48 Hours and Paradise Lost; West Memphis Three

48 hours is doing a show on this case. Below is a link to the preview.

http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/...arAboveMPUArea.1;cbsnewsSidebarAboveMPUArea.1

Tonight's 48 Hours is on the West Memphis Three. (It's a repeat from February. If you missed it and can't see it tonight you can watch the full episode on line.) Three kids who, IMO, were railroaded for a crime they did not commit. IIRC, the police used a false confession from one of the kids to help convict all three.

This movie is a much more in depth look at the case; Paradise Lost: The Child Murders at Robin Hood Hills (1996)

I saw that film when it was first released at a special showing with one of the directors at the Little Theater in Rochester. The most interesting thing about the documentary is how it got made.

The directors saw a small article in the NYT(?) (They are not from that area.) and decided to go and make a documentary on what would cause three young kids to do such a horrible act on three small children. At the time they assumed they were guilty. However, the film they originally wanted to make never got made. Instead the documentary turned into how three kids got railroaded to jail.

There's a sequel that I saw on HBO many years ago too; Paradise Lost 2: Revelations (2000)

My recall of all of the facts of the case are a little shaky from it being so long ago I saw the documentaries but I know at least one kid is on death row for a murder, I'd bet dollars to donuts, he didn't commit. The guy I most suspect as the perpetrator has since died.

I suggest watching tonight and also looking more into the case it's interesting and a great injustice if you ask me.

JMO

For Texas, CST. 9 PM. CBS

Thanks Steely Dan. I have tried to watch for this to come around again. Just what I wanted to see.

I had forgotten about the bloody guy covered in mud. Even worse.

I can't believe that after finding no DNA evidence on the kids linking any of the three of them and with all of the other non-evidence and jury misconduct that this case hasn't been granted a new trial.

I think it's gonna have to rise outside of Arkansas before a new trial will be granted. JMO

It seems prosecutors are loathe to admit mistakes. Theirs or a predecessors.

BTW, the guy that they are pointing to in the 48 hours piece as a suspect is the same guy I thought did it. I could have sworn he died.

I'm re-watching this again because there are things I wanted to go back over. One of the things I remember at the screening of Paradise Lost was asking the director if there was any reason given for why the police decided to look for "the murder weapon" in the lake? Was there a tip, had any evidence led them to the lake or anything other than just going there and "finding it"? The director said he had never heard of anything that would have led them to the spot of the supposed "murder weapon".

Seven experts are "second guessing" the evidence about the injuries according to the prosecution, since they are saying they are animal bites and not knife wounds. It seems one out of eight experts thinks the prosecution is right and that's the prosecutions witness. 88% of the experts agree they are not knife wounds.

The most amazing thing to me is that the appeals courts have ignored that the jury considered evidence from the media that was never placed into trial. That right there should be enough for a new trial. JMO

How could these kids pull off this crime and get home without any mud or blood on them?

They find a hair in the ligature of Michael Moore that's consistent with Terry Hobbes, Stevie's step father. Terry Hobbes is very evasive on many questions and claims that all of the people who are saying he's lying about some things are lying against him. Ok, maybe the hair was transferred, maybe one or two people are against you for an unknown reason but the evidence still continues to mount. In the interview he says he never whipped Stevie with a belt with his hands up but in two seconds he changes that to if "If I ever whipped him with a belt I wanted his hands up because I didn't want to hit him on the hands." :waitasec: I'm not saying Terry Hobbes did this but there is enough evidence against him, in my mind, to create a lot of reasonable doubt for the three kids.

I think there was a lot of pressure to get this solved. I also believe that the prosecution actually believed these kids were guilty. I don't think they had enough evidence and so they misrepresented some things with the idea that the ends justified the means.

This case is a prime example of why I stand against the death penalty. I believe that people who do things like this should die and I'm happy when I hear of somebody was killed while caught in the act. People who kill innocents are the scum of the earth and I don't want to be a part of a society that allows innocents to be killed under the guidance of government. I wish there was a way to know 100% whether somebody is guilty or not but unfortunately, too often, there isn't.

I think one of the most interesting things in this case is that a couple of the parents think the kids are innocent. If your kid was murdered you'd have to be awfully sure, IMO, to believe somebody who was convicted of the crime is innocent.

:cow:

Hey, Steelman/Steelbabe

I've seen the Paradise Lost films. I agree they're compelling in how they make the case that the three teens were railroaded. I don't feel like I can put too much stock in those accounts, though, just because something like that can be made in a way that convinces you completely until you find out about things NOT in the films.

I'm going to watch the 48 hours show now--thanks for suggesting it.

I should add that despite my first statement up there, I think it's possible that they're not guilty, and I even hope they're not guilty. It's a crime in itself that they've not gotten a retrial.

tap

I think they're not guilty . Jessie Misskelly is mentally retarted and would'nt hurt a fly .I met him a couple of times when I went to see if his father wanted to drive a truck for us while our regular driver was on a month long vacation.We moved away from West Memphis , Ar. in 1991 .Two years before the murders occured .We lived about a quarter of a mile from Robin Hood Hills .

One of Jessie's prior entanglements with the law, an assault on a 13 year old girl, that he had been spreading rumors that he had slept with.

http://callahan.8k.com/wm3/tifa.html

Sunnyone said:

One of Jessie's prior entanglements with the law, an assault on a 13 year old girl, that he had been spreading rumors that he had slept with.

http://callahan.8k.com/wm3/tifa.html

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WOW..He changed since he was a little kid .He was a little kid both times I saw him.

