While the three, better known as the West Memphis Three, entered an Alford plea and are therefore not innocent in the eyes of the law, DNA evidence suggests someone else is responsible for the 1993 murders of James Michael Moore, Stephen Branch, and Christopher Byers. Starting in the weeks that followed the killings, documentary filmmakers Joe Berlinger and Bruce Sinofsky began to investigate the circumstances surrounding the case for their film "Paradise Lost: The Child Murders at Robin Hood Hills," airing in June 1996 on HBO. WebThe West Memphis Three were the first people in West Memphis, Arkansas who were accused of murdering the three young boys. Echols filed a petition, which was not granted, but then the decision was overturned by the Arkansas Supreme Court. It was just days before the trial of Echols and Baldwin. 1:53 Digital Original Motivations For Investigating The West Memphis Case 1:05 Preview Despite claiming to know Echols well, she denied knowing his close friend Baldwin. MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) A former Memphis Fire Department emergency medical technician told a Tennessee board Friday that officers impeded patient care by refusing to remove Tyre Nichols ' handcuffs, which would have allowed EMTs to check his vital signs after he was brutally beaten by police. It took them 18 years to clear their names. He was sentenced to life plus 40 years. Clemente pointed out that the killer took his time to conceal the boys' bodies, clothing, and bikes. Soon after, witness, Narlene Hollingsworth, reported she saw three boys riding bikes, almost hitting one when he rode out in front of her car. Nine days later, Misskelley would confess again. He was 62. Residents talked of strange smells in the woods, painted children, and even alleged to have seen a baby sacrificed. When he was informed that the blood matched both his and Chris' blood type, he claimed he had no idea how the blood might have gotten on the knife before suggesting he might have left it out accidentally. John Mark Byers, stepfather of Chris Byers and initially the subject of considerable suspicion himself, is shown calling Terry Hobbs a "baby killer" outside an Arkansas courtroom. Having once been adamant on the West Memphis Three's guilt, he accepted their innocence and, instead, pointed the finger at Terry Hobbs, Steve's stepfather. The 'West Memphis Three' were exonerated following the advent of improved DNA technology (West Memphis Police Department) John Mark Byers, who was suspected in the deaths of three West Memphis children in 1993, died in a car crash earlier this week, officials in Tennessee revealed on Friday, June 19. In addition to the offender being a male who had a relationship with one or more of the victims, Clemente thinks the suspect was from the neighborhood, theorizing that he hid the bodies in order to give himself enough time to establish an alibi. The following afternoon, the bodies of Steve Branch, Michael Moore, and Christopher Byers were found by a muddy ditch. The West Memphis Three were the distinctive people in the town of West Memphis; however, there was little evidence suggesting they killed the three young boys. In 1994, in what was widely believed to be a miscarriage of justice, three teens, 18-year-old Damien Echols, 17-year-old Jessie Misskelley Jr., and 16-year-old Jason Baldwin, were convicted in connection to the deaths of Christopher Byers, Michael Moore, and Steve Branch the previous year. Speaking about Echols to The New York Times in 1993, high school teacher Jim Ferguson said, "he's like some wacko cult member.". Meanwhile, at the Marion Police Department, Detective Don Bray was attempting to administer a polygraph test to Vicki Hutcheson, who had recently moved to the city. Here's when clocks will 'spring forward' in 2023, Arkansas Supreme Court chief justice announces departure from WM3 case, West Memphis Three continue fight to get DNA tested. window.googletag.cmd.push(function() { Two of the boys' underwear, however, was missing. VEGA, Texas (KFDA) - Two people were killed and two others were injured after a three-vehicle crash on Interstate 40 west of Vega. All three were charged and accused of committing a Satanic murder. Echols unwisely began to tell the fanatical Driver tall tales about local cults and animal sacrifices when Driver became his parole officer, telling him that he followed Wicca. MEAWW brings you the best content from its global team of Devastating Photos Of Hiroshima Before And After The Atomic Bombing That Changed History Forever, Jury Finds Man Guilty Of Teaching Pug Nazi Salute [VIDEO], What Stephen Hawking Thinks Threatens Humankind The Most, 27 Raw Images Of When Punk Ruled New York, Join The All That's Interesting Weekly Dispatch, black Americans are wrongfully convicted at a far greater rate, woman who was convicted for locking her deaf sister in a room for seven years. However, it wasn't just about the music with many embracing rebellious philosophies that were inherently offensive to the traditions of Christianity, respect and patriotism that have always defined small-town rural America. Sometimes justice is neither pretty, nor is it perfect, but it was important to take this opportunity to be free.". Standing 6-feet-5-inches tall and weighing 238 pounds, Byers was an imposing and