15 Years after the Robin Hood Hills Murders, 2 of the 3 West Memphis Three May Have New Trial
Posted by KindraLore on September 27, 2008
The West Memphis Three
Monday morning the trial will continue to determine if 2 of the West Memphis Three will get a new trial. Jessie Misskelley and Jason Baldwin are trying to prove they deserve new trials due to ineffective counsel when they were convicted in 1994 of murdering three eight-year-old-boys in West Memphis.
Victims of the Robin Hood Hill Murders
I have blogged about this case once before here and I will tell you that beyond a shadow of a doubt do I believe that Misskelley, Balwin and Damien Echols are all innocent in what essentially became a witch hunt with no proof of evidence to convict these boys of such a hennas crime.
On May 5, 1993 three 8-year-old boys were reported missing; Steve Branch, Christopher Byers and Michael Moore. The boys were last seen together entering Robin Hood Hills area of West Memphis, Arkansas around 6:00PM. The next day the bodies of all three boys would be found near a creek. They had all been stripped naked, hog-tied with their own shoelaces and killed.
All of the boys had been severely beaten in their face and head and the Byers boy had a fractured skull. He seemed to be targeted the most because he also had deep lacerations and injuries to his private areas. Eventually it was found that some of the wounds may have been credited to animals after the child was deceased.
Much controversy surrounds this case in that three Memphis teenagers were tried and convicted on little or no evidence (and mainly because of their Goth style look).
More recently, new DNA evidence points to Steve Branch’s father, Terry Hobbs.
“The new DNA evidence is that one hair that was found in the ligature of the shoelaces that bound Michael Moore is consistent with the DNA of Terry Hobbs, who is the father of Stevie Branch,” Lax told CNN.
He continued: “Another hair that had been found at the crime scene, which had been unidentified for all these years, has just recently been tested. And the DNA on that hair is consistent with the DNA of David Jacoby. David Jacoby is a good friend or was a good friend of Terry Hobbs, and Terry Hobbs was at his house just that afternoon and evening.”
Also, now the parents of some of the boys also back The West Memphis Three.
Pam Hobbs, Stevie Branch’s mother is now in support of a new trial for the West Memphis 3 and publicly states her ex husband Terry Hobbs may have something to do with the murders.
“Do you think honestly in your heart that he might have had something to do with this,” I asked. “Honestly in my heart…I have to be honest. Possibly,” replied Pam Hobbs.
(Mark Byers, Victim Chris Byers’ Father) “I believe this is going to be made right. I do not believe Damien Echols will get the death penalty. I believe Jason and Jessie will walk free.”
The trial will resume on Monday.
News Articles and Sources:
Joe Fish said
Please delete previous post I inserted the wrong web address.
Joe Fish said
For current updates, check the website.
http://www.rugsville.yuku.com
coltonleviclark said
I deleted the first post. Your current link works. Thanks!
Carrie Burrows said
I recently saw both documentaries and I don’t see how their trials could’ve possibly been fair or impartial.
ANNA said
I, TOO, BELIEVE THAT THESE THREE MEN ARE INNOCENT!
fry them all said
you all are so blind
fry them all said
before you say and ignorant statement like they are innocent look at all the facts, just dont watch the movies that are partial to the tree. if you did your research how would you explain damien failing his polygraph. not to mention when jessie made a taped confession while his lawyer stidham was there and urged him not to make the statement but he did anyways, and if you read the transcript of the statement you will know that he was way to detailed to make something like that up. he went into great detail. it sounded nothing like a story at all and was to detailed to be coerced by police. as a matter of fact it was almost to a tee of the confession he made in the police car before he was questioned. this is why they will never get out. they are guilty as hell. do more research and you will see. btw if you did your reaserch you would also know damien just about confessed after the polygraph but then didnt after talking to his mom.
NIGHTMARE said
Interesting, new, hair, DNA evidence just analyzed from the crime scene, but simply that may have been transfer DNA from the boy’s body and his clothing before having been disrobed and such coming from the home the boy had lived in. Most likely all of the other DNA evidence (including blood) was probably washed down the stream, mostly, if not consumed some by Baldwin and Echols. I believe the master mind, Echols, was wise and well-read enough to have known not to leave incriminating evidence behind and that he always had complete control over the other two subordinate partners (not as intelligent), all playing a fantasy game of being in hell and being satin himself (Echols) – this all just for the fun of it and to relieve Echol’s depression. Who knows, Echols may have planted that DNA evidence, himself. I watched and then listened to the confession of Jessie Misskelley (Paradise Lost-Child Murders At Robin Hood Hills) and that is enough for me to believe justice was served in the convictions of all three teenagers. However, as much as Ted Bundy got the death sentence, so should Echols. I also believe Echol’s girlfriend was and is well aware of the complete crime but chooses to live in denial (that’s a death sentence in itself – the pictures of those innocent young boys coming back to haunt her, time and time, again). She should do what is right and start all over again, but this time without the nightmares. She knows what she must do so she can have a real life! No more being a foolish, young girl. No more being a dupe of “Wayne” – Damien Echols. We, then, and the spirit of life and truth, can honestly forgive her and raise her above others as a true hero.
