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West Memphis Free

AneurhythmiaAneurhythmia Registered User regular
edited August 2011 in Social Entropy++
Looks like the West Memphis 3 are being released.
Critics of the case against the men argued that no direct evidence tied the three to the murders and that a knife recovered from a lake near the home of one of the men could not have caused the boys' wounds. More recent DNA testing also demonstrated no links, according the men's supporters.

Evidence in the case has been falling apart under scrutiny, and it looks like DNA evidence has essentially cleared them. However, they had to make a special plea arrangement to end the whole mess.
Damien Echols, Jessie Misskelley Jr. and Jason Baldwin pleaded guilty and were sentenced to 18 years in prison with credit for time served, a prosecutor said.

The three entered what is known as an Alford plea, which allows a defendant to maintain innocence while simultaneously acknowledging that the state has evidence to convict, Ellington said.

For those who don't know the whole back story:
Three men were tried and convicted of the murders of three boys in West Memphis, Arkansas on May 5, 1993, subsequently referred to as the West Memphis Three. During the trial, the prosecution put forth the idea that the only purported motive in the case was that the slayings were part of a Satanic ritual. Damien Echols was sentenced to death, Jessie Misskelley, Jr. was sentenced to life imprisonment plus two 20-year sentences, and Jason Baldwin was sentenced to life imprisonment.

The case was super controversial, because of the association with Satanism and the questionable nature of the investigation and trial proceedings. This came to national attention with an HBO documentary called Paradise Lost.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KXobZPf97FA

It's an interesting movie. Even if you don't care about the case or the judicial system or young children or our dark lord Satan, you should track down a copy and give it a look.

Aneurhythmia on
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Posts

  • Sars_BoySars_Boy Rest, You Are The Lightning. Registered User regular
    so uh

    is this a "oh good they're free because they didn't do it" thing?

    or a "fuck i can't believe they set these murderers free" thing?

  • AbracadanielAbracadaniel Registered User regular
    good because they were innocent

  • Calamity JaneCalamity Jane That Wrong Love Registered User regular
    henry rollins is probably breakdancing right now

    twitter https://twitter.com/mperezwritesirl michelle patreon https://www.patreon.com/thatwronglove michelle's comic book from IMAGE COMICS you can order http://a.co/dn5YeUD
  • AneurhythmiaAneurhythmia Registered User regular
    Metallica probably don't even remember this.

  • Macro9Macro9 Registered User regular
    So, if they didn't do it, who the hell did?

    58pwo4vxupcr.png
  • Calamity JaneCalamity Jane That Wrong Love Registered User regular
    MURDERERS

    DAMN

    twitter https://twitter.com/mperezwritesirl michelle patreon https://www.patreon.com/thatwronglove michelle's comic book from IMAGE COMICS you can order http://a.co/dn5YeUD
  • AbracadanielAbracadaniel Registered User regular
    a g-g-g-ghoooost

  • JoeUserJoeUser Forum Santa Registered User regular
    Macro9 wrote:
    So, if they didn't do it, who the hell did?

    Chupacabra

  • AbracadanielAbracadaniel Registered User regular
    or, if the wikipedia article is to be believed, the step-father of one of the murdered boys may have been involved

  • DruhimDruhim Registered User, ClubPA regular
    Yeah, if the claimed motive for your suspects is "satanic killings" and you don't have any other compelling evidence, odds are you're just looking for a scapegoat to convict.

    belruelotterav-1.jpg
  • JoeUserJoeUser Forum Santa Registered User regular
    edited August 2011
    So now they are allowed to commit 3 murders to make up for it

    JoeUser on
  • FyndirFyndir Registered User regular
    Druhim wrote:
    Yeah, if the claimed motive for your suspects is "satanic killings" and you don't have any other compelling evidence, odds are you're just looking for a scapegoat to convict.

    Look, don't you go blaming the police just because satanic murderers are so good at hiding all evidence of their involvement in the crime, ok?

  • HunterHunter Chemist with a heart of Au Registered User regular
    Smart Hero wrote:
    good because they were innocent

    They could have done it, but the evidence the prosecution put forward was pathetic and proved nothing. So it's more not guilty due to lack of any evidence besides look at them and Teh DEVIL!

  • AbracadanielAbracadaniel Registered User regular
    Druhim wrote:
    Yeah, if the claimed motive for your suspects is "satanic killings" and you don't have any other compelling evidence, odds are you're just looking for a scapegoat to convict.
    bDXXX.png

  • UnbrokenEvaUnbrokenEva HIGH ON THE WIRE BUT I WON'T TRIP ITRegistered User regular
    But one of them was named Damien! Clear devil-worshipper.

  • FutoreFutore Registered User regular
    Alford Plea
    is pretty metal

    ETqXK.png
  • RankenphileRankenphile Passersby were amazed by the unusually large amounts of blood.Registered User, Moderator mod
    man, satan is awesome

    8406wWN.png
  • HunterHunter Chemist with a heart of Au Registered User regular
    Fearghaill wrote:
    But one of them was named Damien! Clear devil-worshipper.

    My cousin is named Damien, and he's a priest.

    Surely that is a sign of the Apocalypse!

    Oh wait, he's actually like a second cousin, so that's probably just like 7 years of bad luck or something.

  • RankenphileRankenphile Passersby were amazed by the unusually large amounts of blood.Registered User, Moderator mod
    it is pretty fucking great that they've released these guys, though

    8406wWN.png
  • PeccaviPeccavi Registered User regular
    Druhim wrote:
    Yeah, if the claimed motive for your suspects is "satanic killings" and you don't have any other compelling evidence, odds are you're just looking for a scapegoat to convict.

