West Memphis 3 Release Shows Which Musicians Are Supporters

As some of you may know, I am from central Arkansas. I’ve grown up hearing about the West Memphis 3 (WM3), but never really following the story. I just want to throw out there that I am completely unbiased and take no side over the other.

That being said, after being imprisoned for 18 years Damien Echols, Jessie Misskelley, and Jason Baldwin have been unexpectedly released on Friday, August 19^th. Over these 18 years, the WM3 have had tremendous support from people all over. This includes celebrities and musicians as well.

After the release of the three last Friday, Spinner put together a list of tweets from musicians that supported the trio.

"WM3 are free!" Pearl Jam's Mike McCready tweeted.

"Sending my best to the West Memphis 3," hip-hop star Sage Francis tweeted. "They may finally be set free. Watch 'Paradise Lost' if u haven't already. #wm3"

"Finally some great news wm3 released!!!!!" X's Exene Cervenka tweeted. "So many people worked so hard to help them, thank you all."

"Wow. The West Memphis 3 are free," Anthrax guitarist Scott Ian tweeted. "Raise a glass to freedom better late than never."

"I'm so happy that the WM3 are finally free," My Chemical Romance's Frank Lero tweeted. "I only wish someone could be held accountable for their injustice & the tragedy that spawned it."

"Beautiful things went down in Arkansas today. Beautiful beautiful things," Dixie Chicks' singer Natalie Maines, who was also at the court house, tweeted.

"The gag order has been lifted, so now I can tell you, I'm sitting in a holding room at the courthouse about to see three men walk free!" she continued, thanking Eddie Vedder who "worked hard on this and is an angel!"

"All 3 boys will be set free today and all 3 are completely innocent. They must plead guilty as a technicality so they can't sue AK for $$," she added before correcting her incorrect State abbreviation in a later post. "3 men are free after 18 years of wrongful imprisonment and you guys are giving me state abbreviation grief. Fine! Arkansas is AR not AK!"

"West Memphis 3 are free!!" Soul Coughing singer Mike Doughty also said via Twitter.

While pop princess Mandy Moore offered her own thoughts. "Incredible!! Justice served," she tweeted, "still such a sad story."

Even though I never followed the story, it is a sad story which ever side you are on. 


For more on the WM3, go here.

And more on the Spinner article, go here.