I'm no big fan of DE. Since he has been released, he has done some very questionable things. However, as another poster mentioned, I have no doubt but that his maturing process was somewhat arrested because he was incarcerated (most of the time in solitary confinement and all of the time - post conviction - on Death Row). I keep hoping that he will "grow up" soon, but, IMO, it hasn't happened yet. But, the bottom line is that he and CJB and JLM, Jr. are innocent of these murders. I have read the trials and all of the information in the hearings during those trials that didn't see the light of day in the courtroom. Having taught high school for 25 years, I have experience with teenagers. DE, CJB and JLM, Jr. are "typical" of many of the students I taught. I taught the "angry young man" (DE) who said and did many things for "shock" value, but who was really intelligent. I taught the "shy retiring type" (CJB) who wasn't the best of students, but just wanted to blend in while in school. I taught the "slow-witted type" (JLM, Jr.), too. Those students were pitiful. They would agree to anything to make the questioning stop. Many times, the lies they told were to hide their disability. They were often put up as "scapegoats" by fellow students because those other students, much like the wmpd, knew that the slow-witted ones would eventually claim responsibility for things they didn't do. That's why a competent teacher would only question such a student through someone trained in doing so. That's how the wmpd were able to manipulate JLM, Jr. into a false confession - and, IMO, that may be the most despicable thing about this case. As to JLM, Jr.'s multiple statements (I won't dignify them by calling them confessions), although the "facts" he recited became clearer upon retelling (especially post-conviction statements), none of his statements align with the facts known in this case - especially now! As to E500, IMO, there was a lot of exaggeration in that opus. First, it was presented, by the defense, during the penalty phase of the trial, in order to provide mitigating circumstances in an attempt to avoid the Death Penalty. Second, I know for a fact (having been told by mental health care professionals and social workers during my teaching career) that a student's "mental" symptoms are often exaggerated in an effort to make them eligible for SSI. Was DE more "disturbed" than the "normal" (whatever that means) teenager living in abject poverty? Maybe. Does that make him a murderer? Absolutely not! So, when researching this case, don't be swayed by what may appear to be "evidence" that DE is a psychopath. Read everything. Form your own opinions. My opinions are based on research and life experience - not on movies or documentaries or even other people's opinions. I just hope that everyone bases their opinion on the same.
