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Obscuregawdess
 Posted:
Mon May 26, 2008 10:07 pm |
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Grisly accusations ignite Baldwin friends, kin
Copyright 1994, The Commercial Appeal
The Commercial Appeal (Memphis)
February 27, 1994, Sunday, Final Edition
SECTION: METRO, Pg. 1B
LENGTH: 1048 words
HEADLINE: Grisly accusations ignite emotions of Baldwin friends, kin
BYLINE: Marc Perrusquia, The Commercial Appeal
DATELINE: MARION, Ark.
BODY:
A yellow ribbon hangs from the front door of Jason Baldwin's
trailer home.
Police swarmed through this rust-pocked trailer one night last
June, confiscating a red bathrobe. Later, they found a knife in a lake
behind the backyard.
Prosecutors this week will try to prove Baldwin, 16, and a
co-defendant murdered three young boys, possibly as part of an occult
ritual.
That allegation still stirs passions at the Lakeshore Estates
trailer park where Baldwin, a shy, artistic teenager with flowing
blond hair, was largely known as a polite and courteous youngster.
''He played with my kids quite a bit,'' said neighbor Pam
Hollingsworth, 40. ''As he was growing up, he never struck me to be no
mean kind of kid.''
People here knew Baldwin as a good student and a well-behaved boy
who owned a slew of snakes, lizards and other exotic pets. He listened
to rock music and liked to hunt and fish.
Yet trouble swirled around him. His mother was temporarily
hospitalized for a mental illness. And a couple years ago Baldwin
befriended a teen named Damien Echols, who spooked neighbors with talk
of killing cats and worshiping the devil.
''I told my son to stay away from him,'' said Larry Baldwin,
Jason's father. ''He (Jason) has always been a good kid in my eyes.
This whole thing just blows me away.''
Baldwin and Echols, 19, are on trial in Jonesboro, Ark., facing
three counts of capital murder for the May 5 deaths of West Memphis
8-year-olds Steve Branch, Michael Moore and Christopher Byers. A jury
was seated last week and testimony is to begin Monday.
A jury earlier this month convicted a third defendant, Jessie
Lloyd Misskelley Jr., 18.
Baldwin's alleged role in the murders is spelled out in statements
Misskelley gave police June 3, leading to their arrests that night.
Baldwin telephoned Misskelley before the murders, telling him
Baldwin and Echols planned to ''hurt some boys,'' Misskelley told
police. In a woods that night, Baldwin and Echols beat and killed the
boys, and Baldwin cut one in the face with a knife, Misskelley said.
''That boy can't even stand the sight of blood,'' said Larry
Baldwin, 38, who said he often went hunting with his sons, Jason and
Matt, 14. Baldwin said his sons were no help when it came to cleaning
the kill. ''Those boys, they'd be squeamish gutting a deer.''
Baldwin's childhood was troubled with family separations. His
parents divorced when he was a young child and his mother, Angela Gail
Grinnell, and stepfather, Terry, recently parted ways.
Larry Baldwin, who lives in central Arkansas, said he and Angela
Gail are second cousins who married in 1977 following a platonic
friendship.
''We really shouldn't have got married,'' Baldwin said. ''I love
her as a friend. (But) she can't handle pressure.''
Under a judge's order, Angela Gail Grinnell was involuntarily
admitted to the East Arkansas Regional Mental Health Center in 1992
for a period not to exceed 45 days, Crittenden County probate records
show.
The Feb. 5, 1992, order cited ''paranoid delusions,'' noting
Grinnell had been seen four times that January in the emergency room
at Crittenden Memorial Hospital where she was treated for
self-inflicted injuries that included razor slashes to her neck and
arms.
Grinnell told authorites she suffered ''hallucinations of a male
voice'' and feared she was dying of AIDS.
Grinnell, 36, a waitress and cashier, had been abusing drugs since
she was a teenager, records said. Efforts to reach her at her trailer
home last week were unsuccessful.
Baldwin was the only one of the three teen defendants who was
still in school at the time of the arrests. A student at Marion High
School, Baldwin sat quietly when students discussed the May 5 murders
of the three boys and the recent suicide of a classmate.
''He just sat there. He never said anything,'' classmate Roni
Hendrix told reporters who gathered outside the West Memphis Municipal
Court building last June 3 when Baldwin, Echols and Misskelley were
arrested. ''He was real quiet.''
At school, Baldwin often wore black boots, a green trench coat and
T-shirts with the logos of heavy-metal bands.
He exhibited artistic skill, drawing pictures of eagles, owls and
other animals. He also drew pictures of snakes, skeletons and macabre
images.
''In my heart of hearts I don't believe he did it. He was always
respectful. He was always, yes ma'am, no ma'am,'' said Lakeshore
resident Kela Marshall, who once babysat Baldwin. ''The only thing I
ever found weird about him was he drew a little skull with a knife in
it,'' she said, saying Baldwin also drew two cats with knives in them
once. ''He could draw pretty good, though.''
Experts in teen experimentation in the occult say sensitive,
artistic teens from troubled homes often are vulnerable to serious
involvement with youngsters practicing their own brand of satanism.
The prosecution has subpoenaed experts on teen satanism and may use
that testimony to explain a motive for the murders.
Baldwin's defense could rely in part on witness accounts that
Echols was seen walking near the crime scene the night of the murders
with his girlfriend Domini Teer, 17. Prosecutors maintain the
witnesses are confusing Teer with Baldwin because both were thin and
had long, light-colored hair.
But defense attorneys have suggested Teer, not Baldwin, was there
that night and that Echols may be protecting his girlfriend. Echols
and Teer lived last year in a trailer not far from Baldwin's home. The
unmarried teen couple has an infant son, Seth.
''I believe Jason's going to take the blame for that girl,'' Pam
Hollingsworth said.
Domini's mother, Dian Teer, rejects the claim, saying her daughter
was home in bed that night.
Larry Baldwin said his son adamantly denies murdering the boys.
''He looked me square in the eye and told me he didn't have
anything to do with it period,'' the elder Baldwin said. ''He told
me he was innocent and he'll be glad when this @#%$ trial is
over.''
http://westmemphisthreediscussion.yuku.com/topic/2634
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"Bratty Mama Leci"
Joined: 02 Aug 2006
Posts: 11490
Location: Kentucky
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| Obscuregawdess
Posted:
Mon May 26, 2008 10:13 pm |
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Misskelley fears prison, weeps, says dad
Copyright 1994, The Commercial Appeal
The Commercial Appeal (Memphis)
February 7, 1994, Monday, Final Edition
SECTION: METRO, Pg. 1B
LENGTH: 496 words
HEADLINE: 'I'll never make it . . . never . . . come home'
Misskelley fears prison, weeps, says dad
BYLINE: (AP)
DATELINE: MARION, Ark.
BODY:
Just before sheriff's deputies took him to prison to begin a life
sentence in the murders of three young boys, 18-year-old Jessie Lloyd
Misskelley Jr. wept.
''He said, 'I'll never make it down there. I'll never get out and
come home,' '' said his father, Jessie Lloyd Misskelley Sr., of
Marion. ''I told him, 'You're stronger than that; you're stronger than
me.' ''
Friday, Misskelley was convicted in Corning of first-degree murder
in the death of Michael Moore and of second-degree murder in the
deaths of Christopher Byers and Steve Branch. He was sentenced to life
in Moore's death and a total of 40 years in the deaths of the other
two boys.