britishpaws said
fry them all, after reading the crimelibrary report, watching news coverage and several videos, I am convinced they are innocent… you have not done your research properly, in the case of Joe Smith killing Carlie, his own brother turned him in, how Echols ex girlfriend could keep quiet is improbable, that she has a child by him, and stood by him during the trial proves innocence. The 3 young boys own parents believe in Echols, Misskelly and Baldwin’s innocence.
willit said
I think this whole thing is really sad. It does say something that some of the parents doubt their guilt. As far as a confession always being the truth, that can be very far from the truth, that also goes for polygraphs. I have seen someone pass one who has no way of knowing how to pass one or anything done by the FBI, then go to the police station and they claimed that the flunked and the FBI even said that the police were lying, but that a polygraph isn’t valid in court. People who are “slow.” or have some type of mental handicap can easily be convinced to admit to doing anything, and trained to say whatever someone wants. Adolescents and young children especially. I don’t know how many times I’ve read where police have gotten an adult to confess to something false, let alone a youngster or mentally handicapped person. I for one, have seen it first hand in action. I have a cousin who, at the time was around 35, but has the understanding of maybe an 8 year old. A local officer snatched him up and took him into a police station, and told him he was recording him and knew that he stole something that was incredibly large and impossible for any one man to steal by himself. He questioned him without any guardian there, or lawyer which is illegal. It was later found out that he was coaching him as to what to say he took, the events that led up to it, everything. The officer never once notified any of the family that he had taken him into custody or anything, until after he had taken him in and coached him. They took him to jail, and we would have never found out from that officer or police department, being that they never notified anyone although they knew that he was handicapped and had a guardian. The policeman even wrote a confession for him, told him that if he signed it that he would let him go, etc. Of course, my cousin believed it, he’s trusting and he doesn’t understand much. He can’t read or write, he goes to classes and training but his understanding can only go so far. Once it went to trial and it was proven that the officer violated his rights and coached a confession, then the charges were dropped. However, it cost money, time, lots of worry and headaches. We were later told that they were looking for an excuse to get rid of him and have him put in jail because they didn’t like him and his friends walking around town horsing around, etc. I don’t know what the truth is in this case, but maybe if things were handled correctly by the law, it wouldn’t be up for debate now. I think it’s horrible any time a life is taken, especially children. Hopefully, whatever the truth is, it will be found in this lifetime and the people who love those children can finally have definite answers.
Galen said
This is what happens when sensationalist journalism gets desparate and produces a mockumentary of a trial and its proceedings. If there had been a basis for a retrial, it would not have taken 15 years to come about. The source of all this “new evidence” is none other than the very agenda seekers looking to free these boys. Amazing that two went quietly to prison, while the other, Jessie, repeatedly voiced remorse for his involvement in the boys’ death. HBO makes a mockumentary, and every agend driven hooligan jumps on the conjecture they broadcast as truth, seeking a goal even these three boys knew was a waste of time when they were convicted.
Bethany said
I believe these boys are innocent!!!!!!!!! It is disgusting to see these three kids on trial for capital murder where there is NOTHING linking them to the murders! It is all speculation! PURELY! And to be judged about ones clothes/music and natural curiosities of cultic religions? LOL How incredibly stupid!!!!!! Kids, especially teenagers, go through all of these phases, learning about life and the strange, scary world around them. HELLO!!!!! Believe it or not, they can also go through rebellious phases!!! Go figure!
I, even as an adult, am curious about some of the cult stuff from a religious point of view as a Christian!!!!!! LOL! AND my sister is into Wiccan and there is NOTHING in her books and books and books upon books that deals with any kind of human sacrifices!!! Damien does know what he is talking about when he says that Wiccan is based on nature! Not human sacrifices, but life! I don’t believe in Wiccan theology, but do know something about it since I have my sister who practices it.
