West Memphis Three
48 Hours does it right
Tonight, CBS presented the finest program on the West Memphis murders since HBO’s “Paradise Lost” aired almost 14 years ago. It’s not easy to tell such a complex story well, but “48 Hours” did the job well. Among many high points, it was a pleasure to see Johnny Depp speak so passionately about the injustice of this case. Watch A Cry for Innocence.
In addition, the “48 Hours” website is hosting additional footage showing interviews with some of the Arkansas people, including me, who are resisting their state’s march to execute Damien Echols and keep Jason Baldwin and Jessie Misskelley in prison until they die. See supporters.
People often ask me what we supporters can do to help. The first and best answer is always to spread the word. With this program, “48 Hours” has given us an excellent link to share.
One quibble: I wonder why, when they got just about every other detail so right, they repeatedly identified John Mark Byers as Christopher’s father. Byers was Christopher’s stepfather.
Now, via Facebook...
“Mara, Thank you ten times over for writing a fair, unbiased book on Damien Echols, Jessie Miskelley and Jason Baldwin. When everyone else was jumping to conclusions, you were asking questions about things that weren’t adding up. You write beautifully and I hope your efforts contribute to freeing these men.”—Rachel Joseph
