Echols of West Memphis 3 talks about appeal, death row
Deborah Feyerick and Stephanie Chen
CNN
Grady, Arkansas (CNN) - Some things about Damien Echols remain unchanged since he was sentenced to death in 1994 at the age of 19 after being convicted of murdering three 8-year-old boys.
At 35, his favorite holiday is still Halloween. To celebrate, friends say, he sends them hand-made jack-o'-lantern cards. He longs for contact with the outside world.
"I miss the things that most people take for granted, things people don't want, like rain," Echols told CNN in a face-to-face interview airing on tonight's "AC360°."
"To go out and touch it and get wet, or to feel snow. I loved snow my entire life, and I haven't had that in almost 20 years now."
From the Varner Unit of the Arkansas prison system, Echols maintains his innocence 16 years after he and two other teens were convicted of murdering three Cub Scouts - Michael Moore, Christopher Byers and Steven Branch. On May 6, 1993, police in the rural community of West Memphis, Arkansas, found their bodies bruised and mutilated, their arms and legs hogtied with their own shoelaces.
Echols, along with 16-year-old Jason Baldwin and 17-year-old Jessie Misskelley, were found guilty a year later. Echols received a death sentence, while Baldwin and Misskelley were sentenced to life in prison. The three teens became known as the West Memphis 3.
Echols is asking the Arkansas Supreme Court on Thursday to grant him a new trial. His lawyers want to present DNA evidence not available at the time of the trial, as well as testimony that supports arguments that Echols and the two others did not commit the crime.
|
|
Filed under: 360° Radar • Crime • Deborah Feyerick |
About this Show:
Anderson Cooper goes beyond the headlines to tell stories from many points of view, so you can make up your own mind about the news. Tune in weeknights at 8 and 10 ET on CNN.
Questions or comments? Send an email
Want to know more? Go behind the scenes with AC361°
Subscribe to the podcast
On Twitter
Search the AC360 blog
Something in my gut tells me he was wrongly convicted of this crime. I do hope he is granted a new trial so that he may prove his innocence. Keep fighting Damien, may you be eventually set free
Please disregard the one below for mispelling...
I'm neither a lawyer or a judge,I just deeply believe that these three gentlemen need another trial just for the simple fact that DNA evidences were not available before.I have seen the TV documentary few months ago and I think that no offence to Arkansas but they were wrongly accused just because of their looks and beliefs.It was the same retoric happening in my native country France in the Medium age...Please America wake upand do the right thing we want to trust the systeme.
This is one sick, manipulative sociopath! He is guilty as sin and is where he belongs.
I'm neither a lawyer neither a judge,i just deeply believe that these three gentlemen need another trial just for the simple fact that DNA evidences were not available before,I have seen the Tv documentary on this topic and i think that no offence to Arkansas but they were wrongly accused just because of his looks and beliefs when he was seventeen,same thing happening in france my native country in the Medium age .....Please America wake up and do the right thing we trust you!