Friday, January 20, 2012
West Memphis Three West Memphis 3 defense claims new evidence of killer
Posted by Max Brantley on Fri, Jan 20, 2012 at 10:45 AM
Today, the group has released information about affidavits pointing toward Terry Hobbs, stepfather of one of the three slain children. They are from young men of college age — as yet unidentified — who are friends of Hobbs' nephew. The young men, who responded to publicity about a tip line, say he told them that his father had said Hobbs had implicated himself. The information has been turned over to Prosecutor Scott Ellington in hopes of pushing him to reopen an investigation of the case.
A review of physical evidence in the case found no trace of DNA of Damien Echols, Jason Baldwin and Jessie Misskelley — the three men convicted in the crime — but did find a hair that could have come from Terry Hobbs. Hobbs has been a focus of suspicion for some time and denied responsibility repeatedly. He sued Natalie Maines of the Dixie Chicks for defaming him with such an accusation, but the case was dismissed. His testimony in depositions for that case became a large part of the latest HBO documentary on the case.
The new information is double hearsay, from a legal standpoint. But Lonnie Soury, a spokesman for the cause, terms it the "first real connection" between Hobbs and the deaths. The hope is that it will pressure others to come forward.
The details so far:
(Mountain Home, Arkansas — January 20, 2012) Terry Hobbs’ nephew, Michael Hobbs Jr., allegedly told his friends “my uncle Terry murdered those three little boys,” according to declarations under penalty of perjury recently given to Damien Echols’ defense team. The three new witnesses were polygraphed about what they stated Michael Hobbs, Jr. told them.
“One day Michael picked us up in his truck. He was very quiet and upset. Michael then said to us, ‘you are not going to believe what my dad told me today. My Uncle Terry murdered the three little boys.’ According to Michael, his dad called this ‘The Hobbs Family Secret’ and he asked us to keep it a secret and not tell anyone.”
Another witness stated, “One night last winter, Michael and I were playing pool in his basement when the third friend asked about the West Memphis Three case which had been in the news. Michael responded by saying, ‘My uncle killed three kids in West Memphis.’ Michael was dead serious when he said this.”
The three little boys referenced in the declarations were found brutally murdered in West Memphis, Arkansas in 1993. DNA consistent with Terry Hobbs, stepfather of victim Stevie Branch, was later discovered in the knot of a shoelace used to restrain victim Michael Moore. Three eyewitnesses have also provided sworn statements that they saw Terry Hobbs with the three children on the day of the murders, immediately before they disappeared. Terry Hobbs has maintained that he never saw the three boys the day they were murdered.
A third witness stated that he was at Michael Hobbs Jr’s home in 2003 or 2004 when he was told by Hobbs Jr. that the two of them could not go down to the basement to play pool because Michael Hobbs Sr. was down there having a conversation with Hobbs Jr.’s uncle. The witness said that he “ listened with Michael Jr. at the top of the stairs. I heard two men talking. One appeared to be very upset even crying and he said ‘I am sorry, I regret it.’ The other man was trying to console him and said, ‘You are in the clear, no one thinks you are a suspect, those guys are already in prison.’”
Echols’ attorney, Stephen Braga of Ropes & Gray, said: “This is critical new information which reveals that the people closest to Terry Hobbs, his family members, may know much more about Terry’s involvement in the West Memphis Three case than they have ever acknowledged. If this is the Hobbs Family Secret, then what a horrific cost that secrecy has imposed on the lives of so many people — perhaps most significantly Pam Hobbs who deserves to know what really happened to Stevie on the night of the murders, as do the Byers and Moore families. With the secret now out, let’s hope that someone in the Hobbs family has the heart, the soul and the courage to come forward to tell the truth directly. In the meantime, I have given our investigative materials concerning these new witnesses — along with other related information - to District Attorney Scott Ellington for his review and action.”
The new witnesses came forward after seeing a recording of the CBS News 48 Hours special on the West Memphis 3 case. At the end of that broadcast, attorney Stephen Braga was asked what’s next in the effort to gain exoneration for the three after their plea deal. He responded: “Hopefully, some day we will find that smoking gun, that key piece of inculpatory DNA or a deathbed confession or a witness will come forward and say, "You know, this is really what happened."
Hearing those words moved the new witnesses to contact the West Memphis 3 Confidential Tip Line just a few weeks ago. The new witnesses were then interviewed by the Echols’ defense team, signed declarations under penalty of perjury and passed polygraph examinations concerning what they say Michael Hobbs Jr. told them.
The Confidential Tip Line number is (501) 256-1775.
TIMELINE
2003/2004 — Michael Hobbs, jr. and friend listen to two men talking in basement.
