A Harvest of Innocence: The Untold Story of the West Memphis Three Murder Case

by Dan Stidham, Tom McCarthy

In a case based on a lie, only one man knows the truth. Attorney Dan Stidham breaks his self-imposed 30-year silence to expose details only he knows about the infamous West Memphis 3 murders. Exposing what happened will allow him to close the door a case that tormented him for years and to help exonerate the three innocent young men who spent decades in prison because of the malevolence of the police, prosecution and the judge.The West Memphis 3 Murder case, which captured the worlds attention in the 1990s to such extent it remains one of the most discussed true crime stories even today, has become synonymous with injustice.The details of the case were lurid, horrifying beyond description. On May 6, 1993, the bodies of three eight-year-old boys were pulled from a fetid drainage ditch in West Memphis, Arkansas. Their hands bound with their own shoelaces, the boys had been beaten and sexually mutilated, police said. Deep in the Bible Belt, townspeople began to speak of Satanic Ritualistic killings and demand immediate arrests. Within a month of the brutal murders a beleaguered police department served up three young men from the wrong side of the tracks.Jason Baldwin, Damien Echols, and Stidham's client, Jessie Misskelley Jr., were rounded up, arrested, tried and sent to prison with lengthy sentences- Echols to Death Row. Other than a False Confession there was no other evidence linking the three to the crimes. A Harvest of Innocence is an intimate, unsettling, and balanced look at what the case did to Stidham himself, to the victim's families and to the West Memphis Three themselves. It is a no-holds-barred exposition of the politics and unbridled ambition of a few men who destroyed so many lives.

Genres: True Crime, Nonfiction, Crime, Audiobook, Memoir

348 pages, Paperback

Published November 4, 2023

Reviews

[Kristi Thurmon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought I knew just about everything

About this case. I have been a casual observer ever since the boys went missing the week I graduated from high school about 100 miles west of West Memphis. I, like so many others in Arkansas, was convinced the WM3 were sent from the devil. I saw Damien Echols in the back of a police car in Jonesboro and didn't sleep for a few days because i was so terrified of him. I saw all the HBO documentaries as they came out and, quite simply, changed my mind.
I resisted reading this book for several weeks because I didn't think I could learn anything I didn't already know. But, again, I was wrong. Stidham provides the harrowing first-hand account of the decades-long nightmare of the West Memphis 3. I am grateful for his perseverance through such an extraordinarily difficult situation. He is yet another victim of the Arkansas justice system.

[Lisa Loggains · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having graduated high school in 1994, and living just 60 miles from west Memphis & where the murders took place, I’ve always kept up with this case. Early on, the more I read, the more questions I had. It didn’t take long to form my opinion of NOT GUILTY.
The author and I are from the same town and while he probably doesn’t know me, I’ve always known of his involvement with this case.
This book is absolutely ASTONISHING. It made me mad, sad, and just mind-blown. I always knew there had to have been some behind the scenes political shenanigans going on, but to what extent, I never dreamed. Reading this book and the toll it took on the authors life is palpable. He never wavered and never, never gave up.
Aside from his kids and family, I would assume this book is his proudest life’s work. It’s truly remarkable. I can’t praise it enough !!!!!! READ IT.

[Caitlin Forcier · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was gifted to me by a friend / fellow child abuse investigative partner.

I really enjoyed reading this book. I’ve always been interested in the criminal justice system, and I am clearly immersed in criminal investigations involving children. As a victim advocate, it is really easy to make villains out of defense attorneys. When I train new advocates in Arkansas, I try to stress the importance of defense attorneys being humans who believe that all people deserve a good defense, not that they are evil people who love child abusers walking free. This book was an intimate portrayal of this exact issue.

