Finally, A Measure Of Justice For The West Menphis Three

The WM3 in 1993

      It isn't that often, America, where we can celebrate an incredible miscarriage of justice being corrected. The West Memphis Three were released from prison today. For thos of you who don't keep up on such things, the West Memphis Three are these three kids (well, not anymore) who, eighteen years ago, were convicted in the nightmarish murder and mutilation of three 8-year-old cub scouts. If you want the tl;dr full version, you can find it here. I recommend it if you have a half an hour or so. If you don't here's the quick and dirty. In 1993 three cub scouts were raped, murdered and dismembered by an unknown assailant(s) in west Memphis. The dipshit local cops identify it as a 'satanic ritual murder' (which, incidentally, has never been proven to have happened even once in American history, despite popular belief to the contrary. It's true, look it up) and then proceed to interrogate the only Wiccan kid in town, or probably Arkansas, and his two heavy metal buddies. After almost 12 hours of intense questioning, one of the buddies, who had an IQ tested at 72, had a meltdown and confessed (he was a minor and had no attorney present. All but 46 minutes of this interrogation were not recorded) and based on that they got majorly fucking railroaded. The two metal kids got life, because they were minors, and the Wiccan guy, only 19, got the death penalty (shit like this is why I oppose it, but that's for another day).

     So, over the years, momentum has gathered via the Interwebs and some celebrity involvement to have their case re-examined. When it finally was, DNA basically clears them due to physical evidence preserved from the time of the murders. So they took some crazy deal where they "admit to a preponderence of evidence against them" but not to guilt, and so are just released after time served. This basically says that since the one guy 'confessed' to a triple homicide, 18 years was what he had coming. The other two don't really fit in to this explanation, but it was the best I could come up with. So they won't get a Tim Masters-like 10 million bucks for being wrongfully prosecuted by assholes and incarcerated for decades, at least they're out. Hurrah for Justice (belated and anemic as it might be)! Tonight, when you have yourself a beer, raise a glass to the West Memphis Three, free at last.



The WM3 as of 4pm today