JESSIE: Not that I know of, I wouldnt. RIDGE: And who made that phone call? JESSIE: He was wearing some blue jeans and boots, army boots like, RIDGE:Army boots? JESSIE: I was just wearing a regular one of my old greasy up t-shirt. In 2013, Misskelley's father, Jessie Misskelley, Sr., spoke on his behalf after his son shied away from local reporters. RIDGE: And you mentioned that you heard some voice in the background? Baldwin, who is also involved with movies about the life of the West Memphis 3, plans to attend law school. GITCHELL:Did you have some blood on your clothes? RIDGE: Are you sure that he was the one that was cut? [16] James Michael Moore is buried in Crittenden Memorial Park Cemetery in Marion, Arkansas. RIDGE:At the houses? RIDGE:Metalica shirt, alright, was he wearing a cap, anything like that? She had a conversation with Misskelley, who was behind bars at the time, before he went to trial. JESSIE:Ive been in it for about three months. (WMC-TV) - Jessie Misskelley is the lone member of the West Memphis 3, who shied away from the spotlight. RIDGE:Okay, what were you wearing that day? Only two segments, totaling 46 minutes, were recorded. Echols testified that Detective Ridge's description of their earlier conversation (which was not recorded) regarding those particular details was inaccurate (and indeed that some other claims by Ridge were "lies"). RIDGE:Was it a knife that you fold up, or was it like a hunting knife? is 5'2"(1.57m) . In August 2011, White Light Productions announced that the West Memphis Three would be featured on their new program Wrongfully Convicted. Did they take like one picture of one boy. There was a small amount of blood found at the scene that was never tested. [53], In September 2008, attorney (now judge) Daniel Stidham, who represented Misskelley in 1994, testified at a postconviction relief hearing. RIDGE:They havent talked to you about this? Aaron, a playmate of the murdered boys', mentioned to Bray that the boys had been killed at "the playhouse." Producer: Devil's Knot. Present in the interview will be Inspector Gary Gitchell and Jessie Misskelley. [22], Police officers James Sudbury and Steve Jones felt that the crime had "cult" overtones, and that Damien Echols might be a suspect because he had an interest in occultism, and Jones felt Echols was capable of murdering children. [78], In January 2010, the CBS television news journal 48 Hours aired "The Memphis 3", an in-depth coverage of the history of the case including interviews with Echols and supporters. Also, Matthew states Jason came in around 7:30. Gary Gitchell and Jessie Misskelly. They had been stripped naked and were hogtied with their own shoelaces, their right ankles tied to their right wrists behind their backs, the same with their left arms and legs. During interrogation, West Memphis police suggested to Byers that he might have left the knife out accidentally, and Byers agreed with this. RIDGE: Alright, when did they take their clothes off? JESSIE: You know Damien keeps asking me how come I left and stuff and hadnt anybody said anything to me about it. JESSIE: When he first called me when he first got he called me he said, how come I how come I you left, and said, I couldnt stand it, I had to do something else. [citation needed], On or about June 1, 1993, Hutcheson agreed to police suggestions to place hidden microphones in her home during an encounter with Echols. [59] If they re-offend they can be sent back to prison for 21 years. RIDGE: Alright, were going to correct that even further, thats the east side, Memphis side is the east side and you were standing at the top of the bank on the west side, were you looking down at what was going on? Echols spent several months in a mental institution in Arkansas and afterward received "full disability" status from the Social Security Administration. 1993).3 The jury was also instructed on accomplice liability as follows: In this case, the state does not contend that Jessie Lloyd Misskelley, Junior acted alone in the commission of the offense of three counts of capital murder. When he first hit the boy, when Damien first hit the first boy, did they have their clothes on then? RIDGE: Okay. The bodies, he said, had been removed from the water before the coroner arrived to examine the scene and determine the state of rigor mortis, allowing the bodies to decay on the creek bank and to be exposed to sunlight and insects. RIDGE:okay, wearing blue jeans, he had on a metalica shirt, now this is a shirt thats got metalica across the front of it spelled out, and a mans name, or picture, is that right? JESSIE: I couldnt stand it to see what they were doing to them. Misskelley's confession eventually served as the basis for all three arrests. RIDGE:Okay, how did he have sex with that one? RIDGE:Why did you not come forward with this information? DNA evidence at the scene was not found to include any from Echols or his co-defendants. RIDGE:Now these meetings, have they ever been violent, anybody gotten mad and got into a fight? A subsequent search of the ditch revealed the bodies of three boys. He is a producer, known for Devil's Knot (2013), Paradise Lost: The Child Murders at Robin Hood Hills (1996) and West of Memphis (2012). [16] Christopher Mark Byers is buried in Forest Hill Cemetery East in Memphis, Tennessee.