The three 8-year-olds were found in a watery ditch May 6 near
their West Memphis homes. Their hands and feet were tied. They had
been beaten, and Byers had been castrated.
Co-defendants Charles Jason Baldwin, 16, of Marion and Damien
Wayne Echols, 19, of West Memphis are to be tried Feb. 22 in
Jonesboro.
Misskelley was to be admitted into the state Correction Department
at the Pine Bluff unit but could end up at Varner, where many younger
prisoners serve their sentences.
During his trial, his lawyers argued he had the mind of a 7- or
8-year-old and was easily manipulated. They presented testimony from
experts to support their contention that police coerced Misskelley
into confessing he helped round up the boys for Baldwin and Echols and
witnessed the murderous attack.
Meanwhile, lawyers for Baldwin and Echols are assessing how
Misskelley's trial will affect the case against their clients.
''Everything that occurred at that trial has some effect on our
trial,'' Paul Ford, an attorney for Baldwin, said. ''Some is good,
some is bad, but because of the nature of (the upcoming trial), I
can't say anything right now.''
Ford said he was concerned about the media coverage of
Misskelley's trial, adding that ''everyone knows what is going on.
That will affect our ability to have a fair trial.''
Under court rulings, Misskelley's confession is considered
inadmissible in the trial of Baldwin and Echols. He also cannot be
forced to testify at the trial.
Val Price, an attorney for Echols, said he wasn't sure whether
prosecutors could lower Misskelley's sentence if he agrees to testify.
Ford also is concerned that the upcoming trial will become
emotionally charged, as Misskelley's did with victims' relatives
quickly leaving the courtroom during graphic testimony.
Throughout the trial, the victims' mothers wore red ribbons pinned
in place with an angel pin. Misskelley's family and friends wore
yellow ribbons emblazoned with the name ''Jessie Jr.''
Ford has filed motions asking the court to forbid any witness who
is not a member of a victim's family from wearing pins. He also asked
the judge to ban ''emotional exits from the courtroom.''
http://westmemphisthreediscussion.yuku.com/topic/2709
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"Bratty Mama Leci"
Joined: 02 Aug 2006
Posts: 11490
Location: Kentucky
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| Obscuregawdess
Posted:
Mon May 26, 2008 10:44 pm |
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Notes Offer Look at Thoughts of Jurors
THE COMMERCIAL APPEAL
NOTES OFFER LOOK AT THOUGHTS OF JURORS IN W. MEMPHIS TRIAL
Date: Saturday, May 14, 1994
Section: Metro
Page: B1
Source: By Bartholomew Sullivan and Marc Perrusquia The Commercial Appeal
Dateline:
Edition: Final
"You are what you think about!" the 2-inch block letters declare.
That conclusion, drawn on poster paper by one of 12 jurors deliberating the fate of now-convicted triple-murderers Damien Wayne Echols and Charles Jason Baldwin, came from a box of evidence released Friday.
The trial revolved around allegations the defendants were members of a satanic cult, and the poster statement might reflect the jury's views on the prosecution's theory. The jury foreman did not return phone calls Friday evening.
The dean of the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, Howard B. Eisenberg, said release of the deliberative notes "invades the sanctity of the jury" but probably will have no legal consequence. Eisenberg said the trial judge, Circuit Judge David Burnett, should have had the notes destroyed, but might not have known they existed. Burnett did not return phone messages.
The evidence released Friday also contained a casette tape of a never- transcribed interview with Aaron Kyle Hutcheson, an 8-year-old from Marion, Ark. Hutcheson's mother testified she attended a satanic esbat meeting with two of the defendants. Aaron never testified in the trials, but repeatedly told detectives he was present when his three classmates were killed.
In an interview given Jan. 30, as the prosecution prepared to rest in the Corning, Ark., trial of defendant Jessie Lloyd Misskelley Jr., Aaron told Marion Police Asst. Chief Don Bray he himself was forced to participate in the murders.
By then, Aaron had given police several statements, including a series of taped interviews between May 27 and June 9, in which he said he had seen men performing homosexual acts in the woods known locally as Robin Hood Hills.
According to his Jan. 30 statement, Aaron watched the brutal assault on his friends as he sat in a tree above the carnage.
After spotting Aaron, Misskelley made him come out of the tree and hand him a knife that Aaron had in his pocket, Aaron told Bray.
Approaching Chris Byers as he lay on the ground, the two began castrating the dying boy, Aaron said.
"He grabbed my hand and made me cut," Aaron said. "He made me . . . cut his private spot off." Byers was sexually mutilated, according to court testimony.
Misskelley, Echols and Baldwin drank Byers's blood from white plastic cups, forcing Aaron to do the same, he said.
Aaron said the murders served as an initiation into "the club" that Aaron said he was forced to join after moving into the Highland Trailer Park where Misskelley lived.
In the interview, Aaron also said an older black man with a gun and a white man also were there. "That black guy got me and he put a gun on my head. He said if I say anything about this, he will kill me right now," Aaron said. Aaron said the same man also made him say, "I hate Jesus, and I love the devil."
The jury's notes show the panel of eight women and four men placed their greatest confidence in testimony by police detectives Mike Allen and Bryn Ridge, writing as Ridge appeared "honest," underlined three times.
Their notes also indicate they respected testimony from a 16-year-old burglary suspect who said Baldwin confessed in jail and from a Marion woman who said she saw Echols walking near the crime scene the night of the murders.
The jury seemed impressed with Baldwin's unwavering claim of innocence, but tipped the balance of pros and cons against him with the damning, shorthand conclusion "Damien's Best Friend."
http://westmemphisthreediscussion.yuku.com/topic/2733
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"Bratty Mama Leci"
Joined: 02 Aug 2006
Posts: 11490
Location: Kentucky
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| Obscuregawdess
Posted:
Mon May 26, 2008 10:57 pm |
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CA6/5/93, Shy & Artistic, But Into That Devil Stuff?
http://westmemphisthreediscussion.yuku.com/topic/2809
SHY AND ARTISTIC, BUT INTO 'THAT DEVIL STUFF'
Date: Saturday, June 5, 1993
Section: News
Page: A9
Illustration: photo
Source: By Laura Coleman The Commercial Appeal
Dateline:
Edition: Final
He has an iguana named Ozzy, a cat named Charlie and he's known for his manners, his shyness and his artistry.
Now, Charles Jason Baldwin, 16, is known as a suspected child murderer.
Near Marion, Matt Baldwin, 14, staunchly declared his brother's innocence Friday as he stood guard alone in the rusty trailer they share with a stepbrother, mother and stepfather.
Matt had been instructed not to let anyone in the trailer while his mother, Gail Grinnell, sought witnesses to help clear Jason's name. He opened the door slightly to talk to a reporter, and at first expressed no fear for what may happen.
"No, I'm not afraid," he said, "because I know he'll be home soon
because he didn't do it." Then the bravado ebbed at the mention of a possible death penalty. "I guess I'm kinda scared . . .," he said.
But in Sheridan, Ark., south of Little Rock, Baldwin's grandmother wasn't so sure of Jason Baldwin's innocence.
"I thought in my own mind when those boys were killed that my grandson is sorta superstitious about that devil stuff," said Jessie Mae Baldwin. "He was always catching lizards and snakes, I thought something was going on in that child's mind."