threatening presence. Their clothing was found in the same creek, and some of it had been twisted around sticks that had been fixed into the muddy ditch bed. WebThe West Memphis Three are three men convicted as teenagers in 1994 of the 1993 murders of three boys in West Memphis, Arkansas, United States. document.querySelector("#google_image_div").addEventListener('click',function(){ However, that isn't quite the truth. Entering a plea of not guilty, Richard Ofshe testified that Misskelley's confession had been a "classic example" of police coercion. Terry Hobbs and Pamela Hicks. Whether justice has been done in the case of the West Memphis Three depends on entirely who you ask. Then, after determining the boys final movements, Bob meets with a DNA expert to discuss new technology that might break the case wide open. Prosecutors would only give up harassing Misskelley for his testimony when I threatened to hold a press conference and disclose their efforts to entice his testimony." The friends rode over to Bobby Posey's house, where they learned Christopher had been whipped by his adoptive father, John Mark Byers, and planned to run away. Despite suspicion eventually falling away from Byers, Jason Baldwin praised the "Paradise Lost" documentaries as essential to their case, telling the "National Podcast of Texas" in 2019 that "The documentary saved my life, saved Damien's life, and saved Jessie's life. When three boys turn up murdered, a small town is desperate to find the killer. Echols, Baldwin, and Misskelley were accused of killing three eight-year-old boys: Chris Byers, Stevie Branch, and Michael Moore. While his repeated confessions may seem incriminating, Lawyer Dan Stidman would say in a 1999 letter to the court that "Absolutely nothing Misskelley told the officers or prosecutors would ever be admissible against him. Youtube Mugshots of the West Memphis Three. So if the West Memphis Three aren't the real killers, who is? Trinocular Co-Axial 1500x Metallurgical Microscope with Top-Bottom Light with 2MP Camera, Trinocular Microscope with DIN Objective and Camera 40x - 2000x, Junior Medical Microscope with Wide Field Eyepiece & LED 100x - 1500x, Trinocular Inverted Metallurgical Microscope 100x - 1200x, Binocular Inverted Metallurgical Microscope 100x - 1200x. The story of the West Memphis Three traces back to 1993, set in the city of West Memphis, Arkansas. The hair would tie in with a reported sighting of a "disoriented" man on the night of the boys' disappearance. She also revealed that her ex-husband had once asked her sister point-blank if she suspected him in the killings. He explained that the particular petition they filed is not up for interpretation and ultimately is not within their rights. There's absolutely no indication of that in this case. 1:53 Digital Original Motivations For Investigating The West Memphis Case 1:05 Preview In 2000, Berlinger and Sinofsky would produce "Paradise Lost 2: Revelations," a sequel to their 1996 film. The Story Of The West Memphis Teens Wrongfully Imprisoned 18 Years For Satanic Murder. March 3, 2023, at 3:19 p.m. Video Shows Memphis Jailers Beating Black Inmate Who Died. Who Is The Real Killer Behind The 'West Memphis Three' Murders? But it seemed the story for the West Memphis Three was over. He even said that he saw John Mark Byers assisting in the killings. In statements under oath, the three witnesses say that Michael Hobbs told them, "My uncle killed three boys in West Memphis." All three were second-grade pupils at Weaver Elementary School, with Branch being an honor student. Well, it minimizes the package a little bit and makes it easier to control after they're dead.. The elder Byers admitted he whipped Christopher with a belt shortly before he went missing. In many respects, the reaction to these new youth movements was nothing new, with the metal bands of the 1970s and 80s having faced similar condemnation as "the Devil's music." And while both Michael and Steve had bruises across their body, Christopher had suffered the most gruesome injuries and had lacerations to various parts of his body, and mutilation to his scrotum and penis. He kept a calendar of the lunar cycle so he and Jones could patrol the county and check for covens. "We are pleased that the evidence is intact," Benca said, according to WREG. It took them 18 years to clear their names. They wanted to overwhelm us, convict us, condemn us and sweep us under the rug.". A polygraph indicated some level of deception in his statements to police, yet it should be noted that a heart condition may have affected the results. Grandmother with dementia died from face wound neglected by staff for days. "We have no vested interest in trying to withhold any evidence from anyone on either side. ga('ads.send', { pg.acq.push(function() { While the three, better known as the West Memphis Three, entered an Alford plea and are therefore not innocent in the eyes of the law, DNA evidence suggests someone else is responsible for the 1993 murders of James Michael Moore, Stephen Branch, and Christopher Byers. media-tech companies with hubs around the world. An investigation of the murders looked into several suspects, including the stepfather of Steve Branch as well as two teenage boys who had abruptly fled to California shortly after the bodies were discovered. Police