    You can't look at it in a vacuum. These people wore black, and listened to metal. And one of them was named Damien. If that's not enough evidence to convict, what is???

  • QuestionMarkManQuestionMarkMan Registered User regular
    I also recommend checking out the documentary.

    That step-father is insane.

  • mensch-o-maticmensch-o-matic Registered User regular
    The absence of evidence is not the evidence of absence

  • ShortyShorty touching the meat Intergalactic Cool CourtRegistered User regular
    awesome. this is awesome.

    god I hope they get some kind of settlement from the state

  • HunterHunter Chemist with a heart of Au Registered User regular
    edited August 2011
    Yeah, it's about time.

    These fuckers who think being tough on crime equals locking people up because they look guilty or are different/weird/eccentric/aren't grieving "the right way" completely miss the point of our legal system. Innocent until proven guilty is not that you did or didn't do the crime, it's that nobody can prove it.

    Also, people who try to make the evidence just fit their theory piss me off. The evidence is the evidence. If it doesn't fit your theory, then most likely it's not the evidence that is wrong. Go back and work it again.

    Hunter on
  • PiptheFairPiptheFair Frequently not in boats. Registered User regular
    one of the fathers of the murdered boys came forward and was all "Yeah these guys didn't do it and I kinda wanna know who did so stop hiding behind your faulty conviction"

  • TheySlashThemTheySlashThem Registered User regular
    Official Statement: "Whoops. Our bad."

  • Skull ManSkull Man RIP KUSU Registered User regular
    so do they get to sue for malicious prosecution or wrongful imprisonment or any of that stuff

  • ShortyShorty touching the meat Intergalactic Cool CourtRegistered User regular
    they should be able to sue whoever the fuck they please

    I want to say the prosecutor should be fired

  • ThreadbareSockThreadbareSock Registered User regular
    edited August 2011
    Smart Hero wrote:
    Druhim wrote:
    Yeah, if the claimed motive for your suspects is "satanic killings" and you don't have any other compelling evidence, odds are you're just looking for a scapegoat to convict.
    bDXXX.png

    you posted a screenshot of your own twitter?

    why would you do that?

    ThreadbareSock on
  • AbracadanielAbracadaniel Registered User regular
    Smart Hero wrote:
    Druhim wrote:
    Yeah, if the claimed motive for your suspects is "satanic killings" and you don't have any other compelling evidence, odds are you're just looking for a scapegoat to convict.
    bDXXX.png

    you posted a screenshot of your own twitter?

    why would you do that?

    narcissism, mostly

  • mcpmcp Registered User regular
    Skull Man wrote:
    so do they get to sue for malicious prosecution or wrongful imprisonment or any of that stuff
    As far as I can tell they can't.

    They entered an "alford plea". Which means they plead guilty, and sufficient evidence exists that they could be convicted.

    and then they get to walk.

    but, I'm not a lawyer and could totally wrong.

  • AbracadanielAbracadaniel Registered User regular
    also it was funny cause someone misused the phrase at work today and so it was tangentially relevant

  • ShortyShorty touching the meat Intergalactic Cool CourtRegistered User regular
    wait what

    what the fuck is this alford plea bullshit

    TO THE WIKIMOBILE

  • ShortyShorty touching the meat Intergalactic Cool CourtRegistered User regular
    edited August 2011
    double post wee

    So it looks like this kind of plea basically says that they claim they're innocent, but recognize that they could get convicted because the prosecutor has enough evidence, or the right kind of evidence, to convince a jury they're guilty.

    And we already know the second half of that situation is true, because people are idiots.

    So I can live with this as long as they walk.

    Shorty on
  • Sir CarcassSir Carcass I have been shown the end of my world Round Rock, TXRegistered User regular
    I bet they played D&D too.

    Man, are they gonna flip and murder someone when they see 4th edition.

  • AneurhythmiaAneurhythmia Registered User regular
    Smart Hero wrote:
    Smart Hero wrote:
    Druhim wrote:
    Yeah, if the claimed motive for your suspects is "satanic killings" and you don't have any other compelling evidence, odds are you're just looking for a scapegoat to convict.
    bDXXX.png

    you posted a screenshot of your own twitter?

    why would you do that?

    narcissism, mostly
    It'll look good on your resume if you apply to be a producer at CNN.

  • FrankoFranko Sometimes I really wish I had four feet so I could dance with myself to the drumbeat Registered User regular
    we welcome these three in the "Black club".

  • JoeUserJoeUser Forum Santa Registered User regular
    Shorty wrote:
    wait what

    what the fuck is this alford plea bullshit

    TO THE WIKIMOBILE

    CNN has a helpful article

    How can West Memphis 3 walk free?
    "In a nutshell, you are pleading guilty not because you admit that you did something wrong but because you are concerned the state has enough evidence to prove you guilty," attorney B.J. Bernstein said. "This is a common thing in tough cases, where a defendant is just adamant; I didn’t do it, I didn’t do it, I didn’t do it. They won't confess to it, but the evidence is so strong they are going to lose."

    The highly technical legal maneuver also allows the three to be freed and be considered innocent. Although an Alford plea is treated as a guilty plea for sentencing, it cannot be held against the three men in any subsequent criminal prosecution or civil proceeding.

  • ShortyShorty touching the meat Intergalactic Cool CourtRegistered User regular
    Okay, good. I'd be concerned that any kind of guilty plea could later be used against them.

  • UmaroUmaro Registered User regular
    Hail Satan.

    Dogs.jpg
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