So I have been meaning to post here since I watched the 48 hours show-I knew nothing of the case although I realize it has been followed here for quite some time. It was eye opening-I mean words cannot adequately capture how stunned I was by this case. I am heartened to hear there is DNA available that clearly does not match any of the boys. Uh, men.

Someone is walking around having done this-and my first thought when I watched the show was stepdad only because he was the last to see his step son and he did not call Mom while she was working to say he had not come home. I can envision many scenarios that might have led to their deaths...possibly at his hands. What an incredibly tragic event.

Sunnyone said:

One of Jessie's prior entanglements with the law, an assault on a 13 year old girl, that he had been spreading rumors that he had slept with.

http://callahan.8k.com/wm3/tifa.html

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is there anyone involved in this case, parents included, that hasn't had a run-in with the law? even the lawmen have had run-ins with the law. ;-)

Note to Steely Dan:

A friend of mine is a federal public defender of juveniles. She says the "dirty secret" of the appellate process is that appellate judges are loathe to contradict jury verficts.

Everyone knows juries make mistakes, occasionaly egregious ones, but saying so publicly threatens to call in to question the entire jury system. Nobody wants to do that; instead, appellate courts bend over backwards to "prove" the jury was right or their mistakes were inconsequential.

In my friend's office, they only appeal those cases where the errors are obvious and the injustice severe. Still, if they win a reversal in one out of ten appeals, they consider themselves lucky.

believe09 said:

So I have been meaning to post here since I watched the 48 hours show-I knew nothing of the case although I realize it has been followed here for quite some time. It was eye opening-I mean words cannot adequately capture how stunned I was by this case. I am heartened to hear there is DNA available that clearly does not match any of the boys. Uh, men.

Someone is walking around having done this-and my first thought when I watched the show was stepdad only because he was the last to see his step son and he did not call Mom while she was working to say he had not come home. I can envision many scenarios that might have led to their deaths...possibly at his hands. What an incredibly tragic event.

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Um with all due respect, I'd be very careful of believing anything on 48 Hours. The reason I say this is I know of a few cases they have profiled where their information was mostly incorrect...it's not like they investigate a case. I also find it impossible to believe that Johnny Depp investigated this case.

In saying that, I know nothing about this case but what I've seen on tv. I don't know if they are guilty or innocent...but that Damien has a long history of mental illness and violence. None of that was brought out in the 48 hours program. Nor does Miskelly sound like he has the intelligence of a five=year old. He seemed pretty intelligent and articulate to me.

In reference to Johnny Depp investigating the case...I think its highly possible. I know that he has been out spoken on the innocence of the WMT. Ill look for a link.....

cami said:

Um with all due respect, I'd be very careful of believing anything on 48 Hours. The reason I say this is I know of a few cases they have profiled where their information was mostly incorrect...it's not like they investigate a case. I also find it impossible to believe that Johnny Depp investigated this case.

In saying that, I know nothing about this case but what I've seen on tv. I don't know if they are guilty or innocent...but that Damien has a long history of mental illness and violence. None of that was brought out in the 48 hours program. Nor does Miskelly sound like he has the intelligence of a five=year old. He seemed pretty intelligent and articulate to me.

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Hey Cami, Long Time No Hear!! Anyhow, yes Johnny Depp has been following and investigating the WM3 case for years. As you have told me numerous times about Darlie, follow the evidence. Read the transcripts, watch Paradise Lost 1&2, read the Devil's Knot, etc. All quite intriguing to say the least... Take Care!!! Ann :twocents: :innocent:

annkitty0630 said:

Hey Cami, Long Time No Hear!! Anyhow, yes Johnny Depp has been following and investigating the WM3 case for years. As you have told me numerous times about Darlie, follow the evidence. Read the transcripts, watch Paradise Lost 1&2, read the Devil's Knot, etc. All quite intriguing to say the least... Take Care!!! Ann :twocents: :innocent:

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I've read DK and the Blood of Innocents and I've seen PL 1&2. I still don't have an opinion dear Annie because they are all defence driven. I like to hear/read both sides before I make up my mind.

Where are the trial transcripts?

Yes, I can see that he would follow the case but how much time has he spent investigating it? Or has he just listened to the defence?

If you can point me to the trial transcripts, I'd greatly appreciate it.

Take care, sweetie pie.

the seeker said:

In reference to Johnny Depp investigating the case...I think its highly possible. I know that he has been out spoken on the innocence of the WMT. Ill look for a link.....

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Well I know he has too, but how much time has he spent studying the trial transcripts and the evidence? Has he spent time with both sides...prosecution and defence?

cami said:

I've read DK and the Blood of Innocents and I've seen PL 1&2. I still don't have an opinion dear Annie because they are all defence driven. I like to hear/read both sides before I make up my mind.

Where are the trial transcripts?

Yes, I can see that he would follow the case but how much time has he spent investigating it? Or has he just listened to the defence?

If you can point me to the trial transcripts, I'd greatly appreciate it.

Take care, sweetie pie.

Click to expand...

Here is a link to the trial transcripts

http://callahan.8k.com/custom2.html

48 Hours is a hack job. Sorry. I don't believe anything they do. Not after working with them on the JonBenet Ramsey/John Karr fiasco.

The producer (the one who tried to blackmail David Letterman) was so difficult to work with. Not nice at all.

I won't go into the details but I will say I found 48 hours to be interested in what sells and not the truth at all. Truth meant nothing to them in my situation and I swear to you I am not exaggerating nor am I embellishing. It was shocking.

Now, that was just one producer and maybe the others are OK.

From everything I have read about the West Memphis 3 it appears they were railroaded.

My heart tells me they are 100 percent innocent and so far the evidence suggest it too.