Baldwin, 76, said she and her husband, Purd Baldwin, 82, learned of their grandson's arrest from a television report Friday morning.
"We just looked at each other and I said, 'I don't know what that boy has on his mind, killing people like that,' " Mrs. Baldwin said. Jason Baldwin's father, Larry Baldwin, lives with his parents but was unavailable Friday.
"He's just heartbroke," said Mrs. Baldwin. "He's a mess."
Mrs. Baldwin said that, when she learned of the boys' deaths, she told people that whoever killed the children should be executed. Now that she knows her grandson could be convicted, she said her feelings haven't changed.
"Even though he's my grandson he should get the death penalty if he did it. Whoever done this should be caught and tortured like they done to those kids, and it don't matter if it's my husband, my boy or my grandson, whoever it might be."
The two Baldwin boys would visit their father in the summer and on school breaks, Matt said. They would visit state parks and go fishing.
Jason Baldwin was known not only for his good grades - friends say he was an A and B student at Marion High School - but also for his drawing ability. His brother closed the trailer door to get a few samples of Jason's artwork and returned with drawings of an eagle and an owl.
While his mother worked at a local trucking company, Jason Baldwin would warm a supper for Matt and his 9-year-old stepbrother, Terry Grinnell, make sure they did their homework and took their baths and get them to bed, said neighbors.
"He's nice and he likes animals," Matt Baldwin said of his brother, with whom he often plays Super Nintendo.
The two spent more time together lately than normal because their mother restricted their activities after the three boys' bodies were found.
"Mom wouldn't hardly let us go nowhere anymore," Matt said. "My brother was kinda mad about that."
On the day the boys are believed to have been murdered, Jason Baldwin was cutting the grass at his great-uncle's, Hubert Bartoush.
"He came over here about 4:30 that day and left about 6:30. He said he was going to Wal-Mart," Bartoush said. "I can't believe he was way over there (where the bodies were found.)" Bartoush said he lives about 1 1/2 miles
from the wooded area.
In West Memphis, Jason's friends were among the crowd that gathered behind the Municipal Courthouse to catch a glimpse of the three suspects. When Jason Baldwin's name was mentioned, heads shook in disbelief.
"He's real shy, real sweet," said Roni Hendrix, who shared algebra and English classes with Baldwin.
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"Bratty Mama Leci"
Joined: 02 Aug 2006
Posts: 11490
Location: Kentucky
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| Obscuregawdess
Posted:
Sat May 31, 2008 2:16 pm |
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Amazon.com Wish List
An easy way to send Damien a gift. Please remember that you can't send books directly. They must be shipped from a bookstore or publisher. When you order through the Wish List, amazon.com automatically removes the purchased book from the list. This helps ensure Damien won't receive duplicates of the same item. Click here to see the list.
Please note: We've learned that amazon.com occasionally fails to promptly remove purchased items from the Wish Lists. Please check 24 hours after ordering, and if the book you bought is still displaying as unpurchased, email jeneokeefe@hotmail.com with the author and title. She will manually remove it from the List, so Damien doesn't receive multiple copies.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/registry/registry.html/002-2133407-5860037?id=3STOY800S8FM0
http://www.wm3.org/live/thewm3/damien_details.php?id=11
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"Bratty Mama Leci"
Joined: 02 Aug 2006
Posts: 11490
Location: Kentucky
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| Obscuregawdess
Posted:
Sat May 31, 2008 2:23 pm |
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Commissary Fund
Please consider donating to Damien's Commissary Fund. The Commissary Funds allow Damien, Jason and Jessie to buy items that most folks take for granted, including soap, toothpaste, coffee, envelopes, stamps, or a soda.
The Arkansas Department of Corrections offers the Inmate Banking Deposit Service. They accept Visa, Mastercard and Discover credit card payments. The minimum deposit is $10.00 and there is a 5% transaction fee. You will need to enter an ADC Inmate Number to get past the first page. Please use 000931 for Damien.
If you prefer to mail in funds, you must use the Arkansas Department of Corrections deposit slip. We've provided that online here. The address to send the money order and form is right on the deposit slip. You can only send a money order - no cash or checks - and you will need the Inmate's ADC Number to complete the form. Damien's is SK931.
Important: Please do not send a letter intended for Jason, Jessie or Damien with the money order or the letter and money order will be returned to you. However, you can send letters, cards, or books to them.
ADC Commissary Fund site: https://www.ark.org/doc/inmatebanking/index.php
http://www.wm3.org/live/thewm3/damien_details.php?id=10
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"Bratty Mama Leci"
Joined: 02 Aug 2006
Posts: 11490
Location: Kentucky
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| Obscuregawdess
Posted:
Sat May 31, 2008 2:43 pm |
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Jason Baldwin on Skeleton Key
After the Arkansas Supreme Court denied his direct appeal in 1996, Jason filed a Petition for Relief under Rule 37 the following year. (Rule 37 deals with ineffective assistance of the original trial counsel.) Because the original Petition was filed in a timely manner, it is an avenue of appeal that is still available to be pursued, as shown in this Joint Status Memorandum filed on June 2, 2004.
In 2000, work began on developing evidence that would support an "actual innocence" claim. (See Jessie's update here for more detail) In 2001, Jason filed a motion to have the evidence in this case properly preserved and made available for DNA testing, and requested a hearing on the issue. After a lengthy delay, in 2003 Judge Burnett finally entered an Order for Preservation of Evidence, without holding a hearing.
At this time, the DNA testing requested by all three is proceeding. Judge Burnett finally signed the Order for DNA Testing, which was filed June 2, 2004. Getting all parties to agree on what specifically would be tested, where it would be tested, etc., was a time consuming process. As of August 2006, we are still waiting on the completion of the testing. Once we have an update to report, it will be posted on our News page.
As mandated by the court, Paul Ford prepared Jason's direct appeal to the Arkansas Supreme Court, but he hasn't represented Jason since. Nor has Robin Wadley, Jason's other trial attorney, who has been disbarred for reasons unrelated to this case. Another legal team is conducting Jason�s appeals and they are working in conjunction with Damien and Jessie's lawyers on DNA issues and investigation.
Write to Jason at:
Jason Baldwin #103335
P.O. Box 240
Tucker, AR 72168-0240
Please remember his prisoner ID number (#103335) must be included in the address. The prison mail rules are here, and we strongly suggest everyone take the time to read them.
http://skeletonkeyart.com/jason_baldwin.php
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"Bratty Mama Leci"
Joined: 02 Aug 2006
Posts: 11490
Location: Kentucky
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| Obscuregawdess
Posted:
Sat May 31, 2008 2:44 pm |
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Jessie Misskelley on Skeleton Key
After the Arkansas Supreme Court denied his direct appeal in 1996, Jessie filed a Petition for Relief under Rule 37 the following year. (Rule 37 deals with ineffective assistance of the original trial counsel) The Petition was amended in early 2001. Because the original Petition was filed in a timely manner, it is an avenue of appeal that is still available to be pursued, as shown in this Joint Status Memorandum filed on June 2, 2004.
However, in 2000, work began on developing evidence that would support an "actual innocence" claim. After visiting the WMPD with an evidence analyst in November and discovering there was potential for DNA testing to exonerate his client, Stidham filed a motion with Judge Burnett. He asked for permission to have the evidence properly preserved and to test/retest certain items.
