Editing West Memphis Three (section)

===Request for retrial (2007–2010)===
On October 29, 2007, papers were filed in federal court by Echols's defense lawyers seeking a [[retrial]] or his immediate release from prison. The filing cited DNA evidence linking Terry Hobbs (stepfather of one of the victims) to the crime scene, and new statements from Hobbs' now ex-wife. Also presented in the filing was new expert testimony that the supposed knife marks on the victims, including the injuries to Byers' genitals, were in fact the result of animal predation after the bodies had been dumped.<ref>[http://www.arktimes.com/blogs/arkansasblog/2007/11/west_memphis_3_press_conferenc.aspx Arkansas Blog: West Memphis 3 Press Conference<!-- Bot generated title -->] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071103111907/http://www.arktimes.com/blogs/arkansasblog/2007/11/west_memphis_3_press_conferenc.aspx |date=November 3, 2007 }}</ref>

On September 10, 2008, Circuit Court Judge David Burnett denied the request for a retrial, citing the DNA tests as inconclusive.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.nesting.com/news/national/131401/Judge-rejects-request-for-new-trial-for-3-men-convicted-of-1993-slayings-of-3-Arkansas-boys.html |title=Judge rejects request for new trial for 3 men convicted of 1993 slayings of 3 Arkansas boys |agency=Associated Press |first=Jill |last=Zeman |work=Nesting.com |access-date=January 25, 2012 |date=September 10, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120913182412/http://www.nesting.com/news/national/131401/Judge-rejects-request-for-new-trial-for-3-men-convicted-of-1993-slayings-of-3-Arkansas-boys.html |archive-date=September 13, 2012  }}</ref> That ruling was appealed to the Arkansas Supreme Court, which heard oral arguments in the case on September 30, 2010.