Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
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Gary Gitchell | ... | Self - Former Chief Investigator, West Memphis Police (archive footage) |
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Todd Moore | ... | Self - Parent of Michael Moore (archive footage) |
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Dana Moore | ... | Self - Parent of Michael Moore (archive footage) |
Pam Hobbs | ... | Self - Mother of Stevie Branch (archive footage) | |
Terry Hobbs | ... | Self - Stepfather of Stevie Branch | |
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Melissa Byers | ... | Self - Mother of Christopher Byers (archive footage) |
John Mark Byers | ... | Self - Stepfather of Christopher Byers | |
Damien Wayne Echols | ... | Self - Perpetrator (as Damien Echols) | |
Jason Baldwin | ... | Self - Perpetrator | |
Jessie Misskelley | ... | Self - Perpetrator (as Jessie Misskelley Jr.) | |
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John Philipsborn | ... | Self - Post-Conviction Attorney for Jason Baldwin |
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Don Horgan | ... | Self - Post-Conviction Attorney for Damien Echols |
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John N. Fogleman | ... | Self - Prosecuting Attorney (as John Fogleman) |
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Mike Allen | ... | Self - Detective, West Memphis Police (archive footage) |
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Domini Teer | ... | Self - Suspect's Girlfriend (archive footage) |
In 1993, a horrific triple child murder was discovered in West Memphis, Arkansas, but the reaction to it precipitated a horror of its own. This film follows up on the story of the three boys, called the West Memphis Three, who were convicted for this crime with questionable evidence. For years, the boys' fate sparked a mass movement striving to prove their innocence while the state is equally determined to avoid admitting it could have been wrong. Through the swirl of new evidence and suspects, the Three tell their own tale about enduring this injustice against the opinions of the victim's families in a debate that eventually came to an inadequate resolution. Written by Kenneth Chisholm (kchishol@rogers.com)
The filmmakers return to update the case of the West Memphis Three. In 1993, three boys Steve Branch, Michael Moore, and Christopher Byers were murdered in the woods. In 1994, three older boys Damien Wayne Echols, Jason Baldwin, and Jessie Misskelley were convicted for those crimes. The first half of this movie basically recaps the first two documentaries. John Mark Byers, stepfather of Christopher Byers, makes peace with Echols and is now convinced of their innocence. In turn, Echols apologizes for accusing John. For me, the most damning is the accusation against the jury foreman Kent Arnold. There is new DNA evidence against Terry Hobbs, Steve Branch's stepfather, but it's not that convincing for me. The Three is able to win a legal victory and after their judge moved on as a State Senator, the guys finally accepted an Alford plea essentially guilty but maintaining their innocence.
Is this justice? It's hard to say. The most obvious problem for the justice system and this movie as a drama is that nobody is in prison for the boys' murders. For a documentary, that's always the limitation. The real world doesn't always have a neat happy ending. They are able to point the finger at Terry Hobbs but the second movie pointed the finger at Byers. There is nothing done against the various people who did harm against justice in this case. It is able to wrap up the odyssey of the West Memphis Three but justice for the murders may never be done.