By Zorianna Kit | Reuters – Sun, Jan 22, 2012 Related Content
Enlarge PhotoDamien Echols, producer and subject of the documentary film "West of Memphis," poses …
PARK CITY, Utah (Reuters) - Damien Echols was just a teenager when he and his two friends were tried and convicted of the murder of three young boys in West Memphis, Arkansas in 1993, a case that became known as the West Memphis Three.Echols, along with fellow teens Jason Baldwin and Jessie Misskelley, are thought by some to be innocent of the crime and over the years, several documentaries have been made about them. Support from "Lord of the Rings" director Peter Jackson and other celebrities has helped raise awareness of their case.
Echols, Baldwin and Misskelley were released from prison last August in a legal maneuver known as an "Alford Plea," whereby the men plead guilty in their own best interest while asserting innocence.
Now their case is the subject of a documentary, "West of Memphis," produced by Jackson, his wife Fran Walsh, along with Echols and his wife, Lorri Davis. The movie looks at their case, interviews them in jail and tracks them after leaving prison.
Over the weekend at the Sundance Film Festival for the world premiere of the film, Echols, now 37-years-old, sat down with Reuters to talk about the documentary, his old life on death row and what his newfound freedom has been like.
Q: When Peter Jackson began officially funding your defense in 2006, did you secretly wish this big-time filmmaker would make a documentary to bring more attention to the case?
A: "I didn't really think of that. One, I was too busy just trying to survive day to day in the environment that I was in. Also we had a lot of high-profile supporters and friends that have helped us over the years who chose to publicly stay behind the scenes. I thought perhaps that would have been the same in this case, but Peter and Fran both were extremely hands on. It's not like they just threw money at it and walked off. They were involved in every single step of the process from forensic testing to hiring investigators to come in and talk to the witnesses. So that's really all I was thinking about at the time. The first priority for us, and for them, was always the case. The film is the icing on the cake."
Q: In the documentary, you say your case is nothing out of the ordinary. It happens all the time. Why do you think the media spotlight shined on you three?
A: "I think it was because of the outrageousness of the claims the prosecution made in the beginning. They brought a lot of attention on the case with all the claims of satanic cults and orgies and all this sort of thing. That made people want to see what was going on in the case. In that way, their own strategy sort of backfired on them in the end."
Q: You were on death row and in solitary confinement, with only one hour out per day. How did that impact the filming?
A: "Whenever (director) Amy (Berg) came in, they told her she had one hour to do her interview. And they stood there and timed her. And as soon as an hour was up, they ran her out."
Q: And only one hour out a day out of solitary confinement?
A: "Well they say you get one hour out, but basically I was in a super maximum security prison. So what that means is for the hour out, they take you out of your cell and put you in another cell. So I wasn't outside at all in somewhere between 8 to 10 years."
Q: Any health issues as a result of that ?
A: "I'm slowly recovering due to better nutrition now, being able to get proper exercise and fresh air and things like that. But one of the things that was really damaged was my eyesight due to the fact of not having any natural light and not being able to see anything at a distance. It caused tremendous damage to my eyes."
Q: Are you getting any care now?
A: "Since I've been out we've been seeing doctors and dentists and trying to get me back to semi-normal. I had a lot of nerve damage in my teeth just from being beaten by prison guards. There's almost no dental care in prison. They don't do crowns or root canals or anything like that. If you're in pain, either you live in pain or you let 'em pull your teeth out."
Q: How do you move on? Is it even possible?
A: "I would like to do things, accomplish things that stand on their own merits. I don't mind having to talk about this stuff now. But at the same time I don't always want to be known for the rest of my life, as when my name comes up it being synonymous with, 'oh yeah, that's that guy who used to be on death row.' I want to do things in the art world and in the literary world that stand on their own merits, that aren't there just because of the freak show appeal."
Q: You've been out of jail for four months, and you've already taken a trip to Australia to visit Peter and Fran. Now you're at a film festival surrounded by snow!
A: "I haven't had it in almost 20 years now. It's one of the things that I absolutely missed the most. When I was sitting in that prison cell, I would think about how great it would be to see snow again. And now it finally happened."
Q: What are your plans for the future as husband and wife?
A: "Just to keep living, moving forward. Try to continue to grow as people and as a couple. And try to do whatever we can to bring more magic into our lives."