noted he knew at least one of the victims by name and was on vacation the week the murders took place. Damien Echols was sentenced to death, Jessie Misskelley Jr. to life imprisonment plus two 20-year sentences, and Jason Baldwin to life imprisonment. I believe there was an incident of over-disciplining one of the boys. }) if(document.querySelector("#adunit")){ Interested, police arrested both of them on May 17, placing them under a polygraph which indicated they were deceptive when denying involvement in the killings. The DNA of these three children is likely in that evidence," said Lonnie Soury, a member of Damien Echols' legal team. window.googletag.pubads().addEventListener('slotRenderEnded', function(event) { She would state that her son had strangely said "I love you, mom" repeatedly on the way home from school on the day he vanished. He had an extensive collection of animal skulls, including dogs and cats and local rumors said that he had killed a dog, while no evidence was ever provided. While the charges were expunged from his record, documents detailing them were found at the Crittenden County Court by journalist Mara Leveritt. Yet, few could give details. Autopsies revealed that Byers died of multiple injuries, while the other two boys died of multiple injuries with drowning. Both knew Misskelley from school but were hardly considered friends, Misskelley having a reputation for violence. Sign up for newsletter today. The Supreme Court ruled that a defendant would be deprived of his rights if a confession was introduced in a joint trial under the Confrontation Clause of the Sixth Amendment, stating that "in all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the rightto be confronted with the witnesses against him." "The chief of police was not truthful," Echols tweeted on Wednesday. }); A prime example of the issues with the confession was that Misskelley was giving false information that was believed accurate by police at the time, stating that he saw Echols and Baldwin go into the woods with the three boys and rape them. Yet, while Arkansas certainly has problems seen throughout the South, such as poor wages, West Memphis was then a city of 30,000 with a wide variety of cultures. The 'West Memphis Three' were exonerated following the advent of improved DNA technology (West Memphis Police Department) John Mark Byers, who was suspected in the deaths of three West Memphis children in 1993, died in a car crash earlier this week, officials in Tennessee revealed on Friday, June 19. 'Feels Like Home:' electrical failure from a light fixture caused December fire that killed 1, Shelby County reporting an increase in drug-related overdoses, largely due to fentanyl, Severe weather threat is over | Prepare for a sunny weekend, Daylight saving time starts soon. The varying wounds included unrecognized bites, and possible stab wounds to his groin and castration, with some putting this down to animal predation. The time spent to conceal them could have been skipped completely if there was no known relationship to the victims, Clemente told Ruff. Both men were increasingly concerned about the potential for human sacrifices when it was a full moon. However, her description of the boy she nearly hit was inconsistent with either Branch, Byers or Moore, and it was, in fact, a fourth boy by the name of George Taylor. The deals disappointed both those who still believed the three guilty and their supporters, with many feeling the bargain made them look guilty. On May 5, 1993, that trouble for Echols, Baldwin and Misskelley, seemed to have got indescribably more severe. Opinion remains divided on whether the right men were convicted or if the actual killers still walk the streets of West Memphis. There was a sense of disconnect from society amongst many young people, with the counter-culture that produced grunge giving way to the metal WebSeason 1 Episode 1 Preview: Host and investigator Bob Ruff explores the flaws from the original ""West Memphis Three"" case to lay the groundwork for his evidence-driven investigation. Create a free profile to get unlimited access to exclusive videos, breaking news, sweepstakes, and more! He also theorized that the killer knew the victims because he was able to control three victims without any help.. Adding that his client was "a mentally handicapped person who is quite suggestible. Public opinion against him would only grow more robust when the testimony of Aaron Hutcheson was leaked to the press. All three would be happy to talk, with Bly saying that Misskelley was the leader of a Satanic cult that also involved Baldwin, Echols, his girlfriend Domini Teer, and others 20 in all. The West Memphis Police Department denied any connection in a statement to ABC 24 Memphis. The three men spent nearly 17 years in prison before being released in 2012 after entering an Alford plea, pleading guilty while maintaining their innocence. Benca said he hopes the evidence can be tested for DNA to help clear the name of his client, who along with Jason Baldwin and Jesse Misskelley Jr. was convicted of murder as a teenager in 1994. Undertaking a polygraph, Martin seemingly showed deception when asked, "Do you know what was used to tie up those three boys?" These three would come to be known as the West Memphis Three. Branch and Moores bikes