[17]. RIDGE:They are sick okay. [64] Prosecutor Scott Ellington said the Arkansas state crime laboratory would help seek other suspects by running searches on any DNA evidence produced in private laboratory tests during the defense team's investigation. RIDGE:Alright I am going to conclude this interview, the time is 3:18PM. (Jessie confuses the boys here; this is pertinent in the second statement(*)). No marks of any kind to his body in that region, nor did he die of asphyxia). .no . He has one daughter with his ex-wife Elizabeth Baldwin, and one son with his former girlfriend Isabella Hofmann. His net worth has been growing significantly in 2021-2022. [59], Echols relocated to Salem, Massachusetts with his wife and has no intentions of returning to Arkansas. Now we have a briefcase there that night whereas seconds ago, they didnt. JESSIE: They laid the knife down beside them and I saw them tying them up and then thats when I left, RIDGE: Were the boys conscious or were they, JESSIE: They were unconscious then. Echols' sentence was reduced to three counts of first degree murder. [32] The court sentenced him to life plus 40 years in prison. (*****During this statement Jessie says that the boys were beaten by Damien and Jason with their fists, then he is asked if they were hit with sticks, and he answers yes. (Above Jessie has stated they met at 9 a.m., not 12 noon. Officials failed to drain the creek in a timely manner and secure possible evidence in the water (the creek was sandbagged after the bodies were pulled from the water). View popular celebrities life details, birth signs and real ages. . Only logical answer is that Jessie had no idea where the bikes were put down), JESSIE: When they hollered, when they seen them boys. A hair "not inconsistent with" Stevie Branch's stepfather, Terry Hobbs, was found tied into the knots used to bind one of the victims. [9] Friends and neighbors also conducted a search that night, which included a cursory visit to the location where the bodies were later found. GITCHELL: Alright, thats uh the Byers boy. RIDGES:Cutting him in the face. RIDGE: okay, now when its going on, when this is taking place, you under you saw somebody with a knife, who had a knife? He is from 1975. [58], After weeks of negotiations, on August 19, 2011, Echols, Baldwin and Misskelley were released from prison as part of a plea deal, making the hearings ordered by the Arkansas Supreme Court unnecessary. All three were released from prison that same day. From left, Jessie Misskelley, Damien Echols and Jason Baldwin, the West Memphis Three, after their 1993 arrests in the murder of three boys. "[59] Since his release, Baldwin has moved to Seattle to live with friends. They were known for wearing black and listening to heavy metal. GITCHELL:Have you ever seen them with a briefcase before? [9] Leveritt further noted that some of the physical evidence was stored in paper sacks obtained from a supermarket (with the supermarket's name printed on the bags) rather than in containers of known and controlled origin. , money, salary, income, and assets. [26][43] In June 1996, Misskelley's lawyer, Dan Stidham, was preparing an appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court. JESSIE: We were just sitting there, throwing stuff at each other. He said they called me). The three boys were found brutally murdered in a shocking fashion in a wooded area called the Robin Hood Hills. He and a girlfriend had run off and later broken into a trailer during a rain storm; they were arrested, though only Echols was charged with burglary.[9]. GITCHELL: okay, now you have participated in this cult, right? [91], Echols' lawyers claimed that his condition worsened during the trial, when he developed a "psychotic euphoria that caused him to believe he would evolve into a superior entity" and eventually be transported to a different world. Mara Leveritt, an investigative journalist and the author of Devil's Knot, argues that Echols' information may have come from police leaks, such as Detective Gitchell's comments to Mark Byers, that circulated amongst the local public. Prosecution experts claim Byers' wounds were the results of a knife attack and that he had been purposely castrated by the murderer; defense experts claim the injuries were most likely the result of post-mortem animal predation. RIDGE:Put away for a while. He is currently single. Copyright 2012 WMC-TV. RIDGE:No kind of design or anything? After the initial investigation, the police failed to control disclosure of information and speculation about the crime scene.[38]. Two other defendants await trial in Arkansas. JESSIE:He didnt have one that night. [73], There have been a number of books about the case, also arguing that the suspects were wrongly convicted: Devil's Knot by Mara Leveritt; Blood of Innocents by Guy Reel; and The Last Pentacle of the Sun: Writings in Support of the West Memphis Three, edited by Brett Alexander Savory & M. W. Anderson, and featuring dark fiction and non-fiction by well-known writers of speculative fiction. Arrested in Oceanside on May 17, 1993, Morgan and Holland both took polygraph exams administered by California police. GITCHELL: How many pictures did you see, altogether? [1][2][3], Due to the dubious nature of the evidence as well as the suspected presence of emotional bias in court, the case generated widespread controversy and was the subject of several documentaries. RIDGE:Okay, alright did and the one that they were cutting the penis off of, did any of them are cutting the penis or whatever was being done, did they have sex with him at all? They were released with 10-year suspended sentences, having served 18 years. 