To anyone sooo convinced the three didn’t do it, why?

Even disregarding Jessie’s initial confession, how do you explain his other, completely unprompted confessions? Also like I’m sure most people here know, Damien’s troubles were so much more serious than the media or any pro 3 sources ever let on. He was unstable and violent, an animal killer who even his parents were terrified by. He was definitely in the midst of very weird alternative practices. Was he explicitly a satanist? I’m not sure, but he pretty much checked all the signs of a young psychopath, displayed a clear propensity for disgusting violence, and had a pretty clear motive (sacrifice) that TH didn’t have.

I understand having some doubt, and I admittedly am not as familiar with the case as a lot of people here probably are, but to those who are so strongly convinced of their innocence, why? Is it because of the HBO documentary or actual evidence and research?

I think a lot of people, on the internet especially, view this case through the narrative they are spoonfed by celebrities and the media, of Christian oppression and overreach crushing three goofy edgy teens and fall for Damien’s superficial charm (as most psychopaths have) and want to believe the narrative is what happened.

in WestMemphisThreeby ApacheBitchImGoingTo

58%

View all comments

SnooShortcuts5771

How bout the fact that the state offered an Alford plea deal. That pretty much sealed it for me. You think the state does that when they are convinced they have three child killers locked up? The only reason it was an Alford is because the state was unwilling to simply say they screwed up.

DuggarDoesDallas

Damien's team brought the Alford plea to the prosecution, Jason's defense and Jessie's defense. Specifically, it was Steven Barga who came up with it. The state agreed to get a guilty plea and put the case to rest after 20 years. Both sides admit that this was not ideal, but it was effectual.

https://www.tjsl.edu/news-and-events/the-west-memphis-three-and-their-alford-plea/#:~:text=Steven%20Braga%2C%20a%20D.C.%20Attorney,of%20innocence%20while%20pleading%20guilty

BaseballCapSafety

-1

If the state had enough evidence to convict child murderers and opted not to to save money or time or whatever, that is an epic failure in the legal system. How often do you think a DA says, yup we’ve got the guy that murdered all those children, we have the evidence to get a conviction, but we can save some money if we just let them go?

_6siXty6_

Alford Plea is saying you have enough evidence to convict. If what you are saying is true, the 3 should have refused it and had biggest lawsuit in history of AR.

Feisty_Irish

Jason said that the reason why he took the Alford Plea was because Damien was on death row and he didn't want him to be executed

BoyMom119816

They couldn’t execute Damien with a new evidentiary hearing ordered. Plus, Damien still had at least one appeal, on state level, before things would even start to be scary. That’s why so many anti death penalty bring up costs, and the fact it is more expensive for death penalty than life term prison, as there’s multiple automatic appeals. And if you think Arkansas would ignore their own constitutional rights, as well as the countries rights, and execute a prisoner with at least the entire country, but possibly the world watching, and all that money, power, and attention involved, I have a very nice piece of beach front property over in Idaho to sell you! No state is that dumb, and believe it or not, prisoners do have rights they have to abide by, and appeals for death row is definitely one.

_6siXty6_

-12

and if they had appealed, this would have been stayed.

SofondaDickus

There were plenty of appeals made. He was looking down a final date short of the Supreme Court. New DA came in and offered the plea to avoid the judge lawsuit they would face if a new trial were granted and they won.

DuggarDoesDallas

The D.A. didn't offer the plea. Damien's defense team did. Scott Barga brought it to the prosecution and the other defense lawyers.

https://www.tjsl.edu/news-and-events/the-west-memphis-three-and-their-alford-plea/#:~:text=Steven%20Braga%2C%20a%20D.C.%20Attorney,of%20innocence%20while%20pleading%20guilty

Eta: That is so pathetic that supporters can't handle being wrong even when provided with a link showing that it was Damien's attorney that came up with the Alford plea that they downvoted. Do they want to purposely spread misinformation or are they just ignorant? I'd guess both.

BoyMom119816

I can’t believe the downvotes for complete honesty. It’s like people just like remaining ignorant. :-/

DuggarDoesDallas

I know. It's like some of them don't want the truth out there.

BoyMom119816

Lots don’t, sadly. I truly think even Callahan’s is much different now that supporters are running it, than it was years ago, when it was both supporters and nons who put it together. As, I’ve seen things missing I know I saw before and heard others say the same. Sad. You’d think most wouldn’t care who was guilty, if the truth was shown about the brutal murder of 3 little boys. I know I wouldn’t care if there was exculpatory evidence showing anyone including the 3 were guilty, but also think the celebs, docs, etc., really skewed the truth about the 3 so much, it’s nearly impossible to have brutal honesty in today’s discussions.

And don’t even get me started on the irony, hypocrisy, and complete disgustingness of claiming railroading of the 3, while simultaneously doing the same to 2 others. Who did in fact bury a child, whether they are great or not. (I personally think Byers should’ve been in prison for child abuse, from viewing the photos of boys at crime scene and morgue, but not thrown under the bus, for the world to watch, while using mistruths, omissions, and lies to show 3’s innocence.

I used to be full on supporter, but read everything and now I’m much more comfortable as a fence sitter. It is sad how dishonest some supporters are. I miss the old discussions, where the smartest supporters admitted even the ugly truths against the 3. Seems easier for me to hang with non supporters with current way of discussion, as at least it’s much more honest, imho.

BaseballCapSafety

You do know that Ellington the DA claims it was his idea right? So who is more likely a scumbag liar? Ellington’s or Barga?

DuggarDoesDallas

No. I posted a link showing Scott Barga came up with the Alford plea. If my legal link was too hard for you to understand, I'll post a simpler one. It states it right here, too.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Memphis_Three

Feisty_Irish

I'm not positive, but there were attempts at an appeal happened over the years

shelly32122

most ridiculous argument in all of wm3 case history is “if they were innocent…” what tf ever. if i were in jail and had a chance to get out, fxck how it happens..

_6siXty6_

-7

I sure AF wouldn't plead guilty and if I had the backing of Johnny Depp, Pearl Jam, Peter Jackson, the Chicks (Dixie) and Henry Rollins, I'd sure be pushing for large reward to help find the fucker who did it.

BoyMom119816

I’m right there with you! Plus, an alleged smoking gun, but instead suddenly stops testing and asks for a plea deal. These 3’s legal funding, teams, etc. make most defendants, including OJ’s look cheap. Don’t know why you’re downvoted, except that it’s a very reasonable reason not to not only take, but ask for a plea.

_6siXty6_

A even better question is why don't the celebs help with the money for DNA testing or to help find the killers. Suddenly Damien fundraiser for DNA testing and Jason is broke AF and Jessie is back in trailer park. It doesn't make sense.

SnooShortcuts5771

That’s real easy to say when you haven’t been sitting in a cell for 10+ years. There is a very good chance I would take an Alford plea even if I were innocent if it meant I could go home to my family.

ApacheBitchImGoingTo

-11

The bar to convict is innocent until proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt. Partly due to public narrative from celebrities, state might have felt like they didn’t have enough evidence to get 12 jurors to unanimously agree they believe they are guilty beyond a reasonable doubt again. They had already done a substantial amount of time at that point too, it’s not like they got off scot free (though if they did it, obviously what they got pales in comparison to what they should have got)

Even I’ll admit if I was on the jury in a re trial I’m not sure if I would vote guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. I think there is a very small possibility TH or someone unknown did it. I think the 3 probably did though.

If you guys think that the 3 were so scapegoated by the state originally, why would you have faith the state would care about the concerns of releasing them?