In the courtroom, watch the balance of the scales
If the price is right, there's time for more appeals
The strings are pulled, the switch is stayed
The finest lawyers' fees are paid
And a rich man never dies upon the chair
Those of you who follow this blog know that this case is one near and dear to my heart. The case of the West Memphis 3, who were convicted because of a modern day "witch hunt" which persecuted three boys who dressed in black, listened to heavy metal and lived in poverty; which made them unable to mount a proper defense for themselves. The town was gripped by Satanic panic and was quick to grab any scapegoat they could, even if it ment sending three (albeit misfits) young boys to jail.
This case has drawn many famous names along with the thousand of us regular folks who believe these kids got a raw deal.
Johnny Depp will appear on CBS's '48 Hours Mystery' on Saturday to advocate the release of the "West Memphis Three." (Can he be anymore perfect?) Depp is not alone in his belief that the men were convicted on flimsy or fabricated evidence. He joins stars like Eddie Vedder, Winona Ryder, Eddie Spagetti, the Dixie Chicks and Disney teen star Demi Lovato in insisting the men were actually found guilty for their fascination with heavy-metal music, Stephen King and the occult.
"I firmly believe Damien Echols, Jason Baldwin and Jessie Misskelley are totally innocent. It was a need for swift justice to placate the community," Depp says on Saturday's show. "Damien Echols is on death row to be killed by lethal injection."
In 2003, Winona Ryder hosted a benefit exhibition at a Los Angeles art gallery, featuring artwork by Raymond Pettibon, Shepard Fairey and Marilyn Manson stating "They are in my hearts every day, and I will never give up until they're out." During the gallery opening ceremony, Ryder announced her belief that the verdicts of the West Memphis Three were based on "rumors, prejudices and superstitions," and called for DNA testing and new trials.
"I just felt what happened to those kids could happen to anybody I know or even myself , wearing the wrong clothes, listening to the wrong music, having the wrong books in your collection, and most importantly, living in the wrong community. I feel like if that case had come up in Seattle where I live, those kids would never have been in jail. But they live in a small community where they wanted that case closed, they wanted some culprits, and they wanted them fast and these kids were a scapegoat." By -Eddie Daly/Spaghetti
Last month, 'Sonny With a Chance' star Lovato tweeted her support of the ongoing cause. She wrote, "Can everyone just take a second to read this please. www.wm3.org A truly worthwhile cause. Show your support!!!" Minutes later, she added, "FREE THE WEST MEMPHIS THREE!!!" What a shame the ignorance and prejudice by not only the community but most importantly the sham of a judge called Burnnet, perpetuated itself until the shameful fiction resulted in the convictions of three innocent men that have now spent 16 years (and counting) in prison. And yet when faced with the forensic truth and especially the juror misconduct, their tactic is to delay delay delay instead of righting this wrong at long last by saying enough of this nonsense is enough.
If these men are kept in prison any longer it is a sad statement to our Justice system
AND if Judge Burnett is elected to Senate, rewarding his biased and FALSE imprisonment of three 16 year old's who are now 32, where is our JUSTICE?
Depp's appearance on '48 Hours Mystery' airs Saturday, Feb. 27 at 10 p.m.