19. RIDGE: Okay, Jessie, lets go straight to that date,05/05/93, Wednesday, early in the morning. (As unusual a character as Damien was, youd think the local photo developer might have remembered him coming in to get pictures developed especially when those photos were of kids who later turn up murdered; or theyd have found a camera or some corroboration?). RIDGE:But you would be able to point out where these things took place? Regardless of your opinion on his behavior, it is safe to say that Jason Baldwin is one of the richest film producers in the world. I strongly suggest listening along while reading this transcript. (No blood was found on any of the childrens discarded clothes. Digging for an answer when he doesnt know what response will please his questioner). Jessie Misskelley's net worth The films marked the first time Metallica allowed their music to be used in a movie, which drew attention to the case. [21], California police sent blood and urine samples from Morgan and Holland to the WMPD, but there is no indication WMPD investigated Morgan or Holland as suspects following their arrest in California. Not much is known about Jessie Misskelley, Jr.'s current whereabouts, and what he is up to. (Detective Ridge testified that he was unaware on this date that Jessie had a mental handicap. Damien Echols was sentenced to death, Jessie Misskelley Jr. to life imprisonment plus two 20-year sentences, and Jason Baldwin to life imprisonment. (Jessie Misskelly did not have access to a phone at this time. [9][30] The defense team objected when the prosecution attempted to question Echols about his past violent behaviors, but the defense objections were overruled.[37]. [6], On May 5, 1993, three eight-year-old boys (Steve Branch, Michael Moore and Christopher Byers) were reported missing in West Memphis, Arkansas. [63] In 2011, supporters pushed Arkansas Governor Mike Beebe to pardon Echols, Baldwin, and Misskelley based on their innocence. Byers was the only victim with drugs in his system; he was prescribed Ritalin (methylphenidate) in January 1993 as part of treatment of an attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder. JESSIE:Two or three days after it happened, and I left. . (I didnt see a briefcase), then ask the question again Jessie will come through for you . Misskelley was convicted by a jury of one count of first-degree murder and two counts of second-degree murder. JESSIE: I was just wearing regular blue jeans, my shoes. (Again, the hog tied postion doesnt align with the boys being on their backs. And be truthful. [9], In October 2003, Vicki Hutcheson, who had played a part in the arrests of Misskelley, Echols, and Baldwin, gave an interview to the Arkansas Times in which she stated that every word she had given to the police was a fabrication. [29], During Misskelley's trial, Richard Ofshe, an expert on false confessions and police coercion, and Professor of Sociology at UC Berkeley, testified that the brief recording of Misskelley's interrogation was a "classic example" of police coercion. On September 17, 2011, 48 Hours re-aired the episode with the update of their release and interviews from Echols and his wife, and Baldwin. Bryn Ridge of the West Memphis Police Department, currently in the detective division of the West Memphis Police Department conducting an investigation of the Triple Homicide, Case File # 93-05-0666. The memorial is located in the playground of Weaver Elementary School in West Memphis, where all three victims were second graders at the time of the crime. Steve Branch was the son of Steven and Pamela Branch, who divorced when he was an infant. JESSIE: Right, we walked and then uh, JESSIE: We went up to Robin Hood. [22], The day after the victims' bodies were found, Bojangles' manager Marty King, thinking there was a possible connection to the bleeding man found in the bathroom, reported the incident to police officers who then inspected the ladies' room. ", Following a 2010 decision by the Arkansas Supreme Court regarding newly produced DNA evidence and potential juror misconduct, the West Memphis Three negotiated a plea bargain with prosecutors. He is not dating anyone. GITCHELL: But, you saw them cutting on the boys, JESSIE: I saw them cutting on them, and then. JESSIE: And started doing the same thing, then the other one took off, Michael uhhMooretook off running, so I chased him and grabbed him and held him, cause they got there and then I left. RIDGE: so, your time period may not be exactly right in what youre saying? [3][9] Misskelley specifically said he was "scared of the police" during this confession. GITCHELL: Now, where you in a car? He was considered the leader of the three. Present in the interview is Insp. RIDGE:The boots that Damien had on, are they army type boots too, or what kind of boots were they? Second, Dennis Dent stated he was having a phone conversation with Angela (Jasons mother) between 9:00 and 9:30 pm, during her break at work. "This was not justice," he said of the deal. Damien Echols told Action News 5's Janice Broach that he worries about Misskelley. Jason Baldwin, 16, Jessie Misskelley, 17, and Damien Echols, 18, were ultimately convicted in 1994. 