# West Memphis 3 getting released?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/west-memphis-3-getting-released/593293
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
**Created:** [August 19, 2011, 7:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/west-memphis-3-getting-released/593293 "2011-08-19T07:03:22Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@MOIDALIZE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MOIDALIZE)
#### Post date: [August 19, 2011, 7:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/west-memphis-3-getting-released/593293/1 "2011-08-19T07:03:22Z")
> [@](#):
>
> Damien Echols, Jason Baldwin and Jessie Misskelley, Jr. have been taken from their cells in the Arkansas Department of Correction and are being transported to Jonesboro, for tomorrow’s hearing. An official of the ADC reported that they left with all their belongings, which is unusual and suggests that they are not expected back. This is the first time all three have left prison together.
[http://maraleveritt.com/2011/08/wm3-leave-prison-with-all-belongings-source-says-they-are-not-expected-back/](http://maraleveritt.com/2011/08/wm3-leave-prison-with-all-belongings-source-says-they-are-not-expected-back/)
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### Author:  [@Mosier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mosier)
#### Post date: [August 19, 2011, 7:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/west-memphis-3-getting-released/593293/2 "2011-08-19T07:14:09Z")
I don’t understand what a new hearing means. Are they presenting a case to convince a judge to allow a retrial? Is there any chance they could be cleared and set free anytime soon?
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### Author:  [@MOIDALIZE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MOIDALIZE)
#### Post date: [August 19, 2011, 7:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/west-memphis-3-getting-released/593293/3 "2011-08-19T07:16:22Z")
A parent of one of the victims violated a gag order and said that 2 of them are getting released.
[http://www.myfoxmemphis.com/dpp/news/victims-father-breaks-gag-order-says-two-of-wm3-to-be-released-rpt-20110818](http://www.myfoxmemphis.com/dpp/news/victims-father-breaks-gag-order-says-two-of-wm3-to-be-released-rpt-20110818)
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### Author:  [@Locrian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Locrian)
#### Post date: [August 19, 2011, 7:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/west-memphis-3-getting-released/593293/4 "2011-08-19T07:30:03Z")
I heard that the State of Arkansas wants them to be guilty of a lesser charge, time served. They can’t sue the state if they’re guilty of something, no?
And why only two? Perhaps Echols with the death sentence needs more time to get released?
Shit! This better be over soon, I’m going nuts on this news, can’t wait till tomorrow.
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### Author:  [@PeacePlease](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PeacePlease)
#### Post date: [August 19, 2011, 9:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/west-memphis-3-getting-released/593293/5 "2011-08-19T09:13:40Z")
OMG! This makes me so happy!!! Oh, jeez. I’m speechless. Gives me hope, it does! Please, please let this be true!!!
eta [Link](http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504083_162-20094282-504083.html)
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### Author:  [@Living\_Well\_Is\_Best\_Revenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Living_Well_Is_Best_Revenge)
#### Post date: [August 19, 2011, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/west-memphis-3-getting-released/593293/6 "2011-08-19T13:21:02Z")
They are saying now all three will be released. I am in Memphis and everyone is talking about this. I believe it will be a no contest plea. The sad thing is the case will be closed and the victims’ families will have no closure.
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### Author:  [@Larry\_Borgia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Borgia)
#### Post date: [August 19, 2011, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/west-memphis-3-getting-released/593293/7 "2011-08-19T14:39:07Z")
> [@Living\_Well\_Is\_Best\_Revenge](#):
>
> They are saying now all three will be released. I am in Memphis and everyone is talking about this. I believe it will be a no contest plea. The sad thing is the case will be closed and the victims’ families will have no closure.
And the actual murderer will have gotten away with it.
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### Author:  [@Living\_Well\_Is\_Best\_Revenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Living_Well_Is_Best_Revenge)
#### Post date: [August 19, 2011, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/west-memphis-3-getting-released/593293/8 "2011-08-19T15:01:30Z")
> [@Larry\_Borgia](#):
>
> And the actual murderer will have gotten away with it.
Yeah, if what we expect actually happens, this will be bittersweet to say the least. I am glad the WM3 will be released. But I sort of wish they would have a new trial and be found not guilty so Terry Hobbs can be properly investigated and possibly tried. But from the state’s point of view, a deal makes sense. They know they have no case so it would just be dragged out for years.
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### Author:  [@MOIDALIZE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MOIDALIZE)
#### Post date: [August 19, 2011, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/west-memphis-3-getting-released/593293/9 "2011-08-19T15:20:03Z")
I thought they found his DNA after they re-tested the evidence.
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### Author:  [@The\_Real\_Regency\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Real_Regency_Elf)
#### Post date: [August 19, 2011, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/west-memphis-3-getting-released/593293/10 "2011-08-19T15:22:12Z")
> [@Living\_Well\_Is\_Best\_Revenge](#):
>
> Yeah, if what we expect actually happens, this will be bittersweet to say the least. I am glad the WM3 will be released. But I sort of wish they would have a new trial and be found not guilty so Terry Hobbs can be properly investigated and possibly tried. But from the state’s point of view, a deal makes sense. They know they have no case so it would just be dragged out for years.
John Mark Byers, the stepfather who was featured heavily in the Paradise Lost documentaries, just did an interview outside the hearing where he came out and accused Terry Hobbs of the murders. CNN is showing it in their live feed now.
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### Author:  [@Living\_Well\_Is\_Best\_Revenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Living_Well_Is_Best_Revenge)
#### Post date: [August 19, 2011, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/west-memphis-3-getting-released/593293/11 "2011-08-19T15:23:34Z")
> [@MOIDALIZE](#):
>
> I thought they found his DNA after they re-tested the evidence.
