Paradise Lost Documentary

[keggss23]

Posted: 3/13/06 at 2:51pm

Has anyone seen this documentary? It originally aired on HBO in 1996 about 3 West Memphis teenagers that were tried and convincted of brutally murdering 3 small boys.
www.wm3.org

[popcultureboy]

Posted: 3/13/06 at 2:56pm

There's an earlier thread here

https://forum.broadwayworld.com/readmessage.cfm?boardname=off&thread=874881#1575025

but it's not exactly brimming with discussion.

[lildogs]

Posted: 3/13/06 at 3:16pm

I've seen it a few times--i find it oddly fascinating, though I haven't seen the sequel.

[keggss23]

Posted: 3/13/06 at 3:21pm

Thanks for the link.

I cannot stop thinking about it since I saw it yesterday afternoon. I would like to see the sequel though.

[lildogs]

Posted: 3/13/06 at 3:33pm

How bout that stepdad? "And though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death..."

[keggss23]

Posted: 3/13/06 at 3:45pm

Oh my god. The stepdad is a complete psycho -- and I firmly believe he committed the crimes. His actions before, durring and after the trial were so strange (to say the least). Everytime he was on camera it was like he was putting on a show and they got more over the top and bizarre as time went on. I think he killed the boys and his wife helped cover it up which is why he later killed her too.

I also just cannot believe the blatant incompetence of the investigators and police. How could they have lost evidence? How could they have missed the bite marks on one of the victims (As this new evidence was dicovered, the stepdad suddenly had all of his teeth pulled and changed the story about why they were pulled 3 times on camera)? How could 3 boys be convicted without evidence or motive?

I also wonder what the families of the 2 other victims think of the stepdad as a suspect.

This story sickens me and the worst part is that justice can never be done. Even if the correct person is brought to justice and the West Memphis 3 are freed, their lives have been ruined and 3 innocent children are still dead.

[lildogs]

Posted: 3/13/06 at 4:14pm

I thought/think he's guilty as well--it's pretty clear the boys didn't kill anyone, though Damien is admittedly a weird kid.

[popcultureboy]

Posted: 3/13/06 at 4:24pm

The book about this, Devil's Knot, is highly recommended too. I couldn't read it in public as it made me so furious I had tourettes style outbursts on the subway.

[keggss23]

Posted: 3/13/06 at 4:26pm

I think they were just dumb, rebelious kids, (except for Damien who I think is rather bright) who stuck out like a sore thumb in bible belt middle of nowhere town. Damien seemed to be very independent and I think that scared the dumb, white, god-fearing biggots in the town. I can understand that the townspeople wanted to find the killer and bring them to justice as quickly as possible, but this was just the Salem Wicth trials all over again. It just kills me that they are still sitting in prison for a crime that they very obviously did not commit. I don't understand why nothing has been done to correct this complete miscarriage of justice. It angers me beyond belief.