Understanding the West Memphis Three
A Brief Explanation of the Crime and Trials Leading to the Hearing
Aug 21, 2008
This fall, a new hearing is scheduled to be held to examine new DNA evidence possibly exhonerating the "West Memphis Three." The case is one 15 years in the making that has been the subject of two HBO documentaries (Paradise Lost and Paradise Lost 2), many successful fundraising campaigns, and much public scrutiny. Following the news on this case requires a quick outline of the events that took place since the original 1993 ruling.
The Murder In Robin Hood Hills
In the Robin Hood Hills in West Memphis Arkansas the bodies of three boys were found abandoned near the river with possible signs of mutilation. One teenage male, Jessie Misskelley, tells police, after an interview in access of three hours, that he was present with friends Jason Baldwin and Damien Echols when they raped and killed the three boys. Misskelley's recorded interview was used in his own trial and widely publicized until deemed inadmissable in the trial of Baldwin and Echols.
Convictions of James Baldwin and Damien Echols
After their arrest, James Baldwin and Damien Echols were tried for the murders of the three boys. As Misskelley refused to testify against them the prosecution was left with little more than circumstancial evidence that they used to establish a motive for the crime.
In Paradise Lost, footage of the trial show prosecutors grilling Echols over his interest in the occult even after Echols explains his interest to be in Wiccan and thus unrelated to either God or Satan. The prosecution goes on to try and prove some of the mutilation marks (now believed to be the work of foraging animals) by gently striking a grapefruit with a knife to emulate the wounds.
The defense emphasized the non-existence of physical evidence in their case. Cross examination of the prosecution's forensic expert established the professional opinion that according to the prosecution's version of events the crime would have required an expert in anatomy to perform the cuts on the body, that there should have been more blood at the scene, and that the mutilations would have been next to impossible to perform given the conditions where they would have been performed.
Despite these efforts Echols is sentenced to death and Baldwin to life without parole after 13 days of deliberation.
The Aftermath of the Trial
The publicity and money raised lead the West Memphis Three support group to a forensic expert who reviewed the evidence and calls attention to teeth marks on one victim's face. A hearing is arranged on the new evidence, however the forensic odontologist for the prosecution disputed the finding and Judge David Burnett ruled that the evidence is not sufficient for a new trial.
Reasons for Labeling the Case a Mistrial of Justice
One of the first things many point to in this case that constantly seems to work against the defendants is Judge David Burnett. He is the same judge who oversaw the original trial and all subsequent hearings. Many believe his presence indicates a bias that works against correcting errors possibly made by the system and works simply to maintain the reputation of the police and prosecutors.
The only evidence that places Echols and Baldwin at the scene of the crime is Misskelley's statement which was deemed inadmissable outside his own trial. Misskelley's defense attorney provided an interrogation expert who stated that the tapes show textbook examples of coercion and leading on the part of the police. All of these suggest to supporters that the conviction was unfairly reached.
