Johnny Depp Pleads For Justice in Murder Trial

Johnny Depp Pleads For Justice in Murder Trial | PopEater.com



Johnny Depp Pleads For Justice in Murder Trial
316 CommentsBy Brooke Tarnoff Posted Feb 23rd 2010 08:06AM
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You may expect Johnny Depp to be busy promoting his foray into 'Wonderland,' but
the A-list actor has a bigger cause to champion: justice. Depp will appear on
CBS's '48 Hours Mystery' on Saturday to advocate the release of the "West
Memphis Three," young men convicted in 1994 of murdering three boys during a
satanic ritual.
Depp is not alone in his belief that the men were convicted on flimsy or
fabricated evidence. He joins stars like Eddie Vedder, Winona Ryder, the Dixie
Chicks and Disney teen star Demi Lovato in insisting the men were actually found
guilty for their fascination with heavy-metal music, Stephen King and the
occult.

"I firmly believe Damien Echols, Jason Baldwin and Jessie Misskelley are totally
innocent. It was a need for swift justice to placate the community," Depp says
on Saturday's show. "Damien Echols is on death row to be killed by lethal
injection."



The appearance of the 'Alice in Wonderland' star shocked CBS staffers, who told
the NY Post: "Johnny Depp on '48 Hours' -- are you joking?"

The segment will highlight DNA and forensic evidence that many hope will finally
clear Echols, Baldwin and Misskelley of the crimes. The show also suggests that
juror misconduct contributed to the guilty verdict, the NY Post reports.

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The West Memphis Three were tried and convicted of the murders of three
eight-year-old boys in the Robin Hood Hills area of West Memphis, Arkansas in
1993. Claims that police bungled the gathering of evidence, compromised the
crime scene, ignored possible suspects and misplaced DNA samples are behind the
controversy that has spanned nearly two decades.

Damien Echols was sentenced to death. Jessie Misskelley, Jr., was sentenced to
life in prison plus 40 years and Jason Baldwin was sentenced to life
imprisonment. All three were teenagers at the time of their arrests. Two
documentaries aired on HBO, 'Paradise Lost: The Child Murders at Robin Hood
Hills' and 'Paradise Lost 2: Revelations', explored evidence suggesting that the
three men were wrongly convicted.

Depp's appearance is not the first star-powered effort to free the trio. In
2002, Henry Rollins produced the album 'Rise Above: 24 Black Flag Songs to
Benefit the West Memphis Three,' a collection of cover songs originally
performed by Rollins' band Black Flag. Rollins donated profits from the record
and the supporting tour to the suspects' defense funds.

In 2003, Winona Ryder hosted a benefit exhibition at a Los Angeles art gallery,
featuring artwork by Raymond Pettibon, Shepard Fairey and Marilyn Manson. Though
Ryder herself was convicted of grand theft and vandalism in a 2002 trial, she
was unconcerned with the public's reaction to her support.

"I'm sure there's going to be a lot of jokes," Ryder told USA TODAY at the time.
"To me, [my case] has nothing to do with the other. It is incomparable. I am not
in prison. I am not on death row. I did not in any way experience what these
guys have experienced. They are in my hearts every day, and I will never give up
until they're out."

During the gallery opening ceremony, Ryder announced her belief that the
verdicts of the West Memphis Three were based on "rumors, prejudices and
superstitions," and called for DNA testing and new trials.

Last month, 'Sonny With a Chance' star Lovato tweeted her support of the ongoing
cause. She wrote, "Can everyone just take a second to read this please.
http://www.wm3.org A truly worthwhile cause. Show your support!!!"

Minutes later, she added, "FREE THE WEST MEMPHIS THREE!!!"

Depp's appearance on '48 Hours Mystery' airs Saturday, Feb. 27 at 10 p.m.

ericclimbs wrote:Good stuff. I was just thinking about those guys the other day. Have you seen the documentary on this case? Paradise Lost: The Child Murders at Robin Hood Hills. It is a fantastic look at this case. One definately gets the feeling these kids, now adults, are innocent:

Paximus wrote:

ericclimbs wrote:Good stuff. I was just thinking about those guys the other day. Have you seen the documentary on this case? Paradise Lost: The Child Murders at Robin Hood Hills. It is a fantastic look at this case. One definately gets the feeling these kids, now adults, are innocent:

I actually havent seen that but I am glad you mentioned it because I had heard about it but didnt know the name, now I can look it up. I have, however, read a lot about this case and I agree with you I do get the feeling they are innocent.


