As many of you know, I have been watching the news, praying for and supporting the West Memphis Three for many years. I think I first heard about their case in my first year of criminology back at Douglas College when we were learning about coereced confessions.
I digress....today a bit of good news!
The state's highest court has scheduled oral arguments in Damien Echols' appeal for Sept. 30, 2010.
This comes a day after Gov. Mike Beebe appointed special justice Jeff Priebe to consider the appeal of the Damien Echols, who along with Jason Baldwin and Jessie Misskelley, were convicted of killing three boys in 1993 in West Memphis.
According to legal papers the Arkansas Supreme Court will consider, DNA testing and other powerful forensic evidence - combined with compelling evidence that the original jury foreman engaged in blatant misconduct that contributed to the jury's decision, proves that Echols was wrongfully convicted of murder.
National legal organizations, including the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (NACDL) and the Center on Wrongful Convictions at Northwestern University School of Law, have filed amicus briefs with the court. The University of Arkansas Law Review recently published a journal article asking the Supreme Court to overturn the convictions of Echols, Baldwin and Misskelley.
Lorri Davis, founder of Arkansas Take Action, said,"Damien Echols is innocent, as are Jason Baldwin and Jessie Misskelley. We are pleased that court has set a date for oral arguments and we trust that the justices of the highest court in Arkansas will thoroughly review the new evidence and innocence claims of Damien Echols. We are hopeful that they will overturn his conviction and free an innocent man."
Yay!!!
I have spent many hours pouring over the evidence etc that is public record and reading the various papers etc put out by experts and novices alike, and it still astounds me to this day that three people can be convicted without a single piece of evidence and despite evidence that doesn't match any of the accused!!
I won't preach, but it you want to know about it, I will gladly tell you all about the case!
I do invite you to read for yourself and join me in praying for the new Judge to hear the evidence and to rule based on that and not follow in Judge Burnettes footsteps and not overturn the convictions just to keep face.
Thanks
Tara
I digress....today a bit of good news!
The state's highest court has scheduled oral arguments in Damien Echols' appeal for Sept. 30, 2010.
This comes a day after Gov. Mike Beebe appointed special justice Jeff Priebe to consider the appeal of the Damien Echols, who along with Jason Baldwin and Jessie Misskelley, were convicted of killing three boys in 1993 in West Memphis.
According to legal papers the Arkansas Supreme Court will consider, DNA testing and other powerful forensic evidence - combined with compelling evidence that the original jury foreman engaged in blatant misconduct that contributed to the jury's decision, proves that Echols was wrongfully convicted of murder.
National legal organizations, including the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (NACDL) and the Center on Wrongful Convictions at Northwestern University School of Law, have filed amicus briefs with the court. The University of Arkansas Law Review recently published a journal article asking the Supreme Court to overturn the convictions of Echols, Baldwin and Misskelley.
Lorri Davis, founder of Arkansas Take Action, said,"Damien Echols is innocent, as are Jason Baldwin and Jessie Misskelley. We are pleased that court has set a date for oral arguments and we trust that the justices of the highest court in Arkansas will thoroughly review the new evidence and innocence claims of Damien Echols. We are hopeful that they will overturn his conviction and free an innocent man."
Yay!!!
I have spent many hours pouring over the evidence etc that is public record and reading the various papers etc put out by experts and novices alike, and it still astounds me to this day that three people can be convicted without a single piece of evidence and despite evidence that doesn't match any of the accused!!
I won't preach, but it you want to know about it, I will gladly tell you all about the case!
I do invite you to read for yourself and join me in praying for the new Judge to hear the evidence and to rule based on that and not follow in Judge Burnettes footsteps and not overturn the convictions just to keep face.
Thanks
Tara
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