I have thought it a possible error to always take for granted that because the three were accused, then the three must have committed the crime together.
What, exactly, puts the three firmly in each in other's company (might we please leave out third hand hearsay and flawed confessions here, for the sake of exploring this idea) in the time frame during which the boys went missing, and later into that night? Is it actually possible for only ONE of the three to actually be guilty?
Is it possible Jessie wasn't there at all, but knew -something- bad happened?
Or did Jessie kill the boys in a fit of rage and then use Echols and Baldwin to deflect the bulk of blame from himself?
Were Jessie and Jason at home, while Echols and some other pals killed the boys for a 'laugh'?
I can think of some pretty decent points of argument for all of the above. The only one of the three I have a hard time seeing as acting alone (or at all, tbh) is Baldwin.
What, exactly, puts the three firmly in each in other's company (might we please leave out third hand hearsay and flawed confessions here, for the sake of exploring this idea) in the time frame during which the boys went missing, and later into that night? Is it actually possible for only ONE of the three to actually be guilty?
Is it possible Jessie wasn't there at all, but knew -something- bad happened?
Or did Jessie kill the boys in a fit of rage and then use Echols and Baldwin to deflect the bulk of blame from himself?
Were Jessie and Jason at home, while Echols and some other pals killed the boys for a 'laugh'?
I can think of some pretty decent points of argument for all of the above. The only one of the three I have a hard time seeing as acting alone (or at all, tbh) is Baldwin.