Today, Damien Echols celebrates his 33rd birthday on death row at the Supermax Unit of Varner prison in Grady, Arkansas. On May 19th 1994, 5015 days ago, he was sentenced to death for a crime he did not commit.

Damien is one of the West Memphis Three. You might have heard about them before: There are two documentaries by Bruce Sinofsky and Joe Berlinger that tell their stories and a slew of celebrities, among them Metallica, Eddie Vedder, Winona Ryder, Henry Rollins and, most recently, Natalie Maines of The Dixie Chicks and The Cure, have supported them and tried to raise awareness of the injustice that happened to them.

A horrible crime took place in West Memphis Arkansas on May 5th 1993. Three eight-graders, Christopher Byers, Michael Moore and Stevie Branch, were found dead and apparently mutilated in a drainage ditch in a wooded area not far from their homes.

Faced with this horrendous crime and the absence of physical evidence, the local police force decided that the boys must have been killed in a satanic cult ritual.

The police officers coerced an error-filled "confession" from Jessie Misskelley Jr., 17 at the time, who has an IQ of 72. They subjected him to 12 hours of questioning without counsel or parental consent, audio-taping only two fragments totaling 46 minutes, in which Jessie, a friend of Damien Echols and Jason Baldwin, described witnessing Damien and Jason commit the murders, implicating himself in the process. Jessie recanted the testimony that evening, but it was too late— Jessie, Jason and Damien were all arrested on June 3rd, 1993, and convicted of murder a few months later.

Although there was no physical evidence, murder weapon, motive, or connection to the victims, the prosecution resorted to presenting black hair and clothing, heavy metal t-shirts, and Stephen King novels as proof that the boys were sacrificed in a satanic cult ritual. Their poverty, incompetent defense, satanic panic and a rush to judgment condemned Damien, Jason and Jessie. Unfathomably, Damien Echols was sentenced to death, Jason Baldwin received life without parole, and Jessie Misskelley got life plus 40.

For over 14 years, The West Memphis Three have been imprisoned for crimes they didn't commit. This is the fifteenth birthday Damien is celebrating behind bars.

However, recently discovered forensic evidence has renewed the hope of the West Memphis Three, their families, their supporters and even some parents of the victims, that the innocent men behind bars will be released soon and the true killer or killers found and finally prosecuted.

Recently completed DNA testing conducted on dozens of pieces of crime scene evidence showed no link whatsoever to Damien, Jessie Misskelley or Jason – and all of the experts agree that, under the prosecution theory of how the crime was committed, their DNA would be present at the crime scene if they were guilty. Instead, the sole two DNA result that matches, belong to Terry Hobbs, the step-father of one of the victims, and one of his friends, who was with him on the day of the murders.

So more than fourteen years after the murders, there is finally physical evidence that in all likelihood points to the real perpetrators: And it is not the three men behind bars.

In late October, the Defense for Damien Echols filed a Second Amended Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus asking the Court to order a new trial for Damien Echols, or release him. While the court considers this Writ and the West Memphis Three, their families and supporters wait for the Arkansas Attorney General to file a response, your action and support is direly needed.

First of all, inform yourself about the case. There is a lot of information on wm3.org. The case introduction by Burk Sauls is an excellent starting point if you are new to the case. There is also a blog at wm3.vox.org featuring most recent developments and, of course, a MySpace Profile.
The documentaries are available on YouTube (Paradise Lost & Paradise Lost Revelations) and there is a video of the press conference of Damien Echols legal defense team, presenting the new evidence.

Above all, however, the Damien Echols Defense Funds needs your donations. Fighting a case of this magnitude is, as you can quite likely imagine, costly business. Back in 1994, Damien, Jesse and Jason were convicted because they lacked the financial resources for a vigorous, well-equipped defense that would have refuted the fake science rooted in fear and hate that the prosecution presented as evidence. Damien needs that vigorous, well-equipped defense that will fight his fight, and he needs it now.

Please make checks payable to:
Damien Echols Defense Fund
PO Box 1216
Little Rock, AR 72203

You can also donate through PayPal, using LDavis11@hotmail.com as the recipient address. (Lorri, Damiens wife, asks you to kindly include your name and address in the notes box.)

Please consider donating to Damiens Legal Defense Fund. If you are a fan of The Cure, you might also be interested in this auction of an autographed guitar that will benefit Damien's defense.

In addition, there is a letter writing campaign currently underway by Akansas Take Action! to alert Arkansas Governor Mike Beebe of the importance of the case. You can find sample letters and additional information right here.

Even though I live half a world away, the injustice that happened to Damien, Jesse and Jason has been making me angry for years, literally, and drawn me to speak up for them and donate money to their defense. I was a black wearing, Sisters of Mercy listening teen who loved Stephen King novels and books about magic and beliefs and myths. Chances are (you reading this in this spot and all), that you were, too. The West Memphis Police would most definitely have deemed me a satanic cult member back in 1993.

Please help to make today the last birthday Damien has to celebrate behind bars and raise awareness to the plight of the West Memphis Three. Watch the documentaries with your pals. Write a letter to Governor Beebe. Discuss the case in class. Blog about it. Tell representatives of the media about the case. And above all, please consider donating to Damien's Legal Defense Fund.

Thanks muchly,
Caro

photo by kathy bakken