4 posts tagged “press conference”

WMCTV-5
Reported by Janice Broach
Nov 1, 2007 02:20 PM

Dennis Riordan

There is no evidence linking the West Memphis 3 to the murders of three eight-year-old boys in 1993. That was the message delivered Thursday by a panel of experts at a press conference in Little Rock.

Among those in attendance at Thursday's announcement was Damien Echols' wife, dressed in blue.  She, along with members of the press and other interested parties, gathered in a classroom at the University of Arkansas Law School to listen to a panel of legal heavy hitters, including a defense attorney, an FBI profiler, and a forensics expert.  The panel spent more than an hour laying out its findings in the West Memphis 3 case.

"Then, as now, there is not a single piece of evidence to tie Damien Echols to these crimes," said defense attorney Dennis Riordan.

John Douglas, the former FBI profiler who broke the Ted Bundy case, said the killer of the three eight-year-old boys was too sophisticated to be a teenager. The West Memphis 3- Damien Echols, Jason Baldwin, and Jessie Misskelly- were all teenagers when they were arrested for the murders more than 14 years ago.

Riordan said the panel's investigation revealed there is no evidence that ties the West Memphis 3 to the murders of the eight-year-old boys.  While showing video from the trio's trial, Riordan said Jessie Misskelley's statement that all three committed the crimes was a sham- a statement filled with inaccuracies that was led and coerced by police.

"This is not a Satanic murder," Riordan said. "There is no ritual. There is no ritualistic crime going on here."

Prosecutors maintained a knife found behind Jason Baldwin's trailer was used to ritually cut up the boys.  Forensic expert Dr. Richard Souviron said the wounds found on the victims were claw marks from animals..

"You don't have to be a rocket scientist to know these cuts did not come from a serrated knife or any knife, and see these marks on these two human beings that back handed knife made the marks," Souviron said. "Give me a break. That's the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard."

Earlier this week, the defense team filed more than 700 pages of evidence from their investigation in federal court, in an attempt to get the convictions overturned.

WMCT-5
Nov 1, 2007 06:27 AM
[Written before the press conference]

The man who forensics experts say is implicated by new evidence in the West Memphis 3 case talked about the allegations with Action News 5 in July. But now, Terry Hobbs is changing his tactics.

Attorneys for the West Memphis 3 say new DNA evidence implicates Hobbs, the stepfather of Stevie Branch, one of the murdered eight-year-old boys.

Hobbs attorney, Ross Sampson wasn't worried about the new evidence. "The allegation itself is ridiculous," he said.

Ridiculous, even though Hobbs talked exclusively with Action News 5 in July about the allegations.  During that interview, when asked whether he murdered the little boys, Hobbs said, I'd have to laugh at that, and say there's something wrong with someone who would think that."

Hobbs is not talking now, after defense attorneys filed a 700 page document in federal court detailing the new evidence.

International forensics experts claim they found no traces of evidence at the crime scene to link murders to the West Memphis 3.

Two hairs found at the scene, one from Terry Hobbs, and one from a friend of his, are part of the evidence experts are focusing on.

Searchers discovered the three eight-year-old boys in a watery ditch near their West Memphis homes. Experts say the cuts on their bodies came from animals, and not a knife.

Terry Hobbs has not been charged with anything, and his attorney does not expect that to happen.

"We really don't expect any type of legal action taken by the state of Arkansas against Mr. Hobbs," Sampson said.

Defense attorneys want the state to overturn the conviction of Damien Echols, who is currently on death row, and his co-defendants.

The forensics experts, which include a defense attorney from San Francisco and a criminal profiler will be in Little Rock tomorrow for a news conference to detail all of the new evidence.

You can watch that news conference live on WMCTV.com at 10:00 a.m. [We will be posting the video on wm3.org soon].

Dennis Riordan

We will be posting the video of the press conference in its entirety as soon as it's converted. If you didn't get a chance to see it live be sure to watch it when it's available. Mind blowing. Stay tuned...