| The beauty of religious mania is that it has the power to explain everything. Once God (or Satan) is accepted as the first cause of everything which happens in the mortal world, nothing is left to chance...logic can be happily tossed out the window."~Stephen King |
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| THE EVIDENCE AND WHY IT IS QUESTIONABLE Stevie Branch, Michael Moore, and Christopher Byers were 8 years old at the time of their brutal deaths in 1993. Three West Memphis teens, Damien Echols, Jason Baldwin, and Jessie Misskelley Jr. were tried and convicted of the heinous murders of these three young boys. More than a decade later, questions remain regarding the circumstances of their convictions. |
1. CONFESSION OF JESSIE MISSKELLEY JR.—After several hours of questioning, Jessie Misskelley
Jr. offered a confession implicating the involvement of himself as well as Damien Echols and Jason
Baldwin in the murders of Stevie Branch, Michael Moore, and Christopher Byers.
WHY IS THIS EVIDENCE QUESTIONABLE?
Over 11 hours of the interrogation of Jessie Misskelley was not recorded, leaving only 20 minutes of
an audio taped confession full of inconsistencies and credibility issues. The recorded confession is
not a narrative of events by Jessie Misskelley Jr.; rather it is a series of statements offered in a
question and answer format, which hints at coaching by the interrogators. This is evident in the
elements involving the proper timing of events and the identity of the victims in relation to the injuries
sustained. Expert opinion has termed the confession “coercive compliant”. The conflict between the
contents of the confession and the known facts about the crime supports this notion. Among the
conflicting statements offered in his confession, was the placing of the victims and Jason Baldwin out
of school at times they were unmistakably in school. Other conflicting statements were that the victims
were bound with rope whereas they were found tied with their own shoelaces. Jessie’s confession
made charges of anal rape whereas the medical examiner found no signs to corroborate the claims.
Jessie also stated that one boy was choked into unconsciousness with a stick. Again, the medical
examiner could report nothing to substantiate this.
It is also important to note that Jessie Misskelley has an IQ of 72 and did not testify at the trial of Jason
Baldwin and Damien Echols. Immediately after confessing, Jessie recanted his statements.
2. TESTIMONY –
1. Two twelve year old girls testified to overhearing Damien Echols state at a softball game.,,“I killed
the three little boys and before I turn myself in, I'm going to kill two more and I already have one
of them picked out.”
2. After being held in the same juvenile detention facility as Jason Baldwin for a brief period time,
Michael Carson testified that Jason admitted to the murders in a jailhouse confession.
3. There was testimony placing Damien and Jason at the scene of the crime.
WHY IS THIS EVIDENCE QUESTIONABLE?
The young softball game witnesses only came forward several months later, after seeing TV news
reports filled with stories of the murdering cult and ultimately Damien’s arrest. Although these young
witnesses allege overhearing this statement, they could not recall anything else Damien may have
said. Nor could they recall the appearances of the other people involved or anything being said by
them in response. No explanation could be offered as to why no other details of the alleged
conversation could be recalled.
There is nothing to suggest that Michael Carson and Jason Baldwin ever made contact while in the
detention facility. Out of concern that Carson would perjure himself in court, a counselor from the
facility communicated to the prosecution and defense that he had a discussion with Carson about the
case in which he revealed details of the crime. The jury never heard that Carson was a medically
diagnosed LSD addict, nor was the information provided by the counselor allowed in court.
The testimony, which placed Damien and Jason at the scene of the crime, also placed Damien’s then
girlfriend at the scene as well. The prosecution itself questioned how accurate this sighting was when
they attempted to show that the witnesses had been mistaken in their identification of Damien’s
girlfriend, who was never investigated as a suspect. Additionally, Jessie Misskelley was not placed at
the scene by this testimony. Other testimony contradicted the statement that Damien and Jessie were
spotted near the crime scene at the time specified.
3. FIBER EVIDENCE--fiber evidence consisted of various fibers found in the homes of the suspects
which were “microscopically similar” to fibers found at the crime scene.
WHY IS THIS EVIDENCE QUESTIONABLE?
