West Memphis 3 Are Going To Be Freed!

@Walter Hinteler,

What I find quite interesting are the limited powers of a dictator:
• the period of his office was only six months,
• he had not power over the treasury, but could only make use of the money which was granted to him by the senate,
• he was not allowed to leave Italy,
• he was not allowed to ride on a horseback in Rome [= that he might not bear too great a resemblance to the kings, who were accustomed to ride].

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@Walter Hinteler,

First here is a link to the list of Roman dictators.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Roman_dictators

Take note three or more terms was not all that uncommon and limited power?

You got to be kidding me a dictator could order the deaths of anyone including senators and a few did so on a large scale.

He could change the very form of the government such as doubling the size of the senate with his supporters as Sulla did.

Sorry the only real limit is that the power did have a time limit but then if you double the size of the senate from 300 to 600 you are likely to get another term voted to you.

An here people was under the impression that President Roosevelt was the first man who came up with the idea of stacking the desk as in Roosevelt case the SC by doubling the size of that body.

Of course he was not a dictator so our senate block him from doing so.

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@Walter Hinteler,

Oh Walter you seems to have too must of an ideal view of the Roman Republic as the power struggles within often turn deadly and if you was out to reform the government in a manner that the senate was unhappy with you needed a large body guards of arm slaves around you 24/7 to protect you if the senate order your death.

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I think the documentary, Paradise Lost: The Childhood Murders at Robin Hood Hills, is what brought this case to the attention of a great many people and caused them to question what went on with this case and whether these three men were really guilty.
The producers said that when they first went to the West Memphis area to cover the trials they thought it would just be a story about some "rotten teenagers", but the things they saw and heard there began to change their minds...
And very recently, just as they were completing the third installment in this series, Paradise Lost 3, the WM3 were finally released, giving them the happier ending they had always hoped for.

Quote:

Documentary Producers Helped Free West Memphis 3
Stephanie Scurlock
August 21, 2011

(Memphis 08/21/2011) The world is watching as the men known as the West Memphis 3 begin their new lives as free men after spending 18 years in prison.

A judge released them with time served Friday.

It's a story that could have had a far different ending had it not been for some documentary film makers.

Joe Berlinger or Bruce Sinofsky make documentaries. They've followed the West Memphis 3 since Jessie Misskelley's confession to police in 1993.

Sinofsky said, "We came down here. We sniffed around and it just didn't equal out."

Sinofsky and Berlinger produced Paradise Lost: The Childhood Murders at Robin Hood Hills.

It showcased the crime, arrests and convictions of Jessie Misskelley, Jason Baldwin and Damien Echols.

"A lot of people identified with Damien. They felt that I'm a little different. I dress in black. I like Metallica. I could be that guy under the right circumstances," said Berlinger.

The documentary raised doubts about the West Memphis police department's motives and questioned if it was witchcraft or a witch hunt behind the convictions. As a young cub reporter for News Channel 3, I was one of those featured in the film.

"The media, you look around today, you were one of the few people that was there. It's was a small group. Today it's a whole different world," said Sinofsky.

The film aired on HBO and made its away around the circuit of festivals.

"It took us about 2 and a half years to edit the film because we had so much footage. It came out in 1996 as opposed to 1993 and right at that moment was kind of the birth of the internet," said Berlinger.

The film is how Brooklyn raised Lorri Davis, the wife Damien Echols met and married in prison came to know him and how celebrities like Johnny Depp became aware of what happened in Arkansas.

Berlinger said, "When you make a film you hope it's going to have an impact but I have to say we're stunned at the world wide support. The Natalie Maines, the Johnny Depps, the Eddie Vedders. We had no idea it would create this ground swell."

As support grew Paradise Lost 2 was born. Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory is in the making. A trailer for the film shows the two returning to Death Row for a visit with Echols. The team says they were almost finished with the film when Echols, Baldwin and Misskelley were released from prison Friday.