Michael Hobbs and Terry Hobbs.
2007/8 — Michael Hobbs tells two friends about Hobbs Family Secret.
2007/2008 — Friend tells mother of revelations. Mother signs sworn statement to details.
2009 — Two of three men who came forward were arrested. Michael Hobbs jr. provides evidence against them.
2010 — Michael Hobbs jr. in his home with two other friends, tells them his uncle killed those boys in West Memphis 3 case
December 11, 2011 — Call to tip line about new evidence.
December 16, 2011 — Three men come to D.C. to meet attorney Steve Braga and Lonie Soury. Sign affidavits and are polygraphed
January 19, 2012 - Materials sent to Craighead County Prosecutor Scott Ellington.
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Comments (14)
Showing 1-14 of 14
didn't someone also say that they heard Damion Echols say he killed those little boys. Sounds to me like someone else is being railroaded on hear say.
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dislike
Railroaded? Not at all. His DNA was on a shoestring used to strangle another family's child. He deserves every bit of scrutiny he is sure to get. That's just what happens when it's likely your murdered someone. Sorry.
It's good that the defense team continues to investigate the killings; it's bad to publish double hearsay that accuses someone of the killings.
All I know, is we F***** up majorly the last time we jumped onto assumptions and pieces of a story. Its been 18 years since this happened. We certainly don't need to start rushing to judgment again just because we want an answer.
The police have known for some time about the hair found in the tie and they haven't thought that was enough evidence. My guess is because it would be hard to prove since the kids had been inside the Hobbs house. So if they don't think it is solid enough then the media is once again telling a story based on hear say and that is just wrong. Heck yes it should be investigated but the story that I saw on channel 7 was just based purely on the story of one person and what he told others and my point before was that it is just what started the whole case against Damion in the first place. Haven't we learned anything at all from the past. You need cold hard facts or you are just stirring up trouble and convicting someone. Innocent until proven guilty is what I was lead to believe the way the system should work. Ask any of the West Memphis Three how they feel about being judged on what others say they heard .
"Heard it from a friend who
Heard it from a friend who
Heard it from another you been messin' around..."
"But I know the neighborhood
And talk is cheap when the story is good
And the tales grow taller on down the line..."
Lyrics from the song "Take It On The Run" by REO Speedwagon
i have followed this case for years, and participated in free the wm3 protests in west memphis, AR...look at the evidence, not what the documentaries tell you but the cold hard facts that is public knowledge. byers and hobbs were more likely suspects from the begining. Neither have an alibi...they should have been looked at more cloesly in 1993 when this crime took place...later byers was questioned, but seriously come on...look at the evidence, look at the facts. HOBBS HAS NO ALIBI AND WAS THE LAST ONE TO SEE THOSE BOYS...witnesses attest to that. it was not a random crime, those boys knew the person who murdered them.
kimberly, your mushy-headed thinking is what leads many of us to question the "free the wm3" movement. You tell us to look at evidence. Well a lack of alibi is not evidence. I have no alibi from midnight to 5:00 a.m. today. Thank goodness you don't think I was the last person to see someone last night. A lack of evidence is not evidence. Hobbs is family to one of the victims. That doesn't make seeing him or having DNA on a friend so unusual. As noted by others, if you sincerely believe the wm3 suffered a rush to judgment then your own rush is vilely hypocritical.
I only hope 1 day they find that piece of evidence that completely clears these boys names and gets justice for the 3 boys that were murdered. These 3 were railroaded then and continue to be persecuted now. Strange isn't it how the families of 2 of the slain boys joined with the defense believing their innocent and the only 1 who doesn't is Hobbs and his wife? Not only do the 3 slain boys deserve justice but so do the WM3 for the yrs stolen from them and paying for something they were never guilty of to begin with
If I am not mistaken, Pam Hobbs divorced Terry Hobbs and is now firmly convinced that he participated in the murder of her son. Another hair found at the scene belonged to a friend of Terry Hobbs.
can someone help me out plz? in the timeline it states "09 — Two of three men who came forward were arrested. Michael Hobbs jr. provides evidence against them."
what is this referring to? thanx in advance
The boys were most likely killed somewhere else and placed in the water after dark. Why not investigate every single possible place Terry Hobbs could have possibly taken the boys to find traces of blood evidence? They exist somewhere either in that basement, or in a car, storage facility, where he worked, truck, rug, etc. C'mon, blood splattered when he (allegedly) mutilated his stepson! How is there not probable cause for a search warrent? ><
The West Memphis police needs to do what they have never done truly investigate this case and find the real killer. There were three boys killed and three more boys lives destroyed due to lack of proper investigation. I hope this time if the case is reopened they get it right.
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