Editing West Memphis Three (section)

===Damien Wayne Echols===
Damien Wayne Echols (born Michael Wayne Hutchison,<ref>{{cite news|last=Perrusquia|first=Marc|title=Damien Echols may be troubled but he's not killer, some say|newspaper=The Commercial Appeal|location=Memphis|date=February 27, 1994|url=http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/1994/feb/27/damien-echols-may-be-troubled-hes-not-killer-some-|access-date=September 27, 2012}}</ref> December 11, 1974) was on death row, locked-down 23 hours per day at the [[Varner Unit]] Supermax.<ref name="CB"/> Echols, ADC# 000931, entered the system on March 19, 1994.<ref name="ADCProf">"[http://www.adc.arkansas.gov/inmate_info/search.php?dcnum=000931&lastname=Echols&firstname=Damien&sex=b&agetype=1 Echols profile], Arkansas Department of Correction website; retrieved November 25, 2010.</ref> From prison in 1999, he married [[landscape architect]] Lorri Davis.

On August 19, 2011, Echols, along with Baldwin and Misskelley, was released from prison after their attorneys and the judge handling the upcoming retrial agreed to a deal. Under the terms of the Alford guilty plea, Echols and his co-defendants accepted the sufficiency of evidence supporting the three counts of [[first degree murder]] while maintaining their innocence. DNA evidence at the scene was not found to include any from Echols or his co-defendants.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/30/us/30satanic.html |title=Defense Offers New Evidence in a Murder Case That Shocked Arkansas |date=October 30, 2007 |newspaper=The New York Times |first=-Shaila |last=Dewan |quote=according to long-awaited new evidence ..., there was no DNA from the three defendants found at the scene }}</ref> He moved to New York City after his release.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.arktimes.com/arkansas/the-damien-i-know-the-architect-and-the-inmate/Content?oid=964930|title=The Damien I Know&nbsp;– The Architect and the Inmate|first=Mara|last=Leveritt|work=arktimes.com|year=2011|access-date=October 13, 2011}}</ref>

====Appeal====
Echols' mental stability during the years immediately prior to the murders and during his trial was the focus of his appellate legal team in their appeal attempts. In his efforts to win a new trial, Echols, 27 at the time of the appeal, claimed he was incompetent to stand trial because of a history of mental illness. The record on appeal spells out a long history of Echols' mental health problems, including a May 5, 1992, Arkansas Department of Youth Services referral for possible mental illness, a year to the day before the murders.<ref name="The Commercial Appeal">{{cite web| url = http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2002/apr/21/case-lives-echols-seeks-new-trial/| title = The Commercial Appeal}}</ref> Hospital records for his treatment in Little Rock 11 months before the killings show a history of self-mutilation and assertions to hospital staff that he gained power by drinking blood, that he had inside him the spirit of a woman who had killed her husband, and that he was having [[hallucinations]]. He also told mental health workers that he was "going to influence the world."<ref name="The Commercial Appeal"/>

The appellate legal team argued that Echols did not waive his assertion that he was not mentally competent before his 1994 trial because he was not competent to waive it. To assist in the appeals process, Echols' appellate legal team retained a [[Berkeley, California]]-based forensic psychiatrist, Dr. George Woods, to make their case.<ref>[https://www.google.com/#hl=en&cp=22&gs_id=1v&xhr=t&q=george+woods+affidavit&qe=Z2VvcmdlIHdvb2RzIGFmZmlkYXZpdA&qesig=x8JP9oD_NNAwFulC1e7wdQ&pkc=AFgZ2tkKCrLJL-Gah6Ym1NST-Xj5fA-aJJc-_QUUbthyn6XdbIPD0sjwW1tdvo5rQeW1JhoYqiMazKArIzCXbvsu-uJ5WCPYzQ&pf=p&sclient=ps&fp=1&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.,cf.osb&cad=b George Woods Affidavit], google.com; accessed October 5, 2015.</ref>

Echols' lawyers claimed that his condition worsened during the trial, when he developed a "psychotic euphoria that caused him to believe he would evolve into a superior entity" and eventually be transported to a different world. His psychosis dominated his perceptions of everything going on in court, Woods wrote.<ref name="The Commercial Appeal"/> Echols's mental state while in prison awaiting trial was also called into question by his appellate team.{{citation needed|date=October 2015}}

