Why were three male teenagers given the name, “west memphis 3”?
Victims’ parents remain divided over West Memphis 3 case By Stephanie Chen, CNN (CNN) — There was a time that Pamela Hobbs believed justice had been served for her young son’s murder. But 16 years after the mutilations and killings of three 8-year-old Cub Scouts, including her son, she has more doubts than ever. Tear-stricken and angry, Pamela Hobbs sat though the original trial of the three accused teens — Damien Echols, 18; Jessie Misskelley Jr., 17, and Jason Baldwin; 16. They were convicted of murdering her son, Stevie Branch, and two other neighborhood boys, Michael Moore and Christopher Byers. The second-graders’ bodies were found bruised and mutilated in a West Memphis, Arkansas ditch; their arms and legs were bound by shoe laces. The killers became dubbed the West Memphis 3. When interviewed by media and documentary crews after the trial, Hobbs believed justice had been served. Misskelley and Baldwin had life sentences. Echols was on death row. But recent developments — incl
The West Memphis 3 is the name given to three teenagers who were tried and convicted of the murders of three children in the Robin Hood Hills area of West Memphis, Arkansas, United States in 1993. Damien Echols was sentenced to death. Jessie Misskelley, Jr., was sentenced to life in prison, plus 40 years (he received two 20-year sentences in addition to the life sentence). Jason Baldwin was sentenced to life imprisonment. The case has received considerable attention. Their supporters believe the arrests and convictions were a miscarriage of justice and that the defendants were wrongfully convicted during a period of intense media scrutiny. The defendants remain imprisoned, but legal proceedings are ongoing. As of July 2007, new forensic evidence was being presented in the case. A status report jointly issued by the State and the Defense team on July 17 states, “Although most of the genetic material recovered from the scene was attributable to the victims of the offenses, some of it can
The West Memphis 3 is the name given to three teenagers who were tried and convicted of the murders of three children in the Robin Hood Hills area of West Memphis, Arkansas, United States in 1993. Damien Echols was sentenced to death. Jessie Misskelley, Jr., was sentenced to life in prison, plus 40 years. Jason Baldwin was sentenced to life imprisonment. The case has received considerable attention. Their supporters believe the arrests and convictions were a miscarriage of justice and that the defendants were wrongfully convicted during a period of intense media scrutiny. The defendants remain imprisoned, but legal proceedings are ongoing. As of July 2007, new forensic evidence was being presented. On October 29, 2007, the defense filed a Second Amended Writ of Habeas Corpus. In September 2008, Judge David Burnett denied Echols’ application for a hearing on the new DNA evidence. Hearings for Baldwin and Misskelley were scheduled to continue in August, 2009. Sources:
