The Jonesboro Sun reports that the parents of Michael Moore, one of the children killed in the 1993 “West Memphis Three” murder case, have asked that a documentary about the case, “Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory,” not be considered for an Academy Award. Todd and Dana Moore say the movie glorifies the three men convicted of killing their son — Damien Echols, Jason Baldwin and Jessie Misskelley. They were released last summer in an unusual plea agreement in which they maintained their innocence but pleaded guilty to reduced charges and were released for time served.
A letter to the Academy said:
Because of public pressure that exploded due to gross misrepresentations of fact in the two previous documentaries, Michael’s killers were unjustly able to enter into a plea agreement, were released from prison and now pose additional threats to society.
We implore the Academy not to reward our child’s killers and the directors who have profited from one of the greatest frauds ever perpetrated under the guise of a documentary film.
Joe Berlinger, who directed the documentary, expressed sympathy for the parents but said filmmakers believe in the defendants’ innocence.