letters
Angry and scared
I have lived in Jonesboro, Arkansas all of my 44 years. I remember when the West Memphis murders happened like most people remember JFK’s assassination. I was a young mother of a 10-year-old little girl and an 8-year-old little boy. I remember hoping that those three on trial would get horrrible punishment.
After the panic left I was able to look at the real facts, past all of the smoke and mirrors of the occult and devil worship. They are innocent. I truly believe that. I recently read your book Devils Knot. It solidified my opinion on the case. I’m angry and I’m scared. Mostly I’m ashamed that I let this happen without some sort of action. What can a person like myself, just a mother of four now, do?
Debbie Swindle
Debbie, you are one in a million. Of all the people who once believed that these three kids were guilty, you are the first to write to me and express regret. I hope I meet you someday. That said, you had every reason to believe what you did, especially as the mother of young children. The police and prosecutors did a number on everyone. “Smoke and mirrors” is right.
What to do? Since you live in northeast Arkansas, tell everyone you know about the actions of Judge David Burnett and Judge John Fogleman in this case. Both men are running for office—Burnett for the legislature and Fogleman for the state supreme court. They should be stopped in their tracks so that other politicians will realize that anger about this case runs deep and will not abate until justice is served.
What were they thinking?
I read your book about WM3 years ago and am again looking at all the interesting forums and videos with Damien and Lorri.
A lot of people know that the trial was just ignorance, scapegoating, and covering up other crimes, but I wonder about the jury members. Are they still thick in the head and heart? Have you ever heard from them?
Gaill Hoffman
I have not spoken with any of the jurors. I hope you know about the jury foreman who has admitted that he spoke about the case outside the courtroom. Little Rock lawyer has also said that the foreman, Kent Arnold, called him repeatedly to talk about the case during the trial. That lawyer says Arnold told him he would tell the other jurors about Jessie Misskelley’s “confession,” since they didn’t seem inclined to convict Damien and Jason. Writings the jurors made during the second trial indicate that they did indeed consider Jessie’s confession, which was not supposed to be in evidence.
Now there's a thought...
It’s so sad and infuriating to think that the evidence never pointed to them in the first place, and now that evidence is there to support their innocence, this state’s judicial system just can’t admit its own guilt in perpetrating an injustice against the WM3, the victims and their families.
It’s scary to think just how corrupt this state’s system is. I’m sure it is not the only corrupt state, but it is still scary how people can let innocent people suffer and die because they are to small and selfish to admit their errors. The spirits of these dead boys need to visit those who are unwilling to do the right thing in this case, and really just scare the ever livin bujeebers out ot them. One of these times the WM3 has to get a judge with a real conscience.
Charmaine
Smart-mouth "justice"
I am writting because I was obsessed with this case for about fourteen years. I feel like three innocent people were railroaded, in this case. I think one of the main reasons I am so obsessed with this case is because I am pretty much the same age as the convicted guys. Also because my grandparents lived in Arkansas most of my life until they died. I just could not believe there could actually be anyone in this country could actually be convicted on virtually no evidence, just because they wore black, and were a typical smart mouth teenager. If that was the case most teenagers would be convicted of heinous crimes.
Nikki Brandt