I was a small child when this case first took place, and I lived in Chicago, so I was not aware of all the events that happened here. It was so sad and difficult to read - not because of the child abuse necessarily (I am, unfortunately, quite desensitized to this thanks to my profession), but because of the completely blatant miscarriage of justice. Reading about how Jessie Misskelly was hunted, coerced, treated so poorly, and tricked into his confession as an intellectually disabled teenager made me feel hopeless. The moral hunt that was sparked by satanic/moral panic in the very rural very prejudiced very uneducated very Christian Arkansas was all too familiar. I could see how people would feel the pressure of getting the case resolved quickly to appease public minds. What happened to the three children was horrific and wrong. I hope some day the person who is responsible is brought to light. But the way this case was handled and subversively tricked everyone into false peace was just disgusting. This book was challenging to me, a person who tends to err on the side of prosecutors and law enforcement are good people committed to finding truth and justice. It was a good reminder that the justice system, as flawed as it is for the state and the victims, is also flawed for defendants.

The biggest thing I took away from this book was a sense of deep connection to the plight that Dan Stidham experienced as a result of his work on this case. I too have questioned my faith - why would God let something like this happen to children, and then to more children on the wrong side of the tracks. Why does God allow for children to be abused and even killed? I too have spent sleepless nights haunted by crime scene photos and the stories of victims. I too have missed out on time with my son and family in relentless pursuit of justice for children. That’s what the author was pursuing too.

Side note- I am loosely connected with this author and have worked with his step-daughter for years. A different law enforcement officer that I work with is who gifted this to me, and she had the author sign it. Inside it reads “may truth and justice always prevail”. I wholeheartedly agree.


(Please note this is a self published book. There are formatting errors and grammar mistakes throughout. The beginning is windy and not very cohesive. But it is very worth the read).

[Bree Ellison · Rating 2 out of 5]

I typically love true crime books, but this was less about crime and more about the judicial system. While there were some interesting things I learned it was a pretty dry read.

[Donice C. Jenkins (DJ) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stidham's story has given me a new perspective on the case. He answered a lot of questions and relayed various tales of the incompetent clowns he had to work with. People like me theorize about who did it, and while he didn't give us a straight answer, I feel like I've learned enough to see where he'll go with his (eventually public) theory.

I've been researching this case on and off since I was in high school, if not for growing up in Marion or that my Gen X relatives knew these guys, then for the fact that I'd have been friends with these guys if I were born in their day. Stidham's perspective of this case solidified to me that the cops and lawmakers just snatched and scapegoated three edgy looking teenagers because they screwed up the evidence. Several citizen testimonies were later proven to have been coerced by police or just done for attention. Everyone else subscribed to the Bible Belt's "satanic panic" bs and allowed the "devil worship" rumors to make sense to them. All this extra mess was to make up for lost evidence and lack of investigation on genuine leads. This could've all been avoided had the WMPD simply done their job.

The Devil DID walk in West Memphis, but he was in the hearts and minds of lawmakers and police officers and the older, close-minded town residents when they convicted three innocent teenagers of child murder.

[Jamie Walden · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love this book from Jesse Misskelly’s lawyers side of things. We all saw the Documentary’s on HBO but it doesn’t even do it justice compared to Dan Stidams side. Before this book I read Damon Echols book “life after Death” he doesn’t go into much detail about the case at all, he refers you back to the MW3s website. But the book gave way more understanding and compassion to what all the families went through. But this book you get detail after detail after detail. The Arkansas police, lawyers and Judges did a poor job investigating and doing their actual jobs. It was much easier to push a handicapped teen into confessing to something he didn’t do, didn’t witness, and had actually no clue about any of the details to the M******s! These actual poor kids were railroaded at every chance they got to get out of prison. Makes me so upset about our court systems.