(Reporting By Zorianna Kit; Editing by Bob Tourtellotte)
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fed up • Wichita, Kansas • 3 days ago I think they have a good idea , terry hobbs . susu • 2 days 8 hrs ago I worked in Memphis when this happened and I was physically ill. I could not read any articles about the case and never looked at pictures of the little boys for years. I had a son and two stepsons the same ages as the victims and they used to ride their bikes in the woods too. It hit so close to home. I believed the West Memphis Three were guilty just like everyone else, but have come to believe that the stepfather of Steven Branch is guilty. I am so glad these men have been vindicated and hope they have a long and happy life. Ellen • Bismarck, Arkansas • 8 hrs ago I feel that these Guys deserve a life. They have suffered enough for something they didn't do. Finding the real Killer, which they already know who that is.. Put all feelings aside and look at the evidence, Then make your judgment. Until then Keep the negativity to yourself. U.S. Intelligence • 21 hrs ago Alford plea terminates their ability to seek compensation in the event of another suspect being guilty, or DNA ( or any new science ) proving that they were not guilty. Dragonfly8 • 3 days ago The prosecution and jury were pathetic in this case. The self-proclaimed expert on occult matters was pathetic. These boys were railroaded even though evidence showed them to be nowhere near the boys at the time of the murders. The one boy's stepfather was seen with all three kids even though he told the cops that he was someplace else, and the eyewitness didn't say that she saw them at the time, assuming that the police already knew. Family members of the victims now say that someone else murdered them. The "mutilations" were later determined to be from animals, not from ritual abuse. thechurchofdave • Branson, Missouri • 3 hrs ago This is why the death penalty cannot go on in this country. An by the way, I have been dead twice. It's not a punishment. It's nothing. It's like sleep without time or dreams. I have played prisoners in bad movies and been locked in cells for short times though. THAT is a punishment. Just think of all the people who demanded this guy be killed by the government. Swearing he is some Satan worshiping comic book villain. I live in a small town right now (not for long though) I came in from a big city to make sure I was near my kids during their teenage years. When I came to this 1 horse, 8 church town immediately, that I was a Satan worshiper because some little old lady with bad eyesight thought I had a pentagram tattooed on me.
Two things you don't trust with the power to destroy lives. Governments and religious people.
larjen48 • Madison, Wisconsin • 5 hrs ago Kind of reminds me of the time when day care centers around the country were accusing people of molesting children. Lots of people went to prison for things they didn't do because their own kids and others accused them of molestation and the prosecutors went wild with all kinds of lies to convict them MommaShutterBug • 10 hrs ago after following this case for many years and strongly believing in their guilt, since new evidence has emerged and YOU cannot take a confession of someone who has an iq of a 10 yr old and convict 3 people, I believe they are innocent, arkansas country bumpkin cops didnt know how to do their jobs so they pinned it on the ones who looked the oddest.
Also in the agreement of their release, arkansas forces them into a CANNOT sue agreement, hmmmm
Judith V • San Diego, California • 20 hrs ago Here in Escondido, California, a similiar case occured about 15 years ago. A little 12 year old girl was murdered in her bedroom, and the Police were convinved right away that her 14 year old brother and his friends did it. The Police grilled these kids for HOURS, without lawyers or their parents present. Eventually, the kids "confessed", as they were lied to about evidence and put under such duress. Police ignored a mentally ill prowler named Richard Tuite. He was a drug-addicted transient suffering from severe mental illness and was the subject of two 911 calls from neighbors in the hours before the killing. He was knocking on doors and peering through windows of homes in the neighborhood. After the girls body was discovered, police located Tuite near a laundromat, questioned him briefly and confiscated his clothing. The kids spent 6 months in jail, and were headed to a trial, but the case against the kids was thrown out, because they FINALLY tested the clothes worn by the transient and found the girls blood on his sweatshirt. They didn't even bring that guy to trial for YEARS. Those young kids went through hell because the police woudn't admit they were wrong. Escondido detectives focused on the kids because they could not face the fact that they failed to catch a transient -- a more likely killer -- after TWO neighbors called 911 to report him.
The poor family had their daughter murdered, and then their son falsely accused and put in jail. It was horrible. They ended up getiting a HUGE settlement (after 13 years!!), but he Police never admitted that what they did was wrong. The little girl's name was Stephanie Crowe. You can look it up.
