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I have been studying the case for about 2 years now, I finally had the chance to read this book and was glad that I did, it had a lot of courtroom info. which I didn't know, especially the part about what was gag ordered. It literally made my mouth hang open at the bias of the Judge (David Burnett). If they had gotten a judge who had even a LITTLE common sense and was not so biased I believe these boys would not be sitting in jail, but at home with their families where they belong.There actually was a person who the judge would not let testify that confessed and then recanted (Sound Familiar? Jessie Misskelley?) HOW on earth could the judge declare that irrelevant??
If you have not heard of this case and want a well written true crime novel with real courtroom drama, this is the book. It gets a full 5 stars from me. There is also a website for/about the West Memphis 3 entitled WM3.org Check it out!

I highly recommend this book - it is a carefully researched, thoroughly documented account of the miscarriage of justice in West Memphis, Arkansas. Three teenagers were charged and convicted with the brutal murders of three children in 1993. Leveritt's research uncovers some startling and disturbing truths about the case, including serious questions about the ethics and professional conduct of law enforcement officers and prosecutors. The strength of this book is in its ability to let the reader draw her own conclusion from the evidence presented.

If there is any flaw in this book, it is that it is so detailed and analytical it sometimes reads like a textbook. However, given the significance of this case and the important lessons we need to learn from it, I think the research and footnotes are a small price to pay. Please read this book if you are interested in criminal justice.

This story is the polar opposite of the OJ simpson case and in my opinion, far more disturbing. Two young boys sentenced to life in prison and one to death with NO EVIDENCE???? If this were fiction I would write it off as too far fetched to enjoy. The fact that it is not fiction is unreal.