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

This case has sickened me and stuck with me for years. I can't believe that in this day and age, with DNA evidence available, that the real killer(s) has not been found. So many shady things done by the police officers/detectives, judge, "coroner ", prosecutor yet here we still are. There weren't just 3 victims in this case (Stevie, Michael, Christopher), the WM3 were victims too. And all the families, so heartbreaking. I wish Stidham had gone into details regarding the detectives on this case, the ones whom forced the false confession out of a mentally disabled minor. Years ago I looked into them and they'd been accused of so many wrong doings in their careers. I tried looking them up now and it's like they've been scrubbed off the internet, so strange. I hope at some point justice does prevail so that everyone involved can have real closure.

[Emily Waldrip · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such an interesting viewpoint into the WM3 case. There are so many things that I wasn’t even aware of and was hooked into finding out more through finishing. I completed the book in a total of two days just waiting for justice to finally happen. The perseverance of Dan Stidham is also inspiring overall and makes me want to tackle a corrupt justice system! Beautiful writing.

[Tabitha Rohm · Rating 4 out of 5]

I met Dan Stidham in Nashville for CRIMECON 2024. I had heard this story and numerous movies and other documentaries but it was Dan’s passion for this book that made me buy his book. Dan was the attorney for Jessie Misskelley. after reading this book, I am so glad I did buy it. He let you in on all the ins and outs about why these boys were convicted, and he tried to get them off. I love his passion for his job and his clients it is nice to know there are some out there that still do have, compassion and are passionate about their jobs.

[Ashton Hudson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dan Stidman was nothing short of a fantastic author and lawyer. He brought light to multiple injustices that spoke to the corruption of the West Memphis Police Department & Judge David Burnett. The state of Arkansas failed the West Memphis 3; the state of Arkansas took the best years of their lives. Through this book it’s obvious Dan truly cared for these boys and their fate. I admire Dan’s courage and determination to keep his promise to free the innocent, without him I truly believe this case would have ended in lethal injection for one and a life of prison for two others.

[Candy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've heard several podcasts about the West Memphis Three so I was interested when this came up on my recommended. It is dry, definitely written by a lawyer. There are several off shoots that don't really pertain and could have been cut. But overall, this was pretty impactful. I am one of those that wants to have faith in our justice system but the more I know, the less I can. This was shocking but not surprising. I also think that it's really sad the true victims, the 8 yr old boys, were overshadowed by what happened with these 3 teens.

[Venessa Johnstone · Rating 4 out of 5]

Listened to this.. very informative.. an easy to listen too , not too descriptive..

[Jam · Rating 5 out of 5]

I never write reviews. But, this book has taken over my entire being in the weeks since I’ve read it.

I thought I knew everything about this case. Ive watched the movies and documentaries and listened to podcasts. I’ve followed the case closely for years and remember when the WM3 took the Alford plea. I remember the fight and the public sentiment surrounding the case. Living in rural Canada, I know the power that religion and otherness holds over communities.

Dan Stidham provides an astonishing account of his involvement throughout the decades long fight for the WM3. This book made me anxious, sad, angry, and confused. There were many points in this novel where my mouth fell open in shock and stayed that way for hours.

The injustice is palpable. Not only with the behind the scenes fight with the legal system. But also because throughout the novel you know the three murdered boys and their families are still without answers, over 30 years later. The system failed in so many ways. The police, the investigation, the judge, the media, and the coercions all impacted the case so deeply. In more ways that I was initially aware of. Dan’s stubbornness to prove not only the validity of coerced confessions and the innocence of the WM3 but also the failings of law enforcement follows him for the entirety of the case. And I’m assuming, it still does to this day. He forged mutual respect and friendship with the WM3 in the wake of the trials, and fought for them until the 2011 plea.

Dan Stidham does a brilliant job at explaining his legal fight for the WM3, but also the toll it took on him personally and emotionally. The only critique I have would be that this book would be difficult to follow without prior knowledge of this case. This was an exceptional book. Something I will never forget. And I hope, sometime soon, that the evidence sent for new DNA testing (November, 2025) will come back. And that someone (I think we all suspect who) will be brought to justice.