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. [9], Echols' family was poor, received frequent visits from social workers and he rarely attended school. Would you do that? [88] He moved to New York City after his release. . Damien first came into my life in 1996, when my friend and I watched a documentary called Paradise Lost: The Child Murders at Robin Hood Hills. He has stated that he plans on enrolling in college to become a lawyer in order to help wrongfully convicted persons prove their innocence. GITCHELL: What do you all do with the girls when youre out there? "However, they're trying to kill Damien. GITCHELL: Did you ever use, did anyone use a stick and hit the boys with? You dont need a PhD to figure this out a stick across a neck would cause very obvious linear damage. RIDGE: Beat them up real bad, and then they took their clothes off? Aaron's further statements were wildly inconsistent, and he was unable to identify Baldwin, Echols, or Misskelley from photo line-ups, and there was no "playhouse" at the location Aaron indicated. Police initially suspected the boys had been raped;[10] however, later expert testimony disputed this finding. ), RIDGE: Alright, you got in front of you a picture, that was taken out of the newspaper I believe, its got three boys and these are the three boys that were killed on that date in Robin Hood Woods, okay, which one of those three boys is it you say Damien hit? Stidham overheard Judge Burnett discuss taking a lunch break with the jury foreman and heard the foreman reply that the jury was almost finished. RIDGE: Has he done things with them before? Hutcheson claimed that, at the Wiccan meeting, a drunken Echols openly bragged about killing the three boys. [27], Vicki Hutcheson, a new resident of West Memphis, would play an important role in the investigation, though she would later recant her testimony, claiming her statements were fabricated due in part to coercion from police. RIDGE: Alright, when did you go with them? RIDGE: Alright, you went home and about what time was it that all of this was taking place? The14thStreetWoods are down the street from the BB woods; a good distance). On May 15, 1993, Jessie Misskelley, and his older friend David Sims, who was 22-years-old at the time, and his younger friend, Dennis Carter, who was 15, had called the police from a bowling Alley stating they had seen three little boys, who were around 8 or 9 years old fleeing from a man near some train tracks. Byers agreed to and passed a polygraph test about the murders during the filming of Paradise Lost 2: Revelations, but the documentary indicated that Byers was under the influence of several psychoactive prescription medications that could have affected the test results. Naw, no psych or IQ issue here). Byers initially claimed the knife had never been used. GITCHELL:Were your clothes wet still? 2:00 PM - Ricky Deese's wife sees Jessie in Highland Trailer park. RIDGE OR GITCHELL?Someone makes a brief snorting sound as if to say youre wrong listen closely. The film followed the true story of three young men, Damien Echols, then 18, Jessie Misskelley Jr, 17, and Jason Baldwin, 16. This is consistent with the language ofArk. "He still believed in the Easter Bunny and Santa Claus". [48], After an expert examined autopsy photos and noted what he thought might be the imprint of a belt buckle on Byers' corpse, the elder Byers revealed to the police that he had spanked his stepson shortly before the boy disappeared. [59] The three entered into unusual Alford plea deals. On May 5, 1993, Christopher Byers, Michael Moore, and Stevie Branchall of whom were eight years oldwent bike riding in West Memphis. [10] During a polygraph examination, he denied any involvement. JESSIE:They, Jason stuck his in one thems mouth and Damien was screwing one of them up the ass and stuff. And Susie Brewer Boggan says she is now out of Jessie Misskelley's life. . RIDGE:But have you heard anybody say that they saw Damien and Jason? RIDGE: He didnt tell you that he hid it somewhere? JESSIE: And then Damien, I heard Damien in the background saying we done it, we done it, what we gonna do now what about if somebody saw us. RIDGE: When youve been by yourself, and Im sure in the last three weeks youve been by yourself with them sometime. We have estimated Dont like the answer? RIDGE:Okay, had somebody taken pictures of these boys? He has claimed both that the seizure medication he was taking caused periodontal disease, and that he planned the removal because of other kinds of dental problems which had troubled him for years. [89], Echols' mental stability during the years immediately prior to the murders and during his trial was the focus of his appellate legal team in their appeal attempts. [33] His conviction was appealed, but the Arkansas Supreme Court affirmed the conviction. First of all, Matthew Baldwin stated that Damien nor Domini had been to the trailer on this day. There was nothing of the kind on Chris neck. Celebrities and musicians held fundraisers to support efforts to free the men. [80], Atom Egoyan directed a dramatized feature film of the case, titled Devil's Knot, released in U.S. theaters on May 9, 2014. [9], On February 5, 1994, Misskelley was convicted by a jury of one count of first-degree murder and two counts of second-degree murder. Also presented in the filing was new expert testimony that the supposed knife marks on the victims, including the injuries to Byers' genitals, were in fact the result of animal predation after the bodies had been dumped.