On May 15, 1993, Jessie Misskelley, and his older friend David Sims, who was 22-years-old at the time, and his younger friend, Dennis Carter, who was 15, had called the police from a bowling Alley stating they had seen three little boys, who were around 8 or 9 years old fleeing from a man near some train tracks. JESSIE: Thats where I seen them going down at, and he was on his back. [citation needed], While in prison, Echols wrote letters to Gloria Shettles, an investigator for his defense team. JESSIE: Yeah, they seen them boys and then they hollered, Damien hollered said, hey, the little boys come up there. Someone makes a brief coughing sound plainly as if to say youre wrong listen closely. Each had achieved the rank of "Wolf" in the local Cub Scout pack and were best friends.[15]. On September 17, 2011, 48 Hours re-aired the episode with the update of their release and interviews from Echols and his wife, and Baldwin. In August 2011, White Light Productions announced that the West Memphis Three would be featured on their new program Wrongfully Convicted. JESSIE: Uh, I dont know what he done with it, cause after I left then they, I dont know what they done with, after I left I dont know what they done with it. Damien Echols was sentenced to death, Jessie Misskelley Jr. to life imprisonment plus two 20-year sentences, and Jason Baldwin to life imprisonment. Code Ann. [9] Friends and neighbors also conducted a search that night, which included a cursory visit to the location where the bodies were later found. Byers was the only victim with drugs in his system; he was prescribed Ritalin (methylphenidate) in January 1993 as part of treatment of an attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder. JESSIE: They had had some houses, trees and stuff, (Trees, houses, and stuff?? Echols spent several months in a mental institution in Arkansas and afterward received "full disability" status from the Social Security Administration. "[93] Advanced DNA and other scientific evidence combined with additional evidence from several different witnesses and experts released in October 2007 had cast strong doubts on the original convictions. He is in a relationship with a woman who befriended him while he was in prison. The three were accused and convicted of a triple homicide in West Memphis, Arkansas. RIDGE: This is Det. "We were writing each other two years before he got out. RIDGE: So, what do you think ought to be done to them for killing these boys? [45] The petition failed when the original trial judge, Judge David Burnett, disallowed presentation of this information in his court. JESSIE: They could run, they just had them tied, when they knocked them down and stuff, they could move (hold?) The crime and investigation. The three boys were found brutally murdered in a shocking fashion in a wooded area called the Robin Hood Hills. Celebrities and musicians held fundraisers to support efforts to free the men. Whose car where yall in? Jessie Misskelley lives life out of the spotlight, Jessie Misskelley Lives Life Out Of The Spotlight, Reality TV stars Todd and Julie Chrisley report to prison, This has been the worst Ive ever been through: 97-year-old woman attacked by granddaughter, drunk, police say. RIDGE:The boots that Damien had on, are they army type boots too, or what kind of boots were they? Jessies times of arrival at the woods will change many times throughout the three statements), JESSIE: Yes, I did. GITCHELL: Did you ever use, did anyone use a stick and hit the boys with? [91], Echols' lawyers claimed that his condition worsened during the trial, when he developed a "psychotic euphoria that caused him to believe he would evolve into a superior entity" and eventually be transported to a different world. JESSIE: Yeah, thats where he was cut at. (Jessie Misskelly did not have access to a phone at this time. JESSIE:Just thought, what happened to them real bad, just thought. RIDGE:And, what kind of blade did it have on it? JESSIE: He hit him with his fist and bruised him all up real bad, and then ull (phonetic) Jason turned around and hit Steve Branch. RIDGE: Alright, now you know where the bayou is? Dilation of the anus is a normal post-mortem condition. RIDGE: They were on theMemphisside. Aaron, a playmate of the murdered boys', mentioned to Bray that the boys had been killed at "the playhouse." GITCHELL: What did the stick look like, I mean was it like a a big log like that or is it a stick? This isnotsomething only the police knew). JESSIE: And then Damien, I heard Damien in the background saying we done it, we done it, what we gonna do now what about if somebody saw us. The counsel representing the men said they would continue to pursue full exoneration. Michael Moore was the son of Todd and Dana Moore. RIDGE: Okay, now when this, when he hit the first boy, where are they at when he hits him, are you in the woods, youre on the side of big bayou, youre out in the field, where were you at? JESSIE: Not that I know of, I wouldnt. RIDGE:Are you willing to go down there with us and us having a camcorder and show us where these things took place? GITCHELL: Is that when you first saw the pictures of the boys? RIDGE:These blue jeans that Jason was wearing, designer jeans, or were they old jeans, wore out, holes. The man was bleeding and had brushed against the restroom walls. RIDGE:okay, which one did you see killed? (Ridge leads Jessie again; Jessie doesnt state on his own where he was, he is told. Later that evening, their parents reported the boys missing. RIDGE:Why did you not come forward with this information? He is a member of famous Producer with the age 47 years old group. Jessie Misskelley Jessie Misskelley returned home to West Memphis after his release, the only one out of the WM3 who decided to stay in the area. RIDGE:Choking him? Stidham made similar comments during a radio show interview in May 