Free the West Memphis Three: Johnny Depp Speaks Out!
I have been personally following this case since it first hit the news 17 years ago. I was just a rocker kid back then, too. These guys do not deserve to be behind bars! If you’ve seen the documentaries (and if you haven’t, please go rent them NOW!) you know that there was absolutely no physical evidence used in their conviction. It was all heresay, conjecture and outright rumors & lies! If you can’t afford to buy or donate directly, please pass along the links and ask your friends if they can. Believe me, every little bit helps! And now Johnny Depp joins the millions of voices speaking out to Free The West Memphis Three:
Johnny Depp Speaks Out for Convicted Trio
by Mike Ryan · February 23, 2010
Last year, Johnny Depp played John Dillinger, a one-time inmate who escaped from prison in “Public Enemies.” Now he’s trying to help others find freedom. The actor is raising awareness of an attempt to secure a new trial for three inmates, who he feels have been wrongly convicted. Depp will be appearing on “48 Hours Mystery” this Saturday to make his case.
Damien Echols, Jason Baldwin and Jessie Misskelley were convicted of the gruesome May 1993 killing of three West Memphis, Arkansas, children. The convicted trio was dubbed the “West Memphis 3.” Citing a mishandled crime scene, a botched investigation, and the media scrutiny surrounding the case, many – including Eddie Vedder and Depp’s former girlfriend Winona Ryder – believe the three accused were wrongly convicted. Even Rick Murray, the father of one of the victims, Christopher Byers, has expressed doubts about the guilt of the “West Memphis 3.”
On the show, Depp says, “I firmly believe Damien Echols, Jason Baldwin, and Jessie Misskelley are totally innocent. It was a need for swift justice to placate the community.” Depp continues, “Damien Echols is on death row to be killed by lethal injection.” At the time of their arrests, all three men were 18 years old or younger, and Echols has now spent more than 15 years on death row.
How committed is Depp to their cause? He took a break from promoting his new film — the big-budget 3D extravaganza, “Alice in Wonderland” — to tape the segment for “48 Hours Mystery.”
You can help! Go here to buy shirts and more or to donate directly to their defense fund: www.wm3.org & stay up to date on their case here: http://wm3.vox.com/