In March of 2001, the State filed a response to Stidham's motion. While Brent Davis apparently had no objection to evidence being preserved, he did object to having the evidence tested. In May 2001, Stidham wrote and reminded Judge Burnett about the new state law allowing inmates to seek testing/retesting of evidence, regardless of the prosecutor's wishes. He asked for a hearing on his motion. Judge Burnett did not respond.
In February of 2002, Dan finally asked Judge Burnett to have the hearing set in front of a different judge. After all, his original motion -- so far essentially ignored by the Court -- was filed in November of 2000. In March, the Judge responded and offered a few potential hearing dates. But because Stidham's initial motion was filed prior to the new post-conviction DNA testing statutes came into effect, he wanted to file an amended Petition. Stidham asked for time to file and agreed to allow opportunity for the prosecution to respond before a hearing was finally scheduled. In late 2002, Misskelley filed the amended Petition.
In 2003, Judge Burnett entered an Order for Preservation of Evidence, without holding a hearing. At this time, the requested DNA testing is proceeding. Judge Burnett finally signed the Order for DNA Testing, which was filed June 2, 2004. Getting all parties to agree on what specifically would be tested, where it would be tested, etc., was a time consuming process. As of August 2006, we are still waiting on the completion of the testing. Once we have an update to report, it will be posted on our News page.
While Dan Stidham remains one of Jessie's staunchest supporters and deserves our thanks for standing by his client for so many years, Jessie has an impressive new legal team of attorneys conducting his appeals. They are working in conjunction with Damien and Jason's lawyers on DNA issues and investigation.
Write to Jessie at:
Jessie Misskelley, Jr. #103072
P.O. Box 600
Grady, AR 71644-0600
Please remember his prisoner ID number (#103072) must be included in the address. The prison mail rules are here, and we strongly suggest everyone take the time to read them.
http://skeletonkeyart.com/jessie_misskelley.php
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"Bratty Mama Leci"
Joined: 02 Aug 2006
Posts: 11490
Location: Kentucky
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| Obscuregawdess
Posted:
Sat May 31, 2008 2:45 pm |
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Damien on Skeleton Key
"So what are you? 'I am not an actor.' What are you? I spend a long, long time trying to answer that question. I am not a writer. I am not a poet. I am not an artist. "What am I?" That's the very first Koan in zen practice. You sit on the mat for hours at a time, with every inhalation asking "What am I?" If you're only a runner while running, what are you when not running? I know what I am. What is it I do all the time? Magick. Magick while awake, magick while asleep, magick while walking, running, sitting, breathing. I'm doing my best to weave a silver world where Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers dance through the layers of reality as beautiful as angels. Where chivalry is not dead, and men still have the commons sense to hold a door open and see to a lady. This world crumbles a little more every day. With every rap song, with every gold tooth, with every mentally stunted philistine who can't even speak the King's English, with every person who things blue jeans and tennis shoes can be worn anywhere � the world crumbles a little more. Where people watch television at every waking moment and are content to waste their lives � the world crumbles. It�s my goal to create silver pockets, where men are gentlemen and ladies are ladies, where intelligence is the highest virtue and wisdom the most valued possession.
I'll tell you what helps to sooth the heart when you are trapped somewhere like Los Angeles. The key is gentleness. Be gentle, graceful and elegant in all you do and it will make a small world around you that other will respect. You can�t leave any holes in it, though. Gentle, graceful, and elegant in all things � in your speech, in your dress, in your movements, and in your manners. All the horrible, empty things in the world will have no choice but to respect and withdraw from you. It's like brandishing a crucifix and sprinkling holy water � the darkness has no choice but to recede. This is the formula for creating angels. All the darkness in the universe must retreat before event the smallest light. A cup of tea, when employed properly, can deflect a bullet.
You know what the most horrible thing about prison is? The fact that everyone is exactly alike. They aren't people, because they don't have anything that resembles a personality. It's more like they are every base and ignoble urge imaginable, all crammed into a skin. They're not alive, really. They are what Buddhists call hungry spirits in a hell realm. Demons and devils have more positive qualities than many of these people. There is no knowledge, beauty, love, or art. This place is hell by every definition. It's almost like walking down the tier and seeing the exact same person looking out at every cell and wearing every guard�s uniform. Each one is interchangeable with the rest."
Write to Damien at:
Damien Echols #SK931
Varner Unit
PO Box 400
Grady Arkansas 71644
Please remember his prisoner ID number (#SK931) must be included in the address. The prison mail rules are here, and we strongly suggest everyone take the time to read them.
http://skeletonkeyart.com/damien_echols.php
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"Bratty Mama Leci"
Joined: 02 Aug 2006
Posts: 11490
Location: Kentucky
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| Obscuregawdess
Posted:
Sat May 31, 2008 3:36 pm |
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JUSTICE AT LAST?
07 August 2007
Damien Echols holding his son for the first time, while on trial in 1994--from Paradise Lost
In May of 1993, three eight-year-old boys--Christopher Byers, Stevie Branch, and Michael More-- were brutally murdered in West Memphis, Arkansas, and less than a year later, three teenagers were convicted of the crime. One of the latter, Damien Echols, is currently on death row (the other two are serving life sentences), and has almost exhausted the last of the legal resources available to prevent yet another tragedy.
The case of the “West Memphis Three”--Damien Echols, Jason Baldwin, and Jesse Misskelley--has gained notoriety around the world as a miscarriage of justice, spawning websites from France to Japan and attracting the attention of celebrities from Eddie Vedder to Margaret Cho; yet, like so many other unjustly condemned whose fate has become a cause celebre, they have yet to win their freedom.
Many supporters learned about the WM3 through the award-winning documentary Paradise Lost: The Child Murders at Robin Hood Hills, which aired as an installment of HBO’s America Undercover series in the summer of 1996 (a follow-up, Paradise Lost: Revelations, aired in 1999). Anyone who has seen this film will remember that the case against the defendants rested largely on the coerced “confession” of a mentally disabled teenager who unwittingly implicated himself in his testimony, as well as on the supposed “satanic” character of the three teenagers, as evidenced by their affinity for black clothing, heavy metal music, and Stephen King novels.
Some of those who uphold the court’s ruling maintain that the popular media representation of the case is biased toward the defense, and that the court’s decision had nothing to do with clothing styles or musical preferences. The basis for this contention is partly true, yet no less disturbing: the prosecution’s secret weapon, which Paradise Lost hinted only vaguely, was the fact that the prime suspect, Damien Echols, has psychological problems (like Your Humble Blogger, he is bipolar--i.e., manic-depressive) which the prosecution argued would predispose him to commit such a crime.
Neither the psychiatric staff who had previously treated Mr. Echols nor the medical professionals who examined him for the court believed this to be the case--nor is such a conclusion consistent with the findings of a noted forensic analyst who evaluated the crime scene and autopsy records of the three victims (not to mention the fact that a person’s predisposition to do something and evidence that he actually did it are not exactly the same thing).
In the five years since the trial, Echols’ appeal came and went without a change in his conviction. It probably didn’t help his case that the original trial judge, David Burnett, also presided over the appeals process, thereby ruling on the legitimacy of his own judgment (yes, this was apparently legal--at least in Arkansas). It also didn’t help that all three defendants were indigent and thereby forced to rely on what little resources their young and inexperienced public defenders were able to pull together on a very limited budget.
