The Robin Hood Hills Murders on May 5th, 1993 were a shock for everyone in and around Memphis, USA. Three 8 year old boys had been brutally murdered and thrown into a creek.
It didn't take the police too long to pin the crime on Damien Echols, a shy teenager who had been hassled by the cops whenever they were investigating a mayor crime. With the help of a mentally disabled teenager named Jessie Misskelley the cops made up a story about a satanic cult worshipping evil and sacrificing kids.
The only evidence they had were a bunch of books by Stephen King, lyrics by satan-worshippers like The Blue Oyster Cult and Pink Floyd and black tour-shirts by Metallica and other mainstream-bands. Indication proving the innocence of the trio were ignored. The legend of the West Memphis Three was born.
Jessie Misskelley and another kid called Jason Baldwin were sentenced to life in prison without parole while Damien Echols was sentenced to die by lethal injection.

The case of the WM3 is just one example of the new type of American witch hunt following the Columbine Murders. Nerdy kids with weird shirts who like reading books better than football or any other jock-activity are considered potential killers, satan worshippers of the worst kind or just plain unamerican.

Some of my dear readers may not realize how fundamentally religious the US are in reality. Americans go to church every sunday and they believe in the concept of god the old way. You know, there's a bearded guy in the sky and we're only his powerless children waiting for daddie's orders.
So, people like Marylin Manson are taken seriously while everyone else in the rest of the world thinks he's just a lame remake of Alice Cooper who is putting up quite a show. There have been all these trials were parents sued Judas Prist because their kid commited suicide listening to one of their records. Since most Americans believe in god, ghosts and aliens from outer space, it's no wonder they're really out to kill the followers of Satan and some trials remind normal human beings of the inquisition. Take all of that and add the current terrorist-paranoia to get an idea what being in high school must be like right now if you're not into god and following orders.
It's not easy having a good time if you're a 16 years old fan of Metal in the US. Wearing a certain shirt is considered open rebellion.Hell, some schools in the US even banned Bart Simpson-shirts a few years ago because they "undermined authority". Jon Katz has released a book which collects mails of so-called "teenage freaks" from a forum on slashdot.org after the Columbine Murders. Most of these mails come from dreamy nerds who like computing, playing Doom and listening to obnoxious noise. Bright kids with a general interest in having a life and getting out when they're old enough.
Kid, if you're reading this, get out as soon as you can! Move on! There are other places in the world, even in the US. Life might suck for you right now, but there are loads of people who know what you're going through right now. You are not alone.

Two filmmakers, Joe Berlinger and Bruce Sinofsky, have already released two documentaries, "Paradise Lost" and "Revelations: Paradise Lost Revisited", on the case of the West Memphis Three. After Part One was broadcasted on TV, the WM3 suddenly found new supporters. Eddie Vedder of Pearl Jam wore the "Free the WM3"-shirt on stage and so did the South park-creator Trey Parker in an interview. Eddie Spaghetti of the Supersuckers supports the campaign and even Prada-models pose with the official t-shirt in public.

The latest supporter is good old Henry Rollins who has just released a compilaion called "Rise Above" which collects 24 songs of his classic band Black Flag. All tracks are interpreted by the Rollins Band aka. Mother Superior and the album features a long list of guest-simgers like Iggy Pop, Jello Biafra, Mike Patton, Tim Armstrong, Lars Frederiksen....
The CD supports the "Free the WM3"-campaign and Hank himself has announced that it's "Rollins vs. West Memphis, Arkansas" now.

Fuck, when my two former partners in crime did an interview with the man for "Gags & Gore" in 1991, he wanted to shove their tape-recorder up their asses! Nobody you want to have as an enemy!

Read Saul's synopsis of the case at
Henry Rollins.com