In the trailer Echols is shown saying, "These people would have gotten away with murdering me if it had not been for what you guys did."

Echols is not only alive but the West Memphis 3 are now free.

"We get letters from people all the time saying we saw your movie. Please help us. You can't make a movie about everybody who writes you a letter. It's tragic but these guys were lucky enough to have a films," said Berlinger.

The original version of Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory is scheduled to premiere at the Toronto Film Festival in early September. The one that will air on HBO will also be shown at the New York film festival in October.
http://www.wreg.com/news/wreg-documentary-producers-helped-free-west-memphis-3-20110821,0,4827694.story

I think these documentaries have been powerful advocacy journalism. For anyone who missed the first two, they will be re-shown on HBO in about a week from now.

Paradise Lost:The Child Murders at Robin Hood Hills & Paradise Lost 2 will be available for viewing on HBOGO Aug 23 and HBO On Demand Aug 24. The network will air the documentaries on the 29th and 30th.

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@firefly,

Quote:

I guess he feels all defendants in rape cases should take lie detector tests too.

First in a he said she said case the police should start by giving the accuser such a test to screen out wasting resources on false charges.

Forcing a defendant before a conviction to do so run into the 5 amendment problems however I would be all for both parties taking such tests in a she said he said cases.

Now in this ex-legal case where they had been found guilty of murders and there is no solid evidence that they are not guilty there would had been no way in hell I would had cut them a deal without polygraphs being done.

1 Reply

@firefly,

I am really looking forward to Paradise 3 coming out. The ony way this could end any better is the true killer/killers are found and prosecuted.

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@firefly,

Quote:

West Memphis area to cover the trials they thought it would just be a story about some "rotten teenagers", but the things they saw and heard there began to change their minds.

Yes our legal system is being control by move makers.

It is a far more interesting story that three men were wrongly convicted of a crime they did not do then that three hoodlums one day kill three young children.

That they are evil children killers would have been good for one video at best.

So it just so happen that the story that they ran with had gain them one hell of a lot more money then the other story line would likely had done.

Strangely I am thinking of Oliver Stone's movie where he went with the must more interesting idea that Kennedy was killed by a plot involving any numbers of people then that he was simply killed by a lone nut/oddball with an old cheap rifle.

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@Arella Mae,

Quote:

I am really looking forward to Paradise 3 coming out. The ony way this could end any better is the true killer/killers are found and prosecuted

Firefly I rest my case that this is a must more interesting outcome then reaching the conclusion that they were the killers.

AM will be sitting there buying popcorn and enjoying the happy ending that would not exist if the move makers had gone the other way.

Too bad it is not suppose to be fiction or they could had ended it with the real killers being found.

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@BillRM,

Quote:

Now in this ex-legal case where they had been found guilty of murders and there is no solid evidence that they are not guilty there would had been no way in hell I would had cut them a deal without polygraphs being done.

Duh...There was no solid evidence they were guilty in the first place. You seem to have missed that part...
And no DNA from any of the WM3 was found at the crime scene, but the DNA of two other people was found there, and one of those people was the step-father of one of the murdered boys, and even that man's ex-wife, the mother of the boy, believes he may have committed the crime. There are other possible suspects in this case.
http://ringsidereport.com/?p=14807

The state didn't release them because they decided they were innocent, the state still considers them guilty. The deal simply gave them time served in lieu of the original sentences. So, your continued babbling about lie detectors makes no sense.

You are not only ignorant regarding what has gone on with this case for the past 18 years, you don't even seem to understand the plea deal, or why the state offered it.

You are batting a thousand on the stupidity indicator.

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@firefly,

Don't you find it odd he doesn't even ask why the other people who had results of "deception indicated" were not also charged with the crime? He doesn't care about the real case. He only wants to be the opposition and play the big man. I finally realized that is all he does and that is how I am able to let him go and not say a word to him. That and vote down every stupid post he makes.