In the meantime, the notoriety of the West Memphis Three has grown with the publication of two books on the case, the evolution of an extensive website, and even the publication of Echols’ handwritten autobiography (not a bad read, incidentally).
This tragedy of errors, however, has come down to the final act: having exhausted the appeals process, the defense team has recently sought scientific exoneration through a battery of genetic analyses that were not available in 1994, and which concluded last month. Significantly, not a shred of the DNA recovered from the crime scene could be traced to any of the three men convicted of the murders (although one item did genetically match the stepfather of one of the victims), but the long-awaited retrial has yet to materialize.
Lorri Davis, the wife of Damien Echols (they were married in 1999), who has worked tirelessly on his behalf for nearly a decade, is urgently appealing for assistance from all those who care about the case.
I STRONGLY URGE YOU to examine the official “Free the West Memphis Three” website and read the statement that she has just posted on the homepage (yes, I feel strongly enough about this issue to emerge from my shameful temporary retreat from the blogosphere to post this appeal).
This case embodied everything that is wrong with the criminal justice system--particularly the reality that money buys “justice”--and it chillingly foreshadowed the rise of right-wing fundamentalism and the erosion of the rights of privacy and legal redress that have come to characterize post-9/11 America (part of the “evidence” used against Echols was a library book that allegedly revealed his interest in witchcraft).
I believe we owe it not only to Damien Echols but to everyone who believes in the principles of justice--that is, the principles that our court system is supposed to uphold--to do everything in our power to prevent the final, culminating act in a crime that our judicial system has perpetrated for the past fourteen years.
http://swiftspeech.blogspot.com/2007/08/justice-at-last.html
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"Bratty Mama Leci"
Joined: 02 Aug 2006
Posts: 11490
Location: Kentucky
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| Obscuregawdess
Posted:
Sun Jun 01, 2008 6:18 pm |
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JESSIE MISKELLY ON ADC
ADC Number: 103072 Send $
Name: Miskelly Jr , Jessie L
Race: CAUCASIAN
Sex: MALE
Hair Color: BLACK
Eye Color: BROWN
Height: 62 inches
Weight: 135 lbs.
Birth Date: 07/10/1975
Initial Receipt Date: 02/04/1994
Current Facility: Varner Unit
PE / TE Date*: Life
Total time*:
* may be affected by other laws and regulations
No aliases.
Scars, Marks, & Tattoos:
Description
TATTOO:*BITCH* / RIGHT PECTORAL
TATTOO:*NWA* / UPPER LEFT ARM
TATTOO:(CROSS) / UPPER RIGHT ARM
TATTOO:(SKULL W/ DAGGER),(KITE) / LEFT FOREARM
TATTOO:*FTW*,*AH* / RIGHT FOREARM
SCAR ON HANDS
Current Prison Sentence History
Offense Sentence Date County Case # Sentence Length
Murder-1st Degree
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-
- 02/04/1994 CLAY 1993-47 Life
Murder-2nd Degree
-
-
- 02/04/1994 CLAY 1993-47 20 yrs.
Murder-2nd Degree
-
-
- 02/04/1994 CLAY 1993-47 20 yrs.
Prior Prison Sentence History
Note: Data reflected covers periods of incarceration since ---
Offense Sentence Date County Case # Com. Sup. Length
Detainers
Note: Further information may be obtained by contacting the detaining agency.
Detainer Date Detainer Agency Charge Type Date Cancelled
http://www.arkansas.gov/doc/inmate_info/search.php?dcnum=103072&firstname=Jessie&sex=M&agetype=1
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"Bratty Mama Leci"
Joined: 02 Aug 2006
Posts: 11490
Location: Kentucky
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| Obscuregawdess
Posted:
Sun Jun 01, 2008 6:21 pm |
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JASON BALDWIN ON ADC
ADC Number: 103335 Send $
Name: Baldwin , Charles J
Race: CAUCASIAN
Sex: MALE
Hair Color: BROWN
Eye Color: BLUE
Height: 69 inches
Weight: 132 lbs.
Birth Date: 04/11/1977
Initial Receipt Date: 03/21/1994
Current Facility: Maximum Security Unt
PE / TE Date*: Life WO
Total time*:
* may be affected by other laws and regulations
Aliases
Scars, Marks, & Tattoos:
Jason Jason Baldwin
Description
TATTOO ON LEFT HAND
Current Prison Sentence History
Offense Sentence Date County Case # Sentence Length
Capital Murder
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- 03/19/1994 CRAIGHEAD 1993-450 Life w/o
Capital Murder
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-
- 03/19/1994 CRAIGHEAD 1993-450 Life w/o
Capital Murder
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-
- 03/19/1994 CRAIGHEAD 1993-450 Life w/o
Prior Prison Sentence History
Note: Data reflected covers periods of incarceration since ---
Offense Sentence Date County Case # Com. Sup. Length
Detainers
Note: Further information may be obtained by contacting the detaining agency.
Detainer Date Detainer Agency Charge Type Date Cancelled
http://www.arkansas.gov/doc/inmate_info/search.php?dcnum=103335&lastname=Baldwin&sex=M&agetype=1
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"Bratty Mama Leci"
Joined: 02 Aug 2006
Posts: 11490
Location: Kentucky
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| Obscuregawdess
Posted:
Sun Jun 01, 2008 6:23 pm |
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DAMIEN ECHOLS ON ADC
ADC Number: 000931 Send $
Name: Echols , Damien
Race: CAUCASIAN
Sex: MALE
Hair Color: BLACK
Eye Color: BROWN
Height: 68 inches
Weight: 183 lbs.
Birth Date: 12/11/1974
Initial Receipt Date: 03/19/1994
Current Facility: Varner Supermax
PE / TE Date*: Death
Total time*:
* may be affected by other laws and regulations
Aliases
Scars, Marks, & Tattoos:
Description
TT DOMINI ON LT FOREARMMCROSSS BTWN THUMB AND ISTF
Current Prison Sentence History
Offense Sentence Date County Case # Sentence Length
Capital Murder
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-
- 03/19/1994 CRAIGHEAD 1993-450 Death
Capital Murder
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- 03/19/1994 CRAIGHEAD 1993-450 Death
Capital Murder
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- 03/19/1994 CRAIGHEAD 1993-450 Death
Prior Prison Sentence History
Note: Data reflected covers periods of incarceration since ---
Offense Sentence Date County Case # Com. Sup. Length
Detainers
Note: Further information may be obtained by contacting the detaining agency.
Detainer Date Detainer Agency Charge Type Date Cancelled
http://www.arkansas.gov/doc/inmate_info/search.php?dcnum=000931&lastname=Echols&firstname=Damien&sex=M&agetype=2&age=29&RACE=W+++++++
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"Bratty Mama Leci"
Joined: 02 Aug 2006
Posts: 11490
Location: Kentucky
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| Obscuregawdess
Posted:
Sun Jun 01, 2008 8:11 pm |
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Re: JESSIE MISKELLY ON ADC
| Obscuregawdess wrote: |
ADC Number: 103072 Send $
Name: Miskelly Jr , Jessie L
Race: CAUCASIAN
Sex: MALE
Hair Color: BLACK
Eye Color: BROWN
Height: 62 inches
Weight: 135 lbs.
