News Taffy

Although many admitted being confused by the legal proceedings taking place inside the Craighead County Courthouse, hundreds of onlookers gathered in Downtown Jonesboro today amidst police officers, national celebrities and the media to witness the release of the West Memphis Three.

In 1993, Damien Echols, Jason Baldwin and Jessie Misskelley Jr. were convicted of killing three 8-year-old boys in West Memphis. Echols was sentenced to death and Misskelley and Baldwin were sentenced to life in prison. The fate of all three defendants changed today during a court session at the Craighead County Courthouse.

According to CNN, "New DNA evidence failed to link the men to the crime, and the state Supreme Court ruled in November that all three could present new evidence to the trial court in an effort to clear them. A decision was pending on whether the three would get a true trial. In essence, the deal made today negates the need for that.

"The three struck a deal with the prosecution by entering what is known as an Alford plea, which means they didn't admit to any actual criminal act, but they did admit the prosecution probably has enough evidence that it would lead to their conviction. Under the deal reached Friday, the men pleaded guilty and were sentenced to 18 years in prison with credit for time served, a prosecutor said."

The three men, who still maintain their innocence, gained national attention and support from numerous celebrities following a series of HBO documentaries titled "Paradise Lost." Pearl Jam's Eddie Vedder and Natalie Maines of the Dixie Chicks, as well as several members of the men's families, were all in attendance. Some of the victims' family members were also present.

As hundreds of bystanders, law enforcement officers and members of the press looked on, Echols, Baldwin and Misskelley left the county Courthouse and didn't look back. Echols exited the building a few minutes after Maines and Vedder, driving off in black Mercedes vans parked behind the courthouse and guarded by police officers during the hearing.

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