Johnny Depp Pleads For Justice in Murder Trial

By Brooke Tarnoff Posted Feb 23rd 2010 08:06AM

You may expect Johnny Depp to be busy promoting his foray into 'Wonderland,' but the A-list actor has a bigger cause to champion: justice. Depp will appear on CBS's '48 Hours Mystery' on Saturday to advocate the release of the "West Memphis Three," young men convicted in 1994 of murdering three boys during a satanic ritual.

Depp is not alone in his belief that the men were convicted on flimsy or fabricated evidence. He joins stars like Eddie Vedder, Winona Ryder, the Dixie Chicks and Disney teen star Demi Lovato in insisting the men were actually found guilty for their fascination with heavy-metal music, Stephen King and the occult.

"I firmly believe Damien Echols, Jason Baldwin and Jessie Misskelley are totally innocent. It was a need for swift justice to placate the community," Depp says on Saturday's show. "Damien Echols is on death row to be killed by lethal injection."

The appearance of the 'Alice in Wonderland' star shocked CBS staffers, who told the NY Post: "Johnny Depp on '48 Hours' -- are you joking?"

The segment will highlight DNA and forensic evidence that many hope will finally clear Echols, Baldwin and Misskelley of the crimes. The show also suggests that juror misconduct contributed to the guilty verdict, the NY Post reports.

The West Memphis Three were tried and convicted of the murders of three eight-year-old boys in the Robin Hood Hills area of West Memphis, Arkansas in 1993. Claims that police bungled the gathering of evidence, compromised the crime scene, ignored possible suspects and misplaced DNA samples are behind the controversy that has spanned nearly two decades.

Damien Echols was sentenced to death. Jessie Misskelley, Jr., was sentenced to life in prison plus 40 years and Jason Baldwin was sentenced to life imprisonment. All three were teenagers at the time of their arrests. Two documentaries aired on HBO, 'Paradise Lost: The Child Murders at Robin Hood Hills' and 'Paradise Lost 2: Revelations', explored evidence suggesting that the three men were wrongly convicted.

Depp's appearance is not the first star-powered effort to free the trio. In 2002, Henry Rollins produced the album 'Rise Above: 24 Black Flag Songs to Benefit the West Memphis Three,' a collection of cover songs originally performed by Rollins' band Black Flag. Rollins donated profits from the record and the supporting tour to the suspects' defense funds.

In 2003, Winona Ryder hosted a benefit exhibition at a Los Angeles art gallery, featuring artwork by Raymond Pettibon, Shepard Fairey and Marilyn Manson. Though Ryder herself was convicted of grand theft and vandalism in a 2002 trial, she was unconcerned with the public's reaction to her support.

"I'm sure there's going to be a lot of jokes," Ryder told USA TODAY at the time. "To me, [my case] has nothing to do with the other. It is incomparable. I am not in prison. I am not on death row. I did not in any way experience what these guys have experienced. They are in my hearts every day, and I will never give up until they're out."

During the gallery opening ceremony, Ryder announced her belief that the verdicts of the West Memphis Three were based on "rumors, prejudices and superstitions," and called for DNA testing and new trials.

Last month, 'Sonny With a Chance' star Lovato tweeted her support of the ongoing cause. She wrote, "Can everyone just take a second to read this please. www.wm3.org A truly worthwhile cause. Show your support!!!"

Minutes later, she added, "FREE THE WEST MEMPHIS THREE!!!"

Depp's appearance on '48 Hours Mystery' airs Saturday, Feb. 27 at 10 p.m.

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Johnny Depp Photos

LOS ANGELES, CA - FEBRUARY 19: Actor Johnny Depp appears onstage at Walt Disney Pictures & Buena Vista Records "Alice in Wonderland" Fan Event at Hollywood & Highland on February 19, 2010 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Johnny Depp

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Johnny Depp Photos

Comments

(392)

Tuesday 23 February

By Outlaw Josey Wales

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Johnny Depp, the guy who plays all these freakish characters AND lives in France while making a lot of money here AND the very same guy who ame out in support of Roman Polanski the child rapist. Yeah, that's somebody I want in my corner.....NOT!

