Misskelley's confession couldn't be utilized if he had stood trial alongside Echols and Baldwin under what is known as the Bruton rule stemming from Bruton v. United States. if(document.querySelector("#adunit")){ On one occasion after the killings at Robin Hood Hills, he had beaten Pamela so severely that she told the family that she thought her jaw was broken, prompting them to drive to the Hobbs home to confront him. Two of the boys' underwear, however, was missing. Then, after determining the boys final movements, Bob meets with a DNA expert to discuss new technology that might break the case wide open. She was unable to say where this meeting was or who else was present. The West Memphis Three were the distinctive people in the town of West Memphis; however, there was little evidence suggesting they killed the three young boys. She also revealed that her ex-husband had once asked her sister point-blank if she suspected him in the killings. One such suspect was none other than Byers. Like John Mark Byers, Hobbs was a wifebeater. But in 2011, the West Memphis Three walked free. He admitted the crime on June 3, June 11 and Aug. 19 and implicated others. John Mark Byers, stepfather of Chris Byers and initially the subject of considerable suspicion himself, is shown calling Terry Hobbs a "baby killer" outside an Arkansas courtroom. There is a strong Christian identity, and crime is an issue, but the behavior of Echols, in particular, would have drawn comment everywhere. Sign up for newsletter today. However, the day afterward, Hutcheson would tell police that she, Echols and Misskelley had all attended a Wicca meeting in Turrell, Arkansas, where Echols became drunk and started to loudly brag about having committed the killings of Branch, Byers and Moore. From the murder of Shanda Sharer to the Columbine massacre, there was little that wasn't blamed on this new devilish culture. There were even witnesses who placed Misskelley at his trailer until 6:30 p.m., the time the boys went missing, with one revealing he picked him up to go wrestling around 7:30 p.m. I believe there was an incident of over-disciplining one of the boys. John Mark Byers, stepfather of Chris Byers and initially the subject of considerable suspicion himself, is shown calling Terry Hobbs a "baby killer" outside an Arkansas courtroom. He was also charged in 1990 for stealing $65,000 in jewelry from a store where he previously worked, and in 1992 for "conspiring to sell cocaine and with carrying a dangerous weapon.". }); John Mark Byers, who was suspected in the deaths of three West Memphis children in 1993, died in a car crash earlier this week, officials in Tennessee revealed on Friday, June 19. At the trial, the prosecution continued the claims of Satanic overtones, calling Dale W. Griffis of the unaccredited Columbia Pacific University distance learning school as an "expert" witness to affirm the killings were definitely occult related. WebDevil's Knot: The True Story of the West Memphis Three is a 2002 true crime book by Mara Leveritt, about the 1993 murders of three eight-year-old children and the subsequent trials of three teenagers charged with and convicted of the crimes.The names of the three teens convicted - Damien Echols, Jason Baldwin, and Jessie Misskelley - would come to be Watch: Man connected to 'West Memphis Three' learns evidence connected to the case is missing By Dominique Dillon, FOX13memphis.com July 08, 2021 at 5:53 pm CDT WEST MEMPHIS, Ark. How seriously anyone took the Mulder and Scully of West Memphis is uncertain, but they certainly took Echols seriously. March 3, 2023, at 3:19 p.m. Video Shows Memphis Jailers Beating Black Inmate Who Died. To understand the story of the West Memphis Three, it's important to remember the cultural atmosphere that was prevalent throughout America in the mid-1990s. Byers had a long history of run-ins with the law and been accused of multiple violent crimes. In 1973, his parents had called the police to report that he was threatening them with a butcher knife. "He had to spend this time because if he didn't, he would get caught. Then, perhaps, the punishment went too far, and it resulted in the triple homicide. There is no mention of Santic overtones or symbolism in the early written reports by police, nor correspondence with the FBI. In 1994, in what was widely believed to be a miscarriage of justice, three teens, 18-year-old Damien Echols, 17-year-old Jessie Misskelley Jr., and 16-year-old Jason Baldwin, were convicted in connection to the deaths of Christopher Byers, Michael Moore, and Steve Branch the previous year. She described a cult meeting involving Echols, Misskelley and about eight other youths. Baldwin got life behind bars, and Echols was sentenced to death by lethal injection. A formal interview on May 9 led to further suspicion against the young man when he mentioned the damage to Byer's genitals, something seen as incriminating. Efforts to release the West Memphis Three would be aided in 2003 when Vicki Hutcheson ultimately recanted her testimony, telling the "Arkansas Times" that everything she told police was