EDITORIAL/Seeking Justice: State should do what it takes to finally answer questions in West Memphis murders

It may be the state of Arkansas' most notorious crime.

In 1993, the bodies of three young boys were found in a drainage ditch near West Memphis.

Suspicions soon centered on three teens, Damien Echols, Jessie Miskelley and Jason Baldwin, who were labeled "The West Memphis Three." They were convicted in 1994 and Echols got the death penalty, the other two life.

Almost immediately doubts were raised about the convictions and the evidence used to obtain them. There were charges of bias. Celebrities came to the three teens' defense. Books were written. The case eventually became the subject of several documentary

In 2010, the three were allowed to enter Alford pleas, maintaining their innocence while admitting there was enough evidence to convict. They were sentenced to time served and released in 2011.

Now one of the trio was back in court. Hoping to clear his name, Damien Echols and his attorneys have requested the state conduct DNA tests on the ligatures used to tie up the young murder victims. It's hoped with scientific advances DNA profiles undetected in 2993 might be found now.

But on Thursday a Crittenden County judge denied the request. It seems under Arkansas law, only an incarcerated prisoner can request new DNA testing.

Echols and his lawyers plan to appeal. We'll see how that goes.

The state may consider the case closed with the Alford plea, but in our view there are just too many questions to shut the books. If there is a possibility that, even after all this time, the West Memphis Three are indeed innocent and the real killer or killers could be found and brought to justice, it's worth the shot. Even if it takes the Legislature involvement to change the current law,

Anyone interested in justice would agree. Hopefully, that includes the state of Arkansas.

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