By John Lyon
Arkansas News Bureau
LITTLE ROCK — Three men convicted in the 1993 deaths of three West Memphis 8-year-olds were transferred to the custody of the Craighead County sheriff’s office today amid reports that at least some of them would be released.
Arkansas Department of Correction spokeswoman Dina Tyler said Damien Echols, Jessie Misskelley and Jason Baldwin were transferred with all of their property for a hearing scheduled for Friday, a move Tyler said is not unheard of “whenever there is a chance that a sentence could be vacated.”
Lawyers in the case are prohibited by a gag order from talking to reporters, but a Memphis TV station reported today that two of the men commonly known as the West Memphis Three are expected to be released.
WREG-TV cited unnamed sources in reporting that the agreement would be announced Friday.
In a surprise announcement today, Craighead County Circuit Judge David Laser’s office said the judge will take up “certain matters” at a hearing Friday in the case at Jonesboro, but did not provide further details.
Before today’s announcement, no hearing had been scheduled in the case until December.
All three defendants will take part in a closed session in the judge’s chambers that is expected to begin about 10 a.m., followed by a session in open court at about 11 a.m., the judge’s office said.
Echols, Baldwin and Misskelley were convicted in the deaths of second-graders Steve Branch, Christopher Byers and Michael Moore, whose bodies were found, beaten and bound, in a wooded area not far from their homes.
Baldwin and Misskelley were given life sentences and Echols was sentenced to death. Their fight to overturn their convictions has gained worldwide attention and attracted the support of celebrities such as actor Johnny Depp and musician Eddie Vedder.
Defense attorneys claim new DNA tests show biological materials collected at the crime scene do not match Echols, Baldwin or Misskelley. They also say they have other new evidence that disproves theories prosecutors presented at the men’s trials.
In November, the Arkansas Supreme Court ordered a new evidentiary hearing in the case based on the new evidence. That hearing is set for Dec. 5.
Lonnie Soury, a press representative for the defendants, said today he could not discuss the subject of the hearing but said that “we’re optimistic.”
“There’s tremendous evidence of their innocence,” Soury said. “New DNA, new witnesses, new forensic evidence.”