a lie. They had a daughter together, Amanda Hobbs, who was 4 years old at the time of her brothers death. Curiously, most of the injuries suffered by Byers were to the lower body, whereas the damage inflicted on Branch and Moore was primarily to the upper body. An attorney involved in the West Memphis Three case, in which three teenagers were convicted of killing three boys in 1993, is claiming that evidence related to the case that was believed to be lost or destroyed has been located at the West Memphis Police Department, local CBS affiliate WREG reported.Attorney Patrick Benca, who represents However, it wasn't just about the music with many embracing rebellious philosophies that were inherently offensive to the traditions of Christianity, respect and patriotism that have always defined small-town rural America. It is easy for many to look at the South as hillbilly central, full of prejudice and backward attitudes, with somewhat elitist attitudes often prevalent when discussing the case. Residents talked of strange smells in the woods, painted children, and even alleged to have seen a baby sacrificed. The Supreme Court ruled that a defendant would be deprived of his rights if a confession was introduced in a joint trial under the Confrontation Clause of the Sixth Amendment, stating that "in all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the rightto be confronted with the witnesses against him." No semen was found at the scene, and there was no evidence of molestation. A new round of DNA testing later showed no genetic material linked the men to the crime scene evidence, and they were released from prison in 2011 after agreeing to an Alford plea. "We are pleased that the evidence is intact," Benca said, according to WREG. ", 'Very open to the idea': Julia Wandelt takes DNA test to verify if she is missing Swiss girl Livia Schepp, Kayla Lemieux: Teacher with prosthetic Z-cup breasts suspended WITH PAY after pics show her dressed as man, 'We have lots to reveal': Madeleine McCann lookalike Julia Wandelt posts footage of meeting with PI probing claims, Lindsay Clancy case: Psychologist reveals psychosis red flags family members could have spotted, Horror at Larchwood Care! He also initially claimed Echols had choked one victim until he was told that none of the boys had been strangled. Some believe the police immediately thought there was some level of occult involvement in the triple homicide, yet this isn't the case. Grandmother with dementia died from face wound neglected by staff for days. Echols, one of the West Memphis Three, and his legal team have hit another obstacle as they try to get the court's permission to test newly found evidence for DNA. if(document.querySelector("#google_image_div")){ If you found this interesting, you might also want to read about the study that finds black Americans are wrongfully convicted at a far greater rate. Benca said he hopes the evidence can be tested for DNA to help clear the name of his client, who along with Jason Baldwin and Jesse Misskelley Jr. was convicted of murder as a teenager in 1994. Despite suspicion eventually falling away from Byers, Jason Baldwin praised the "Paradise Lost" documentaries as essential to their case, telling the "National Podcast of Texas" in 2019 that "The documentary saved my life, saved Damien's life, and saved Jessie's life. By Benjamin H. Smith Who Killed The Forgotten West Memphis Three? The West Memphis Three had trials in 1994, with Echols and Baldwin tried together and Misskelley tried separately. VEGA, Texas (KFDA) - Two people were killed and two others were injured after a three-vehicle crash on Interstate 40 west of Vega. pg.acq.push(function() { The men garnered national attention due to a series of documentaries and books that questioned their convictions as well as the vocal support of numerous celebrities. When they didn't, the first phone call would be made to police not long afterward, John Mark Byers raising the alarm with police close to 8 p.m. The three would be confirmed to be together between 5:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m., with the boys spotted headed toward Robin Hood Hills; Terry Hobbs, Branch's stepfather, calling out for them to return. Who Is The Real Killer Behind The 'West Memphis Three' Murders? When three boys turn up murdered, a small town is desperate to find the killer. He showed several old scars from prior injuries. While the documentary opened the public's eyes to the miscarriage of justice that had transpired to get Echols, Miskelley Jr., and Baldwin convicted for a crime they did not commit, it also threw doubt on Byers, a suspicious character who seemed to have a penchant for theatrics. Meanwhile, at the Marion Police Department, Detective Don Bray was attempting to administer a polygraph test to Vicki Hutcheson, who had recently moved to the city. Having once been adamant on the West Memphis Three's guilt, he accepted their innocence and, instead, pointed the finger at Terry Hobbs, Steve's stepfather. By Benjamin H. Smith Who Killed The Forgotten West Memphis Three? "Lawyers have to follow the