About the Blog

About the child murders and the West Memphis Three in a nutshell:

Crime Scene

Three eight-year-old boys, Michael Moore, Stevie Branch, and Christopher Byers went missing on the evening of May 5th, 1993 in West Memphis, Arkansas. A day later, they were discovered dead in a ditch submerged in water in a wooded area known as Robin Hood Hills. The three victims were naked, hogtied, and badly mutilated.

A month later, seventeen-year-old Jessie Miskelley was arrested after he confessed to being one of the three involved in murdering the three eight-year-old boys. The other two involved were eighteen-year-old Damien Echols and sixteen-year-old Jason Baldwin. Jessie’s multiple confessions would include details of torture and rape. Police and prosecutors also believed that the crime were occult related and led by Damien Echols, a teen always dressed in black and considered weird by most of the people in Marion and West Memphis. The three alleged murderers would be known as the infamous West Memphis Three.

Jessie Miskelley was tried separately from Echols and Baldwin because his confession could not be admitted against his co-defendants due to the rule set by the United States vs. Burton case.

On February 5, 1994, Miskelley was convicted by a jury of one count of first-degree murder and two counts of second-degree murder. The court sentenced him to life plus 40 years in prison.

On March 19, 1994 Echols and Baldwin were found guilty on three counts of murder. The court sentenced Echols to death and Baldwin to life in prison.


Aftermath:

The trial of the WM3 and what happened after was a tragic local news story that quickly turned into a media frenzy. Gaudy talk show hosts, fame-seeking journalists, documentary filmmakers, musicians, and Hollywood elitists cried that the WM3 were innocent. They got involved and shaped a narrative that didn’t exactly jive with the facts of the WM3 case. Mindless sheep under the guise of activism would echo their cries and the movement become a monster.

One of several books about the case

Filmmakers Joe Berlinger and Bruce Sinofsky helped excel the wide spread fascination and propaganda with their HBO produced documentary called Paradise Lost: The Child Murders at Robin Hood Hills. While the documentary was an art film, It spawned two advocacy sequels expressing doubt about the legitimacy of the convictions and pointed at two other step-fathers of Christopher Byers and Terry Hobbs as possible suspects. In addition, Mara Leveritt wrote a book entitled Devil’s Knot, a book that would also question the case and point a finger at one of the step-fathers just as Berlinger and Sinofsky had done. She also worked with Jason Baldwin, one of the convicted murderers, on a book called Dark Spell. Peter Jackson and Fran Walsh would help fund a documentary called West of Memphis which was directed by Amy Berg. Damien Echols and his wife Lorri Davis would also get producer credits. Like the others, the film points to one of the victim’s step-fathers as the possible real killer.

The money produced by activists and celebrities, especially Peter Jackson, would eventually buy the WM3 a rear deal called the Alford plea. It is a plea where the defendants admit that the evidence the prosecution has would likely persuade a judge or jury to find the defendants guilty beyond a reasonable doubt, but that the defendants can assert innocence. It’s still a guilty plea, but the convicted can maintain their innocence and walk out as free people.

Once the WM3 were freed, the media falsely and irresponsibly claimed in interviews and articles that that Damien, Jason, and Jessie were wrongly convicted, not truly understanding the plea deal and the conditions of their release. The WM3 are still convicted murderers and have not been exonerated.

 
Defining WM3 Groups:

Those who read and learn about the case are lumped into three categories: Supporters, Non-Believers, and Fence Sitters.

WM3 Supporters believe that Damien Echols, Jason Baldwin, and Jessie Miskelley are innocent of murdering Michael Moore, Stevie Branch, and Christopher Byers at Robin Hood Hills on the evening of May 5th, 1993. People within the supporter movement have differing opinions, but their core belief is the same -- The WM3 are innocent.

Non-Believers, usually known as “Nons”, believe that it was sufficiently proven that the WM3 were guilty of of the murders. They have passionately studied the case file and concluded that there was plenty of evidence to convict the WM3. They also look outside the case, studying inconsistent and contradictory statements made by Damien Echols and others directly and indirectly involved.

Fence Sitters believe the case is too complex and believe it might be unknowable at this point on who really murdered Byers, Branch, and Moore. They believe in several possibilities, they continue to study, but haven’t drawn a firm conclusion. Some will or might eventually be persuaded to go in one direction or the other.


Why I created this blog:

There are a slew of websites and blogs about the West Memphis 3, both supporting them and against them. The internet is saturated with information on this subject so you might be asking yourself…why another one? You’re right, for anyone who wants to study the case and read each side‘s opinion, there are tons of places to go. This blog isn’t the Mecca of WM3 case information. However, I believe I have a distinct perspective on the case that proves I am not one of the stereotypes that WM3 supporters try pin on those who believe the WM3 are guilty.

I am not a Christian, I am an Atheist. Why is such a distinction important? Well, WM3 advocates like to believe that anyone who found Damien, Jason, and Jessie guilty are nothing more than Bible-thumping morons with little or no education to critically think about such cases of high importance. While that might apply to some, it doesn’t apply to me. They will not be able to mold me and put me into that box. I believe deductive reasoning and circumstantial evidence was more than enough to convict the WM3 beyond reasonable doubt. 

I created this blog because I am passionate about this case and I am disgusted with the conventional thinking that Damien, Jason, and Jessie are brave victims of the justice system. I am disgusted that two of the three murderers are fame seeking whores who are making money off their bogus victimization. I can’t stop certain things because they are simply out of my control, but I desire to shatter that conventional thought process one person at a time with case knowledge and resources. I understand that I won’t be able to convince everyone, but if I, once a supporter, can come around then maybe others will as well.
 
My goal is simple -- Be one of the few who challenge the propaganda raised by filmmakers, authors, and celebrities regarding the WM3 case. Discuss new topics, revisit some old ones, and call out some people who don’t have the case or the families best interest at heart. I have no idea if this blog will actually make a difference, but it’s better that it's out there than not at all. 

Most Importantly, let's not forget the main reason for this blog. It is dedicated to the memories of Christopher Byers, Michael Moore, and Stevie Branch. 

Christopher Byers, Michael Moore, and Stevie Branch