Why did the WM3 do it?

[AngelontheRiver]

Believe it or not, Damien is a very sensitive person. As a teenager, he would have wondered about a lot of things. I think you may be placing too much emphasis on the word "feel." That was just Damien's way of talking.

Many of us might have said, "I wonder what it's like to kill someone." Because he is sensitive, Damien inserted the word that seems to be a stumbling block for you. I don't see it as blood lust at all. As Cappuccino said, without actually hearing the statement, we have no way of knowing the manner in which it was said, the circumstances under which it was said and whether or not the statement was made sarcastically.

As to Deanna Holcomb, as I have said before, she is a former girlfriend. We don't know her motive for making this statement. She may have been angry about losing Damien. She may have been being sarcastic herself. She may have been looking for her fifteen minutes. Again, without audio, oftentimes people's words can be misinterpreted.

Well, since you don't actually know him, you are just speculating. I think his book is full of lies. Obviously if he is a liar, nothing he says is proof of anything.

 

[Cappuccino]

Well, since you don't actually know him, you are just speculating. I think his book is full of lies. Obviously if he is a liar, nothing he says is proof of anything.

Fair enough, Angel. In that case, when Damien said he wondered what it felt like to kill someone he was lying and that isn't proof that he was wondering anything of the sort. What he was really wondering was probably something mundane like "I wonder what's for dinner", (fatso that he is), but he thought "I wonder what it feels like to kill someone" would make him sound more interesting to his cat worshipping girlfriend.

 

[Cappuccino]

I will always wonder why if Jason had a knife why weren't the boys all stabbed to death?Why beat them with fists and sticks if you can use a knife?

I personally don't think there was a knife involved unless it was Stevie's pocket knife used to cut on the shoelace.

Yes, I think Stevie's little pocket knife was most likely the knife used to cut the only adult sized shoe lace at the crime scene. The one used to bind Michael, the one that had Terry Hobbs hair underneath it.

 

[AngelontheRiver]

Fair enough, Angel. In that case, when Damien said he wondered what it felt like to kill someone he was lying and that isn't proof that he was wondering anything of the sort. What he was really wondering was probably something mundane like "I wonder what's for dinner", (fatso that he is), but he thought "I wonder what it feels like to kill someone" would make him sound more interesting to his cat worshipping girlfriend.

That is hilarious. I could believe that one!

 

[JBounds]

The way I see it about Damien saying all that stuff is not much different than most teens at that age. Even I said things at that age that later I'm not sure why I said them. Still just because he said it isn't proof of killing anyone.

 

[AngelontheRiver]

I never said it is proof. Just goes to motive.

I'm a dog person, myself.

 

[Tricia]

Hi Everyone,

We love differing viewpoints on Websleuths. That's why we exist. Differing viewpoints.

The fact is the WM3 were found guilty and they have not been exonerated by the state of Arkansas. They entered Alford pleas which allow them to claim their innocence while acknowledging that prosecutors have enough evidence to convict them.

Personally, there is no way I think they did it. They are innocent IMO and the state of Arkansas should be ashamed.

If the state felt they really did this crime then why did they make it part of the plea deal that the WM3 would not sue them. Why? Because they knew they would get slammed in court.

BUT the fact is they are still guilty in the eyes of the law.

If you happen to have a problem with this thread then I would suggest you don't participate. There are other threads on this forum that talk about their innocence.

Since in the eyes of the law they are still guilty this thread is absolutely acceptable as long as our Terms of Service are observed.

However, if you see a post that violates our terms of service or you think is inappropriate in any way, then please hit the alert button on that particular post. The alert button is the red triangle in the upper right hand corner of the post.

In general our TOS is this: Don't be rude, don't be a jerk, no name calling, and just be a decent human being.

 

[Compassionate Reader]

The way I see it about Damien saying all that stuff is not much different than most teens at that age. Even I said things at that age that later I'm not sure why I said them. Still just because he said it isn't proof of killing anyone.

You are absolutely right! I saw it so many times in my 25 years' teaching that I've lost count. Teenagers are a different breed. They are going through physical changes in their bodies exacerbated by hormonal changes as well. Often they lash out and/or say mean and/or disgusting things - usually for attention. For Damien, this seemed to be a favorite coping mechanism (saying shocking things). The statement about killing someone, as I pointed out earlier, could easily be one of those coping statements. Without any proof, it is just the statement of a teenager.

 

[twall]

IMO, he was being sarcastic. Listen to the clip instead of just reading it and I think you'll see what I mean. (I have looked for a video clip of this exchange, but PL1 has been pulled from YouTube. I'll continue to look to see if I can find and post video of the "boogey man" remark.) As I have said many times, I've heard much worse from teenagers in parent-teacher conferences.

PL1 has not been pulled from YT. Here is part 1. The other parts can be found on the same channel.

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/user/TheGodlessNeander#p/u/142/TUXTQuNxIqg"]TheGodlessNeander's Channel - YouTube[/ame]

 

[EntreNous]

Can't sleep sometimes. And, yes, AngelontheRiver is a brave one. I often get my feelings very, very, extremely hurt.

Good night, late night friend!

