who was jason baldwin's defense attorney?

Who was the prosecuting attorney for the West Memphis Three?

Prosecutor Scott EllingtonProsecutor 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.

Who was Damien Echols lawyer?

Echols' lawyer disagreed with the ruling and hopes that the appeals court will change course so they can run new DNA testing. "It was stated pretty clearly in that statute there was an 'or,'" said Patrick Benca, defense attorney of Damien Echols.

What did Damien Echols do?

Damien Echols, the highest profile member of the trio that was convicted in one of Arkansas' most notorious murder cases, had petitioned for permission to employ new technology to test for DNA on ligatures found with the three slain boys in a drainage ditch near West Memphis in 1993.

Is Mark Byers still alive?

June 18, 2020John Mark Byers / Date of death

Is Devil's Knot based on true story?

Devil's Knot: The True Story of the West Memphis Three is a 2002 true crime book by Mara Leveritt, about the 1993 murders of three eight-year-old children and the subsequent trials of three teenagers charged with and convicted of the crimes.

Why did Damien Echols change his name?

When I adopted Damien, his name was Michael and he had to change his last name to Echols and while he was doing that he changed his first name to Damien. Damien was reading about a preacher named Damien who he liked and that is how he got his name.

Does Damian Echols have a child?

Damian Seth Azariah EcholsDamien Echols / Children

How old is Damien Echols now?

47 years (December 11, 1974)Damien Echols / Age

Who is the attorney for the West Memphis Three?

Only after observing the trial did they change the theme of the original film. Echols' lead attorney, Donald Horgan, said ealier today that while it might appear as though celebrity support for the "West Memphis Three" sets the case apart, their story is all too common.

When were the teens convicted of a crime they did not commit?

When the teens were convicted in 1993, he said, they had almost no money to pay for legal help and, as a result, were convicted of a crime they did not commit. But as the men stood in court today surrounded by a tearful and joyous crowd of family and friends, there was only talk about the future, not the past.

Why were the West Memphis Three convicted?

Aug. 19, 2011 -- A defense attorney for the newly freed "West Memphis Three" said that the men were originally convicted because at the time they were "easy targets."

Who were the victims of the murder of Christopher Byers?

The victims -- Christopher Byers, Steven Branch and James Michael Moore -- were found naked, beaten and hogtied in a drainage ditch. They had been sexually abused and one of the boys had been partially castrated. Echols, who was 19 at the time, was considered the mastermind and given the death penalty.

Was Hobbs a suspect?

Hobbs, who was questioned early on, denies any involvement and has not been named as a suspect. The judge had two motions in front of him. One motion alleging juror misconduct in the original case and the other dealing with DNA testing results that allegedly excluded all three men from the crime.

When was the Jason Baldwin trial?

The Trial of Damien Echols and Jason Baldwin. The trial of Damien Echols and Jason Baldwin began on February 22, 1994 , also before Judge Burnett.

What was the case of Echols and Baldwin?

Two years later a hearing was granted in the case of Echols on a motion for a new trial . Ed Mallet, who now represented Echols, argued that Echols had received ineffective counsel during his original trial. This was partly because of the inexperience of the court-appointed attorney in trying cases of this sort, partly because of the lack of resources provided by the court to the defense for the securing of expert witnesses, but also because the defense counsel had entered into a financial arrangement with Joe Berlinger and Bruce Sinofsky, the producer/directors of a documentary film made for the Home Box Office network (HBO). This film was first shown on HBO in June 1996. Reviewers of the film commented on the unusual access that the filmmakers were given to the trial preparation process.

Why was Damien Echols a suspect?

Damien Echols immediately became a suspect in the eyes of the investigators, apparently because he was suggested to them by a juvenile officer, Steve Jones. Echols was 18 years old, and had had a disturbed childhood; although a somewhat isolated young man, he had called attention to himself in his small community by for shoulder-length hair and his penchant for dressing in black, and for liking heavy metal rock bands. Two days after the discovery of the bodies Echols was interviewed by the police. During this interview, he told them that he knew that one of the three boys had been more severely injured than the others. Since this information had not been officially released, police would later claim that only the killer could have known this. However, no charges were pressed at this time.