====Retrial request====
While in prison, Echols wrote letters to Gloria Shettles, an investigator for his defense team.<ref>{{cite web| url = http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0712/19/lkl.01.html| title = CNN Larry King Live-Damien Echols Death Row Interview}}</ref> Echols sought to overturn his conviction based on trial error, including juror misconduct, as well as the results of a DNA Status Report filed on July 17, 2007, which concluded "none of the [[DNA|genetic material]] recovered at the scene of the crimes was attributable to Mr. Echols, Echols' co-defendant, Jason Baldwin, or defendant Jessie Misskelley .... Although most of the genetic material recovered from the scene was attributable to the victims of the offenses, some of it cannot be attributed to either the victims or the defendants."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://wm3.org/live/newsevents/newsitem.php?index=1&news_Id=131|title=DNA TESTING CONCLUDES|access-date=July 22, 2007|publisher=wm3.org|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070823193448/http://www.wm3.org/live/newsevents/newsitem.php?index=1&news_Id=131 |archive-date=August 23, 2007}}</ref> Advanced DNA and other scientific evidence&nbsp;– combined with additional evidence from several different witnesses and experts&nbsp;– released in October 2007 had cast strong doubts on the original convictions. A hearing on Echols' petition for a writ of [[habeas corpus]] was held in the Federal District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas.<ref>[http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/viewArticle.asp?articleID=41551 Echols' Attorneys File New Motion Claiming Wrongful Conviction In 'West Memphis Three' Case] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131203181807/http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/viewArticle.asp?articleID=41551 |date=December 3, 2013 }}, American Chronicles, accessed October 5, 2015.</ref>

====Release====
On August 19, 2011, Echols, along with Baldwin and Misskelley, entered an [[Alford plea]], while asserting their innocence.<ref name=ArOnline/> The judge sentenced them to 18 years and 78 days, the amount of time they had served, and levied a suspended sentence of 10 years. Echols' sentence was reduced to three counts of [[first degree murder]]. Lawyers representing the West Memphis Three reached the plea deal that allowed the men to be released from prison. They were transferred to the hearing with their possessions. The plea deal did not technically result in a full exoneration; some of the convictions would stand, but the men would not admit guilt. The counsel representing the men said they would continue to pursue full exoneration.<ref name=nyt_alford/>

====Aftermath====
[[File:Damien echols 2012.jpg|thumb|Damien Echols at the 2012 [[Texas Book Festival]]]]
Echols relocated to [[Salem, Massachusetts]], with his wife and has no intentions of returning to Arkansas. In a 2013 interview with [[Piers Morgan]], he said that he would like to have a career in writing and [[visual arts]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Piers Morgan – Damien Echols On The Death Penalty – 02/08/2013|website = [[YouTube]]| date=November 13, 2013 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5gv2cMLWykk| archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/5gv2cMLWykk| archive-date=December 11, 2021 | url-status=live}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

Echols self-published the memoir, ''Almost Home: My Life Story Vol. 1'' (2005), while still in prison.<ref>{{cite book|author=Echols, Damien|title=Almost Home: My Life Story Vol. 1|date=June 3, 2005|isbn=9780595357017|publisher=iUniverse|url=https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/415488.Almost_Home}}</ref> After his release, he has worked on a number of additional media projects.
;:Music
::*Echols co-wrote the lyrics to the song "Army Reserve", on [[Pearl Jam]]'s [[Pearl Jam (album)|self-titled album]] (2006).<ref>{{cite magazine |url= http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/57020/ex-misfits-singer-rocks-with-west-memphis-3s-echols |title=Ex-Misfits Singer Rocks With West Memphis 3's Echols &#124; Billboard.com |magazine=Billboard |year=2011 |access-date=October 13, 2011}}</ref>
::*Echols and [[Punk rock|punk]] musician [[Michale Graves]], the latter a former vocalist for [[Misfits (band)|Misfits]], released an album titled ''Illusions'' in October 2007.<ref>{{cite web|title=Illusions Album: Michale Graves & Damien Echols|website=Amazon|url=https://www.amazon.com/Illusions-Michale-Graves-Damien-Echols/dp/B000W04S0G}}</ref>

