Johnny Depp Helping Free the Memphis Three

By Jeralyn, Section Innocence Cases
Posted on Sun Feb 28, 2010 at 08:45:00 AM EST
Tags: Memphis Three, Johnny Depp, Shantaram (all tags)

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(Apologies for the intrusive plea from CBS to allow its ads. If I find a better link I'll swap it out).

Johnny Depp is going to bat for the Memphis 3. Great cause, I hope the publicity that he can bring to the case does some good. [More...]

This case clearly reveals the inferior, unprofessional and narrow-minded hayseed police force and prosecutors that took "the easy (and corrupt) route" towards "solving" a crime that they were CLEARLY incapable of handling. This was nothing more than "Keystone Cops get a wink from Judge Good Ol' Boy" - NO MATTER HOW YOU SLICE IT. And now three innocent youths' lives are totally destroyed - not to mention that there is STILL NO JUSTICE for the murdered boys and their families.

Go Johnny. Free the West Memphis Three. If you win this one, will you reconsider doing Shantaram next? Pretty Please?

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Johnny Depp Helping Free the Memphis Three | 16 comments (16 topical)

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I saw a doc... (5.00 / 2) (#2)
by kdog on Sun Feb 28, 2010 at 06:34:03 AM EST

on this case years ago...I can't believe these kids (men now) are still in prison...what a travesty.

I think they're guilty (none / 0) (#3)
by richj25 on Sun Feb 28, 2010 at 08:55:03 AM EST

If you the doc you saw was Paradise Lost then
you should know that while the makers told an
entertaining story they did not tell the whole
story.


: Paradise Lost (5.00 / 2) (#11)
by IndiDemGirl on Sun Feb 28, 2010 at 12:43:26 PM EST

did not tell the whole story; there is so much MORE to question the guily verdicts than what is included in that documentary. In fact they made a follow-up documentary Paradise Lost 2 which raises even further questions about the convictions. Several books also highlight the problem with the investigation and subsequent convictions.
I'm curious as to what facts lead you to believe they're guilty.
A mentally retarded boy "confessing" that he watched Echols rape the dead boys? Yet now we know that they were never raped at all.
Bite marks on the victim/s that rule out any of the Memphis 3?
DNA that matches the boys stepfather but NO DNA from any of the Memphis 3?

: One of the tabs on their blog (none / 0) (#5)
by oculus on Sun Feb 28, 2010 at 09:41:12 AM EST

is entitled "The Story." I wonder how many convicted, incarcerated defendants (whose cases still have pending appeals/habeaus) have their own blog? Interesting.

: why do you think they are guilty? (none / 0) (#7)
by ding7777 on Sun Feb 28, 2010 at 09:52:13 AM EST

: Sounds like the case was botched... (none / 0) (#8)
by NealB on Sun Feb 28, 2010 at 10:28:37 AM EST

...completely. No physical evidence linking any of the three accused teenagers to the victims. Lots of physical evidence that was lost at the crime scene or ignored. Convictions won primarily because of the confession of a mentally incompetent boy. The list goes on (and on).
The "west memphis 3" may be guilty, but it wasn't proven beyond a reasonable doubt.

: Don't matter what we think... (none / 0) (#15)
by kdog on Sun Feb 28, 2010 at 08:46:13 PM EST

there is simply too much reasonable doubt for their conviction and incarceration to be called anything less than a total f*ckin' travesty of justice.

: I think the WM3 are martians (none / 0) (#16)
by YouBetchaNOT on Tue Mar 02, 2010 at 01:41:08 PM EST

Yet I have no proof. What proof do you have that they are guilty? None. I thought so. Just because you believe it, doesn't make it so. If you had facts, you would tell us them.
The state committed a crime in railroading these three teens and they are trying to kick the can down the street for years, so those guilty of this injustice are either dead or so old that they will seem sympathetic to the public.
Let me hear facts on why or how they are guilty. You have none!

Any voice is better than none (5.00 / 1) (#6)
by mmc9431 on Sun Feb 28, 2010 at 09:43:17 AM EST

have no problem with someone who has the public stage and microphone using it to try and wake people up to the inequities that exist in this country.

The only caveat I would add is that they don't use it as a grandstand publicity stunt and that they follow it through.

The easier course for any of them would be to just stay quiet and take the money.

: Depp obviously dosnt need (5.00 / 3) (#13)
by jondee on Sun Feb 28, 2010 at 02:18:29 PM EST

publicity for himself. Good for him for stepping up for the little guy.

Publicity is publicity (5.00 / 1) (#9)
by jailcat on Sun Feb 28, 2010 at 10:39:43 AM EST

and this case needs as much mainstream media attention as possible. Those of use who have been following this case for almost 17 years (oy...) are thrilled to have anyone with any semblance of popularity say anything about this case.

There are no race or gender issues involved in this story - but class is sure an issue. The WM3 grew up in poverty and we all know how that generally relates to the quality of your defense. For the people fighting the good fight to still have their dignity after all these years speaks to the human spirit.

I have no issue with a celeb call for justice. (5.00 / 1) (#10)
by snstara on Sun Feb 28, 2010 at 11:43:16 AM EST

Speaking to paragraph two of the blockquote: In point of fact, I would have known nothing about this case were it not for the efforts of Henry Rollins. Rollins backed up his verbal support of the West Memphis 3 in 2002 with a WM3 benefit CD.

As a supporter of Rollins' work, it wasn't a hard leap to take an interest. However, that initial interest was then augmented by my own reading and research into the facts of the case. That lead me to determine that no justice had been done in West Memphis, Arkansas. So if Johnny Depp wants to use the public goodwill he's built up with the 'Pirates' movies to bring attention to this case, more power to him. More eyes on the case mean more interest, more donations to legal funds, more resources to help free the WM3. More celebrity attention means that TPTB decide that you get to watch a story about it on CBS, rather than passing on it entirely. Publicity only helps this case.

Social Secretary Canned Wall St Stays (none / 0) (#1)
by kidneystones on Sun Feb 28, 2010 at 03:35:38 AM EST

I'm pleased Johnny is stepping up. Maybe he'll get an invite to the WH like De Niro, Springsteen, Dylan and the other liberal fat cats who command millions for their work.

If a Republican were in the oval office and the economy was in this state of disrepair with double-digit unemployment, 'progressive' Dems might be calling for something more than simply replacing the WH social secretary. I mean, really. Everybody else has done such a bang-up job and the person in charge of hosting WH fundraisers gets the axe.

Oh, now I do get it.

: the topic is the West Memphis Three (5.00 / 2) (#4)
by Jeralyn on Sun Feb 28, 2010 at 09:20:16 AM EST

Please don't hijack the thread

: They're all "fat cats" (5.00 / 1) (#12)
by jondee on Sun Feb 28, 2010 at 02:12:56 PM EST

ie, people of means - generally - in and around the Whitehouse.
The fact that the wingnut fat cats..free market barbarians, neoloons and fundie demagogues..dont like "liberal fat cats" near the corridors of power, is obviously a bitter pill to swallow. My advice is to suck it or articulate a plan better than the one they trashed the country with for eight years.

West Memphis Three protest song (none / 0) (#14)
by cymro on Sun Feb 28, 2010 at 06:09:44 PM EST

This was recorded by Buffalo Creek on 2003 their album Signal To Noise