NationMaster - Encyclopedia: Damien Echols

Damien Wayne Echols (born Michael Wayne Hutcheson on December 11, 1974) is one of the 3 members of the West Memphis 3, a group who was convicted of committing a triple homicide in West Memphis, Arkansas. Echols was convicted by a jury of murder and sentenced to die by lethal injection. His conviction and sentence have been upheld by the Arkansas Supreme Court and the United States Supreme Court. Echols was arrested on June 3, 1993, and has been in prison ever since. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... For other uses, see HBO (disambiguation). ... Paradise Lost: The Child Murders at Robin Hood Hills is a documentary film about the trials of three teenage boys in West Memphis, Arkansas for the murder and sexual mutilation of three prepubescent boys. ... December 11 is the 345th day of the year (346th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1974 (MCMLXXIV) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar) of the 1974 Gregorian calendar. ... The West Memphis 3 are three men tried and convicted for the murders of three children in the Robin Hood Hills area of West Memphis, Arkansas, United States during 1993. ... Homicide (Latin homicidium, homo human being + caedere to cut, kill) refers to the act of killing another human being. ... West Memphis is a city located in Crittenden County, Arkansas. ... Official language(s) English Capital Little Rock Largest city Little Rock Largest metro area Little Rock Metropolitan Area Area Ranked 29th - Total 53,179 sq mi (137,002 kmÂ²) - Width 239 miles (385 km) - Length 261 miles (420 km) - % water 2. ... is the 154th day of the year (155th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1993 (MCMXCIII) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1993 Gregorian calendar). ...

The case has received considerable attention. Many critics ^{[Who said this?]}charge that the arrests and convictions were a miscarriage of justice inspired by a misguided moral panic, and that the defendants were wrongfully convicted during a period of intense media scrutiny and so-called "Satanic panic". A moral panic is a reaction by a group of people based on the false or exaggerated perception that some cultural behavior or group, frequently a minority group or a subculture, is dangerously deviant and poses a menace to society. ...

The HBO documentary films Paradise Lost: The Child Murders at Robin Hood Hills and Paradise Lost 2: Revelations, and a book on the convictions, Devil's Knot by Mara Leveritt, all make the case that the convictions were wrongfully obtained and three innocent men are in prison. Another sequel, Paradise Lost 3, is currently being filmed. A second book, written earlier than Mara Leveritt's is less supportive. That book, Blood of Innocents by Guy Reel, examines both sides of the case without coming to any definitive conclusion. For other uses, see HBO (disambiguation). ... Paradise Lost: The Child Murders at Robin Hood Hills is a documentary film about the trials of three teenage boys in West Memphis, Arkansas for the murder and sexual mutilation of three prepubescent boys. ... Paradise Lost 2: Revelations is the sequel to the documentary film Paradise Lost: The Child Murders at Robin Hood Hills, a film in which three teeangers were accused of murdering three young boys in a Satanic ritual abuse. ...

Echols' case has seen significant support from numerous rock and pop musicians, who have popularized the case by staging fund-raisers including benefit CDs and an art auction with some of his own work. For other uses, see Rock music (disambiguation). ...

Echols co-wrote the lyrics to the song "Army Reserve", on Pearl Jam's self-titled album.^[1] Punk musician Michale Graves, formerly of The Misfits ("Resurrection" Line-up) has been writing music to coincide with Echols poetry. Echols and Graves are currently working together on an album that will be released in early 2007. This article is about the rock group. ... Pearl Jam is the self-titled eighth studio album by Pearl Jam and their debut release for J Records. ... Punk rock is an anti-establishment music movement beginning around 1976 (although precursors can be found several years earlier), exemplified and popularised by The Ramones, the Sex Pistols, The Clash and The Damned. ... Michael Emmanuel (born March 21, 1975), better known by his stage name Michale Graves, is a singer/songwriter. ... This article is about the band. ...

He has published his memoirs, Almost Home: My Life Story Vol. 1, and his poetry in the Porcupine Literary Arts magazine (Volume 8, Issue 2).

Echols is currently seeking new trial with the results of a DNA Status Report filed on July 17, 2007, which concluded "none of the genetic material recovered at the scene of the crimes was attributable to Mr. Echols, Echols co-defendant, Jason Baldwin, or defendant Jessie Misskelley. . . . [a]lthough most of the genetic material recovered from the scene was attributable to the victims of the offenses, some of it cannot be attributed to either the victims or the defendants." [DNA Status Report, July 17, 2007]"^[2]

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Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st Century. ... is the 203rd day of the year (204th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st Century. ... is the 203rd day of the year (204th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

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