Analysis of the West Memphis Three
Philosophy 110
11 October 2009 Analysis of the Case of the West Memphis three One would believe that justice is found in every law and in every courtroom, and judges and jurors are the perfect tools to demonstrate such fairness on every situation. However, not all people receive fair trials regardless of gender, race, ethnic background or religion as established by the American judicial system. For example, throughout decades millions of innocent people have been accused, arrested, tortured, put to trial, and persecuted for the practice of witchcraft and Satanism. In her book Devil’s Knot: The true story of the West Memphis three, Mara Leveritt recounts the story of three eight year old boys that disappear on one night and are found dead on near by stream the following day. In her book she describes the atrocities done to this kids and gives an accurate account of all the things found in the scene and how three teenagers are accused of the crime. Although there was little evidence left at the crime scene, the investigators were able to find sufficient reasons to charge the defendants with the crime. The inspectors and investigators negligence is one of the factors that leads them to form speculations. For example, in the exposition of the case investigator Gitchell decides to interrogate all of the families. When the Byers are called to testify, Ryan ,the brother of one of the victims, recounts the story of what happened that night. In his narration of the events he tells the police that when his family did not find Christopher, they went to search for him and on that evening he went to the woods with his friends to search for his brother, and when he returned home at midnight his father had sent him to bed. Furthermore, the police interviews Mark Byers ,Christopher’s stepfather. In his interrogation he gives the same details that Ryan gave except for one thing: he told the police that when Ryan returned
11 October 2009 Analysis of the Case of the West Memphis three One would believe that justice is found in every law and in every courtroom, and judges and jurors are the perfect tools to demonstrate such fairness on every situation. However, not all people receive fair trials regardless of gender, race, ethnic background or religion as established by the American judicial system. For example, throughout decades millions of innocent people have been accused, arrested, tortured, put to trial, and persecuted for the practice of witchcraft and Satanism. In her book Devil’s Knot: The true story of the West Memphis three, Mara Leveritt recounts the story of three eight year old boys that disappear on one night and are found dead on near by stream the following day. In her book she describes the atrocities done to this kids and gives an accurate account of all the things found in the scene and how three teenagers are accused of the crime. Although there was little evidence left at the crime scene, the investigators were able to find sufficient reasons to charge the defendants with the crime. The inspectors and investigators negligence is one of the factors that leads them to form speculations. For example, in the exposition of the case investigator Gitchell decides to interrogate all of the families. When the Byers are called to testify, Ryan ,the brother of one of the victims, recounts the story of what happened that night. In his narration of the events he tells the police that when his family did not find Christopher, they went to search for him and on that evening he went to the woods with his friends to search for his brother, and when he returned home at midnight his father had sent him to bed. Furthermore, the police interviews Mark Byers ,Christopher’s stepfather. In his interrogation he gives the same details that Ryan gave except for one thing: he told the police that when Ryan returned