court regarding newly produced DNA evidence, the West Memphis Three negotiated a plea bargain with prosecutors. On August 19, 2011, they entered Alford pleas, which allowed them to assert their innocence while acknowledging that prosecutors have enough evidence to convict them. Judge David Laser accepted the pleas and sentenced the three to time served. They were released with 10-year suspended sentences, having served 18 years and 78 days in prison.
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Here's the full Wiki article for anyone who is interested: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Memphis_Three

I was actually living in Memphis, TN (which sits just across the river from West Memphis, AR) when this went down. It was a big deal, but then like all things that are big news it eventually faded away from public consciousness.

I got re-introduced to the case when someone recommended HBOs "Paradise Lost" documentary series to me.


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I watched the first one and was blown away. It came out in 1996 but I didn't see it until probably '08 or so, while the three were still in prison. Personally, I'm torn in terms of their guilt. Are they all guilty, all innocent or perhaps some are guilty while others are innocent?

I just don't know, though I do think that the prosecution botched the case so terribly--much like Brendan Dassey's case in Making a Murderer--that releasing them is the only ethical decision.

Anyone else taken the time to really familiarize yourself with this case? If so, thoughts?
 
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Ive watched these videos man..well actually only the first two of them

Comparing it to brendan is pretty spot on.
 
TheRuthlessOne said:
Ive watched these videos man..well actually only the first two of them

Comparing it to brendan is pretty spot on.
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Not sure how well you remember the second film, but what did you think of Mark Byers? A lot of people think he killed those kids.
 
shadow_priest_x said:
Not sure how well you remember the second film, but what did you think of Mark Byers? A lot of people think he killed those kids.
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Yeah I was going to bring him up but I didn't remember his name. I was actually looking for a picture of the guy

Not sure if he did do it but I know he is shady as fuck
 
TheRuthlessOne said:
Yeah I was going to bring him up but I didn't remember his name. I was actually looking for a picture of the guy

Not sure if he did do it but I know he is shady as fuck
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He was clearly a crazy person. Like you say, I'm not sure if he did it but he obviously had something wrong with him.

Not sure if you know, but he later changed his story from what was shown in Paradise Lost 2. Instead of being certain that the WM3 did it, he now says he's convinced it was an adult neighbor who lived in the neighborhood.
 
shadow_priest_x said:
He was clearly a crazy person. Like you say, I'm not sure if he did it but he obviously had something wrong with him.

Not sure if you know, but he later changed his story from what was shown in Paradise Lost 2. Instead of being certain that the WM3 did it, he now says he's convinced it was an adult neighbor who lived in the neighborhood.
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I was doing a little bit of research and it looks like movie 3 focuses on a man called Terry Hobbs
 
I've followed this closely for years. Seen all three hbo docus multiple times. Saw the dock that came out like 3 years ago. Have read two books about the case and read many articles and legal briefs concerning the case. I donated to their legal fund multiple times while they were incarcerated.

I absolutely feel they are innocent and they were railroaded for being outcasts in a place that needed someone to blame due to the extremely heinous nature of the crimes.

If you are interested in true travesties of justice do some reading watch some docus and learn about this case. The non hbo docu is called west of memphis. It really paints a good picture as to who is likely to Have done it and it's not Hobbs.
 
georgekillian said:
I've followed this closely for years. Seen all three hbo docus multiple times. Saw the dock that came out like 3 years ago. Have read two books about the case and read many articles and legal briefs concerning the case. I donated to their legal fund multiple times while they were incarcerated.

I absolutely feel they are innocent and they were railroaded for being outcasts in a place that needed someone to blame due to the extremely heinous nature of the crimes.

If you are interested in true travesties of justice do some reading watch some docus and learn about this case. The non hbo docu is called west of memphis. It really paints a good picture as to who is likely to Have done it and it's not Hobbs.
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Interesting. I know know that some people went WAY down the rabbit's hole with this one.

I have seen the three Paradise Lost films and also seen West of Memphis. I almost read The Devil's Knot but then they were freed and I kind of lost interest in doing so.

Did you feel like the legal briefs gave you any insight into the case that you didn't get from any of the other sources?

BTW, while I saw West of Memphis, I don't remember who they pointed to as a possible guilty party. Can you remind me?
 