[55]. [16] Steve Edward Branch is buried in Mount Zion Cemetery in Steele, Missouri. . [47] John Mark Byers had his teeth removed in 1997, after the first trial but before an imprint could be made. Trade Mark (2) Shaved head Tattoo of a clock with no hands Trivia (1) [75], Many songs were written about the case, and two albums released in support of the defendants. JESSIE:We usually skin it, then make a bon fire and eat it and stuff. A report jointly issued by the state and the defense team stated, "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. "I said, 'Look, you get mad because they're living a good life but they're earning. Baldwin was initially resistant to agree to this deal, insisting as a matter of principle that he would not plead guilty to something he did not do. JESSIE:I didnt have no blood on me, I didnt get close to them. RIDGE: And what else, I think you said that he made the call from his house? JESSIE:There was a group of pictures of all three of them. All money raised from sales of the album are donated to the legal funds of the West Memphis Three. What did you do there? An open letter from Lorri Davis, wife of Damien Echols . [84] Baldwin said in a 2011 interview with Piers Morgan that he worked for a construction company and he was learning how to drive.[79]. "[9], Brent Turvey, a forensic scientist and criminal profiler, stated in the film Paradise Lost 2 that human bite marks could have been left on at least one of the victims. GITCHELL: What did the stick look like, I mean was it like a a big log like that or is it a stick? The boys had been hogtied with their own shoelaces, sexually mutilated and physically assaulted before being killed. RIDGE:Are you scared of Damien now? [9] On May 9, during a formal interview by Detective Bryn Ridge, Echols mentioned that one of the victims had wounds to the genitals; law enforcement viewed this knowledge as incriminating. Damien was one of the most watched charectars in West Memphis, no one ever mentioned seeing him with a briefcase? What color is Jasons hair? [24] Misskelley quickly recanted his confession, citing intimidation, coercion, fatigue, and veiled threats from police. [34], Three weeks later, Echols and Baldwin went on trial. RIDGE:You havent heard anybody? We don't have much information about He's past relationship and any previous engaged. RIDGE: Alright, what occurred, what did he talk about? JESSIE: He had been watching them. [9], At his death penalty sentencing hearing, Echols' psychologist reported that months before the murders, Echols had claimed that he obtained super powers by drinking human blood. RIDGE:Which way the boys came from and where you all were when he hollered for the boys and stuff like that, you wouldnt have a problem with that? He told me that he had to go toWest Memphisso, him and Damien with and then I went with them. JESSIE: No, hes been watching them, (How would Jessie know what Damien had done with the boys in the past?). Examiners reported that both men's charts indicated deception when they denied involvement in the murders. The defense's expert testified that the mark in question was not an adult bite mark, while experts put on by the State concluded that there was no bite mark at all. RIDGE: Okay, was it after school had let out? [8] Initial police searches made that night were limited. Okay, so you saw Damien strike Chris Byers in the head. Jessie's first taped confession to West Memphis Police in June, 1993. However, the confession was at odds with facts known by police, such as the time of the murders. Judge David Laser accepted the pleas and sentenced the three to time served. We don't have much information about He's past relationship and any previous engaged. This part of this statement is also pertinent to the second statement (*)). Dilation of the anus is a normal post-mortem condition. Jessie's Alibi -- Timeline. RIDGE:About the size of a baseball bat, maybe just a little bit bigger round? [59], The families of the three victims are divided in their opinions as to the guilt or innocence of the West Memphis Three. RIDGE: Which way does he go, I mean, does he go back towards where the houses are. Jump to 2:46 (where the below begins). [90] Echols's mental state while in prison awaiting trial was also called into question by his appellate team. Echols is married, an author, and a movie producer who travels the world. RIDGE:Okay, Damians didnt come up that far? [26] Portions of Misskelley's statements to the police were leaked to the press and reported on the front page of the Memphis Commercial Appeal before any of the trials began. When told the blood matched both his and Chris' blood type, Byers said he had no idea how that blood might have gotten on the knife. [54], On October 29, 2007, papers were filed in federal court by Echols's defense lawyers seeking a retrial or his immediate release from prison. ????). JESSIE: I would say it was about that big around, I would say about that long. Miller dismissed a suit Hobbs filed over Maines' remarks and writings implying that he was involved in killing his stepson. MATTINGLY: On February 4th, 1994, Jessie Misskelley was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison. Police said the recording was "inaudible", but Hutcheson claimed the recording was audible. (It is also confirmed that Jason was in school on 5/5/93; hecouldnot have been in the woods at 9 AM.). [76], A website by Martin David Hill, containing approximately 160,000 words and intending to be a "thorough investigation", collates and discusses many details surrounding the murders and investigation, including some anecdotal information. JESSIE: Yeah, weve been in the water, we were in it that night, playing around in it. Okay, youve been down there in those woods before. RIDGE: Alright, Insp. In his efforts to win a new trial, Echols, 27 at the time of the appeal, claimed he was incompetent to stand trial because of a history of mental illness. JESSIE: Uh, I dont know what he done with it, cause after I left then they, I dont know what they done with, after I left I dont know