Birth Date: 07/10/1975
Initial Receipt Date: 02/04/1994
Current Facility: Varner Unit
PE / TE Date*: Life
Total time*:
* may be affected by other laws and regulations
No aliases.
Scars, Marks, & Tattoos:
Description
TATTOO:*BITCH* / RIGHT PECTORAL
TATTOO:*NWA* / UPPER LEFT ARM
TATTOO:(CROSS) / UPPER RIGHT ARM
TATTOO:(SKULL W/ DAGGER),(KITE) / LEFT FOREARM
TATTOO:*FTW*,*AH* / RIGHT FOREARM
SCAR ON HANDS
Current Prison Sentence History
Offense Sentence Date County Case # Sentence Length
Murder-1st Degree
-
-
- 02/04/1994 CLAY 1993-47 Life
Murder-2nd Degree
-
-
- 02/04/1994 CLAY 1993-47 20 yrs.
Murder-2nd Degree
-
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- 02/04/1994 CLAY 1993-47 20 yrs.
Prior Prison Sentence History
Note: Data reflected covers periods of incarceration since ---
Offense Sentence Date County Case # Com. Sup. Length
Detainers
Note: Further information may be obtained by contacting the detaining agency.
Detainer Date Detainer Agency Charge Type Date Cancelled
http://www.arkansas.gov/doc/inmate_info/search.php?dcnum=103072&firstname=Jessie&sex=M&agetype=1 |
I know that sometimes a gang will initiate you into their group and protect you from others, and the termns of that are to be their "bitch"... sometimes accompanied by a tattoo. He has gotten a tattoo on his chest since being imprisoned that simply reads, "BITCH."  And he's only 5 ft 2 and mildly retarded. If they consider him guilty of hurting, killing, and/or molesting children he would almost certaoinly be declared a bitch... and he is impressionable enough, it seems, to be forced or fooled into getting involved with folks to "look after" him. If some consider him innocent, they still consider him a "snitch" of sorts who fucked it up for himself and two other innocent men. With all that, I am afraid that maybe that's the reason behind the tattoo.  I hope not, though. I know he's not just a wonderful, perfect guy, but he is not all there in his brain and does have a good-heartedness about him. I am sure that is preyed upon there. Thing is, I heard he had a temper and would fight when pushed... but the penitentiary is another story. I hope he's in safe hands, although I fear he may not be. I know Damien said the guards were really who to worry about and has described his physical beatings and rape. If he was subject to that, I am sure Jason is and quite probably Jason, being as small as he is. I recall Damien saying they would punish Damien by punishing Jason, the guards. As I believe in their innocence, it's such a shame they have to endure this brutality and abuse.
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"Bratty Mama Leci"
Joined: 02 Aug 2006
Posts: 11490
Location: Kentucky
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| Obscuregawdess
Posted:
Mon Jun 02, 2008 12:04 am |
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Jason Baldwin: I No Longer Face the Storm Alone (2005)
In 1994, the West Memphis Three - Jessie Misskelley, Jr., Damien Echols, Jason Baldwin - were convicted of brutal crimes they did not commit. Jason Baldwin was sixteen when he was given a sentence of life without parole. This film focuses on the writing talents of Jason Baldwin, and how he uses his art to get him through his days at Grady Correctional in Arkansas, as well as to inspire hope in those around him.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0477443/plotsummary
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"Bratty Mama Leci"
Joined: 02 Aug 2006
Posts: 11490
Location: Kentucky
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| Obscuregawdess
Posted:
Tue Jun 24, 2008 3:31 pm |
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To All Supporters of the West Memphis Three:
Below is a letter from John Philipsborn, Jason Baldwin's attorney, in response to our efforts at the WM3IP to bring attention to the need for reforms in the WM3 defense fundraising apparatus.
Mr. Philipsborn' s statement, combined with the previous joint statement by the lawyers for all three defendants, affirms that changes have begun and will continue to take place regarding the handling and distribution of funds raised in the name of the West Memphis Three.
These attorney statements, as well as statements made by Dan Stidham, original counsel for Jessie Misskelley, make it plain that the issues we raised deserved attention. Change was needed and changes have begun.
Specifically, we called for the need for an equitable distribution of funds for all three defense teams. Earlier this month, this process began to take place. We called for the need for public accountability and transparency of defense funds raised and how those funds will be spent. Last week, we were given the first indication that a mechanism is being set up to provide clarity in this regard.
When we first raised these issues months ago, there were some hard feelings expressed about our intentions and the intentions of others. Today, as supporters, I hope that we all can continue our collective efforts as a united front in demanding justice for Jason Baldwin, Damien Echols and Jessie Misskelley, so that soon each one can walk out of prison a free man.
Sincerely,
Kelly Duda, President
And the board of directors of the WM3IP, Inc.
~~~
April 22, 2008
Dear Mara:
This letter follows up our recent phone conversation about Jason Baldwin's case, and about various issues that have been raised concerning the distribution of funds for the defense of Jason, Jessie Misskelley, and Damien Echols.
First, as I told you, I am satisfied that mechanisms have been put in place to ensure that monies donated for the defense of Jason, Damien, and Jessie will be divided equitably. As you know, together with Jeff Rosensweig, I have probably been involved in the current defense efforts longer than any other current post-conviction attorney of record. I note this simply because it was my experience when I was directly involved in case financial issues that considerable efforts were made to ensure that monies donated for defense services, including costs of laboratory testing and the like, were spent for the purposes intended, and for the benefit of the development of evidence that can be used by Damien, Jason and Jessie in their post-conviction litigations. I believe that this effort has continued in the time since I had that direct involvement--which, incidentally, never involved managing monies for any web site. I dealt only with specific donors.
Second, at this point I believe that those engaged in public advocacy, and fundraising, in connection with this case fully understand that the lawyers involved in this case have pledged to work to make sure that resources are used equitably so that Jessie, Damien and Jason can progress with the preparation of their respective cases.
Third, each of these three young men has a number of defense-related needs, and the defense teams appreciate, and are humbled by, the support that has been shown by persons willing to contribute resources so that the enormous amount of work involved in this case can be completed.
Fourth, I do think that the recent public discussion of issues surrounding this case has underscored the need for those of us handling the defense to be accountable to donors. I have been told, and believe, that mechanisms are being put into place so that greater clarity about the donation process will exist. I can speak with authority only about the Baldwin defense. In that context I can tell you it has been our practice to treat monies provided to us in such a way that they can be accounted for. I will leave it to my colleagues to describe their own practices, but I am satisfied having spoken with them that all of us are conscious of the fact that we are being trusted with monies intended for the defense of our clients.
Fifth, as I told you when we discussed the matter, it is my personal opinion that donors want to make sure that monies provided to the various conduits for donations, whether these be individuals, organizations, web sites and the like, will be used for the purposes intended. The recent public discussion has underscored the need for transparency and accountability. My sense is that these concerns have registered.
I appreciate the great work that you have done over a number of years to raise the important questions about this case. As I told you, I am satisfied at this point from a series of contacts that I have had with a number of persons interested in these matters, that the recent joint statement of all the lawyers should be taken at face value. There is still an enormous amount of work to do, and need for ongoing support of these efforts. Thank you for your interest. Do not hesitate to contact me should you have any further questions or concerns.
