After this reply I plan to start two new threads, one explaining what I think happened so posters can agree or disagree with my theory and a second to continue the discussion about what happened 8/19/2011. I want to reply to some of the posts in the last few pages, but for the sake of space, I'll just name the poster.
jt, As to your explanations of Jessie's mistakes in his original confession, first on the time, you said he picked a time when he had an alibi. I think he just picked a time. The same for the brown rope vs. shoelaces mistake. Remember, the fact that the boys were tied with shoelaces was withheld from the public. The fact that Jessie didn't know this should have been a red flag to the WMPD that he didn't know what happened.
New testing on the fibers was ordered. If completed, it could have shown that the fibers at the scene did not come from the garments from the defendants' homes. IMO, that's one reason the State agreed to the Alford plea. It's possible that the results came back and the garments were ruled out as the source.
As to TH, by refusing to cooperate he just looks guiltier IMO. DJ gave an oral swab voluntarily. To me, that indicates that he had nothing to hide. The defense team was planning to call TH in December, and they had a lot more than one hair!
Steve Branch, Sr. relinquished all parental rights to Stevie so he wouldn't have to pay child support according to JMB, and he said it could be verified from court records.
twall, The difference between a guilty plea and an Alford Plea is that in the traditional guilty plea, the defendant must describe the crime in detail. These defendants didn't because they weren't there!
CCmakes3, Somebody for ADC said that this was the first time a Death Row inmate had been released without having been exonerated. I wish I could provide the link, but there's been so much released recently. I want to say her name was Ellison, but I'm not real sure. If I find it, I'll post it.
Tessa, MOO, but Damien needed to get off of Death Row for health reasons. I believe that played a part in the whole Alford Plea agreement. As has been pointed out, even Ellington believed that they would have been granted a new trial and, because of time passed, stories changed and a lot of other CYA BS, they would have been found not guilty at new trials.
SheBoss, As to the tennis shoes, Jessie gave them to Buddy Lucas. Buddy gave them to the police. They were compared to the shoe prints at the scene and were not a match.
wonders, Participants were interviewed on CBS's The Early Show and NBC's Today Show. Links are on the Blackboard. I don't remember seeing anything about ABC's Good Morning America, though. Remember that CNN streamed coverage from outside the hearing and broadcast online the complete hearing when it was over. The release was reported on FOX News, but since most of their programming is political, they didn't have much coverage.
gitana, Yes, they could be at risk to reoffend, at least Jessie because of his mental disability. However, the supporter movement is providing them with a support system (LOL) that, hopefully, will keep that from happening. IMO, Damien and Jason won't have problems, both being intelligent and capable young men, not the alienated teens that went to prison back in 1994.
my2sense, I doubt that they will release a transcript of the private hearing because, as I understand it, it was very technical and mostly procedural. It was mainly to be sure everyone understood what was happening, at least that's what Judge Laser said at the end of the public hearing. I could be wrong. It's just my opinion.
Nyla, MOO, but Jessie would have felt very out of place at the party. He was much happier at his daddy's block party and with his trip to Wal-mart to get his new shades!
~n/t~, All that mess Damien said in PL1 was just sarcasm and teen angst.
Robinez, Again, they were teenagers. They had had minor run ins with the law, but nothing truly violent. What happened back in 1993-1994 is that they were judged by the community based on what they wore, the music they listened to, and other surface things. IOW, they were prejudged to be guilty because they were different.
UdbCrzy2, All that you've shown is how messed up the criminal justice system in Arkansas (and possibly other states) really is.
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Especially when she says this.