;:Art
::*Echols began creating art while on death row as a "side effect of my spiritual, magical practice."<ref>{{cite web|title=L.A. Times article on Damien Echols art exhibit at Copro Gallery|website=[[Los Angeles Times]]|date=March 24, 2016 |url=http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/arts/la-et-cm-damien-echols-art-show-20160323-story.html}}</ref> The Copro Gallery in Los Angeles exhibited Echols' artwork (March 19 – April 16, 2016).<ref>{{cite web|title=SALEM Exhibit of Echols' Artwork at the Copro Gallery|url=http://www.copronason.com/salemd/}}</ref> The focus of the exhibit, titled 'SALEM,' draws attention to the comparison between the historical U.S. [[Salem witch trials]] and Echols' own experience during a modern-day U.S. [[witch-hunt]] known for false accusations of [[Satanic ritual abuse]].
::*On March 23, 2016, Echols gave a presentation about his art processes at the [[Rubin Museum of Art]].<ref>{{cite web|title=DAMIEN ECHOLS ARTISTS ON ART MARCH 25 6:15 – 7:00 PM|url=http://rubinmuseum.org/events/event/damien-echols-03-25-2016|access-date=March 26, 2016|archive-date=April 8, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160408005419/http://rubinmuseum.org/events/event/damien-echols-03-25-2016|url-status=dead}}</ref>

;:Spoken word
::*The transcript of Echols' spoken word performance in ''[[The Moth]]'' is included in a written compilation of 50 stories from the show's archives, published in 2013.<ref>{{cite book|title=The Moth|date=2013|url=https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17468561-the-moth|publisher=Hachette Books|isbn=9781401311117}}</ref>

;:Written works
::*Echols' poetry has appeared in the ''Porcupine Literary Arts'' magazine (volume 8, issue 2).
::* He has written non-fiction for the ''Arkansas Literary Forum''.<ref>[http://fac.hsu.edu/beggsm/ALF/2007/2007.html Arkansas Literary Forum] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081030071414/http://fac.hsu.edu/beggsm/ALF/2007/2007.html |date=October 30, 2008 }}</ref>
::*Since his release, he has published a non-fiction book about both his childhood and incarceration, ''Life After Death'' (2012), which includes material from his 2005 memoir.<ref>{{cite book|date=2012|publisher=Blue Rider Press|author=Echols, Damien|title=Life After Death|isbn=9780399160202|url=https://archive.org/details/lifeafterdeath0000echo|url-access=registration}}</ref>
::* He and Lorri Davis, a NYC landscape architect who initiated a correspondence with Echols in 1999 and ultimately became his wife, co-authored ''Yours for Eternity: A Love Story on Death Row'' (2014)<ref>{{cite book|isbn=9780399166198|url=https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18693685-yours-for-eternity|date=June 17, 2014|publisher=Blue Rider Press|title= Yours for Eternity: A Love Story on Death Row|author1=Echols, Damien |author2=Davis, Lorri }}</ref>

;:Television
::*Echols provided the voice of Darryl, a fish man (i.e., a fish situated on a robot body), in episode 3 of the animated [[Netflix]] series ''[[The Midnight Gospel]]'' (2020).<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2020/04/21/damien-echols-the-midnight-gospel-netflix-tv-death-row-memphis/ |title=The Midnight Gospel: Damien Echols' appearance explained – how the Netlfix voice actor escaped death row |date=April 21, 2020 |website=HITC |first=Paul |last=Fogarty |access-date=April 25, 2020 |archive-date=May 5, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200505193204/https://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2020/04/21/damien-echols-the-midnight-gospel-netflix-tv-death-row-memphis/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>