They found Hobb’s DNA and his friend’s DNA in the knot used to tie the boys. But this doesn’t prove anything really. Not really uncommon for DNA to be transferred to people you live with. I find his behavior that night more suspect than anything.
We’ll most likely never know for sure what happened that night.
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### Author:  [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)
#### Post date: [August 19, 2011, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/west-memphis-3-getting-released/593293/12 "2011-08-19T15:55:34Z")
Anyone who has seen the _Paradise Lost_ movies or studied anything about this case whatsoever knows what a sham their trial and conviction was. I hope they walk. They can never get their lives back, but at least they can spend the rest of them free and exonerated.
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### Author:  [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)
#### Post date: [August 19, 2011, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/west-memphis-3-getting-released/593293/13 "2011-08-19T16:06:49Z")
> [@Living\_Well\_Is\_Best\_Revenge](#):
>
> They found Hobb’s DNA and his friend’s DNA in the knot used to tie the boys. But this doesn’t prove anything really. Not really uncommon for DNA to be transferred to people you live with. I find his behavior that night more suspect than anything.
>
> We’ll most likely never know for sure what happened that night.
We know that not a single piece of forensic evidence has ever been produced against the WM3, though. None of their DNA has been found. The only evidence was a confession coerced from a retarded kid with a baseball bat, and some recanted testimony that somebody overheard them talking about them murders.
Those kids were railroaded because they wore black T-shirts and listened to heavy metal in a town full of retarded hillbillies.
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### Author:  [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)
#### Post date: [August 19, 2011, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/west-memphis-3-getting-released/593293/14 "2011-08-19T16:08:29Z")
Merged **Diogenes the Cynic** ’s thread (post #12) into this one.
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### Author:  [@PeacePlease](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PeacePlease)
#### Post date: [August 19, 2011, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/west-memphis-3-getting-released/593293/15 "2011-08-19T16:25:36Z")
Couple of tweets from Natalie Maines. How can they be innocent and still guilty?
Natalie Maines
All 3 boys will be set free today and all 3 are completely innocent. They must plead guilty as a technicality so they can’t sue AK for $$.
32 minutes ago
Natalie Maines
The gag order has been lifted, so now I can tell you, I’m sitting in a holding room at the courthouse about to see three men walk free!
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### Author:  [@Living\_Well\_Is\_Best\_Revenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Living_Well_Is_Best_Revenge)
#### Post date: [August 19, 2011, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/west-memphis-3-getting-released/593293/16 "2011-08-19T16:29:28Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#):
>
> We know that not a single piece of forensic evidence has ever been produced against the WM3, though. None of their DNA has been found. The only evidence was a confession coerced from a retarded kid with a baseball bat, and some recanted testimony that somebody overheard them talking about them murders.
>
> Those kids were railroaded because they wore black T-shirts and listened to heavy metal in a town full of retarded hillbillies.
It’s not that simple. Damien was \*\*\*\*\*\*SEVERELY \*\*\*\*\*\*fucked up. Read the court documents, particularly his psych reports. There was no evidence, but it was not out of the realm of possibility that he could have done something so horrible. There has been a lot of misinformation spread on both sides of this case.
And Jessie is not retarded. He is not the sharpest knife, but he went to a regular high school, had a job, had friends, drove. It’s not like he was Corky from Life Goes On. His confessions did sound forced at times, but there were also times when he seemed to know some things only the killer would. I suggest you read some of the court documents, and I promise you will see this case in a new light.
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### Author:  [@Living\_Well\_Is\_Best\_Revenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Living_Well_Is_Best_Revenge)
#### Post date: [August 19, 2011, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/west-memphis-3-getting-released/593293/17 "2011-08-19T16:34:29Z")
I hope it’s ok to post this. This is a link to all the case files.
[http://callahan.8k.com/](http://callahan.8k.com/)
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### Author:  [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)
#### Post date: [August 19, 2011, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/west-memphis-3-getting-released/593293/18 "2011-08-19T16:35:21Z")
The cops led Jesse through his confession and repeatedly corrected him when he went off script.
Echols was not that fucked up. His psych evaluation was exaggerated to make him seem like a creepy, obsessive psychopath. From what I remember, part of it showed dismay that he was Catholic.
Again - the significant thing is that there was never a single shred of evidence produced against these kids.
It is absolutely as simple as a town of hillbillies deciding to lynch the metal head kids because they must be servants of Satan. The trial was a joke. That “cult expert” especially.
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### Author:  [@Living\_Well\_Is\_Best\_Revenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Living_Well_Is_Best_Revenge)
#### Post date: [August 19, 2011, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/west-memphis-3-getting-released/593293/19 "2011-08-19T16:38:41Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#):
>
> The cops led Jesse through his confession and repeatedly corrected him when he went off script.
>
> Echols was not that fucked up. His psych evaluation was exaggerated to make him seem like a creepy, obsessive psychopath. From what I remember, part of it showed dismay that he was Catholic.
>
> Again - the significant thing is that there was never a single shred of evidence produced against these kids.
Read the files. You clearly are not well versed in this case. There is no evidence of Echol’s psych evaluation being exaggerated. In fact he was on total disability and had been institutionalized numerous times, and had threatened the lives of family members.
And about being Catholic, wrong again. He converted to Catholicism before all this went down.
As for Jessie’s confessions, I tend to agree. But he confessed again AFTER the trial on two separate occasions.
I agree the trial was a joke and the occult expert especially was ridiculous.
If this were up to me, I would grant them a new trial, not set them free.
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### Author:  [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)
#### Post date: [August 19, 2011, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/west-memphis-3-getting-released/593293/20 "2011-08-19T16:39:50Z")
> [@PeacePlease](#):
>
> They must plead guilty as a technicality so they can’t sue AK for $$.
There are two parts to that sentence that are seriously fucked up.
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