what they done with it. . The court sentenced him to life plus 40 years in prison. Learn How rich is He in this year and how He spends money? He was last seen wearing blue pants, a blue Boy Scouts of America shirt, and an orange and blue Boy Scout hat, and riding a light green bicycle. RIDGE: Has he ever had sex with them before? HBO executives ordered them to return the knife to the West Memphis Police Department. They called for these boys to come over there? (Again,if the anal dilation evidence was at all ambiguous, this type of sodomy would cause obvious tearing and ripping; it wouldnt be a close call). RIDGE: Okay, the knives, was it one knife, two knives, was your knife there? They got their GED in jail. Baldwin and Misskelley were sentenced to life in prison. A hearing on Echols' petition for a writ of habeas corpus was held in the Federal District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas. RIDGE:okay, which one did you see killed? Dating & Relationship status He is currently single. I don't know, he just doesn't want to," she said. RIDGE: What time is it right now? [71] Douglas believed that the perpetrator had a violent history and was familiar with the victims and with local geography. RIDGE: okay, so he was choking him to the point where he actually went unconscious, so at that point, you felt like he was dead? On August 19, 2011, three men, Damien Echols, Jason Baldwin and Jessie Misskelley, who were convicted as teenagers in 1994 of the murders of three boys in Arkansas, are released from prison in. However, these potential bite marks were first noticed in photographs years after the trials and were not inspected by a board-certified medical examiner until four years after the murders. JESSIE:Yes, I think when we had that cult. RIDGE: Okay, so they were just messing around in the water. RIDGE:What kind of shoes were you wearing? "[90], The appellate legal team argued that Echols did not waive his assertion that he was not mentally competent before his 1994 trial because he was not competent to waive it. His stated reasons for the removal are apparently contradictory. The Alford plea is a legal mechanism that allows defendants to plead guilty while still asserting their actual innocence, in cases where defendants concede that prosecutors have sufficient evidence to secure a conviction. JESSIE: Well after, all of this stuff happened that night, that they done it, I went home about noon, then they called me at 9 oclock that night, they called me. (The crime scene was blocked off for over a month and guarded by WMPD precisely to see if the criminal would return to the scene of the crime.No reports of Jessie appearing were made.). The counsel representing the men said they would continue to pursue full exoneration. He is a member of famous Producer with the age 47 years old group. RIDGE: Alright, where were they at? [25], Though he was informed of his Miranda rights, Misskelley later claimed he did not fully understand them. The filing cited DNA evidence linking Terry Hobbs (stepfather of one of the victims) to the crime scene, and new statements from Hobbs' now ex-wife. JESSIE:I was up there by uhh by the Service Road. So they were there for a lot longer. [70], John E. Douglas, a former longtime FBI agent and current criminal profiler, said that the murders were more indicative of a single murderer intent on degrading and punishing the victims, than of a trio of "unsophisticated" teenagers. [53] At the time, legal experts agreed that this issue could result in the reversal of the convictions of Jason Baldwin and Damien Echols. RIDGE:Alright, Damien, what was Damien wearing. JESSIE: When I was there, I saw Damien hit this one (pause) hit this one boy real bad, and then uh, and then he started screwing them and stuff and then uh, (There is no evidence from the Medical Examiner whatsoever that any of the boys were raped; it was inconclusive. RIDGE: Is there a path that you go down? (No one knew that the three boyus would be together; Steve Branch was told to be home in 15 minutes, Chris Byers was prohibited from being the RHH woods the idea that it was a targeted killing of these boys doesnt even come close to fitting). [69], In 2010, district Judge Brian S. Miller ordered Terry Hobbs, the stepfather of victim Stevie Branch, to pay $17,590 to Dixie Chicks singer Natalie Maines for legal costs stemming from a defamation lawsuit he filed against the band. JESSIE: He had that uh, like a, skull like. JESSIE: I dont know where they laid their bikes down at, cause I was behind Damien and nem, way way behind them, (But he just said he was up on the bank, not that close. "[9] Leveritt speculated that the small local police force was overwhelmed by the crime, which was unlike any they had ever investigated. Was he faced down and he was cutting on him, or. JESSIE: They laid their bikes down when they come out to the, when they hollered for them to come out there, (When they hollered for them to come out there conflicts with claim that Jessie and Jason were hiding and Damien [singular] called the boys over). murder inquiry", "Help sought for memorial to victims in West Memphis 3 case", "3 Teen-Agers Accused in the Killings of 3 Boys", "collective paradise lost, revelations dvd", "WM3 Interview With Dan Stidham, Part 1 of 11", "Miscellaneous Essays and Interviews David Jauss", "Witnesses call boys deaths work of group with trappings of the occult", "West Memphis 3: Echols, Baldwin, Misskelley Speak", Lawyers file DNA motion in Cub Scout murder case, "KAIT: Mother of West Memphis 3 Victim Speaks