Of the hundreds of fibers tested by the Arkansas state crime lab, only 4 fibers were found which were
“microscopically similar” to various items found in the homes of Damien Echols and Jason Baldwin,
some from clothing items owned by other household members. The term “microscopically similar”
entails a finding that the fibers are similar--not that they came from the same source. Unlike
fingerprints, microscopic fiber analysis is inherently unreliable. The State’s own expert testified in court
that the findings were inconclusive and did not rule out other sources. It is important to note that the
fibers were from common items available on a wide scale in West Memphis. It is also important to
note that no fibers were found matching any fibers in the home of Jessie Misskelley.
EVIDENCE INDICATING THE INVOLVEMENT OF A SATANIC CULT AND EXPERT TESTIMONY GIVEN
TO SUPPORT THESE CLAIMS.
WHY IS THIS EVIDENCE QUESTIONABLE?
The testimony offered by the State’s so called expert was virtually nothing more than a repetition of
the myths and fears already circulating West Memphis, Arkansas. Dr. Dale Griffis obtained his “cult
cop” credentials entirely via mail correspondence. There has been nothing to substantiate claims of a
satanic cult led by Damien Echols in West Memphis. Damien studied various aspects of Wicca and
had a personal interest in topics that were portrayed as satanic in nature. As proof of cult activity, the
state submitted Stephen King, Anne Rice, and Dean Koontz books seized from his home. They also
used black concert t-shirts and song lyrics to demonstrate murderous capabilities. The local media,
who seemed reluctant to publish a story unless it contained elements to promote the phenomenon of
“satanic panic”, was fueling superstitious suspicions of cult involvement.
5. MURDER WEAPON—knife found in a lake behind Jason Baldwin’s parents’ residence was
submitted into evidence as murder weapon. Additionally, 2 large sticks are taken from the crime
scene and it is suggested by the prosecution that these were used in beating the three victims.
WHY IS THIS EVIDENCE QUESTIONABLE?
After searching a very small portion of the lake behind Jason Baldwin’s home in the Lakeshore trailer
park, a large survival knife was recovered. There was nothing linking this knife to Jason Baldwin and
no reason to suspect it was used in the murders. The large lake was open to members of the public
and was often an area of fishing. There were likely a number of items that could have been recovered
from the lake due its frequent use. Regarding the sticks found in the woods, there was no fibers or
blood present on these to indicate they were used in any of the ways alleged by the prosecution.
“Eleven.”
Gary Gitchell, West Memphis Police Chief
(When asked by the media before the trial to rate his department’s case against Damien Echols,
Jason Baldwin and Jessie Misskelley on a scale from one to ten)
“There was a remarkable lack of physical evidence against anybody.”
--Prosecutor John Fogleman
When asked about the lack of physical evidence against the West Memphis Three - Phoenix Times
1996
Jr. offered a confession implicating the involvement of himself as well as Damien Echols and Jason
Baldwin in the murders of Stevie Branch, Michael Moore, and Christopher Byers.
WHY IS THIS EVIDENCE QUESTIONABLE?
Over 11 hours of the interrogation of Jessie Misskelley was not recorded, leaving only 20 minutes of
an audio taped confession full of inconsistencies and credibility issues. The recorded confession is
not a narrative of events by Jessie Misskelley Jr.; rather it is a series of statements offered in a
question and answer format, which hints at coaching by the interrogators. This is evident in the
elements involving the proper timing of events and the identity of the victims in relation to the injuries
sustained. Expert opinion has termed the confession “coercive compliant”. The conflict between the
contents of the confession and the known facts about the crime supports this notion. Among the
conflicting statements offered in his confession, was the placing of the victims and Jason Baldwin out
of school at times they were unmistakably in school. Other conflicting statements were that the victims
were bound with rope whereas they were found tied with their own shoelaces. Jessie’s confession
made charges of anal rape whereas the medical examiner found no signs to corroborate the claims.
Jessie also stated that one boy was choked into unconsciousness with a stick. Again, the medical
examiner could report nothing to substantiate this.
It is also important to note that Jessie Misskelley has an IQ of 72 and did not testify at the trial of Jason
Baldwin and Damien Echols. Immediately after confessing, Jessie recanted his statements.
2. TESTIMONY –
1. Two twelve year old girls testified to overhearing Damien Echols state at a softball game.,,“I killed
the three little boys and before I turn myself in, I'm going to kill two more and I already have one
of them picked out.”
2. After being held in the same juvenile detention facility as Jason Baldwin for a brief period time,
Michael Carson testified that Jason admitted to the murders in a jailhouse confession.
