West Memphis Three Released From Prison After 17 Years

Whether you know the story of the West Memphis Three or not, you've most likely heard of them. They were 3 teenagers that most believe are innocent of the murder charges they were imprisoned because of. Today they were released from prison after DNA evidence had proved their innocence.

Several musicians have been in the corner of Damien Echols, Jessie Misskelley, and Jason Baldwin (A.K.A. West Memphis Three) for a long time. Disturbed released the song '3' in order to raise funds for their defense and Pearl Jam's Eddie Vedder has raised funds on their behalf many times and often visited the falsely imprisoned trio. All those efforts seem to have paid off after it was announced today that the WM3 were going to be released.

The WM3 were convicted of a triple homicide in 1994, after three 8 yeard old boys were found murdered, and were serving lifelong prison terms (except for Echols who was sentenced to death). In 2007 their innocence was confirmed when there was no matching DNA found from the West Memphis Three on anything collected at the crime scene.

According to Rock News Desk, Eddie Vedder and members of the Dixie Chicks were present at the hearing which would set Echols, Misskelley, and Baldwin free today. They agreed to what is calle an "Alford Plea", where they can maintain their innocence but agree that there was sufficient evidence for them to be convicted. While they can continue to protest their innocence, the agreement states that they have had to plead guilty and the time served was their punishment.

Sounds like the state of Arkansas is covering their ass so they don't get sued. How's that for an apology: "You have to admit you did it technically...just on paper though, but then you can go".

Baldwin said in disagreement with the way they were released:

"I didn’t want to take the plea. It isn’t justice – but they were trying to kill Damien."

Damien Echols, who was on Death Row, had this to say:

"I’m being released for a crime I did not commit. I’m still pretty much in shock – you have to realize I’ve been in solitary confinement for ten years. It’s overwhelming It’s not perfect by any means. But it at least brings closure to some areas."