law and when you file in the wrong place that's not my fault," said Attorney General Griffin. Despite the falsehoods in the testimony, Echols was pulled in for questioning two days after the bodies were discovered, denying any involvement. Byers had been a step-father to Christopher Byers, who along with his two eight-year-old friends Michael Moore and Steve Branch, had been killed in West Memphis on May 5, 1993, and whose murders remain unsolved to this day, almost three decades later. The bodies of the three boys had been found in Robin Hood Hills, a stretch of forested land in the city that was popular with children and where Christopher, Michael and Steve were last seen together. Product was successfully added to your shopping cart. The varying wounds included unrecognized bites, and possible stab wounds to his groin and castration, with some putting this down to animal predation. Who killed Stevie He was 62. 31 2021, Published 3:16 p.m. Meanwhile, Byers himself had a long history of drug use and violent criminal behavior, including domestic violence and threats to kill. All three were charged and accused of committing a Satanic murder. In many respects, the reaction to these new youth movements was nothing new, with the metal bands of the 1970s and 80s having faced similar condemnation as "the Devil's music." When three boys turn up murdered, a small town is desperate to find the killer. Explaining why the test may have indicated this, Martin suggested he believed "the father of Steve Branch killed the boys" and that he suspected shoelaces would have been used to tie up the victims, as "logic tells him that the killer would use something already there." A roll of toilet paper was soaked through with blood. Based on the new information, the three men asked for an Alford plea, in which the defendant maintains their innocence, but acknowledge that prosecutors have evidence to convict them. 1." Attorney Patrick Benca, who represents defendant Damien Echols, wrote in a Wednesday statement that he located evidence from the case after being granted access to the police department through an Arkansas state court order, according to WREG. A polygraph indicated some level of deception in his statements to police, yet it should be noted that a heart condition may have affected the results. He tried to fight back and showed defensive injuries. Yet, few could give details. Neighbors would recall that the abuse suffered by the boy was horrific, describing the whippings as a regular occurrence. 1:53 Digital Original Motivations For Investigating The West Memphis Case 1:05 Preview ADVERTISEMENT Based on the way the boys were tied up hands bound on either side of the body to the same side ankle Clemente theorized the suspect is somebody who works with animal carcasses, a butcher or a hunter., [T]he ligatures are not restraining ligatures. eventAction: 'view' Serving as professor emeritus of sociology at the University of California, it was expert testimony. Medical examiners were split on whether the three boys died the night they went missing or the morning after, and the bite marks wouldn't even be noticed until photographs were examined years later. He was sentenced to life plus 40 years. Echols, 36, had been on death row, while Baldwin, 34, and Misskelley, 36, were serving life sentences. MEAWW is an initialism for Media Entertainment Arts WorldWide. 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Now, Attorney General Tim Griffin has requested the Arkansas Supreme Court to dismiss the case based on the fact that the petition was filed in Crittenden County but Echols was convicted in Craighead County. John Mark Byers, stepfather of Chris Byers and initially the subject of considerable suspicion himself, is shown calling Terry Hobbs a "baby killer" outside an Arkansas courtroom. Both knew Misskelley from school but were hardly considered friends, Misskelley having a reputation for violence. MEAWW brings you the best content from its global team of However, a hair "not inconsistent with" Steve Branch's stepfather, Terry Hobbs, was found, and crucially it was tied into the knots of the bindings that had hogtied one of the children. John Mark Byers, stepfather of Chris Byers and initially the subject of considerable suspicion himself, is shown calling Terry Hobbs a "baby killer" outside an Arkansas courtroom. But in the process, the West Memphis Three get blamed for the crime they didn't commit. On the evening of May 5, 1993, three 8-year-old boys disappeared from the streets of West Memphis, Ark. document.querySelector("#google_image_div").addEventListener('click',function(){ They still had the convictions, but the men would be free. The story of the West Memphis Three traces back to 1993, set in the city of West Memphis, Arkansas. }); MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) A former Memphis Fire Department emergency medical technician told a Tennessee board Friday that officers impeded patient care by refusing to remove Tyre Nichols ' handcuffs, which would have allowed EMTs to check his vital signs after he was brutally beaten by police.