were discovered on either side of a pipe bridge not far from the crime scene. To prove his innocence, he agreed and passed a polygraph test during the filming of 'Paradise Lost 2: Revelations,' only for the documentary to throw doubts on the results by revealing he was under the influence of several psychoactive prescription medications that could have affected the test results. Watch: Man connected to 'West Memphis Three' learns evidence connected to the case is missing By Dominique Dillon, FOX13memphis.com July 08, 2021 at 5:53 pm CDT WEST MEMPHIS, Ark. 31 2021, Published 3:16 p.m. The West Memphis Three were charged with the murder of three boys in 1994. Moore was the group leader and, like his best friends, a proud cub scout, wearing his uniform even when not at meetings. Who, then, was responsible for the brutal murders and mutilations of three young children? The men garnered national attention due to a series of documentaries and books that questioned their convictions as well as the vocal support of numerous celebrities. Increasingly alarmed, searchers saw a black shoe floating in a muddy creek that afternoon. Initially a suspect himself amongst some people, John Mark Byers added his voice to those doubts before being killed in a car crash last year. On one occasion, she said she was with her son all day; on another that he left home around 4 p.m. Terry Hobbs, meanwhile, still believes in the guilt of the West Memphis Three, telling Memphis ABC affiliate WATN in 2019 that "I still believe in my heart that Jessie, Jason, and Damion Echols are responsible for what happened to our children.". The plea deal was accepted. This would give him no time to meet his Echols and Baldwin, get drunk as he claimed, and then kill three children in an extended attack in the woods. Talking with police and his lawyer present in the room, he would ignore advice from his counsel to remain silent and detailed how the West Memphis Three had abused and murdered the victims. By Benjamin H. Smith Who Killed The Forgotten West Memphis Three? If they thought they could trust the person who was the actual threat, then that person could get close enough to them to control them so that they couldn't run away," retired FBI Supervisory Agent Jim Clemente saysin "The Forgotten West Memphis Three.". When investigators found the boys bodies on May 6, 1993, they had been jammed into the muddy ground of the bayou, and their clothes had been submerged in the water with sticks. Who Is The Real Killer Behind The 'West Memphis Three' Murders? Echols, 36, had been on death row, while Baldwin, 34, and Misskelley, 36, were serving life sentences. After 3 years of fighting to get new evidence tested for DNA, the state says the WM3 petition should be tossed out and now, the attorneys are responding in court. Despite doubt over the way authorities handled the case, as well as a lack of substantial evidence, the West Memphis Three were found guilty. While the documentary opened the public's eyes to the miscarriage of justice that had transpired to get Echols, Miskelley Jr., and Baldwin convicted for a crime they did not commit, it also threw doubt on Byers, a suspicious character who seemed to have a penchant for theatrics. Echols, by most accounts, didn't even consider himself one. However, it wouldn't only be many of the victims' families who were dissatisfied, with former FBI criminal profiler John E. Douglas saying the killings were likely the work of one individual whose intent was to degrade the victims. window.googletag.pubads().addEventListener('slotOnload', function(event) { Judge David Burnett, the original trial judge, disallowed the presentation of the new information in his court in 2008, citing the DNA tests as inconclusive. Motivations For Investigating The West Memphis Case, Timeline Of The West Memphis Three Victims. At the scene, Steve Jones, assistant juvenile probation officer, openly speculated that Echols was capable of the crime, saying, "it looks like Damien Echols finally killed someone.". In statements under oath, the three witnesses say that Michael Hobbs told them, "My uncle killed three boys in West Memphis." Hutcheson was accused of settling from her employer and forced to bring her young son, Aaron Hutcheson, to the interview. Yet, the moral panic would culturally define the decade for many youths, lingering as the remnants of the "Satanic Panic" that led to many wrongful convictions a decade earlier. ADVERTISEMENT That changed on May 5, 1993, when three second-grade boys were reported missing. The men garnered national attention due to a series of documentaries and books that questioned their convictions as well as the vocal support of numerous celebrities. 'West Memphis Three' case: John Byers, suspect and stepfather of one of the slain boys, dies in car crash. The West Memphis Three were charged with the murder of three boys in 1994. Yet, none of this makes a murderer, and Echols, like most readers of LaVey and Crowley, believed that their work had been unfairly maligned as evil, instead calling to libertarian freedom away from the confines of Christian morality. Damien Echols was sentenced to death, Jessie Misskelley Jr. to life imprisonment plus two 20-year sentences, and Jason Baldwin to life imprisonment.

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