About New DNA Evidence", Jury foreman in West Memphis Three trial of Damien Echols accused of misconduct, "Former lawyer supports effort for a new trial", Arkansas Blog: West Memphis 3 Press Conference, "Judge rejects request for new trial for 3 men convicted of 1993 slayings of 3 Arkansas boys", "New hearing ordered for 3 in Ark. Despite his reported IQ of 72 (categorizing him as borderline intellectual functioning) and his status as a minor, Miskelley was questioned alone; his parents were not present during the interrogation. RIDGE:And, what kind of blade did it have on it? Up there behind the Goodyear place? JESSIE: He hit him with his fist and bruised him all up real bad, and then ull (phonetic) Jason turned around and hit Steve Branch. [9] Misskelley was questioned for roughly 12 hours. Beebe said he would deny the request unless there was evidence showing someone else committed the murders. [6] Baldwin pleaded guilty to three counts of first degree murder while still asserting his actual innocence. JESSIE: By uh, Blue Beacon Truck Wash. (The location was widely reported in the media in May 1993), (Ridge might as well say: reat afte me A little patch of woods). JESSIE: They were going to catch their bus and stuff, and they was on their bikes and so, (If the children were catching the bus, why would they be riding their bikes? Misskelley was arrested in connection to the murders on June 3, 1993. Piers Morgan Tonight aired an episode on September 29, 2011, about the three's plans for the future and continued investigations on the case. RIDGE:To that particular place? How could Damien be in the background if he was not there? Jessie Misskelley was brought in to WMPD for questioning on 3 June 1993. According to local West Memphis police officers, on the evening of May 5, 1993, at 8:42pm, workers in the Bojangles' restaurant located about a mile from the crime scene in Robin Hood Hills reported seeing a black male who seemed "mentally disoriented" inside the restaurant's ladies' room. This would include running the results through the FBI's Combined DNA Index System database. JESSIE: Yes, he run out there and I caught him and brought him back, and then I took off, (This is the first of seven times that Jessie says he left and hes told and you came back.You dont need a PhD to see that this confession is utter crap. RIDGE: Where did they lay their bikes down at, thats what Im asking you? And what kind of a shirt, you know everybody wears a special shirt with different things, (Begging for an answer having to do with death), JESSIE: He was wearing a mega death shirt. GITCHELL: Is that when you first saw the pictures of the boys? 17. During their conversation, Hutcheson reported that Echols made no incriminating statements. RIDGE: It was like earlier in the day, but you dont know exactly what time, okay, cause weve got Ive gotten some real confusion with the times that youre telling me, but now,this 9 oclock in the evening call that you got, explain that to me. Jessie Misskelley, Sr. of Marion, AR September 5, 1938 - February 21, 2021 Jessie Loyd Misskelley,Sr. (Echols and Lorri Davis . Jessie Misskelley Jr., released from prison in 2011 in the infamous West Memphis Three case was jailed Saturday night after he was arrested on a slew of traffic citations. RIDGE:when you kill a dog, what do you do with that? [30] Critics have also stated that Misskelley's various "confessions" were in many respects inconsistent with each other, as well as with the particulars of the crime scene and murder victims, including (for example) an "admission" that Misskelley watched Damien rape one of the boys. JESSIE: Thats where I seen them going down at, and he was on his back. In 2013, written statements from two men, Billy Wayne Stewart and Bennie Guy, were introduced in the court. Ridges leads him into when you came back, signaling Jessie that theres more for him to say. JESSIE: They had holes in them and the knees were cut. I could not believe it was in Terry's things. Stevie Branch's mother, the ex-wife of Terry Hobbs, and Mark Byers have publicly stated the WM3 were wrongly convicted. Then I came down here when he got out," she said. When the bodies proved to have been discovered near where Aaron indicated, Bray asked Aaron for further details, and Aaron claimed that he had witnessed the murders committed by Satanists who spoke Spanish. They both claimed to have had information on the case linking Terry Hobbs to the murders, but were ignored by police initially. JESSIE: They could run, they just had them tied, when they knocked them down and stuff, they could move (hold?) GITCHELL: And you saw the pictures in the briefcase? On June 2, 1993, Hutcheson told police that about two weeks after the murders were committed, she, Echols, and Misskelley attended a Wiccan meeting in Turrell, Arkansas. . In 2011, Echols would reflect that, should investigators attempt to proceed to trial with the same evidence compiled in 1993 and with the external scrutiny which had not then existed, he and his co defendants would not have been brought to trial, stating: "They knew that there would be more people watching this, more attention on this case. Family and friends are welcome to leave their condolences on this memorial page and share them with the family. The song is about the West Memphis Three, with 100% of the proceeds going to their benefit foundation for their release. In 2000, The album Free the West Memphis 3 was released by KOCH Records. The crime and investigation. The episode premiered May 5, 2011, with extensive