FAST FACTS:
(West Memphis, AR 07/29/2009) There is an effort to re-open a well known triple murder case from the Mid-South.
A renowned cold case detective is asking for new tips about the killings of three West Memphis boys back in 1993.
For more than 15 years, the men known as the West Memphis 3, Damien Echols, Jessie Misskelley and Jason Baldwin have been doing time for murder but for the last two weeks the West Memphis Evening Times has been running an ad in the newspaper. Paid for by Free West Memphis 3, it's an ad for the new West Memphis 3 tip line. The ad says Echols, Misskelley and Baldwin were all condemned by their poverty, incompetent defense, a rush to judgement and a false confession.
Jessie Misskelly, Sr. believes the new tip line could be key to finally proving his son's innocence. He took the ad with him when he visited his son about a week ago. When asked how his son felt knowing people all over the country think he's innocent, Misskelly qualified by saying the following of support includes people all over the world.
"It's all over the world. It's overseas and everywhere. I mean people overseas contacted over saying they don't think they're guilty," said Misskelley, Sr.
Also, new to the case is the person who answers the West Memphis 3 tip line. He's a well known former New York City homicide detective, Jay Salpeter.
Salpeter said, "I don't believe any of them committed this crime. They should have never been convicted."
Salpeter says the ads have already turned up several new leads. He won't say what they are but stresses in cases like this, the passing of time is not always bad.
"Sometimes a detective's best friend is time. I mean in a case like this, It's been many years. People change and the people that were afraid to come forward with information, years ago, will come forward. Relationships change. Where possibly they didn't want to get involved, they'll get involved now," said Salpeter.
The number to the West Memphis 3 tip line is 501-256-1775. Salpeter says no tip is too small.
Salpeter was recruited for the West Memphis 3 case, after he helped exonerate a Long Island teenager wrongfully convicted of murdering his parents.
- New tip line solicits leads in West Memphis 3 case
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(West Memphis, AR 07/29/2009) There is an effort to re-open a well known triple murder case from the Mid-South.
A renowned cold case detective is asking for new tips about the killings of three West Memphis boys back in 1993.
For more than 15 years, the men known as the West Memphis 3, Damien Echols, Jessie Misskelley and Jason Baldwin have been doing time for murder but for the last two weeks the West Memphis Evening Times has been running an ad in the newspaper. Paid for by Free West Memphis 3, it's an ad for the new West Memphis 3 tip line. The ad says Echols, Misskelley and Baldwin were all condemned by their poverty, incompetent defense, a rush to judgement and a false confession.
Jessie Misskelly, Sr. believes the new tip line could be key to finally proving his son's innocence. He took the ad with him when he visited his son about a week ago. When asked how his son felt knowing people all over the country think he's innocent, Misskelly qualified by saying the following of support includes people all over the world.
"It's all over the world. It's overseas and everywhere. I mean people overseas contacted over saying they don't think they're guilty," said Misskelley, Sr.
Also, new to the case is the person who answers the West Memphis 3 tip line. He's a well known former New York City homicide detective, Jay Salpeter.
Salpeter said, "I don't believe any of them committed this crime. They should have never been convicted."
Salpeter says the ads have already turned up several new leads. He won't say what they are but stresses in cases like this, the passing of time is not always bad.
"Sometimes a detective's best friend is time. I mean in a case like this, It's been many years. People change and the people that were afraid to come forward with information, years ago, will come forward. Relationships change. Where possibly they didn't want to get involved, they'll get involved now," said Salpeter.
The number to the West Memphis 3 tip line is 501-256-1775. Salpeter says no tip is too small.
Salpeter was recruited for the West Memphis 3 case, after he helped exonerate a Long Island teenager wrongfully convicted of murdering his parents.