Wednesday 24 February

By valeskas

Where does he pay his taxes here or in France. Please people don't kill me now, because I want to know. One thing is for sure he could live here in the states, but not in Hollywood if he don't want too. France is not that perfect. I know because I've been there for two years a few years back. They live in the country there, as they could live in the country here. So its his preference to live their and not here.

Tuesday 02 March

By Patty

I totally agreed with you.

By dogsoldier

Highest Rank Vote down Vote up Report this

Ah, the dumbing down of America continues. As a Certified Paralegal I can tell you that more innocent people are convicted every day than you will ever understand. I just hope that all of you playing God and believing this judicial system is correct in all decisions never has to face a trial where YOU are the innocent one. Innocent people get convicted, it happens EVERY SINGLE DAY. So you brilliant scholars out there condemning these kids, watch your backs if you ever have to go to court for anything serious, it CAN happen to you.

By Dales

High Rank Vote down Vote up Report this

Thank you very much. But you better watch out they'll be putting charges of anti- goverment on you.

By Bob

Idiots defending idots. Makes sense to me.

By Lucinda esler

OK THIS IS RIDICULOUS...WHY IS IT THAT WHEN SOMEONE OF CELEBRITY STATUS BELIEVES IN SOMETHING AND WANTS TO DEFEND IT, PEOPLE LIKE THE ONES ABOVE (YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE) HAVE TO JUMP IN THERE AND SAY THINGS LIKE NUT CASE. IM DEEPLY SORRY FOR THE CHILDREN THAT WERE KILLED AND HOPE THAT THE REAL KILLERS ARE CAUGHT SOON. IF THERE IS DNA EVIDENCE TO CLEAR THESE MEN LET THE LAWYERS PROVE IT. THERE IS NO REASON TO KEEP SOMEONE BEHIND BARS IF THEY ARE TRULY INNOCENT. IM SURE THAT JOHNNY DEPP DOES NOT GIVE A RATS BUTT ABOUT WHAT PEOPLE SAY ABOUT HIM, WHY SHOULD HE? YOU ARE ALL ALOUD TO YOUR OPINIONS. THE MAN CAN ACT, AND VERY WELL I MIGHT ADD. I HAVE BEEN A HUGE FAN OF HIM SINCE HIS DAYS ON 21 JUMP STREET AND FOLLOWED HIS MOVIES TO PRESENT DAY. JOHNNY, WINONA, AND DEMI, YOU HAVE MY TOTAL SUPPORT.

By Robert

You're absolutely right Lucinda, Johnny Depp's a good actor and I'm just a house painter (and the guys who were involved in the case were prosecuters and lawyers and judges, you know, people who do this sort of thing for a living) so we pay attention to his (moronic) opinions.

By Lindsey

First of all to everyone who is bashing on Johnny Depp- Shut up! Secondly if these celebrites are the only way that people are going to stop and listen, then thats what needs to happen. There are tons of people who are on death row now! I cant tell you how many shows that I have seen where an innocent person was convicted, and it was up to the families to prove their innocence. If these boys are really guilty then the dna evidence will prove it, but its probably going to prove otherwise, and I hope it does. Quit blaming celebrites for standing up for what they believe in just because you dont have the balls to do it yourself. I love you Johnny!

By balticstein

sweetie did you know your caps lock is on?

By erika

Actually....you have your facts wrong. Damien did NOT confess. The "confession" was coerced from a young man without benefit of council, and it has been proven his mental capacity (to be gentle) is not high enough to even understand what he was doing.

Why not visit WM3.org and familiarize yourself with what you are talking about before posting.