Sometimes the legal system just sucks.
fed up • Wichita, Kansas • 3 days ago To Diana, Have you seen the investigation interviews with terry hobbs, he cant determine where he was during the time of the murders, he says he wasnt with the three boys , but witnesses seen him with them before the murders, there is DNA on the bodies his hair, and the only dna at that, not echols, misskelly or baldwin do you understand that there is NO dna of the three accused , and the fact that hobbs and his wife where having problems like adultry on her part and he was mad, so dont think you know the three did it. you are WRONG and the fact that you are getting angry with me telling you that you are WRONG shows me how stupid you are , shut your stupid mouth you have no clue what your talking about. Katya • Chicago, Illinois • 3 days ago These poor boys.. (well they're men now). I watched their documentaries last week and just felt so sad for them. I feel like they were singled out because they wore black and came from poor families. The people in that town should feel pretty guilty now for saying the things they did about them. But it looks like they're all doing pretty well now despite everything they've been through. I wish them all the best. Anthony • Chicago, Illinois • 3 days ago "I think its easier for people to believe that blood-thirsty satan worshippers are out killing children, than it is to believe that parents are actually killing their own kids" - Alice Cooper.Three innocent kids went to death row because they were metalheads, all the evidence points to the boys stepfather.
Claudia • 3 days ago The judge, hickville cops and prosecutors best hope they live forever, 'cuz they will pay for what they did to these young men on the Other Side. I don't know how any of the people responsible for sending these kids to prison can sleep at night. All I have to say is THEIR judgement day will come and it won't be pretty. They best be begging God for forgiveness now. And should beg Ecols, Baldwin and MIskelley as well. Shame on them! Meanwhille, what's happening with the REAL killer(s) of those little boys? StephenC • Dallas, Texas • 3 days ago I have long believed that these 3 were used as scapegoats. People need to watch the original documentaries, Paradise Lost 1 and 2 and take a look at the step father of one of the boys. That man is unstable and should be a prime suspect. One or two of the parents of the murdered boys have come to believe that the West Memphis 3 were innocent. That speaks volumes. Suave • Little Rock, Arkansas • 2 days 23 hrs ago Peter Jackson is a hero. If he didn't spend that money, Echols could have been executed.... fed up • Wichita, Kansas • 3 days ago they didnt hurt animals , that was made up to say there was some kind of satan act which there wasnt christ people are stupid TEATARD HERO • 4 days ago Sometimes justice actually prevails, but only sometimes. Greaseman • 3 days ago We often make fun of "third world countries" that try and convict people over nonsense like witchcraft, yet this kind of crap goes on in our own backyard. The entire South is still third world. fed up • Wichita, Kansas • 3 days ago To the idiot who called these guys monsters , watch the paradise lost shows look at the evidence , its obvious they didnt do it , it takes an idiot to say they did it . Guarding One Percenters • 2 days 18 hrs ago "Hey fellas, this here boy's got 'em some long hair and tattoos, shirely he done keelt dem youngin's. Git 'em!" More Post a comment [[ [['Dekraai', 10]], 'http://news.yahoo.com/photos/mourners-remember-seal-beach-shooting-victims-1318620627-slideshow/', 'Click image to see more photos', 'http://l.yimg.com/a/p/us/news/editorial/3/2c/32c8e92d889f42edb719cb5257afdf4e.jpeg', '461', ' ', 'Reuters/Lori Shepler',],[ [['iPhone 4SXXXXXXX', 11]], 'http://news.yahoo.com/photos/thousands-line-up-for-apple-s-iphone-4s-1318602841-slideshow/', 'Click image to see more photos', 'http://l.yimg.com/a/p/us/news/editorial/f/4f/f4f15e8f6f323f5386dc9fdf9e15dca8.jpeg', '500', ' ', 'AP/Kirsty Wigglesworth',]][ [ [['xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx', 11]], '27013743', '0'],[ [['keyword', 9999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999]], 'videoID', '1', 'overwrite-pre-description', 'overwrite-link-string', 'overwrite-link-url' ]] You on Yahoo! News Your Activity |Social: OFFON Turn Social ONRemind me when I share|Options What is this?Not you? Log out of FacebookHow to remove this experienceLogin with FacebookNews For YouItaly ship captain "wasted precious hour"Drew Carey & Fiancee Call Off EngagementMom Who Lost Kids, Parents in Christmas Fire Attempted Suicide: ReportBrad Pitt Marrying Angelina and Having More KidsShock Over 10th U.S. President’s Grandsons Still LivingMan gets car ban after 4 children found in trunkBill Would Ban Aborted Fetuses in FoodBrewer says she meant no disrespect toward ObamaNASA's 'impossibly beautiful' photo of EarthPelosi: Gingrich Will ‘Never’ Be President, ‘There Is Something I Know’Loading... Entertainment News »
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