Posted here once already. One of the choir, yes, who had never heard of this case before. Said a few other things, the board ate the whole reply. Frustrating. Anyway I’m glad to have been able to read this thread.
If it’s not too much trouble, can someone give a quick summary of exactly what is being DNA-tested?
If that’s posted above, I apologize, but navigatiing multi-page threads on this board is just too maddening, half the time I get “Page Not Found” & am thrown right out of the board.
I guess the server just can’t handle the traffic sometimes.
Hopefully I’ll be able to get back into this thread to read the answer.
At the risk of beating a dead horse, I’d ask readers to take a look at this Amazon.com listing.
The book is “In Pursuit of Satan: The Police and the Occult,” by Robert D. Hicks, published in 1991. Note that this is beofre the crimes at issue in this thread.
In this book, Mr. Hicks argues that the idea of Satanists committing murders is foolish, and that police forces are far too eager to accept the idea of Satanist involvement.
He specifically attacks the work of Dr. Griffis, who is quoted (and refuted) many times, and held up as an example of a police/law enforcement expert who has whole-heartedly bought into the “Satanist” error.
I mention this not to endorse a particualr view on the merits, but to point out that years before his testimony in this case, Dr. Griffis was acknowledged as an expert in the field by an opponent – that is, he was identified as a leading proponent of the ideas and methods that this book sought to debunk.
I would also point out that the jury had an opportunity to hear Mr. Hicks in person: he testified as an expert for the defense, telling the jury why Dr. Griffis was not to be believed.
At the risk of beating a dead horse, I’d ask readers to take a look at this Amazon.com listing.
The book is “In Pursuit of Satan: The Police and the Occult,” by Robert D. Hicks, published in 1991. Note that this is beofre the crimes at issue in this thread.
In this book, Mr. Hicks argues that the idea of Satanists committing murders is foolish, and that police forces are far too eager to accept the idea of Satanist involvement.
He specifically attacks the work of Dr. Griffis, who is quoted (and refuted) many times, and held up as an example of a police/law enforcement expert who has whole-heartedly bought into the “Satanist” error.
I mention this not to endorse a particualr view on the merits, but to point out that years before his testimony in this case, Dr. Griffis was acknowledged as an expert in the field by an opponent – that is, he was identified as a leading proponent of the ideas and methods that this book sought to debunk.
I would also point out that the jury had an opportunity to hear Mr. Hicks in person: he testified as an expert for the defense, telling the jury why Dr. Griffis was not to be believed.
Since this thread popped back up, I went to Google and looked up pages that mention Hicks and Griffis. Seems Griffis has been teaching other cops how to be “occult experts”. The man is like a plague! Perhaps a seperate thread is in order, one devoted to Griffis and those like him?
The thing is, is that he is considered an “expert” of something that hasn’t been shown to exist. YMMV, but I don’t find him any more credible than someone who claims to be an “expert” on Bigfoot.
It was posted on the 25th. of this month at the wm3 site that:
“Damien and all of death row were moved in the middle of the night Friday with no advance notice to a facility called the “super max”. It’s a set-up that is designed for the utmost in punishment. Inmates have no access to other inmates, they are held in solitary confinement - even the showers are in their cells, meaning they don’t even come out for a shower … On the plus side Damien reports that the food is better at the Super Max and the cells are much cooler than the other prison. He’s having a tough time but trying to stay positive. He and his wife, Lorri, are trying to stay on the good side of the warden and get off on the right foot.”
… published on June 19, it states that Damien was given 70 more days to complete his DNA testing. I make that to be last Thursday.
What’s the current status of the DNA test? Didn’t the deadline pass?
First of all, that was NOT a DNA test deadline. The seventy days referred to the length of time oral arguments on the Rule 37 and Habeas appeals would be postponed to allow the testing to be done and included in existing appeals. Whether or not the testing was completed, the 70 days would require the hearings to go forward. This did NOT mean that testing would not occur. Testing is proceeding through the process required.
In addition, there was some discussion as to whether that 70 day extension was for calendar days or business days. Using business days, excluding weekends and holidays would extend the hearings until the first of October. Please note the following:
This is the Oral Argument that was postponed by that 70 day extension. It is now scheduled for October 2.
Again, the process to test DNA is moving forward. We don’t always know exactly where the attorneys are in the process because they don’t tell us, but the testing will be done, either by EXPEDITING it into the current appeals, or it will become it’s own new evidence claim if the testing isn’t finished in time. *
I have done a bit of reasearch and was finally able to verify that it is indeed legitimate. Interesting! I am not able to check eBay from work, but last night the bidding was in excess of $6,000.00!!! Hopefully it will increase even more!
Here is part of the information I received:
“Curt Johnson (producer of the upcoming West Memphis Three feature film) decided to auction off a walk-on role on the film. Both Mr. Johnson and Alex Steyermark (the director) have stated that the role is guaranteed to be in the final cut. Proceeds of the auction will benefit the support fund.”
I received the following information from Kathy Bakken (you’ve seen her if you have seen the documentaries, are familiar with www.wm3.org, or have followed the case.
Hiya Bricker, the last information I heard was that the testing was very close to being completed. That was a few weeks ago. I will email Kathy and see whatelse I can find out.
BTW, did you watch the documentaries, read Devil’s Knot, or check out the website? (www.wm3.org, which is an excellent source of court documentation). I really am curious to your thoughts about all of them.
This just makes me sick. Thanks, Diane, for sharing this with us. I just got here via a Pit thread. I hadn’t seen it before. I pray that justice will prevail. Incompetence can be so evil.