Sincerely yours,
John T. Philipsborn
http://westmemphis3.net/bulletin_050708.html
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"Bratty Mama Leci"
Joined: 02 Aug 2006
Posts: 11490
Location: Kentucky
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| Obscuregawdess
Posted:
Tue Jun 24, 2008 3:32 pm |
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From the Board of the WM3IP, Inc., 24 January 2008
The letter from the WM3 attorneys thanking everyone for their support and assuring supporters that “arrangements are being made to ensure that future contributions will be used to meet the needs of all our clients as they prepare for further legal proceedings” has made a very positive impact on the cause of the WM3. This message has been the central theme of our organization and we vigorously support the lawyers in this regard.
We appreciate the thanks offered by the lawyers for everyone’s efforts, both past and present, to support the West Memphis Three and are buoyed by John Phillipsborn’s pointed comment to the AP that: “The process has been improved for all concerned.”
Also, we acknowledge the hard work of Lorri Davis and the wm3.org in the past. We can only wonder why Ms Davis, or the publicist Alice Leeds, would attack us for trying to shed light on a situation that obviously needed to be addressed. The notion that we would be perceived as a threat to Ms. Davis, wm3.org, or the cause of freedom for the men in prison is beyond logic given the clearly stated founding principles of the WM3IP, Inc.
We look forward to assisting the lawyers for these young men in any way possible and are cautiously optimistic that in the days ahead we will see a convergence of efforts on everyone’s behalf. We claim no exclusive right to assist these innocent young men, and are concerned that anyone would want to be the “official site” for the West Memphis Three. Supporting the men in prison as they struggle for their freedom is a multi-dimensional task that will continue to require the efforts of many.
If the lawyers for all three young men are indeed making the arrangements mentioned in their letter and these changes are open and verifiable, we will shift our main focus to the other endeavors as set forth in our clearly defined Mission Statement; including supporting and cooperating with the wm3.org site to achieve our mutual goal of freeing Jason, Damien, and Jessie. In furtherance of our Mission Statement and in accordance with all laws pertaining to tax-exempt organizations, we will continue to function as a vehicle to raise and disburse funds on behalf of all supporters with the continued understanding that we have no agenda or self-interests other than insuring justice for the West Memphis Three and others similarly situated.
In that what is done, not what is said, remains the "bottom line" we look forward to seeing the changes that the lawyers are promising implemented soon. Going forward, we intend to support them and this cause in any way deemed appropriate; yet if there is any dissension in the ranks of the lawyers, which we now do not expect, or any indication that one or more of the three young men is not receiving equal access to all defense funds then we will resume our mission to ensure openness and fairness despite any renewed personal attacks on us or our stated goals.
Please join us in congratulating all supporters everywhere who have worked in the past and will continue to work to gain the freedom of The West Memphis Three - Jason Baldwin, Damien Echols, and Jessie Misskelley - for crimes that they did not commit.
Thank you,
Kelly Duda, President
And the board of directors of the WM3IP, Inc.
http://westmemphis3.net/open_letter_012408.html
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"Bratty Mama Leci"
Joined: 02 Aug 2006
Posts: 11490
Location: Kentucky
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| Obscuregawdess
Posted:
Tue Jun 24, 2008 3:33 pm |
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From the WM3 Attorneys, 23 January 2008
OPEN LETTER TO SUPPORTERS OF THE WEST MEMPHIS THREE
As the lawyers who represent Damien Echols, Jason Baldwin, and Jessie Misskelley in their respective state and federal court challenges to their 1994 murder convictions, we feel it necessary to reply to questions that have been publicly raised recently about whether conflicts have arisen between the three defense teams.
Each of us is ethically obligated to vigorously promote the legal interests of our individual clients. Nonetheless, despite the fact that the cases of our clients are in different procedural postures, we have worked cooperatively whenever legally possible because the ultimate interests of Jason, Jessie, and Damien are the same.
All three are accused of jointly committing crimes of which all three are innocent. Evidence that exculpates one therefore exculpates all. That is plainly true of the critically important DNA testing that has been conducted on behalf of our clients in recent years. Our clients obtained the court order authorizing that testing only by pledging to underwrite its cost which, given its extensive scope, has run into more than a hundred thousand dollars.
The defense has had to pay those fees thus far because the State of Arkansas has no mechanism to fund such testing, which all parties in this case agreed had to be conducted by an out of state accredited laboratory. Only the generous donations of supporters enabled the defense teams, and the State, to conduct that testing, which is on going.
Counsel for all of our clients have participated in obtaining judicial determinations as to which evidentiary items would be subjected to testing. All have benefitted from the discovery that while DNA evidence of potential suspects has been recovered from the crime scene, none of that DNA came from Baldwin, Misskelley and Echols. All of us have assisted in the development of the recent findings by the nation's leading forensic pathologists that the victims suffered pastmortem animal predation. Those findings have devastated the state's theory that the victims suffered ritualistic satanic injuries, a theory that the state employed at the trials of all three defendants.
We have the greatest thanks for all who in the past have financially assisted the legal efforts to free Jessie, Jason, and Damien. Much work remains to be done. We have complete confidence that Lorri Davis and others who have organized past fund raising efforts have done so with integrity and with the aim of seeing justice done, and we can assure supporters that arrangements are being made to ensure that future contributions will be used to meet the needs of all our clients as they prepare for further legal proceedings in state court.
Dennis P. Riordan
Donald M. Hogan
Counsel for Damien Echols
John Phillipsborn
Blake Hendrix
Counsel for Jason Baldwin
Michael Burt
Jeff Rosenzweig
Counsel for Jessie Misskelley
http://westmemphis3.net/open_letter_wm3.html
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"Bratty Mama Leci"
Joined: 02 Aug 2006
Posts: 11490
Location: Kentucky
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| Obscuregawdess
Posted:
Tue Jun 24, 2008 3:38 pm |
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Jason Baldwin
Jason Baldwin (born April 11, 1977) is one of the three members of what has been called the West Memphis 3 (Baldwin, Damien Echols, and Jessie Misskelley). The three were convicted of a triple homicide in West Memphis, Arkansas in 1994.
Baldwin was arrested on June 3, 1993. He was tried jointly with Echols, while Misskelley was tried separately (Misskelley confessed and implicated Baldwin and Echols). The jury convicted both defendants of murder. Baldwin received a life sentence without the possibility of parole.
After the Arkansas Supreme Court denied his direct appeal in 1996, Baldwin filed a Petition for Relief under Rule 37 the following year. (Rule 37 deals with ineffective assistance of the original trial counsel.) Because the original Petition was filed in a timely manner, it is an avenue of appeal that is still available to be pursued, as shown in a Joint Status Memorandum filed on June 2, 2004.
In 2000, work began on developing evidence that would support an "actual innocence" claim. In 2001, Jason filed a motion to have evidence properly preserved and made available for DNA testing, and requested a hearing on the issue. After a lengthy delay, in 2003, Arkansan Judge Burnett entered an Order for Preservation of Evidence, without holding a hearing.
At this time, the DNA testing requested by all three is proceeding. Judge Burnett signed the Order for DNA Testing, which was filed June 2, 2004. Getting all parties to agree on what specifically would be tested, where it would be tested, etc., was a time-consuming process. According to the DNA Status Report filed on July 17, "none of the genetic material recovered at the scene of the crimes was attributable to Mr. Echols, Echols co-defendant, Jason Baldwin, or defendant Jessie Misskelley."
