I battled to free ‘West Memphis 3’ jailed over ‘satanic’ murders – tiny clues point to REAL killer

WHEN the mutilated bodies of three eight-year-olds were found in a muddy ditch in West Memphis, Arkansas, locals were convinced it was a satanic murder. But the subsequent manhunt ruined three more young lives, as a local lad was placed on death row and two other teens were handed life sentences - despite an apparent lack of evidence or motive. The lads - Damien Echols, then 18, Jason Baldwin, 16, and Jessie Misskelley Jr, 17 - became known as the West Memphis Three and have consistently proclaimed their innocence. They were convicted of murdering Steve Branch, Michael Moore and Christopher Byers, all eight, in a satanic ritual just outside the town in Arkansas, on May 5, 1993. Their only crime, according to their legal team, was not fitting the mould in the bible belt state. The case captivated the world as celebrities - including Lord of the Rings director Peter Jackson, Johnny Depp, and Winona Ryder - joined calls for the conviction to be overturned, believing there had b