The West Memphis 3, Get Released For Admitting Guilt, Sort Of.
In L.A., hipness has been measured in some ways in the past 18 years by how much one cares about "The West Memphis 3." Now they are free. One confessed, but coerced confessions are not that uncommon. When the same celebrities that say things like "the debate over global warming is over" are saying these guys got railroaded, I didn't pay much attention. You gotta pick your causes and think it through Leonardo. Eddie Vedder is for real though. Of all the rock star activists, I find him the most credible and he believed strongly in their innocence.
One of the victim's stepdad seems more likely to have had a hand in this, but it looks like they're not going after him. In any case they did a smart thing by getting this thing off their desk. It was ugly from the beginning, and it never got prettier. Anyone care about this here?
The 3 tweakers that were arrested for this may have been wrongfully convicted, but when was the last time you heard anyone talk about the victims. We know they were innocent for sure. Does anyone care about them? I pray for all those involved, but here are the names of the victims that seem to be forgotten in all this: Chris Byers, Michael Moore and Steve Branch.
- Comment (7)
- · Quote
- · UnfollowFollow (1)
Comments :
Feb '11
Re: The West Memphis 3, Get Released For Admitting Guilt, Sort Of.
The more I hear about the bumbling incompetence of the police involved, the less confidence I have that they got it even remotely right. How many innocent lives have been destroyed, and how many killers have gone free to strike again, because lazy incompetents went for the easy solution over the right one?
Even the best are not going to get it right every time, and those who faithfully struggle deserve the utmost respect. I have nothing but contempt, however, for those who make the evidence fit their theory.
Dec '10
Re: The West Memphis 3, Get Released For Admitting Guilt, Sort Of.
This bargain is not justice. Justice demands that the killer(s) of those three little boys be punished with the forfeit of his (their) life (lives), whether by lethal injection or by incarceration until death.
Either the West Memphis Three are innocent, in which case a killer has escaped justice, or they are guilty, in which case three monsters have been released back into society. And either way, there's no justice for the three murdered victims.
Re: The West Memphis 3, Get Released For Admitting Guilt, Sort Of.
Acknowledging a killer is still on the loose creates too much paperwork.
Feb '11
Re: The West Memphis 3, Get Released For Admitting Guilt, Sort Of.
I got interested in this case after seeing the t-shirts- 'Free the West Memphis Three'. Who were these guys? While acknowledging that I or other advocates for the 3 were not in the court and received facts about the case from the documentary "Paradise Lost" and the press; I think many people were horrified of the basic facts of this case- no blood found in the dry creek bed where the bodies were discovered and the coerced and confused confession of Jesse Misskelley.
Glancing at the wikipedia entry for "West Memphis Three" reveals a staggering account of bad jurisprudence, such as recanted police confessions and lost evidence. Advocated for the Three may lose sight of the original victims in the twists and turns of this case, but it is worse for prosecutors in Arkansas to lose sight of those victims- it is on them, of course, to find the killer. And much of the new evidence will not be brought to trial.
May '11
Re: The West Memphis 3, Get Released For Admitting Guilt, Sort Of.
Justice tries to be blind but it is not always impartial and not always right. The Innocence Project is dominated by liberal lawyers (I know that is redundant) but I applaud their efforts to get things right.
Aug '11
Re: The West Memphis 3, Get Released For Admitting Guilt, Sort Of.
I read the first 10 pages of evidence documents here. Damien Echols was one sick kid with a passion for cutting and sucking the blood of others, the occult and violence. Multiple DHS and mental health hospital interventions with heavy drugs prescribed and otherwise, his parents would not allow him in their home for fear of their lives pointing to his involvement in satanism. That alone doesn't make him guilty, but to suggest as Eddie Vedder and the hollywood elite do, that it was just about him being judged for wearing black clothes and heavy metal music is a crock.
Re: The West Memphis 3, Get Released For Admitting Guilt, Sort Of.
Good point. It's not right to paint the accusers as monsters either.