What was the significance of the verdict of the murder of three teenage boys?

SIGNIFICANCE: The conviction of three teenage boys for the sadistic murder of three eight-year-old boys in what the prosecution claimed was a Satanic ritual received national attention largely as a result of a prize-winning documentary film which contributed to doubts about the correctness of the verdict. In the early afternoon of May 6, 1993, the ...

Who is serving the death penalty in the case of Damien Echols?

He declined to recuse himself, and ruled against the motion for a new trial. Damien Echols is still under sentence of death, and Jason Baldwin and Jessie Misskelley are serving their prison terms. —David I. Petts.

When was Misskelley tried?

Misskelley's trial was separated from the other two, and he was tried first, in January 1994. The prosecution's case relied solely upon his confession. Daniel Stidham, counsel for Misskelley, moved to have the confession held inadmissible, but Judge David Burnett ruled that the confession was voluntary and admissible.

Who killed the boys in the movie?

A young addict, Michael Carson , who had met Baldwin when they were both being held in detention, testified that Baldwin had admitted to him that he had killed the boys. A hunting knife which could have been the murder weapon, was recovered from a lake behind Baldwin's home.

What did Baldwin and Echols do?

Baldwin and Echols had been previously arrested for vandalism and shoplifting, respectively, and Misskelley had a reputation for his temper and for engaging in fistfights with other teenagers at school. 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. Echols and Baldwin were close friends, and bonded over their similar tastes in music and fiction, and over their shared distaste for the prevailing cultural climate of West Memphis, situated in the Bible Belt. Baldwin and Echols were acquainted with Misskelley from school, but were not close friends with him.

Who were the suspects in the murder of Chris Morgan?

Chris Morgan and Brian Holland. Early in the investigation, the WMPD briefly regarded two West Memphis teenagers as suspects. Chris Morgan and Brian Holland, both with drug offense histories, had abruptly departed for Oceanside, California, four days after the bodies were discovered.

Did John Mark Byers use a knife?

Byers initially claimed the knife had never been used. However, after blood was found on the knife, Byers stated that he had used it only once, to cut deer meat. 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. During interrogation, West Memphis police suggested to Byers that he might have left the knife out accidentally, and Byers agreed with this. Byers later stated that he may have cut his thumb. Further testing of the knife produced inconclusive results about the source of the blood. Uncertainty remained due to the small amount of blood and because both John Mark Byers and Chris Byers had the same HLA -DQα genotype.

Was Misskelley tried separately?

Misskelley was tried separately, and Echols and Baldwin were tried together in 1994. Under the " Bruton rule ", Misskelley's confession could not be admitted against his co-defendants; thus he was tried separately. All three defendants pleaded not guilty.

Who represented Jason Baldwin in the West Memphis 3 case?

Ford represented Jason Baldwin in the West Memphis 3 case, which received national attention. Baldwin, Damien Echols and Jessie Misskelley Jr. were convicted of killing three 8-year old boys. Ford was in Scottsbluff on Thursday to speak with a group of lawyers at the Bob Chaloupka Trial Skills Seminar about the importance of confirmation bias, reexamining your own bias and how it can affect a case before it ever reaches trial.

Who won the confirmation bias case?

Ford said the media framed the case and the media won the case. Confirmation bias was on display once Misskelley, who was tried first, was convicted.

Who was sitting in the room when Ford left the witness stand?

As Ford left the witness stand, Baldwin was sitting in the room, shackled, listening.

Did Baldwin and Echols get tried together?

Baldwin and Echols were tried together. They are convicted. Baldwin needs to file an ineffective assistance appeal, also known as a Rule 37 petition, within 30 days, but doesn’t have the money. Ford files it himself. In order to help his client, he must admit he failed.

How long was Jason in prison?

As one of the West Memphis 3, Jason spent 18 years in prison for a crime he did not commit. John, who has years of experience in public affairs communications, played an important role in bringing media and public attention to the WM3 case. After Jason’s release, they began planning how they could most effectively advocate for other victims ...

What is the Proclaim Justice?

Proclaim Justice is the result of those dreams and conversations. Proclaim Justice is served by a board full of dedicated activists. Their wide networks, energy, ideas, and commitment to the cause is what makes the organization possible.