Johnny Depp, Eddie Vedder and Natalie Maines were in Little Rock Saturday night for an event to support the West Memphis Three.
Twenty five hundred people crammed into the the Robinson Center for a unique jam session, paying 25 dollars each to help the men with their legal defense.
In 1993, the bodies of three eight-year-old boys Steve Branch, Christopher Byers and Michael Moore were found stripped and hogtied in a ditch.
Authorities arrested Damien Echols (18), Jessie Misskelley (17) and Jason Baldwin (16) for the deaths. The West Memphis Three then spent the next 17 years in prison for murder.
In a press conference Saturday afternoon, Vedder and Maines joined Echols wife, Lorri Davis, and others to decry the process that sent the men to prison.
’93I’m here because three innocent people are losing years of their life,’94 said Maines.
“I’m also here to show my support for the West Memphis Three,’94 Vedder added, ’93And try to raise the visibility of the case at this crucial time… Why are they innocent? Because there’s nothing that says they’re guilty.’94
Echols’ lawyers say he wants a re-trial based on new DNA tests, forensic evidence and information that proves the West Memphis Three are innocent. The Arkansas Supreme Court will hear the case on September 30th.
’93Arkansas take Action” founder Capi Peck also called on Arkansans to get involved.
“We’re not going to go away. And we’re going to speak out. And these young men will be free,’94 Peck said.
Source:arkansasmatters.com