3. There was testimony placing Damien and Jason at the scene of the crime.
WHY IS THIS EVIDENCE QUESTIONABLE?
The young softball game witnesses only came forward several months later, after seeing TV news
reports filled with stories of the murdering cult and ultimately Damien’s arrest. Although these young
witnesses allege overhearing this statement, they could not recall anything else Damien may have
said. Nor could they recall the appearances of the other people involved or anything being said by
them in response. No explanation could be offered as to why no other details of the alleged
conversation could be recalled.
There is nothing to suggest that Michael Carson and Jason Baldwin ever made contact while in the
detention facility. Out of concern that Carson would perjure himself in court, a counselor from the
facility communicated to the prosecution and defense that he had a discussion with Carson about the
case in which he revealed details of the crime. The jury never heard that Carson was a medically
diagnosed LSD addict, nor was the information provided by the counselor allowed in court.
The testimony, which placed Damien and Jason at the scene of the crime, also placed Damien’s then
girlfriend at the scene as well. The prosecution itself questioned how accurate this sighting was when
they attempted to show that the witnesses had been mistaken in their identification of Damien’s
girlfriend, who was never investigated as a suspect. Additionally, Jessie Misskelley was not placed at
the scene by this testimony. Other testimony contradicted the statement that Damien and Jessie were
spotted near the crime scene at the time specified.
3. FIBER EVIDENCE--fiber evidence consisted of various fibers found in the homes of the suspects
which were “microscopically similar” to fibers found at the crime scene.
WHY IS THIS EVIDENCE QUESTIONABLE?
Of the hundreds of fibers tested by the Arkansas state crime lab, only 4 fibers were found which were
“microscopically similar” to various items found in the homes of Damien Echols and Jason Baldwin,
some from clothing items owned by other household members. The term “microscopically similar”
entails a finding that the fibers are similar--not that they came from the same source. Unlike
fingerprints, microscopic fiber analysis is inherently unreliable. The State’s own expert testified in court
that the findings were inconclusive and did not rule out other sources. It is important to note that the
fibers were from common items available on a wide scale in West Memphis. It is also important to
note that no fibers were found matching any fibers in the home of Jessie Misskelley.
EVIDENCE INDICATING THE INVOLVEMENT OF A SATANIC CULT AND EXPERT TESTIMONY GIVEN
TO SUPPORT THESE CLAIMS.
WHY IS THIS EVIDENCE QUESTIONABLE?
The testimony offered by the State’s so called expert was virtually nothing more than a repetition of
the myths and fears already circulating West Memphis, Arkansas. Dr. Dale Griffis obtained his “cult
cop” credentials entirely via mail correspondence. There has been nothing to substantiate claims of a
satanic cult led by Damien Echols in West Memphis. Damien studied various aspects of Wicca and
had a personal interest in topics that were portrayed as satanic in nature. As proof of cult activity, the
state submitted Stephen King, Anne Rice, and Dean Koontz books seized from his home. They also
used black concert t-shirts and song lyrics to demonstrate murderous capabilities. The local media,
who seemed reluctant to publish a story unless it contained elements to promote the phenomenon of
“satanic panic”, was fueling superstitious suspicions of cult involvement.
5. MURDER WEAPON—knife found in a lake behind Jason Baldwin’s parents’ residence was
submitted into evidence as murder weapon. Additionally, 2 large sticks are taken from the crime
scene and it is suggested by the prosecution that these were used in beating the three victims.
WHY IS THIS EVIDENCE QUESTIONABLE?
After searching a very small portion of the lake behind Jason Baldwin’s home in the Lakeshore trailer
park, a large survival knife was recovered. There was nothing linking this knife to Jason Baldwin and
no reason to suspect it was used in the murders. The large lake was open to members of the public
and was often an area of fishing. There were likely a number of items that could have been recovered
from the lake due its frequent use. Regarding the sticks found in the woods, there was no fibers or
blood present on these to indicate they were used in any of the ways alleged by the prosecution.
“Eleven.”
Gary Gitchell, West Memphis Police Chief
(When asked by the media before the trial to rate his department’s case against Damien Echols,
Jason Baldwin and Jessie Misskelley on a scale from one to ten)
“There was a remarkable lack of physical evidence against anybody.”
--Prosecutor John Fogleman
When asked about the lack of physical evidence against the West Memphis Three - Phoenix Times
1996
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