Also Depp is the real deal, if he gets involved you know its more than just publicity because he really doesnt like publicity much, he moved to France so he could just be himself and live his life.

Paximus wrote:

Paximus wrote:

ericclimbs wrote:Good stuff. I was just thinking about those guys the other day. Have you seen the documentary on this case? Paradise Lost: The Child Murders at Robin Hood Hills. It is a fantastic look at this case. One definately gets the feeling these kids, now adults, are innocent:

I actually havent seen that but I am glad you mentioned it because I had heard about it but didnt know the name, now I can look it up. I have, however, read a lot about this case and I agree with you I do get the feeling they are innocent.


Also Depp is the real deal, if he gets involved you know its more than just publicity because he really doesnt like publicity much, he moved to France so he could just be himself and live his life.

Can I get that DVD at blockbuster, is it pretty mainstream release? How old is it?

ericclimbs wrote:

Paximus wrote:

Paximus wrote:

ericclimbs wrote:Good stuff. I was just thinking about those guys the other day. Have you seen the documentary on this case? Paradise Lost: The Child Murders at Robin Hood Hills. It is a fantastic look at this case. One definately gets the feeling these kids, now adults, are innocent:

I actually havent seen that but I am glad you mentioned it because I had heard about it but didnt know the name, now I can look it up. I have, however, read a lot about this case and I agree with you I do get the feeling they are innocent.


Also Depp is the real deal, if he gets involved you know its more than just publicity because he really doesnt like publicity much, he moved to France so he could just be himself and live his life.

Can I get that DVD at blockbuster, is it pretty mainstream release? How old is it?

Dude blockbuster?? Are they still around? I thought everybody had Netflix by now. Netflix is the Nirvana of movies, documentaries, and tv shows!

All kidding aside its a fantastic documentary. When you mentioned wanting to do a Sam doc Paradise Lost was the first thing to pop into my head. It came out a pretty long time ago and there is a part 2 though I haven't seen it. You need to see it ASAP I promise you'll be completely absorbed by what you see.

ericclimbs wrote:Netflix is really cool man -- they have damn near everything on the planet. You can, unbelievably, even rent stuff that's out of print. Well I haven't done that in a while but I know you could. For 19 bucks a month you can have three movies at a time at home and rotate them as you please. There are lesser and greater options to choose from.

When that company first came out I thought "What a stupid idea, that'll never work."

Ha! No wonder I'm not rich.

Splendor Solis wrote:Youtube also has the whole Paradise Lost on it. The crazy stepdad (and IMO actual murderer) is a must see.

AndresEscobar wrote:Pax. Get Netflix. You can find a package for the same price, more movies. You wouldn't believe some of the crazy horror/low budget stuff I find on there.

Depp hasn't been in a movie worth seeing in almost a decade. Goes to show you how an actor having major success in a role (Pirates of the Caribbean) can kill a once promising career. Just sayin'.

The Kay wrote:

Splendor Solis wrote:Youtube also has the whole Paradise Lost on it. The crazy stepdad (and IMO actual murderer) is a must see.

I have read a lot of information on this case, and I do not know which "side" to believe. I about the suspicions regarding the stepfather, but never a reason why he would do this to those little boys. Did he just want to torture them? Was it a sex crime?

TiffaniLane wrote:

AndresEscobar wrote:Pax. Get Netflix. You can find a package for the same price, more movies. You wouldn't believe some of the crazy horror/low budget stuff I find on there.

Depp hasn't been in a movie worth seeing in almost a decade. Goes to show you how an actor having major success in a role (Pirates of the Caribbean) can kill a once promising career. Just sayin'.

Not to mention the Xbox 360 capabilities with Netflix.

AndresEscobar wrote:

TiffaniLane wrote:

AndresEscobar wrote:Pax. Get Netflix. You can find a package for the same price, more movies. You wouldn't believe some of the crazy horror/low budget stuff I find on there.

Depp hasn't been in a movie worth seeing in almost a decade. Goes to show you how an actor having major success in a role (Pirates of the Caribbean) can kill a once promising career. Just sayin'.

Not to mention the Xbox 360 capabilities with Netflix.

Also PS3. And online streaming.

ericclimbs wrote:Good stuff. I was just thinking about those guys the other day. Have you seen the documentary on this case? Paradise Lost: The Child Murders at Robin Hood Hills. It is a fantastic look at this case. One definately gets the feeling these kids, now adults, are innocent: