A column I’ve written about the latest example of shoddy court practices, especially as they relate to the West Memphis case, appears in this week’s Arkansas Times. It’s titled Above the law.
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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.