In August 2021, ten years after release from prison, Echols reiterated that he would not give up seeking any evidence that remained, so it could be retested to exonerate the three and lead to those actually responsible. In response to Echols' requests since early 2020 that remaining evidence undergo specialized DNA testing, officials told his legal team that such evidence had been lost or destroyed years ago in a fire, of which there is no public record. A [[Freedom of Information Act (United States)|FOIA]] request was submitted and the receiving attorney said any evidence testing would have to be ordered by a judge. Echols attorneys filed a Motion for Declaratory and Injunctive Relief in the Circuit Court of Crittendon County First Division, and asked for an expedited hearing.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://katv.com/news/local/west-memphis-three-marks-decade-out-of-prison-echols-still-seeking-answers |title=West Memphis Three mark decade out of prison, Echols still seeking answers |date=August 19, 2021 |work=Talk Business & Politics |access-date=July 17, 2023 |via=[[KATV]] }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2021/sep/13/echols-asks-judge-force-police-follow-open-records/?latest |title=Echols asks judge to force police to follow open-records law in West Memphis Three evidence case |date=September 13, 2021 |newspaper=[[Arkansas Democrat-Gazette]] |first=Bill |last=Bowden |access-date=July 17, 2023 }}</ref> In December 2021, Echols' team was able to review remaining evidence and planned to move forward with new testing.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://theeveningtimes.com/theeveningtimes/2021/12/23/damien-echols-legal-team-reviews-lost-evidence-in-1993-murders/ |title=Damien Echols' legal team reviews 'lost' evidence in 1993 murders |date=December 23, 2021 |newspaper=The Evening Times |publication-place=Crittenden County, Arkansas |access-date=July 17, 2023 }}</ref> In June 2022, a judge rejected a January request for DNA testing of the evidence.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.cnn.com/2022/06/23/us/west-memphis-three-dna-court-hearing/index.html |title=Judge rejects West Memphis Three member's request for new DNA testing |date=June 23, 2022 |work=CNN |first=Steve |last=Almasy |access-date=July 17, 2023 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.ualrpublicradio.org/local-regional-news/2022-01-26/damien-echols-asks-court-to-move-forward-with-advanced-dna-testing-in-wm3-case |title=Damien Echols asks court to move forward with advanced DNA testing in WM3 case |date=January 26, 2022 |work=[[KUAR]] |first=George |last=Jared |access-date=July 17, 2023 }}</ref> Echols' lawyers appealed the case to the Arkansas Supreme Court in January 2023. The state said in February that the appeal should be dismissed because the case was initially filed in the wrong county – Crittenden rather than Craighead County, where Echols' conviction was entered. In March, Echols' team responded that such a dismissal reason is irrelevant because both counties are within Arkansas' 2nd Judicial Circuit.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nwaonline.com/news/2023/mar/02/dont-dismiss-appeal-echols-urges-state-supreme/ |title=Don't dismiss appeal, West Memphis Three's Damien Echols urges state Supreme Court |date=March 2, 2023 |newspaper=Arkansas Democrat-Gazette |first=Bill |last=Bowden |access-date=July 17, 2023 }}</ref> In April 2023, the state supreme court ruled in favor of Echols's appeal for DNA testing.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://wreg.com/news/local/ar-supreme-court-rules-in-favor-of-damien-echols-appeal/ |title=AR Supreme Court rules in favor of Damien Echols' appeal |date=April 6, 2023 |work=[[WREG]] |first=Autumn |last=Scott |access-date=July 17, 2023 |archive-date=July 17, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230717133603/https://wreg.com/news/local/ar-supreme-court-rules-in-favor-of-damien-echols-appeal/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> In April 2024, the Arkansas Supreme Court again reversed a lower court's order denying Echols' postconviction motion for DNA testing for lack of jurisdiction.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Supreme Court of Arkansas |date=April 18, 2024 |title=Echols v. State 2024 Ark. 61 |url=https://arkansasadvocate.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Echols_v._State-AR-Supreme-Court.pdf |access-date=May 17, 2024 |website=Supreme Court of Arkansas}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Grajeda |first=Antoinette |date=April 18, 2024 |title=Arkansas Supreme Court reverses West Memphis Three ruling, allows for DNA testing |url=https://arkansasadvocate.com/2024/04/18/arkansas-supreme-court-reverses-west-memphis-three-ruling-allows-for-dna-testing/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240419000824/https://arkansasadvocate.com/2024/04/18/arkansas-supreme-court-reverses-west-memphis-three-ruling-allows-for-dna-testing/ |archive-date=April 19, 2024 |access-date=May 17, 2024 |website=Arkansas Advocate}}</ref>