Peace.

this is why i stopped posting in this forum. too many feelings being hurt. too many folks so deeply invested in either guilt or innocence for the WM3/FREE and so deeply affected by the brutality of 3 little boy's deaths.

i realize this is completely "off topic" but the fact remains that we are all human beings behind these computer monitors.

further, i've been around for quite a while and i can attest that this forum has not always leaned in favor of innocence. in actuality, and for a very long time, it leaned very heavily in the opposite direction.

that said, any well-trained investigator will attest that the crime scene does not fit the profile of a thrill killing.

 

[Cappuccino]

I haven't been around all that long, but I have read back through all the old threads in this forum. So I can also attest that it has not always leaned in favour of innocence, in fact the flames were very hot in here for supporters of the wm3 up until relatively recently.

I didn't see any supporters playing the victim card or stomping off in a temper, even when people like, eg, Dirty Larry, were kicking them around the place with abuse. If you believe in a person's innocence you will stand your ground and argue your cause, no matter how unpopular it may be at the time.

 

[AngelontheRiver]

I agree with some posters and disagree with others. However I respect all and do not ever want to hurt anyone's feelings. You are all good people to care so much.

 

[EntreNous]

I agree with some posters and disagree with others. However I respect all and do not ever want to hurt anyone's feelings. You are all good people to care so much.

same here, angel. :grouphug:

 

[Compassionate Reader]

I've said it before. I have a thick skin. I guess it's from years of teaching teenagers. However, I don't want to ever hurt anyone either. One of the things I really like about this site is the civility. We can (and do) disagree, but we do it like adults and not whiny children.

 

[kline]

I believe they did it because A) Damien Echols is bat***** crazy and wanted, in his own words, to feel what it was like to kill somebody (as evidenced by the defence's 500) and B) Jason Baldwin is an evil person and Jessie Miskelley was just a drunk, bored follower who went along with it. JMO of course.

I think that pretty well sums it up.

 

[AngelontheRiver]

I hope they have some tiny amount of humanity in them so they are haunted by what they did.

 

[Soulmagent]

The crime was full of rage and no one has any idea on what the motive would be for the teens rage . Not only Damien but at least jason as well right?
so speculation on motive ..

What if the boys had witnessed something that made not only DE believe the boys would say something but that at least one other person was also worried about them spilling the beans?

What is the worst thing a little kid could witness two teenage boys doing that would make the teens angry if he threatend to tell and if they thought he had told his two best friends as well?


I dont think DE wanted to know what it was like either until he had a motive.

 

[Compassionate Reader]

Many people believe that the little boys might have witnessed something, and that could have been the motive of TH instead of DE. For instance, suppose the boys witnessed TH making a drug deal. Or (and I hesitate to mention this) suppose that Stevie had begun to talk to his friends about the sexual abuse that his aunts have claimed he reported to them. It's even possible that TH wanted to involve Michael and Christopher in the sexual games.

As I believe that TH is the guilty party, I'm constantly looking for motives for him. DE, at least IMO, had no motive. The Satanic cult killing was bogus all along and, IIRC, when the briefs were filed for the evidentiary hearing, the State didn't revisit that motive. My guess is that they would have tried to use a "thrill kill" motive, but IMO the evidence doesn't support that motive. As has been said, this was a personal crime. The bodies were hidden, not displayed as is usually the case in a "thrill kill" scene.

 

[Aura]

The thing I hate about this case are all the lies. Everyone involved with this case lied at some point. The over exaggerations were bad too. I was involved with this case many years, and became acquainted with one parent. The only thing that matters to me now, is justice for them 3 boys that lost their lives. I think the way Damien is acting now is just gross. I think he is milking his celebrity for all its worth. He is now doing tattoos, there is only one tattoo design he will do, and its a X, but to get it done, it is $200.00. For a small X. He is now against the movie Devils Knot because it shows him in not such a good light. The movie is still about their supposed innocence. I dont know how I feel about who did this. But I dont like Damien or the way he is acting now. And I think he is using the backs of 3 brutally murdered children to become famous. That is just MHO

 

[Compassionate Reader]

The thing I hate about this case are all the lies. Everyone involved with this case lied at some point. The over exaggerations were bad too. I was involved with this case many years, and became acquainted with one parent. The only thing that matters to me now, is justice for them 3 boys that lost their lives. I think the way Damien is acting now is just gross. I think he is milking his celebrity for all its worth. He is now doing tattoos, there is only one tattoo design he will do, and its a X, but to get it done, it is $200.00. For a small X. He is now against the movie Devils Knot because it shows him in not such a good light. The movie is still about their supposed innocence. I dont know how I feel about who did this. But I dont like Damien or the way he is acting now. And I think he is using the backs of 3 brutally murdered children to become famous. That is just MHO

I, too, am in this for justice. However, justice must extend to all involved - the parents of the three murdered children as well as the three falsely-imprisoned men and their families. They all deserve relief.

From what I've read about the whole tattoo situation, until he is licensed, Damien can only tattoo "X's." When he is licensed, he will be able to tattoo more intricate designs. The fact that he can make money doing so is called entrepreneurship and is one of the elements of the American Dream. If anyone is entitled to a small part of the American Dream, IMO it is Damien Echols who lost over eighteen years of his life to a miscarriage of justice.

As to Devil's Knot the movie, I for one would like to wait until it has been released before opining about it. In truth, it hasn't even been shot yet! There is no way that anyone can know what it will portray and how it will portray the subjects. The script isn't even finalized at this point. Also, we must remember that it will be a work of fiction, and therefore unlike the documentaries that have been and will be released.