Talk:West Memphis Three

Lost Evidence Found

The article should be updated to acknowledge the recent claim that the lost evidence has been found at the West Memphis Police Department. --WERcndwsk12 (talk) 01:14, 28 December 2021 (UTC)

It should also include info from this one.https://neareport.com/2022/08/19/west-memphis-three-still-seek-justice-11-years-after-their-release-from-prison/ --Shktriib1 (talk) 18:36, 29 August 2022 (UTC)

References

Unreal

Just curious why this wiki shows the clearly defined and individualized images of the ‘assailants’ yet no images of the victims connected to their bios.

1. shamefulwikipedia

2001:56A:7DAA:F500:C164:67DF:2BA6:3EC2 (talk) 09:54, 18 March 2024 (UTC)

Wikipedia can only display images that are not copyrighted, or otherwise permitted to be published here, per an image use policy. Do you have any such images? —ADavidB 13:18, 18 March 2024 (UTC)

Dispute: "No Physical Evidence" Claim in Article

I've noticed a significant inaccuracy in the article regarding the claim that "No physical evidence connected Echols, Baldwin or Misskelley to the crime." This statement is currently supported by six references, but none of them provide a basis for asserting that there was no physical evidence whatsoever.

Evidence Presented at Trial

In fact, there was physical evidence presented during the trials, specifically fiber evidence that linked fibers found at the crime scene to items in the homes of Damien Echols and Jason Baldwin. The evidence included:

• Green fibers that matched a shirt found in Damien Echols' home.
• A red rayon fiber that was linked to an item in Jason Baldwin's home.

While it may be argued that this evidence was weak or inconclusive, it was nevertheless physical evidence that was considered by the jury.

Additional Potential Evidence

Moreover, additional items were cited as potentially linking the suspects to the crime, including:

• The lake knife, retrieved from behind Jason Baldwin's home.
• Wax residue, found near the crime scene.
• DNA from a pendant worn by Damien Echols, which was consistent with DNA from one of the victims (though not conclusive).

Proposal for Edit

I believe it is misleading to claim categorically that "no physical evidence" connected the defendants to the crime. I propose that this statement be amended to accurately reflect the facts presented at trial. For example:

"Physical evidence, including fiber matches and other exhibits, was presented during the trial that the prosecution argued linked Echols and Baldwin to the crime."

Supporting Sources

1. The Trials of the West Memphis Three:

"Devil's Knot: The True Story of the West Memphis Three" by Mara Leveritt provides detailed information on the fiber evidence and the lake knife. The fibers were described as having similar colors and types to fibers found in the homes of Echols and Baldwin. This book provides a well-researched summary of the evidence used by the prosecution.

2. Trial Transcripts:

The trial transcripts from Echols and Baldwin's trial reference the fiber evidence and other exhibits presented by the prosecution. These transcripts are available at Callahan's WM3 Archive, which contains complete records of the trial proceedings. Specific references to the fiber matches can be found in the trial testimony of prosecution experts.

3. The Lake Knife Evidence:

The knife retrieved from the lake behind Jason Baldwin's home was considered during the investigation, although it was not introduced as a definitive link during the trial. Its discovery and context were presented by the prosecution, and Leveritt discusses this in "Devil's Knot."

4. DNA on Pendant:

Leveritt also discusses the pendant worn by Damien Echols, which had DNA consistent with one of the victims. Although the match wasn't considered definitive proof, it still represents potential evidence relevant to the investigation and trial narrative.

5. News Coverage of the Trial:

Contemporary news coverage of the trial also provides details on the evidence presented, including coverage by The Commercial Appeal (a Memphis-based newspaper). Articles from the time summarize key aspects of the prosecution's case, including the fiber evidence and other physical items presented to the jury. These sources can be valuable for understanding how the evidence was portrayed to the public and considered during the trial.

I welcome feedback and discussion on how best to revise this statement to more accurately reflect the facts presented during the trials. MiamiManny (talk) 04:59, 3 October 2024 (UTC)

None of the secondary sources say physical evidence linked the 3 to the crime. They say the direct opposite.

Wikipedia is written from reliable secondary sources. In your post there is not even one reference to a reliable secondary source that denies what the RS cited in the article say. Leveritt agrees that the ostensible fibre evidence does not tie them to the crime. The sentence in the article does not state that there was "no physical evidence whatsoever". It states that there is no physical evidence that connects the three to the crime. What do reliable sources say?

Blume, John H.; Helm, Rebecca K. (November 2014). "The Unexonerated: Factually Innocent Defendants Who Plead Guilty". Cornell Law Review. 100 (1). Ithaca: Cornell Law School: 157–192.

In fact, no physical evidence had ever been discovered linking the three alleged perpetrators to the crime.

"West Memphis Three". Encyclopædia Britannica. Chicago: Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

All three were arrested in June 1993, though no physical evidence connected them to the crime and each had alibis.

Dewan, Shaila (October 30, 2007). "Defense Offers New Evidence in a Murder Case That Shocked Arkansas". The New York Times.

Two of the men, Jason Baldwin and Jessie Misskelley, are serving life in prison, while one, Damien W. Echols, is on death row. There was no physical evidence linking the teenagers, now known as the West Memphis 3, to the crime.

Monroe, Rachel (September 26, 2018). "Damien Echols and the Secrets of Magick". The New York Times.

They were pentagram-doodling, Metallica-listening nonconformists in their Bible Belt community, and they were charged despite the lack of any physical evidence tying them to the crime scene and a dozen witnesses placing them elsewhere.

Dunne, Carey (October 27, 2018). "Magick 'Saved My Life': the Former Death Row Inmate Turned Warlock". The Guardian. London: Guardian Media Group.

In their search for suspects, the town labeled Damien and his two metalhead friends “Satanists” and accused them of killing the boys in a ritual sacrifice. No physical evidence tied the three teenagers to the brutal murders.

Cambial — foliar❧ 05:17, 3 October 2024 (UTC)