PARK CITY, UTAH (ABC 4 News) -The maker of Lord of the Rings is in Park City for the Sundance Film Festival debut of his latest work, West of Memphis. It’s a documentary of personal interest to Peter Jackson, his co-producer, and wife, Fran Walsh.
In 1994 three Arkansas teens were sentenced for the murders of three young boys.
Damien Echols was given the death penalty.
In 2005 film director Peter Jackson and his wife, Fran Walsh, became interested in the story. Walsh says they simply wanted to know the outcome. "We were curious about the case, and we were astounded when we made the inquiry that Damien, Jason and Jessie were still in prison."
Jackson says they offered to anonymously help fund the defense. "We had helped the defense team get into DNA testing, and various forensic testing, and bringing experts that they had never had at the original trial."
The alleged motive in the case was satanic ritual killing. Jackson says they felt it was important to introduce scientific facts. "What experts can bring, what science can bring, is just to cut through all of the nonsense that had been generated about this case."
Jackson and Walsh say they were disappointed and angry when the new forensic evidence was presented and then rejected on the grounds that it wasn’t compelling. "Fran and I thought well maybe we should do what we know how to do and that was to make a movie, and we thought a documentary that presents the new evidence."
The documentary follows the convicted killers until their release last year on a plea deal. Under the legal maneuver known as an “Alford Plea” the men were able to plead guilty, in their own best interest, while asserting their innocence.
Jackson, Walsh, and prosecutors continue to fight to prove the three are not guilty. Jackson says only a conviction in the case will truly free the West Memphis Three.
Damien Echols says he also continues to fight to prove his innocence while moving on with life. "I don't want people when they hear my name say oh; yea that guy was on death row. I want to do things with my life that speak for themselves."
