Fact #26197
When:
Short story:
Convicted as murderers in 1994, The West Memphis Three - Damien Echols, Jessie Misskelley, Jr, and Jason Baldwin - are freed after eighteen years in jail. Two
musicians who worked for their release, Eddie Vedder and Natalie Maines [of The Dixie Chicks], are present in Craighead County Courthouse, Arkansas, USA, to see the men freed.
Full article:
In 1994, The West Memphis Three were found
guilty on three counts of murder relating to the deaths of three
eight-year-old boys the previous year in The Robin Hood Hills, West
Memphis, Tennessee, USA. The court sentenced Echols to death and
Baldwin to life in prison. Misskelly had been [convicted at an
earlier date. Several rock musicians, convinced that the trio were
innocent, worked to have them released and wrote songs inspired by the case. Black Flag released the 2002 album Rise Above: 24 Black Flag
Songs to Benefit the West Memphis Three. Also in 2002, metalcore
band Zao recorded Free The Three, and in 2011 Disturbed released a
song entitled "3" as a download on their website, with 100% of the proceeds going to their benefit foundation for their release. Tom
Waits and Metallica also worked for the release of the trio.
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guilty on three counts of murder relating to the deaths of three
eight-year-old boys the previous year in The Robin Hood Hills, West
Memphis, Tennessee, USA. The court sentenced Echols to death and
Baldwin to life in prison. Misskelly had been [convicted at an
earlier date. Several rock musicians, convinced that the trio were
innocent, worked to have them released and wrote songs inspired by the case. Black Flag released the 2002 album Rise Above: 24 Black Flag
Songs to Benefit the West Memphis Three. Also in 2002, metalcore
band Zao recorded Free The Three, and in 2011 Disturbed released a
song entitled "3" as a download on their website, with 100% of the proceeds going to their benefit foundation for their release. Tom
Waits and Metallica also worked for the release of the trio.