UPDATE! This may be the first time I've ever posted a non-movie-geek story only to have it BECOME a movie-geek story afterwards: According to Deadline, two of the key players putting up the money for the new independent investigations that have helped dig up the new evidence and hearings that may free the West Memphis Three later today... Peter Jackson and Fran Walsh, nicely answering any curiousities you may have had about whether or not they could get any more awesome.
ORIGINAL POST: Part of me doesn't even want to report on this, for fear of jinxing it, but if this pans out for the good it'll be a pretty damn big moment.
For those who haven't heard of this before (which is understandable, it's been almost two decades and the media never paid long-term attention) in 1993 three young men from West Memphis were convicted on what is widely regarded as flimsy evidence (and perception that the accused were "satanists" because of their fashion and music preferences) for the horrific murders of three children. The case recieved national attention thanks to a pair of HBO documentaries. In the 18 years since, despite recurring waves of international protest and activism, two of the accused are still serving life sentences and one is still sitting on death row - all three having continued to maintain their innocence.
Last month, a new DNA test using material from the actual crime scene was found not to match the defendants. Just this past evening (August 18th), it was revealed that a new hearing for all three defendants had been called - without much warning - for the following day (today.) There's been conflicting reports leaking all night as to exactly what is going down - are they being released, is there a plea deal, what will they plead to if so ("no contest" would seem kind of likely), is it all of them or just one or two, etc.
But it really does sound as though justice MIGHT finally win out for these guys, and if so that'll really be something to see.
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