background information included on the show's page at the Investigation Discovery site. For other uses, see, "Jason Baldwin" redirects here. Discover today's celebrity birthdays and explore famous people who share your birthday. Misskelley, 42, is accused of driving without a license, no vehicle insurance, and driving a vehicle with one or more headlights. Trace amounts of sperm DNA were found on a pair of pants recovered from the scene. According to his mother, Christopher was a typical eight-year-old. Jessie Misskelley Jr. (born July 10, 1975) is one of the three members of what has been called the West Memphis 3 (Misskelley, Damien Echols, and Jason Baldwin). [4], In July 2007, new forensic evidence was presented. RIDGE: Alright, and you know where the little Creek is that goes out to the express way, and it doesnt have a lot of water in it, but its got some water in it, and its flowing through the, which side of that creek were you on, were you on the Memphis side of the creek or the Blue Beacon side of the creek? Did they get into the water with you all? [94], On August 19, 2011, Echols, along with Baldwin and Misskelley, entered an Alford plea, while asserting their innocence. GITCHELL: Did they have a briefcase with them? I went with them and then. A news story about Jessie Misskelley's curious behavior following his release from prison; avoiding media interviews and going into hiding. It was a pocket knife that my father had given to Stevie, and Stevie loved that knife. RIDGE:Okay, what were you doing in the water? RIDGE: When he hits the first boy and then Jason hits another boy, and one takes off running. [62], Many of the men's supporters, and opponents who still believe them guilty, were unhappy with the unusual plea deal. He lived with his parents and his nine-year-old sister, Dawn. This more accurately describes the14thStreetWoods, which are normally known as the RHH woods by locals, not the site where the bodies were found (The Blue Beacon Woods). There was anal-dialation on two of the boys, which is most likely from the water. RIDGE: Alright, where did he cut him at? He testified that his own failure to put this incident on the court record and his failure to meet the minimum requirements in state law to represent a defendant in a capital murder case was evidence of ineffective assistance of counsel and that Misskelley's conviction should therefore be vacated. "We were writing each other two years before he got out. JESSIE: They asked me how come I left so early and stuff, and I told them that I couldnt stay there watching it no more, so I had to do something to get out of there. [49] She said that when she visited the police station, employees had photographs of Echols, Baldwin, and Misskelley on the wall and were using them as dart targets. RIDGE: Okay, so they had them under control, you were there the whole time that was taking place? JESSIE: He keeps on asking me what are we going to do next, I told him, I cant do nothing now cause I go to work with my daddy everyday. [9] Misskelley's former attorney Dan Stidham cites multiple substantial police errors at the crime scene, characterizing it as "literally trampled, especially the creek bed." RIDGE:Going under the water, what were they doing up under the water? Jessie Misskelley was born on July 10, 1975 as Jessie Loyd Misskelly Jr. Jason reportedly onlyleft the house very briefly to return a videotape, but was home the rest of the night.). Confession. (You need to hear Jessies voice on his bottom Is a question, not a statement), RIDGE: On his bottom? RIDGE:Alright, youre describing a knife that would be about 6 inches long, is that right? JESSIE: I was there until they tied them up and then thats when I left, after they tied them up, I left. RIDGE:Did you actually kill any of these boys? Misskelley and Echols had dropped out of high school; however, Baldwin earned high grades and demonstrated a talent for drawing and sketching, and was encouraged by one of his teachers to study graphic design in college. Circuit Court Judge David Laser was selected to replace David Burnett and preside in the evidentiary hearings mandated by the successful appeal. [61] As part of the plea deal, the three men cannot pursue civil action against the state for wrongful imprisonment. Jasons friend Ken Watkins came over to visit later. ), Murphy Exposed is Back Online! RIDGE:Did anybody see you leaving? [56] That ruling was appealed to the Arkansas Supreme Court, which heard oral arguments in the case on September 30, 2010. This documentary was co-produced by Lord of the Rings maestro Peter Jackson and his wife and collaborator, Fran Walsh. [77], Investigative journalist Aphrodite Jones undertook an exploration of the case on her Discovery Network show True Crime with Aphrodite Jones following the DNA discoveries. Organized by Eddie Spaghetti of the band Supersuckers, the album featured a number of original songs about the case and other recordings by artists such as Steve Earle, Tom Waits, L7, and Joe Strummer. stress: portrait of a killer documentary transcript, bobby ingram molly hatchet wife, jeff konigsberg net worth 2020, clark lea contract, bible study fellowship criticism, the habit coffee shake, holy cross church times, pearson terminal 1 arrivals parking, sebastien soriano son of maricel soriano, eagle syndrome specialist near me, flashdance the musical script, ticketek gabba seating map, xfinity prepaid without logging in, steve watson obituary poplar bluff mo, betty's nutritional information,
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