By Robertb

Low Ranked Vote down Vote up Report this

Mr. Depp lives in France and not here for the most part because of his distain for the system here. He along with the chicks should perhaps (in his case) stay there and live under their system of so called justice instead of getting involved where he doesn't want to live and raise his family.

By rstillday

Mr. Depp lives in the country where his wife grew up and where she wants to raise her children, not for disdain of this country. Are you a personal friend of his? I guess that would give you insite into how he thinks, eh? There have been many interviews of Depp stating his reasons for living in France and none of them are disdain for this country.

I will watch 48 hours, but it changes nothing 3 boys are dead and if the three are not guilty, who are in jail, it will after this airing help them, or find them guilty all over again. As far as I know there are attorneys out there who do this as pro bono work. Now I still think Mr. Depp should talk also to the parents of the murder children, if he wants to have equal rights for all.Sometimes a celebrity helps and sometimes they are just out there to start a controversy, I did not hear him speak up, when River Phoenix died in his place of business of a drug overdose years ago, I think it was the Romper Room.

By Sekinu2

Gotta see this new evidence as from watching this case for awhile and seeing the intervies and HBO specials these 3 reall seem guilty not from the musioc or such but from thier own words, statemenst and actions

I like Johnny Depp, but he should stick to acting. Maybe he should talk to the parents of the three dead kids, before opening his mouth.

By bree

actually, at least one of the children's mothers believes these men are innocent, as does mr. byers, one of the children's stepfathers. i would be shocked if anyone could research this case thoroughly and still believe that these 3 men are guilty. they are innocent. "mr. bojangles" (as he's known) on his own should've been enough for these guys to get a not guilty verdict. a dude walks into a restaurant on the night these boys were murdered, acting erratically, covered in blood and mud, defecates on himself and leaves, and the cops LOSE THE DNA/BLOOD EVIDENCE?! i could not sentence someone to die knowing that fact alone. these men were railroaded and it's depressing that their appeals keep getting shut down, motions denied. there was a black man's hair at the crime scene. there was DNA from neither the children or the 3 teens charged. bite marks on one child's head that don't belong to either of the 3 men convicted. but one of the boy's stepfathers just so happened to ELECT to have his teeth removed and get dentures? HELLO.

By Beryl

FOr your information, the mother of one of those little boys thinks they are innocent

By origamib

For your information. The parents of the the 'three dead kids' as you so bluntly put it, have stated that they believe that justice may not have been served and that the West Memphis Police may have closed the case too quickly in an effort to pacify the very frightened citizens of the area. They want justice and to know the truth. They have said that they do not want to be witness to the wrongful conviction of innocent (the) kids and the death of an innocent man. Read about the case before you post stupid knee jerk reaction statements of misinformation, please

Sunday 20 March

By Plummer, Joseph

Lowest Rank Vote down Vote up Report this

There ya go, another Hollywood expert. Make a movie, protray a charecter and suddenly you are an expert, doesn't matter the cause, farm relief, send in a country western singer to Congress to lobby for the Farmers, why didn't they send a real Farmer, When the Banks were giving out "low cost Loans," I weighed the economics, no way, ergo, I didn't lose my Farm. When buying a home, I only went for homes I could afford and still get by, ergo, I didn't lose my home. Nothing but scams by quick-rich scams, Our current President, another one, He's now at the helm, and things are not changing for the better, they are getting worse, screaming about Bush's 750 Billion debt, He runs the national debt to over 11 Trillion??? He's just another Chicago Politician, spend money you haven't got, print up money with no value and expect change, yeah right, He's following Bush's policys to the letter,Chicago Politicians, mean higher taxes and nothing but talk.Goes around the world thinking, I'm apoligizing for America, only he's showing the world what an idiot he really is,You never,ever, down talk your own country, Dixie Chicks found that out the hard way, If you are an entertainer, never go Political, its a sure way to make enemies.as far as the chicks go, lump them with Tokyo Rose and Axis Sally.

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