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Unsolved West Memphis 3

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Lockyer24

Lockyer24

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Would be interested to hear peoples thoughts and theories on this well known case of 3 young boys being murdered with 3 teenagers subsequently being convicted on shallow evidence.

If you haven't watched the doco trilogy 'Paradise Lost' I recommend it highly. I think about it a lot after seeing it and keep in touch with any small developments.
Or just watch the 3rd instalment here:



Also further websites with two different views:
http://www.wm3blackboard.com/bb2-0/index.php
http://wm3truth.com/

Upcoming new doco "West of Memphis"

 
BigFooty has a resident expert on the West Memphis Three.

Paging Echols
 
I'm far from an expert, but I've been a supporter of the the three for quite a few years, to the point that I've actually conversed with Mark Byers(who ended being a strong voice behind getting the 3 boys that he once wanted to rot in hell, free) on another forum, and yes, "echols" is my name for obvious reasons.

I could go on for hours about the case, to be honest.
 

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Echols said:
I'm far from an expert, but I've been a supporter of the the three for quite a few years, to the point that I've actually conversed with Mark Byers(who ended being a strong voice behind getting the 3 boys that he once wanted to rot in hell, free) on another forum, and yes, "echols" is my name for obvious reasons.

I could go on for hours about the case, to be honest.
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Would love to hear your thoughts if you ever have the time :thumbsu:
 
I remember watching ashow about this interesting stuff.I cant believe they got locked up on the very little evidence.Say if they didnt do it being locked up for something you didnt do would be extremely to take.And if you are accused of such heinous things that would also be very hard to deal with.
 
Here's one for the mods...

Is this case solved or unsolved? :)

I note on the Bryant thread conspiracy theories weren't allowed (thank god), as he plead guilty and was found guilty
 
Lockyer24 said:
Here's one for the mods...

Is this case solved or unsolved? :)

I note on the Bryant thread conspiracy theories weren't allowed (thank god), as he plead guilty and was found guilty
Click to expand...

Surely on a crime thread we cant have a discussion about people wrongly convicted or acquitted. The problem is such discussion forever feeds the crazy's too. But this case has real potential for a dodgy conviction.
 
The case is certainly unsolved, and unless hell freezes over, it will probably remain so.

The Arkansas government and heads of the justice system will try everything to keep this case from being reheard and their original committal of the 3 being seen as the mistake that most now acknowledge it as.

Judge Burnett was never going to admit to getting this wrong, and nor was the rest of the corrupt state and it's officials.



 
CAS79 said:
Surely on a crime thread we cant have a discussion about people wrongly convicted or acquitted. The problem is such discussion forever feeds the crazy's too. But this case has real potential for a dodgy conviction.
Click to expand...

I'm more than happy to let this discussion unfold.
 
DarwinRoo said:
Echols, you might be able to confirm this but didn't a guy covered in blood turn up at a restaurant and it wasn't even looked into?
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Yes, dubbed Mr Bojangles, as he apparently wandered into the nearby Bojangles cafe, with blood on his hands, went to the rest room and was never seen again. This lead was never followed up by the cops.

Mark Byers(one of the victims fathers, and someone who was just so 'out there' that he seemed capable of the crime himself) is quite adamant that one of the other parents should be thoroughly investigated, as is the mother of one of the boys(Stevie Branch).
This alone is a massive change in thought, as all 3 sets of parents wanted the boys found guilty to 'burn in hell' for many years after their committal.

Byers himself is now Admin on another forum that I mentioned earlier, and he's very open about how wrong he was to think they way he did, so blindly, for many years.

Kudos to him.
 
Watched the view for their attitudes on the prank call but stayed for this. Too young to have remembered the trials, it was the first time I'd ever heard it. A lot of it makes you sick, like how Echols needs to wear sunglasses Because his eyes haven't adjusted to light from the countless hours in isolation.

Echols could you clear up for me How they were never executed after being sentenced to death?
 

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It was only Damien sentenced to death, but by sheer luck Damien missed his first date with the electric chair by mere hours after his original lawyers complete ineptitude meant that they'd totally misunderstood the appeals system and had not lodged one, wrongfully thinking that it was something that they didn't have to action, and that it would automatically occur.

Imagine being represented by someone this bad at their chosen profession?

Echols and his numerous teams of lawyers over the years have made appeal after appeal. I'm not well versed on the American legal system, but somehow this was enough to keep him alive.

However, with the building profile of the case, and the support of big name celebrities like Depp, Vedder and Jackson putting their hands in thier pocket(getting together the best legal team money could buy) and increasing the likelihood of Arkansas state being red faced and having to overturn the conviction Echols and his supporters soon became concerned that his health and life would be endangered by a corrupt system the longer he stayed on death row.
Hence the bargain they took, which freed them all, but also rendered the 3 convicted men unable to challenge the state or follow up with cases of their own for the time they'd wrongfully spent inside.

This is what drives them now, and is a big part of why the film 'west of Memphis' is so important. They need to be exonerated.
 
How they could be convicted (beyond reasonable doubt) is quite astonishing. However, one thing that doesn't add up is that their alibis were all inconsistent and unable to be verified. Family members had differing versions which were inconsistent. This is the only thing that remains questionable.
 
Filthy Sanchez said:
Echols are you telling me these three men haven't been compensated for having their lives being ruined by some corrupt system?? This just got even more outrageous.
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They sure haven't, and by taking the "plea" they forfeited all their rights to ever truly getting any justice.....

That's the way Arkansas State really did a number on them. Not only was Damien Echol's on death row for a crime he never committed, but he also remains a "convicted murderer" by title.
 
Filthy Sanchez said:
Echols are you telling me these three men haven't been compensated for having their lives being ruined by some corrupt system?? This just got even more outrageous.
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I could very well be wrong but IIRC the WM3 were released from prison but the "guilty" verdict could not be overturned... Which would imply that they obviously could not pursue compensation.

Thats my recollection of it anyway... Not sure it's 100% accurate.
 

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Barry Zuckercorn said:
I could very well be wrong but IIRC the WM3 were released from prison but the "guilty" verdict could not be overturned... Which would imply that they obviously could not pursue compensation.

Thats my recollection of it anyway... Not sure it's 100% accurate.
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Well they were released on the condition that they admitted guilt (there's a word for this I think?), so yes no avenues for compensation can exist.

One of them wanted to knock back the offer and continue to pursue justice, but choose against it for Echols as he remained on death row.

My question is, and regardless of whether they would or not, can resources be dedicated toward investigating this case further now there is a guilty plea, and can anyone else be convicted?
 
From what I have read it seems fairly likely that they did it but the initial investigation, trial and conviction was deeply, deeply flawed and they never should have been convicted on the basis of the evidence.

One of the more serious failures of the legal system I've seen.
 
ppg05 said:
My question is, and regardless of whether they would or not, can resources be dedicated toward investigating this case further now there is a guilty plea, and can anyone else be convicted?
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That's a very good point. Common sense would suggest yes but the judge's ego would get in the way I dare say.
 
My take is if they did do it the police would have got more evidence from Jessie Misskelley (like a body,blood etc) I cant remember but the police tried to use Misskelley to flip on the other 2.I guess if they did do it jessie would have got a deal to give evidence against the other 2boys.
 

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