Ten years ago today, on June 3, 1993, in West Memphis, Arkansas, police bullied and tricked a false confession out of a retarded teen named Jessie Misskelley. This confession, obviously a fantasy and filled with errors, was used immediately to arrest Misskelley, Damien Echols and Jason Baldwin for the murders of three children. In two trials that depended heavily on the juries' willingness to believe that Satan inspired the murders--the prosecutors would put on the stand an "expert" on the occult who had a mail-order degree in the subject--Metallica CDs and Aleister Crowley's writing were presented as "evidence" against the defendants. One prosecutor's closing argument acknowledged that an interest in Metallica or Crowley wouldn't necessarily indicate a murderer, but that "taken together," all of Damien Echols' interests proved his guilt in the child killings.
Misskelley, Echols and Baldwin have been in jail for 10 years as of today. A group of committed citizens labors to this day to free them. You can help.
The movie that brought this case to national attention, Paradise Lost (all items linked below), is an excellent introduction to this miscarriage of justice. The follow-up film, Revelations, is less about the crimes and more about one of the prime suspects in the case.
But by far the best single resource (other than the wm3.org website) is a comprehensive book by investigative journalist Mara Leveritt called Devil's Knot. The exhaustively researched book is packed with information, and Leveritt is scrupulously fair, but she is a fine storyteller as well--her focused, unsentimental presentation of the case wrings every bit of emotion out of it without ever being manipulative or pushy.
Devil's Knot, which I read in one sleepless night last October because I couldn't put it down, is one of the best true-crime books in print.
Article comments
1 - Phillip Winn
I am so tired of hearing "devil worship" or "satanic rituals" used to explain, well, anything. Rumor has it that Scott Peterson's defense will probably involve the idea of a satanic cult abducting Laci Peterson. What a crock!
I say that anybody currently serving time in a case where satanic rituals was even mentioned during the trial ought to have an automatic review.
Wait a minute! I've listened to Metallica! I've read Alistair Crowley! Maybe I've murdered young children, too!
Give me a while - I need to cook up some false memories of ritualistic abuse...
Thanks Brian.
2 - mike
Satan here. You liberals and libertarians are such saps. I can command my followers to commit any atrocity and I know the ACLU will step in to defend them. HAH! HA! HA! HA HA HA!!! Not only is heavy metal the devil's music, I played guitar on the first Black Sabbath album!!! I'm Marilyn Manson's chauffeur!!! I wrote the very first song. I am music. I've been alive forever.
I put the words and the melodies together
I am music and I write the songs
CHORUS
I write the songs that make the whole world sing
I write the songs of love and special things
I write the songs that make the young girls cry
I write the songs, I write the songs
My home lies deep within you
And I've got my own place in your soul
Now, when I look out through your eyes
I'm young again, even though I'm very old
CHORUS
Oh my music makes you dance
And gives you spirit to take a chance
And I wrote some rock 'n' roll so you can move
Music fills your heart
Well, that's a real fine place to start
It's from me it's for you
It's from you, it's for me
It's a worldwide symphony
3 - anna
I profiled this case for the website I work for. I truely hope some day justice will be served.