2010. RIDGE: okay, now when its going on, when this is taking place, you under you saw somebody with a knife, who had a knife? The prosecution called Dale W. Griffis, a graduate of the unaccredited Columbia Pacific University, as an expert in the occult to testify the murders were a Satanic ritual. RIDGE: Okay, and when you left, did you hear any more hollering or anything? RIDGE:Okay, alright did and the one that they were cutting the penis off of, did any of them are cutting the penis or whatever was being done, did they have sex with him at all? Echols' sentence was reduced to three counts of first degree murder. [69], In 2010, district Judge Brian S. Miller ordered Terry Hobbs, the stepfather of victim Stevie Branch, to pay $17,590 to Dixie Chicks singer Natalie Maines for legal costs stemming from a defamation lawsuit he filed against the band. JESSIE: They took turns going up under the water. [4], In July 2007, new forensic evidence was presented. RIDGE: So, there is like a tall bank, were you where were you at on that bank? Stidham has called the coroner's investigation "extremely substandard." JESSIE: When he first called me when he first got he called me he said, how come I how come I you left, and said, I couldnt stand it, I had to do something else. They were transferred to the hearing with their possessions. [67] In late 2007, John Mark Byerswho was previously vehement in his belief that Echols, Misskelley, and Baldwin were guiltyalso announced that he now believes that they are innocent. The memorial is located in the playground of Weaver Elementary School in West Memphis, where all three victims were second graders at the time of the crime. All three defendants pleaded not guilty. RIDGE:Was anything on his shirt? A news story about Jessie Misskelley's curious behavior following his release from prison; avoiding media interviews and going into hiding. GITCHELL: Ive got a feeling here, youre not quite telling me everything, now you know that were recording everything, so this is very, very important to tell us the entire truth. He had never told me that he had it. [36] The court sentenced Echols to death and Baldwin to life in prison.[3]. RIDGE:Okay, Damians didnt come up that far? [62], Many of the men's supporters, and opponents who still believe them guilty, were unhappy with the unusual plea deal. [86] Until August 2011, he was incarcerated in the Arkansas Department of Correction (ADC) Varner Unit Supermax. RIDGE:when you kill a dog, what do you do with that? We recommend you to check the complete list of Famous People born on 10 July. [89], Echols' mental stability during the years immediately prior to the murders and during his trial was the focus of his appellate legal team in their appeal attempts. JESSIE:I didnt see a briefcase, not unless they left it there at that day before it happened, unless they left it there by accident then but I didnt see one that day. According to local West Memphis police officers, on the evening of May 5, 1993, at 8:42pm, workers in the Bojangles' restaurant located about a mile from the crime scene in Robin Hood Hills reported seeing a black male who seemed "mentally disoriented" inside the restaurant's ladies' room. MATTINGLY: On February 4th, 1994, Jessie Misskelley was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison. Jessie Misskelley Wiki: Salary, Married, Wedding, Spouse, Family Jessie Misskelley was born on July 10, 1975 as Jessie Loyd Misskelly Jr. [58], After weeks of negotiations, on August 19, 2011, Echols, Baldwin and Misskelley were released from prison as part of a plea deal, making the hearings ordered by the Arkansas Supreme Court unnecessary. "[59] Since his release, Baldwin has moved to Seattle to live with friends. GITCHELL: You didnt touch the bikes? JESSIE:We usually skin it, then make a bon fire and eat it and stuff. [9], At his death penalty sentencing hearing, Echols' psychologist reported that months before the murders, Echols had claimed that he obtained super powers by drinking human blood. [9], Echols' family was poor, received frequent visits from social workers and he rarely attended school. Mara Leveritt, an investigative journalist and the author of Devil's Knot, argues that Echols' information may have come from police leaks, such as Detective Gitchell's comments to Mark Byers, that circulated amongst the local public. When told the blood matched both his and Chris' blood type, Byers said he had no idea how that blood might have gotten on the knife. A subsequent search of the ditch revealed the bodies of three boys. [80], Atom Egoyan directed a dramatized feature film of the case, titled Devil's Knot, released in U.S. theaters on May 9, 2014. RIDGE: Alright, where did he cut him at? [40][n 1], In May 1994, the three defendants appealed their convictions;[42] the convictions were upheld on direct appeal. The judge then sentenced the three men to 18 years and 78 days, the amount of time they had served, and also levied a suspended sentence of 10 years. Misskelley ignored this advice and went on to detail how the boys were abused and murdered. "Jason sends him texts and stuff all the time asking him why don't he come to this. Early in the investigation, the WMPD briefly regarded two West Memphis teenagers as suspects. His psychosis dominated his perceptions of everything going on in court, Woods wrote. "I said, 'Look, you get mad because they're living a good life but they're earning. The14thStreetWoods are down the street from the BB woods; a good distance). RIDGE:Okay, these initiations, you say that they eat part of the leg meat? During subsequent questioning, Morgan claimed a long history of drug and alcohol use, along with blackouts and memory lapses. RIDGE:What did they look like? JESSIE:Yes, I think when we had that cult. RIDGE: Okay, the knives, was it one knife, two knives, was your knife there? This documentary was co-produced by Lord of the Rings maestro Peter Jackson and his wife and collaborator, Fran Walsh. Learn How rich is He in this year and how He spends money? There was nothing of the kind on Chris neck. According to our Database, He has no children. . RIDGE:At the houses? is 5'2"(1.57m) . When he first hit the boy, when Damien first hit the first boy, did they have their clothes on then? 3:30 PM - 7:00 PM - Jessie with Susie Brewer. [72], Three films, Paradise Lost: The Child Murders at Robin Hood Hills, Paradise Lost 2: Revelations, and Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory, directed by Joe Berlinger and Bruce Sinofsky, have documented this case and are strongly critical of the verdict. After the initial investigation, the police failed to control disclosure of information and speculation about the crime scene.