It was and is so rediculous and sickening that these kids truly received no justice…there weren’t just THREE victims, there were six…seven if you want to count that fatherless little boy of Damiens — not to mention that mom and all the parents of all of these kids — the innocent parents, anyway (reference to the freakish stepdad who gives me the creepy crawlies – HELLO!!! He couldn’t have looked more guiltier if you caught him red handed holding that pocket knife that they found blood evidence on — which, let me remind those who have forgotten, had his and Christopher’s same blood-type DNA on it!!!! What a freaking sicko!!). Oh it is sickening.
And isn’t it just lovely and completely coincidental how they lost some of the blood evidence and the cop even admits to it??? Why aren’t they framing the cop, then, for these murders? He tampered and lost evidence that was crucial to this case!!! I am sure he was pardoned with not even a slap on the hand for screwing that up. It makes me mad.
I think we should be mad. Our court system SUCKS! It is all about money, predjudism, stereo-typing and games…not about justice. This was yet another example of how great it works. Truly.
I haven’t gone to law school but I feel I could have even defended those boys better than their attorneys did!
I pray that these three boys are found not guilty and I pray that justice is had for the three little 8 year old boys!!!!
Bethany said
Go ahead and think whatever it is you want to about ‘mockumentaries’. Put all of your faith into what you believe is our justice system. Do you really think it is fool proof? “Mockumentaries” as you so call them, may pettition for one side more than the other, but it is nice to get a different perspective on a story — maybe one that wasn’t revealed so much on the news (thank God for the freedom of speech act) — which, in my humble opinion, can be worse than these “mockumentaries” you are so quick to discount. The media will display anything they want to, to get the ratings. It is TV! You shouldn’t expect anything less!
Plus, I think and feel and believe that some documentaries do a good job supporting their POV with facts. The one I saw on this case I feel had a pretty unbiased POV. It let you get to know both sides pretty well and then left you to make up your own mind. Well, I believe a lot was overlooked in evidence that proved these three boys’ innocence. A lot of judgements based on music, dress, and religious POV’s were made – IMHO, it was based on predjudisms.
Where was the scientific evidence? Well, some mysteriously got lost and some other DNA evidence also matched a stepdad as well as a victim, so we can’t assume anything there. (LOL!!!!!) It was thrown out.
But these kids that stand out in a crowd and listen to rock and roll..yeah! They look like they killed three babies! Lets blame them and wash our hands of this mess and get back to our normal, clean suburbian lives. These kids from the trailer parks here in town are worthless. They don’t contribute to society, don’t play sports. They just walk around town looking creepy. We don’t know what they are up to, we fear the unknown, so lets just get rid of them…we will accuse them of the murders. They are just kids themselves, so they can easily be coerced.
We just will make sure we don’t record or document anything with their signatures on our statements so we aren’t caught blatantly lying. Anyway, how can a lie done by omission really be called a lie? Hmmmm… No, this statement we took of our interview on such and such date with so and so doesn’t have their signature on it stating that what we documented were statements that did fall out of these kids’ mouths!!!
Wouldn’t you also think that if they did, in fact, commit this crime that the other kid who would have lost his life sentence if he testified against his buddies would have done so? I know I would have. I would have felt compelled to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth so help me God! Especially if it meant my freedom! I don’t think he did b/c he knew in his heart of hearts he wouldn’t have been able to live with himself. He knew that they were all innocent, but he had already tried to tell a few lies to get outta this mess they all a sudden found themselves in (and why??? I’de like to know that part of the story!!! How were they EVER tied into it to begin with????) If his buddies were going to suffer, so was he. Loyalty – that is only what you find among friendships you have in childhood anymore…or, in some cases, gangs! You can’t even find that kind of loyalty in most marriages today!!!
No one seems to understand what loyalty, empathy or compassion is anymore in todays’ world…but kids, being a mom of three, re-teach you that. It is something that is easlly lost anymore in today’s society.
I believe that this kid, being still so young and innocent to all of the real harshness of reality and life still felt those feelings and knew what he had to do. There was still one straw left of hope for them….a re-trial…which would have been null and void if he had testified as a witness against his buddies.
A lot of the cases that have been re-opened are only re-opened with substantial reasoning and ruling. New evidence can be found with the advancements in science technology that we have now verses 15 years ago!
Please, before anyone goes spouting off about how stupid it is to reopen a case, imagine you in their shoes if you were innocent! They have a right to a retrial.
erm said
Isn’t the justice system just grand?
