Sitting across from Damien Echols is a strange experience. Not because I believe he is guilty of the crimes committed back in 1993, where he was convicted of murdering three young boys along with two of his friends, Jessie Misskelley and Jason Baldwin. It is clear to me that they are very innocent and that the real killer has yet to be charged. What was strange on my part was to think of the suffering that he went through every single day for all those years, yet not having one iota of an idea how painful it must have been.
Talking face to face with Mr. Echols and his wife Lorri Davis about the new documentary WEST OF MEMPHIS was inspiring on many levels. They fought a corrupt system and while it was not the victory they had hoped, they certainly won a major battle. During our conversation, we talked about the Alford Plea which he and his friends agreed to. We also spoke about finally being out of prison and the good he has found on the outside.
One thing I would like to mention is that Mr. Echols is wearing glasses in this interview due to eye injuries he suffered during his time in prison. It wasn’t a star thing, it was simple health issues. In fact there was nothing pretentious about either of them. Both Damien and Lorri were wonderful to talk to and very open about their story… and what a story it is to tell. WEST OF MEMPHIS opens this Christmas in limited release and you can read my review of the film HERE.