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@firefly,

Come on Firefly do not be silly the state released these convicted killers one more convicted killers because of pressure put on them by some famous entertainers and a team of movie makers.

Oh and people like AM who brought into the story line of three poor teenagers wrongfully convicted.

Hell if one of them would get into a bar fight and kill someone it will be the state fault for locking them up for the murders of the children I am sure.

1 Reply

@Arella Mae,

Apparently there are a lot of people still willing to put up the money to help these three clear their names by finding the real murderer. With money, they can do even more DNA testing, etc.

Do you have any feelings about Terry Hobbs or Mike Byers as suspects?

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@firefly,

Quote:

but the DNA of two other people was found there, and one of those people was the step-father of one of the murdered boys,

Strange as if my wife for example is found dead it is very likely that my DNA would be on her and therefore at the crime scene.

DNA of a family member being on a child have what meaning?

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@firefly,

firefly wrote:

Apparently there are a lot of people still willing to put up the money to help these three clear their names by finding the real murderer. With money, they can do even more DNA testing, etc.

Do you have any feelings about Terry Hobbs or Mike Byers as suspects?

I don't think either of them had a thing to do with it. I believe it was a trucker (the man that was muddy and bleeding seen at the truckstop) and after he killed and dumped the boys he drove off in his truck. It was reported that the man was there but the police did nothing until a good 24 hours later.

I believe the WM3 and those with them will continue to search until the real killer/killers are caught.

1 Reply

@firefly,

Quote:

Do you have any feelings about Terry Hobbs or Mike Byers as suspects?

This could be the plot for movie four and five however there are the libel laws to be concern about so maybe they could change the names and put the word fiction on the next series of films.

Oh with them winking at you at the start............

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@BillRM,

Quote:

Come on Firefly do not be silly the state released these convicted killers one more convicted killers because of pressure put on them by some famous entertainers and a team of movie makers.

You really are simple-minded.

The release had nothing to do with pressure from celebrities or anyone else. It had to do with new evidence and with rulings made in this case, including a ruling by the Arkansas State Supreme Court, that was clearly leading to possible re-trials for the three, and the prosecutors didn't want to have to re-try them.

All the celebrities have done is raise a lot of money to foot the legal bills for the three--and, because the defense had funds, that's what kept this case alive. Without that money, Damien Echols would probably have been executed by now.

You are very cavalier about the possibility of the state putting an innocent man to death.

1 Reply

@firefly,

Quote:

Apparently there are a lot of people still willing to put up the money to help these three clear their names by finding the real murderer. With money, they can do even more DNA testing, etc.

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@firefly,

Quote:

You are very cavalier about the possibility of the state putting an innocent man to death.

An you are very cavalier about three convicted children murderers walking free.

1 Reply

@Arella Mae,

Quote:

I believe it was a trucker (the man that was muddy and bleeding seen at the truckstop) and after he killed and dumped the boys he drove off in his truck. It was reported that the man was there but the police did nothing until a good 24 hours later

Yes, I've heard about that man.

I'm not so sure about Hobbs, and neither is his ex-wife.

I don't see how they will ever find the real killer. There just isn't enough evidence, unless continued advanced DNA testing turns up something more. The police were a big part of the problem with this case.

Reading about this case over the past few days, I was reminded that Damien Echols has a son who's about 18 now--that's the same age Damien was when his legal case began. He also wrote a memoir, Almost Home: My Life Story Vol. 1., that I am not familiar with. Have you read it?

1 Reply

@firefly,

I haven't read it but I definitely will see if I can find it so I can read it. At first, I did suspect Terry Hobbs some but over time and with all the other evidence/lack thereof I just don't think it's him. The DNA of his that was found can easily be explained away since he lived in the same house. His hair being there could be secondary transference easily. I only know someone out there somewhere knows what happened. If BTK had kept his ego in check he probably never would have been caught. Maybe the killer/killers of those three little boys might not be revealed but they will never escape God's justice.

1 Reply

West Memphis 3 Are Going To Be Freed!

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