[38]. RIDGE:Light blonde, or like a sandy reddish type blonde, do you know the difference? 1993).3 The jury was also instructed on accomplice liability as follows: In this case, the state does not contend that Jessie Lloyd Misskelley, Junior acted alone in the commission of the offense of three counts of capital murder. Misskelley was first questioned on June 3, 1993, a day after Hutcheson's purported confession. RIDGE:Did anybody see Damien and Jason? [90] Echols's mental state while in prison awaiting trial was also called into question by his appellate team. He was eight years old, 4ft. 2 tall, weighed 55lbs, and had brown hair. Confession. RIDGE: okay, what occurred while you were there? RIDGE: Okay. (Hello? [18], At the time of their arrests, Jessie Misskelley, Jr. was 17 years old, Jason Baldwin was 16 years old, and Damien Echols was 18 years old. His father said Byers may not have taken his prescription on May 5, 1993. Upon further examination, it was concluded that if these marks were bite marks, they did not match the teeth of any of the three convicted. Jessie Misskelley Jr. (born July 10, 1975) is one of the three members of what has been called the West Memphis 3 (Misskelley, Damien Echols, and Jason Baldwin). JESSIE: And started doing the same thing, then the other one took off, Michael uhhMooretook off running, so I chased him and grabbed him and held him, cause they got there and then I left. Arent we getting a little Aaron Hutchinson here? 5-10-102 (a) (2) (Repl. Two other defendants await trial in Arkansas. He is not dating anyone. JESSIE: He keeps on asking me what are we going to do next, I told him, I cant do nothing now cause I go to work with my daddy everyday. JESSIE: When I was there, I saw Damien hit this one (pause) hit this one boy real bad, and then uh, and then he started screwing them and stuff and then uh, (There is no evidence from the Medical Examiner whatsoever that any of the boys were raped; it was inconclusive. RIDGE: Jason had a knife, what did he cut with the knife. RIDGE: Hes been watching them. RIDGE: All three of them would generally be together? Hutcheson claimed that, at the Wiccan meeting, a drunken Echols openly bragged about killing the three boys. If he had been, there would have been clear forensic evidence of it. [10] During a polygraph examination, he denied any involvement. RIDGE:Was it a knife that you fold up, or was it like a hunting knife? A hair identified as belonging to a black male was later recovered from a sheet wrapped around one of the victims. [56] That ruling was appealed to the Arkansas Supreme Court, which heard oral arguments in the case on September 30, 2010. The bodies, he said, had been removed from the water before the coroner arrived to examine the scene and determine the state of rigor mortis, allowing the bodies to decay on the creek bank and to be exposed to sunlight and insects. RIDGE:Are you scared of the police now? RIDGE:Did you see any of the boys actually killed? Did they take like one picture of one boy. JESSIE: They had holes in them and the knees were cut. JESSIE:I was close by the interstate. RIDGE:Youve been back to this place since that murder. (Jessie just said noon, it is now beingsuggestedto him to use a new time), Above Jessie has stated they met at 9 a.m., not 12 noon. In May 2013, for the 20th anniversary of the slayings, Weaver Elementary School principal Sheila Grissom raised funds to refurbish the memorial. And Susie Brewer Boggan says she is now out of Jessie Misskelley's life. Moore enjoyed wearing his scout uniform even when he was not at meetings. RIDGE:Okay, the night you were in these woods, uh had you all been in the water? ), Murphy Exposed is Back Online! [1][2][3], Due to the dubious nature of the evidence as well as the suspected presence of emotional bias in court, the case generated widespread controversy and was the subject of several documentaries. We don't have much information about He's past relationship and any previous engaged. JESSIE: I would say it was about that big around, I would say about that long. Misskelley, 42, is accused of driving without a license, no vehicle insurance, and driving a vehicle with one or more headlights. RIDGE: Alright, have they got their clothes on when you saw them tied? RIDGE: okay, so he was choking him to the point where he actually went unconscious, so at that point, you felt like he was dead? Lawyers representing the West Memphis Three reached the plea deal that allowed the men to be released from prison. 30 minutes or an hour? [27], Vicki Hutcheson, a new resident of West Memphis, would play an important role in the investigation, though she would later recant her testimony, claiming her statements were fabricated due in part to coercion from police. JESSIE: They were sitting so far away, they were in the water, I would say about five to ten seconds, then come up and then the other one would go down. Judge David Laser accepted the pleas and sentenced the three to time served. 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