FREE THE WEST MEMPHIS 3
Feb. 25th, 2010 09:55 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
fanciful_museSome of you may laugh at me for coming in late to the cause, but I say better late than never.
DNA evidence has cleared the West Memphis 3, but the state of Arkansas is stonewalling. You have to ask why...
I remember hearing mention of this case back when it first happened but there was a lot of things going on in my life and I didn't pay it the attention it deserves. I also wasn't a full, practicing Pagan so it didn't impact me on a religious level as much as it does, now; at the same time, I was angry about how the prosecution tried to tie it to Wicca. I do remember hearing enough about it that it looked like the boys were innocent.
Fast-forward to the present, and I hear Johnny Depp, who doesn't lend his name and support lightly, has decided to add his name to the long list of media stars who support the release of the (now) young men. This prompted me to delve further into the case.
First thing I did was obtain, and watch, copies of the two completed documentaries. Despite the lack of DNA capability then, that we have in the present day and age, it was pretty obvious that there was no substantive evidence whatsoever tying the three to the murders. They were convicted purely on religious fear and prejudice.
Since that time, DNA processing has greatly improved, and there were enough evidentiary items preserved to run some competent tests. Well, guess what? A demonstrable LACK of DNA from any of the three convicted proves that they had nothing to do with the murders. Not one shred of DNA, from any of the three, was found on the materials still available.
Now, knowing that DNA has freed countless innocent people swiftly, you'd think that the same would happen with these young men? Hell NO. The state of Arkansas is stonewalling, the judiciary elements involved don't want to hear that they locked up the wrong people for the last 17 years.
That, my friends, is a total and complete miscarriage of justice.
The two websites that apparently have the best access to information are the following:
http://freewestmemphis3.org/
http://www.wm3.org/
Read up on it. Try to obtain, and watch, the two finished docmentaries. Catch yourself up, then spread the word. These men deserve their freedom.
Even John Mark Byers agrees that the wrong men are behind bars.
DNA evidence has cleared the West Memphis 3, but the state of Arkansas is stonewalling. You have to ask why...
I remember hearing mention of this case back when it first happened but there was a lot of things going on in my life and I didn't pay it the attention it deserves. I also wasn't a full, practicing Pagan so it didn't impact me on a religious level as much as it does, now; at the same time, I was angry about how the prosecution tried to tie it to Wicca. I do remember hearing enough about it that it looked like the boys were innocent.
Fast-forward to the present, and I hear Johnny Depp, who doesn't lend his name and support lightly, has decided to add his name to the long list of media stars who support the release of the (now) young men. This prompted me to delve further into the case.
First thing I did was obtain, and watch, copies of the two completed documentaries. Despite the lack of DNA capability then, that we have in the present day and age, it was pretty obvious that there was no substantive evidence whatsoever tying the three to the murders. They were convicted purely on religious fear and prejudice.
Since that time, DNA processing has greatly improved, and there were enough evidentiary items preserved to run some competent tests. Well, guess what? A demonstrable LACK of DNA from any of the three convicted proves that they had nothing to do with the murders. Not one shred of DNA, from any of the three, was found on the materials still available.
Now, knowing that DNA has freed countless innocent people swiftly, you'd think that the same would happen with these young men? Hell NO. The state of Arkansas is stonewalling, the judiciary elements involved don't want to hear that they locked up the wrong people for the last 17 years.
That, my friends, is a total and complete miscarriage of justice.
The two websites that apparently have the best access to information are the following:
http://freewestmemphis3.org/
http://www.wm3.org/
Read up on it. Try to obtain, and watch, the two finished docmentaries. Catch yourself up, then spread the word. These men deserve their freedom.
Even John Mark Byers agrees that the wrong men are behind bars.
