For over sixteen years, the West Memphis Three (Damien Echols, Jessie Misskelley, Jr. and Jason Baldwin) have been imprisoned for crimes they didn’t commit. They were all condemned by their poverty, incompetent defense, satanic panic and a rush to judgment. JLG365 is an avid supporter of the WM3’s struggle to be freed from this injustice. Yesterday, Lorri Davis of the WM3’s Defense Team, released the following encouraging letter:
Dear Friends & Supporters:
Damien Echols, Jessie Misskelley and Jason Baldwin have spent their entire adult lives in prison for a crime they did not commit. They were tragically convicted based on innuendo, fear, hysteria and a false confession. In October 2007 a 500-page motion was filed in federal court on behalf of Damien Echols. The federal court agreed to hear the case but asked that the state of Arkansas review it first. This motion includes DNA testing on dozens of pieces of evidence, analysis from the nation’s leading forensic science experts, other solid scientific evidence and compelling witness affidavits—all evidence indicating that all three, now men, are innocent of the murders for which they were wrongfully convicted in 1993.
Now even more new evidence of their innocence has been brought to light, including a sworn affidavit by a prominent former Arkansas prosecutor that the jury foreman in Damien and Jason’s original trial lied to get on the jury and illegally introduced Jessie’s coerced false confession into deliberations. Three witnesses have stepped forward claiming they saw Terry Hobbs, the stepfather of Stevie Branch, with the children at 6:30pm on the night the children disappeared. His DNA and the DNA of a friend he was with that very evening have been identified by the recent DNA test results as being at the crime scene.
With new crime scene DNA evidence that clears Damien, Jason and Jessie, and points to others, as well as the outrageous allegations of juror misconduct, Damien’s case is now being considered on appeal by the Arkansas Supreme Court. Jason and Jessie’s cases are being reviewed by Judge David Burnett, they are seeking a new trial based upon ineffective legal counsel.
Thanks to so many of you for getting us to this point. Without your help, we would not be on the verge of finally securing justice for Damien, Jessie and Jason. We urgently need more of you. We need your help to make sure this evidence is fully considered. With your help we can right a terrible, terrible wrong.
Please makes checks out to:
Damien Echols Defense Fund
PO Box 1216
Little Rock, AR 72203Or donate through Arkansas Take Action (our 501c3 sponsor) via Google. Please spread the word of this injustice!
Thank you so very much,
Lorri Davis and the defense teams for Jason Baldwin, Damien Echols & Jessie Misskelley
Yes, times are tough and yes I know money is tight, but the fact that these three men have been wrongfully imprisoned for so long is an absolute miscarriage of justice. Please, my little interweb justice seekers, research the facts of this case and do what you can to help. These men deserve to be free.
