Devil's Knot : The True Story of the West Memphis Three

Additional Devil's Knot : The True Story of the West Memphis Three Information

On the evening of May 5, 1993, in the small town of West Memphis, Arkansas, three eight-year-old boys disappeared. The next afternoon, the naked bodies of Stevie Branch, Christopher Byers, and Michael Moore were found submerged in a nearby stream. The boys had been bound from ankle to wrist with their own shoelaces and severely beaten. Christopher had been castrated.

The crime scene had yielded few clues, and despite Christopher's castration, there was a remarkable absence of blood. The police were stymied, and citizens' alarm mounted as weeks passed without an arrest. Finally, a month after the murders, detectives announced three arrests -- and a startling theory of the crime: that the children had been killed by members of a satanic cult.

Detectives attributed their break in the case to a former special education student, seventeen-year-old Jessie Misskelley Jr. Although Jessie insisted he knew nothing of the crime, after eight hours of questioning, police announced that he had implicated himself and accused two other teenagers, eighteen-year-old Damien Echols and sixteen-year-old Jason Baldwin. Damien and Jason both denied Jessie's account, and Jessie himself recanted it within hours, but by then all three had been charged with the murders.

With no physical evidence connecting anyone to the crime, prosecutors contended that the murders bore signs of "the occult" and that the three accused teenagers possessed a "state of mind" that pointed to them as the killers. As proof of the defendants' mental states, they introduced items taken from their rooms -- such as books by Anne Rice and album posters for the rock group Metallica. Jurors found all three teenagers guilty. Jessie and Jason were sentenced to life in prison. Damien was sentenced to death.

While the verdicts were popular in Arkansas, an HBO documentary raised questions about the lack of evidence in the case, and a Web site was formed to support the inmates, now known as "The West Memphis Three." When the Arkansas Supreme Court affirmed the verdicts, state officials insisted that anyone who questioned the trials simply did not know "the facts."

Now, for the first time, an award-winning investigative reporter examines that official stand. In riveting narrative, Devil's Knot draws readers into the drama of a modern-day courtroom dominated by references to Satan. In laying out "the facts" of this still-unfolding case, it offers a frightening look into America's system of justice.

What Customers Say About Devil's Knot : The True Story of the West Memphis Three:

Intersting true crime story; boring book. It isn't relevant if I think these boys are innocent or guilty but it is obvious that the crime investigation and trial were botched. Reading the story on the Tru-TV old crimes stores is more intersting than this book.

the book is awesome.very informative.and powerful.very detailed and in a way that makes sure the reader absolutely understands whats happening.a really great piece of literature

Mara Leveritt has not just written a gripping account a grave injustice, she has performed a public service. He needs to be caught. Silly, except that three young men have already lost over a decade of their lives and one may very soon be murdered by the state.

Her findings punch enormous holes in prosecution and will bear any scrutiny. Buy it for yourself, your friends, anyone you know who truly believes in justice for all. This book grabs you from the beginning and presents a very balanced account of the trial, despite what some others may say.

This book will make you angry, a good kind of angry. It is important to remember that there were SIX victims of that horrendous murder so many years ago, the three boys who were found murdered in Robin Hood Hills and the three boys the state of Arkansas has been trying to kill ever since. The prosecution's case defied logic at the time (and without some manufactured hysteria never would have come to trial) and today it looks as silly as the Salem witch trials.

Remember, there is still a murderer on the loose in West Memphis. There are six boys who need justice to be served.

I would def. The product (Devils knot) was in wonderful condition. It arrived when expected and Was an amazing book. recommend it to anyone that loves to read factual literature. Free the West memphis three.

She does talk about his background before the murders in one section. I think that has more to do with his love for attention in front of the cameras during both the PL movies and in front of reporters.

She even has a extensive notes section in the back of the book telling you where she got the information from. While Devils Knot is a proWM3 book, I thought the author done a good job of not shoving it down your throat.

While as some has said, John Mark Byers name is in it alot. And while yes, we could go study all that information ourselves, she presented it in a easy to read fashion.

I'm one who has only seen the Paradise Lost movies and thought the book done a great job talking about everything starting from the investigation. And the many questions around him.

Of all the victims families he is the most talked about.My next plan is to read all the actual court transcripts but I'd highly recommend this book to anyone whose seen Paradise Lost 1&2 and want to know more information about the case.