Concerned citizen said
NOT ONLY are these boys 100 percent guility,but we have ignorant people like you all that back up their innocence. What is wrong with you? HAVE YOU NOT SEEN THEIR FACES WHEN TALKING ABOUT THIS INNOCEDENT???!!!! apparently you havent or you could never think is such an ingorant manner… where do you get this opinion that the parents no longer think these three boys are guility? because it was written on the internet?? NEWS FLASH,,, ANYONE CAN WRITE ON THE INTERNET!!! just because it says something doesnt mean its true… the one mother may be questioning it but she never said yes i believe my sons father is guility… you people read to far into the wrong information…its very sad theres people like you all out here to think this way, for it is you all that murder’s get away every day… so why dont you take a bow and tell everyone you glad to know everything as you act and congraudate yourselve for being an ignorant minded person that hopes (real) murder’s get away with this AWFUL crimes….give yourselve a good ole slap on the back…
KindraLore said
No need to be condescending.
I believe that most people feel they are innocent because there is not one shred of physical evidence that places any of these young men at the crime scene. Not one shred of evidence that proves they killed these young boys. No motive, no evidence.
What makes a person ignorant because they see no PROOF that the West Memphis 3 committed these heinous crimes?
Concerned citizen said
well,before you go putting information up you be sure to get the facts.and for you, hun no need to be rude either. Everyone has their own opinion. If you allowed to state yours ill be doing the same. Kay thanks…
KindraLore said
The words “ignorant” and “hun” when used in an argument do nothing but discredit any valid point you may make. I have no problem at all with someone expressing their opinion whether I agree or disagree. My point is that I believe we can do that and be respectful of one another.
As far as getting facts before I write about something; everything but the first paragraph (which is my own opinion and this is a blog not a news site so I believe I am entitled to that) is a FACT.
Respectfully,
KindraLore
alak said
damien was young and arrogant when the mockery of a trial took place. at 18 everyone thinks they are omnipotent. he thumbed his nose at authority like many teenagers do. that doesn’t mean he doesn’t deserva a fair trial with an impartial judge and a jury that hasn’t been contaminated. he never thought he’d be convicted because he thought they could not convict him of something he hadn’t done. the whole thing was politics. get the focus off the corrupt police dept, blame some misfits, get the promotions. it’s scary to see what can happen in this country to people of no means and little education. everyone can’t buy a verdict ala oj
Concerned citizen said
okay i’ll agree with you there. Its very sad, but no offence, but these guys were a little off. COuld of been just that they were young who knows. You’ll never know the truth because no one will ever confess. And yes there is many ways around the law, but you know whoever did this will pay someday for the awful things they done. But as well dont go blaming it on other people just because u think these three didnt do it.BTW that wasnt directed to you,just in general if they werent the ones who did it…then it is a shame that, something like this could happen, and i do hope it wasnt them, but its hard to belive watching Damien talk, but as well it could of just been his age.”the boogie man statement.” thats was really ignorant on his part and if im not mistaing,,,that comment was made after the verdict was reached???!! I dont admitt that its very hard to belive that jason baldwin had anything to do with this. hes really didnt even get to have a say in his trail AT ALL!! but damien, wow i really hope that was is ignorant age talking, im the age he was then and i would NEVERRRR say anything so stupid. ESPECIALY IN A MURDER TRIAL!!!!
Bethany said
You also have to understand depression. He was taking medication for chronic depression. I understand it only b/c my husband has chronic depression, too (and he has issues even when he is on his meds). :-/
When one gets to the point where they feel they have nothing left to live for, that there is nothing to lose, no reason to fight anymore and add to it a problem with depression they are going to say things like that. No, it was not a smart thing to say on his part, but I understand why he said it. My heart just went out to him when he said that. I believe he was not only dealing with depression, but also was lost, confused, and scared by all of what was going on.
I believe these three are innocent and my stance on that does not waiver. It disgusts me that the only blood evidence they had was – for whatever reasons, be it politics or whatever – was ignored. It enrages me. I really don’t want to think about what is happening to those guys in prison and how they are now being treated. The documentary says it all. It is sad and disgusting.
This case is yet another example of a very corrupt system.
alak said
i just know from reading transcripts ,etc that the judge was biased, the jury tainted and all the witnesses recanted their testimony or changed it so many times to be totally unbelievable.it bothers me that the actual crime scene has never been found. the ditch was just a dump site. the defense didn’t have money for true experts and the judge should have granted this request.there are funds for that sort of thing.i have no idea who killed these children, but those three convicted never had a fair chance. i remember west memphis at the time and the police were constantly in the headlines for being corrupt and it seemed like people lost their ability to reason. everything was about cults and satanism and people just seemed so eager to accept this explanation instead of a proper investigation .
Bethany said
Exactly.