The Case Of Jessie Misskelley Jr.

Throughout time, there have been many major crimes committed, and many stay in our minds, while others fade with time. Numerous acts of violence that have been committed affect countless communities, making society wonder why the convicted would ever commit these horrible acts of injustice. On May 5th 1993, three little boys, all of the age of eight, were found in a ditch, naked and sexuality mutated in West Memphis, Arkansas. Three teenaged boys, Jessie Misskelley Jr has a reputation for having a temper and engaging in fights, Jason Baldwin and Damien Echols were previously arrested for vandalism and shoplifting, trialed and convicted of capital murder, though there was a lack of physical evidence, weapon and motive, are currently referred

On June 3rd, 1993, Jessie Misskelley Jr. confessed to the murder of the eight year old boys, after extensive questioning from the police implementing both Jason Baldwin and Damien Echols in the murders of Steve Branch, Michael Moore, and Christopher Byers. Misskelley’s confession was all but flawed, the confession gave the wrong time of when the murder occurred, and what had occurred to the three eight year old boys. The marks that were found on Steve Branch, Michael Moore, and Christopher Byers, did not match the marks made by any of the accused and there was no DNA evidence placing them at the crime scene or any motive. Byers was found with knife marks on his body, which was presumed to be from a knife found in lake behind Jason Baldwin’s house. No blood was found at THE WEST MEMPHIS THREE 4 the crime scene, which leads one to believe they were murdered elsewhere and then moved to Robin Hood Hill crime scene, where the bodies were found. Jessie Misskelley Jr. was trialed first, the trial began in January 1994, and lasted seven days, and was found guilty of the murders of Steve Branch, Michael Moore, and Christopher Byers, and was sentenced to life imprisonment and two twenty year terms. Damien Echols and Jason Baldwin trial began three weeks later on February 28, 1994 and lasted eleven days. Jason Baldwin, who held his

The police’s recklessness with the case, not testing much of the evidence presented, losing most of the evidence by not looking into many suspects and turning towards three boys who are outsiders because of what they were personally interested in, caused this case to be unjustly trialed. With the pressure on the police to make an arrest, and questioning Jessie Misskelley Jr for hours, they came to a conclusion and convicted the three teenaged boys of murder, from a confession that was inconsistent to the murders. Financial supports from celebrities, documentaries and books dedicated to the West Memphis Three, gained the convicted boys support and awareness they needed in order to be able to