I was so torn but now the one guys buddy says he lied about his alibi. I feel it was him.
 
Most of the evidence points to Hobbs. Probably him.

We'll never know though, because the State cut the most ridiculous deal ever cut, and the case is officially closed. Pleading not guilty got these boys two life sentences and a death sentence. Pleading guilty set them free.

Justice!
 
I was growing up in Arkansas when this happened, and it was clear as day to me as a child that those kids didn't do it.

Older, more "traditional" Arkansans in particular have always had it out for anyone that is different, especially in the looks department. This doesn't stop at framing people for crimes in lieu of disparaging the name of well known and friendly neighbor.

Shits fucked, yo.
 
HereticBD said:
Most of the evidence points to Hobbs. Probably him.

We'll never know though, because the State cut the most ridiculous deal ever cut, and the case is officially closed. Pleading not guilty got these boys two life sentences and a death sentence. Pleading guilty set them free.

Justice!
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I know, that's fucked up. What a crazy fucking justice system we have.

My understanding is that the guilty plea is really only required because it keeps the state from getting sued for wrongful imprisonment. It really seems like they could do better than that.
 
shadow_priest_x said:
Why do you think it was him?
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Shakey alibi, erratic behavior, possible inbreeding in his family.

And really, have you ever just looked at the motherfucker? Like, really looked? He's fucking scary, in a killers way. You just get a gut feeling that the guy is psychopathic.
 
bandicoot said:
Shakey alibi, erratic behavior, possible inbreeding in his family.

And really, have you ever just looked at the motherfucker? Like, really looked? He's fucking scary, in a killers way. You just get a gut feeling that the guy is psychopathic.
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He is a crazy person for sure. But I'm not positive that makes him a killer.

Did you ever look at the evidence for Hobbs?
 
shadow_priest_x said:
I know, that's fucked up. What a crazy fucking justice system we have.

My understanding is that the guilty plea is really only required because it keeps the state from getting sued for wrongful imprisonment. It really seems like they could do better than that.
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It does save them a huge lawsuit, which is understandable from the State's perspective, but it also eliminates going after anyone else for the crime. Officially, the WMT are guilty, and if someone else did it(highly likely), the State let them off by making the deal.

That said, it was ultimately the WMT's choice to take the deal. They could've waited it out a bit more, and more than likely would've at least gotten new trials, if not a full exoneration, but I can't blame them for just wanting to get the fuck out of prison.
 
shadow_priest_x said:
Interesting. I know know that some people went WAY down the rabbit's hole with this one.

I have seen the three Paradise Lost films and also seen West of Memphis. I almost read The Devil's Knot but then they were freed and I kind of lost interest in doing so.

Did you feel like the legal briefs gave you any insight into the case that you didn't get from any of the other sources?

BTW, while I saw West of Memphis, I don't remember who they pointed to as a possible guilty party. Can you remind me?
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Well first off I'm an idiot and I got Byers and Hobbs mixed up it was Hobbs who was likely guilty. The briefs that I read were mostly linked from their legal teams site. They really didn't cover anything more extensively than the docus but they really did show how haphazard and rushed the investigation was. Excellent example of small town hysteria taking over.

The police manipulated these people at every single turn. They had no interest in finding the actual perpetrator they just needed someone locked up to calm the citizenry imo.

I'm not one to get roped in by famous cases really but this one got to me The first time I saw paradise lost. I was so disturbed by the miscarriage of justice I couldn't let it go. When they were set free it was the happiest I'd felt for strangers in a long time.

Also read devil's knot it covers a lot of familiar stuff but you can get it used for real cheap. Well worth it.
 
HereticBD said:
That said, it was ultimately the WMT's choice to take the deal. They could've waited it out a bit more, and more than likely would've at least gotten new trials, if not a full exoneration, but I can't blame them for just wanting to get the fuck out of prison.
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I think I'd have taken the deal. Like you say, it's time to get the fuck out of prison.

What's really fucked up is that, not only do they have a murder conviction on their record, but they also have to go through all the bullshit that such people have to go through once their out. Also, it makes it a lot easier to go back in.

Aren't they basically on parole now, or at least they were for a while?
 
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