As mandated by the court, Paul Ford prepared Baldwin's direct appeal to the Arkansas Supreme Court, but Ford has not represented Baldwin since. Nor has Robin Wadley, Baldwin's other trial attorney, who has been disbarred for reasons unrelated to this case. Another legal team is conducting Baldwin's appeals and are working in conjunction with Echols and Misskelley's lawyers on DNA issues and investigation.
Jason's ADC page here.
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Jason's address
Jason Baldwin #103335
2501 State Farm Rd
Tucker, AR 72168
Jason's ID number (#103335) must be included in the address. To assure the mail reaches Jason, it would be a good idea to read the prison mail rules here.
Commissary fund:
In order to buy stamps, paper, soap and other personal items, an inmate is provided with a commissary fund. You can donate directly to this fund. Make sure you know Jason's ADC number (103335).
Donate to Jason's commissary account.
This information is from the Arkansas Department of Correction's Inmate Deposit Service regarding the commissary accounts:
You now have a fast and secure way of depositing funds into an inmate's Trust account by using a credit card.
The minimum deposit amount is $10.00 for inmate trust account
A 5% or $1.50 minimum transaction fee will be added
Visa, MasterCard, and Discover credit cards are accepted
Please allow 2 business days for processing to inmate's account
Your name will appear on the inmate's Trust account statement
You can also call 1.866.250.7697 and simply follow the voice instructions to make your deposit into an inmate's Trust account. Please make sure you have the inmate's ADC number before making your call. Your Caller ID number will appear on the inmate's Trust account statement.
Amazon Wish List:
An Amazon wish list is a way for people to send inmates books and other materials. If you want to help in this way, go here: Jason's Amazon Wish List.
Note: Please read Jason's comments on the left side of the Amazon page before purchasing.
Buy a book and it will be sent to Jason. They will not be delivered otherwise because all books, magazines, newspapers and catalogs must be mailed directly from the publisher, bookstore, educational institution, or a recognized commercial or charitable outlet.
http://westmemphis3.net/jason.html
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"Bratty Mama Leci"
Joined: 02 Aug 2006
Posts: 11490
Location: Kentucky
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| Obscuregawdess
Posted:
Tue Jun 24, 2008 3:38 pm |
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Damien Wayne Echols
Damien Wayne Echols (born Michael Wayne Hutcheson on December 11, 1974) is one of three members of the West Memphis 3, a group convicted of committing a triple homicide in West Memphis, Arkansas. Echols was convicted of murder by a jury and sentenced to die by lethal injection. His conviction and sentence have been upheld by the Arkansas Supreme Court and the United States Supreme Court. Echols was arrested on June 3, 1993, and has been in prison ever since.
Echols is currently seeking new trial with the results of a DNA Status Report filed on July 17, 2007, which concluded "none of the genetic material recovered at the scene of the crimes was attributable to Mr. Echols, Echols co-defendant, Jason Baldwin, or defendant Jessie Misskelley. . . . although most of the genetic material recovered from the scene was attributable to the victims of the offenses, some of it cannot be attributed to either the victims or the defendants." [DNA Status Report, July 17, 2007]"
Advanced DNA and other strong scientific evidence - combined with additional evidence from several different witnesses and experts - released in October 2007 has significantly strengthened the case for Mr. Echols' innocence. A hearing on a his petition for a writ of habeas corpus is pending in the Federal District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas.
Damien's ADC page here.
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Damien's address:
Damien Echols #SK931
Varner Unit
PO Box 400
Grady Arkansas 71644
Damien's ID number (#sk931) must be included in the address. To assure the mail reaches Damien it would be a good idea to read the prison mail rules here.
Commissary fund:
In order to buy stamps, paper, soap and other personal items, an inmate is provided with a commissary fund. You can donate directly to this fund. Make sure you know Damien's ADC number (sk931).
Donate to Damien's commissary account.
This information is from the Arkansas Department of Correction's Inmate Deposit Service.
You now have a fast and secure way of depositing funds into an inmate's Trust account by using a credit card.
The minimum deposit amount is $10.00 for inmate trust account
A 5% or $1.50 minimum transaction fee will be added
Visa, MasterCard, and Discover credit cards are accepted
Please allow 2 business days for processing to inmate's account
Your name will appear on the inmate's Trust account statement
You can also call 1.866.250.7697 and simply follow the voice instructions to make your deposit into an inmate's Trust account. Please make sure you have the inmate's ADC number before making your call. Your Caller ID number will appear on the inmate's Trust account statement.
Amazon Wish List:
An Amazon wish is a way for people to send inmates books and other materials. If you want to help in this way, go here: Damien's Amazon Wish List.
Note: Please read Damien's comments on the left side of the Amazon page before purchasing.
Buy a book and it will be sent to Damien. They will not be delivered otherwise because all books, magazines, newspapers and catalogs must be mailed directly from the publisher, bookstore, educational institution, or a recognized commercial or charitable outlet.
http://westmemphis3.net/damien.html
Last edited by Obscuregawdess on Tue Jun 24, 2008 3:39 pm; edited 1 time in total
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"Bratty Mama Leci"
Joined: 02 Aug 2006
Posts: 11490
Location: Kentucky
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| Obscuregawdess
Posted:
Tue Jun 24, 2008 3:39 pm |
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Jessie Misskelley Jr.
Jessie Misskelley Jr. (born July 10, 1975) is one of the 3 members of what has been called the West Memphis 3 (Misskelley, Damien Echols, and Jason Baldwin). The three were accused and convicted of a triple homicide in West Memphis, Arkansas.
Misskelley, a mentally challenged teenager with an I.Q. of 72, gave a coerced confession (retracted the next day) riddled with inaccuracies with respect to the Robin Hood Hill murders which inculpated the other two accused.
Under the "Bruton rule", his confession could not be admitted against his co-defendants and thus he was tried separately.
Misskelley was offered a deal by the prosecution to testify against Baldwin and Echols at their trials, but refused to do so even if it meant "saving his own skin."
Based on this false confession, Misskelley was convicted of one count of first-degree murder and two counts of second-degree murder. The court sentenced him to life plus forty years in prison. His conviction was appealed and affirmed by the Arkansas Supreme Court.
Postconviction forensic testing has excluded Misskelley as a possible perpetrator of the crime in July of 2007. Two hairs discovered at the scene, one found entangled in the ligatures tying one of the murdered boys, has been positively matched to DNA samples from Terry Hobbs, a stepfather of one of the victims. Misskelley, however, remains in prison.
Jessie Misskelley was originally arrested on June 3, 1993, and has been in custody ever since.
Jessie's ADC page here.
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Jessie's address
Jessie Misskelley, Jr. #103072
P.O. Box 600
Grady, AR 71644-0600
Jessie's ID number (#103072) must be included in the address. To assure the mail reaches Jessie, it would be a good idea to read the prison mail rules here.
Commissary fund:
In order to buy stamps and soap and other personal items, an inmate is provided with a commissary fund. You can donate directly to this fund. Make sure you know Jessie's ADC number (103072).
Donate to Jessie's commissary account.
This information is from the Arkansas Department of Correction's Inmate Deposit Service.
You now have a fast and secure way of depositing funds into an inmate's Trust account by using a credit card.
The minimum deposit amount is $10.00 for inmate trust account
A 5% or $1.50 minimum transaction fee will be add | |
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