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The Crime of Being Different (the West Memphis 3) - 4/19/2007 2:22:19 PM   
SeekingMatureSub


Posts: 18
Joined: 3/30/2007
Status: offline 		Friends,

Some of you may be cognizant of the situation about which I wish to post today, and if you do I would greatly appreciate your imput and opinon on this.  For those who do not know, please read this post and check it out.  It may open your eyes to a modern day horror.
In 1995 three little 8 year old boys were found murdered and mutilated in West Memphis, Arkansas which is a poverty-stricken town firmly lodged in the Bible belt.  The initial crime scene was horribly contolled by police, several people who had no business at the scene were allowed to trample about and destroy a scene which was already virtually devoid of forensic evidence.
The police were desparate to point the finger at someone due to public outcry, so they picked three teenagers who they had singled out for years because they "were weird-looking".  The teens were different than the other members of the community because they wore black, had different haricuts and listened to Metallica.
The official website www.wm3.org tells the whole story from beginning to end, but here are the basics:
1.  the entire case stemmed from the 12 hour-long interrogation of a 16 year-old boy with an IQ of only 72.  Only the last 45 minutes of that 12 hours was documented.  No recording nor notes exist of the rest of the interrogation.
2.  A change of venue in order to get a fair trial was requested and denied... by the same judge who in turn sat in judgement at the trial, and later sentenced the 3 boys.
3.  The police "lost" evidence, coerced confession, denied the civil rights of the accused, and engaged in witch hunt tactics.
4.  3 boys are now in prison based in a kangaroo court hearing.  One is sentenced to die, one got life plus 40 years, and another got life without parole.
Please read the site and let all you learn sink in.  This is happeninf HERE... in THIS country.  Could it happen to you and I?  If I had been tried everytime I was accused of "looking wierd" I would be doing hard time for sure by now. 
Learn what you can do to get involved...  There is more at stake here than the freedom of three young men, the principles of why we founded this country are under attack. 
Thank you.
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RE: The Crime of Being Different (the West Memphis 3) - 4/19/2007 2:29:53 PM   
seeksfemslave


Posts: 4011
Joined: 6/16/2006
Status: offline 		Cant comment on this particular case, just dont know any thing about it, but unfortunately this kind of thing seems not to be rare to the point where, when only confessions are involved, it has been suggested that such confessions should not be considered reason to prosecute.

I am no bleeding heart Liberal but I kind of  agree with this approach.

(in reply to SeekingMatureSub)
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RE: The Crime of Being Different (the West Memphis 3) - 4/19/2007 3:13:18 PM   
MzMia


Posts: 5333
Joined: 7/30/2004
Status: offline 		Wonderful thread, teasing can be very cruel.
I have been wondering, IF "students" had not been so cruel to him in high school,
and maybe gosh forbid, he had made even one friend.
This might not have happened.
I am by no means defending him, but if you are teased, and ridiculed and you have
serious mental health issues, you are a walking time bomb.
He had no friends in the world.
There are many other people with serious mental health issues among us, many have
no real support system, and many do not get help, until they kill someone or commit
a crime.
The kids at Columbine had also been taunted and teased....of course there is No connection.
Silly me and my theories.

< Message edited by MzMia -- 4/19/2007 3:18:46 PM >

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(in reply to SeekingMatureSub)
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RE: The Crime of Being Different (the West Memphis 3) - 4/19/2007 4:02:22 PM   
SeekingMatureSub


Posts: 18
Joined: 3/30/2007
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: seeksfemslave

Cant comment on this particular case, just dont know any thing about it, but unfortunately this kind of thing seems not to be rare to the point where, when only confessions are involved, it has been suggested that such confessions should not be considered reason to prosecute.

I am no bleeding heart Liberal but I kind of  agree with this approach.


Especially when all three convictions were a result of this single coerced confession given by a 16 year ool with an IQ of 72 (did you know the threshold of mental retardation is an IQ of 71?) after 12 hours of undocumented, untaped questioning without his parents nor attorney present after having asked for them repeatedly.
How can this be?

(in reply to seeksfemslave)
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RE: The Crime of Being Different (the West Memphis 3) - 4/19/2007 4:10:54 PM   
seeksfemslave


Posts: 4011
Joined: 6/16/2006
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: SeekingMatureSub

quote:

ORIGINAL: seeksfemslave

Cant comment on this particular case, just dont know any thing about it, but unfortunately this kind of thing seems not to be rare to the point where, when only confessions are involved, it has been suggested that such confessions should not be considered reason to prosecute.

I am no bleeding heart Liberal but I kind of  agree with this approach.


Especially when all three convictions were a result of this single coerced confession given by a 16 year ool with an IQ of 72 (did you know the threshold of mental retardation is an IQ of 71?) after 12 hours of undocumented, untaped questioning without his parents nor attorney present after having asked for them repeatedly.
How can this be?


It is especially when such people are being interrogated that the problems arise. A case in the UK was in the news this very day. Person A, clearly mentally challenged, served 16 years for murder and was eventually pardoned. about 10 years ago.

Today the police have announced they have, or are about to charge someone else.
Shocking.

< Message edited by seeksfemslave -- 4/19/2007 4:12:59 PM >

(in reply to SeekingMatureSub)
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RE: The Crime of Being Different (the West Memphis 3) - 4/19/2007 6:08:24 PM   
SeekingMatureSub


Posts: 18
Joined: 3/30/2007
Status: offline 		It is rather astonishing that authorities can 'see the light' after ten years, isn't it?  It is my belief that in the case of the West Memphis 3, the authorities AND the judge in question now realize they made horrible decisions and huge mistakes in investigation and prosecuting the case but none of them can find the intestinal fortitude to say 'hey we might have made a mistake'.  The unfortunate thing is, of course, their petty pride is spared at the expense of three young men's lives.

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RE: The Crime of Being Different (the West Memphis 3) - 4/19/2007 7:05:36 PM   
Rule


Posts: 10479
Joined: 12/5/2005
Status: offline 		I agree that the adoptive father John Mark Byers of one of the boys is a likely suspect. However, as there is no pertinent evidence at all, anyone might be the perpetrator - but certainly not the three that were arrested and convicted.

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RE: The Crime of Being Different (the West Memphis 3) - 4/19/2007 7:29:05 PM   
justheather


Posts: 1532
Joined: 10/4/2005
Status: offline 		Im quite familiar with the case and have and will continue to send the Memphis 3 selections from their Amazon.com wish lists and notes of encouragement.

_____________________________

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And the table perfectly level
When you cut me out of my life
And paste me in that book you always carry.
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(in reply to Rule)
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RE: The Crime of Being Different (the West Memphis 3) - 4/19/2007 7:41:06 PM   
Alumbrado


Posts: 5560
Status: offline 		West Memphis, and Memphis are two entirely separate and different places.

(in reply to justheather)
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