[Hannah]

So freaking interesting to read the "behind-the-scenes" workings of this case. The way this unfolded was so unsettling and it's crazy to think about the lack of accountability asked of Judge Burnett. Dan Stidham's unwavering determination and relentless support to prove the innocence of 3 young men will stick with me for so long. (Feels icky to rate a nonfiction book like this about such a sensitive topic)

[Craig Allen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was just a few years older than the 3 boys that were killed in this case, and we lived about an hour away from it, so this story terrified me as a kid. The fear quickly turned into fascination after I read a paperback book about the case in high school. Then came Paradise Lost, and I was hooked in every way. The West Memphis 3 became my first case to be obsessed with as a true crime fan. I would debate their guilt with both friends and strangers (and sometimes, myself…) - it seemed ludicrous that so many shady and incompetent things could happen in a court system but they really did. It was gross to think about, an opinion I clung to as an adult.
And then came this book. Getting the scoop on what went down behind the scenes from one of the WM3 lawyers showed just how twisted the justice system can be and what a travesty that these 3 were sent to prison for 18 years. You also get details about the Alford pleas and are left wondering…even though they were released, is this REALLY justice? It’s scary when you think about how the system could do this to any one of us, with weak evidence (and sometimes, none at all..)
I highly recommend this book to anyone with a shred of interest in the WM3 case. I’d suggest watching Paradise Lost again for a refresher if it’s been a while since you’ve read about the case (WARNING: doing so may result in the viewer watching all 3 installments of Paradise Lost, the ID Docuseries, West of Memphis, and the Devil’s Knot movie in a matter of days…lol) when I fall down a rabbit hole, I fall hard!
Excellent book! 5 stars.

[Pauline Perez · Rating 2 out of 5]

I couldn't finish this book

The author made most of the story about himself. I read half & felt like the story which was pretty cut & dry yet filled with mind boggling uninformative detail. I do commend the author for saving these unjustly accused boys.

[Amanda ☆ Nana's Books ☆ · Rating 5 out of 5]

I lived in West Memphis in the early 90s & had family whose parenting was heavily influenced by the Satanic Panic era.
This is a tragic case. Great book no matter how familiar you are, or aren't with the case.

[*TUDOR^QUEEN* · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a case I was fascinated with after watching three documentaries about it on HBO. It was a horrifying case where three children were found murdered and hogtied in West Memphis after going out riding on their bicycles. Three teenagers were arrested for the crime, and one of them even confessed. That was the part that always confounded me while watching the documentaries. I figured if one of them confessed and implicated the others, it was an open and shut case. However, these documentaries cast a lot of doubt on the case, even with the so-called confession, to the point where a ground swell of celebrities made a big noise about revisting this case. Some of these people were Eddie Vedder of Pearl Jam, Johnny Depp, Peter Jackson, Henry Rollins, and Natalie Maines.

Basically the powers that be fashioned a case of devil worship and hung that on Damien Echols, the good looking guy out of the three who was into Magick (and still is). They really had no physical evidence tying them to the case- not even DNA. The judge was pro-prosecution on steroids. Apparently Jessie Misskelley (who confessed) was badgered into it- taken advantage because he was mentally retarded and didn't understand what he was doing.

This book is written by their first lawyer in the original trial Dan Stidham as both an exercise and exorcise to get it out of his system and out into the world all the misconceptions about the case. This case seems to have taken a huge chunk out of his life, taking a toll on his first marriage and time away from his kids. He felt a huge responsibility for his client Jessie Misskelley and vowed to get him released one day. Damien Echols was on Death Row. All three wound up getting released after 18 years of imprisonment using an oddball and rare legal maneuver called an Alford Plea where you plead guilty, but at the same time maintain your innocence, get released and the case is closed. So after 18 years they got released using this legal maneuver, but Stidham still felt cheated because for years he had worked tirelessly with numerous legal filings to get them a new trial. I guess the average person would just be glad that these guys got released no matter what with the Alford Plea, rather than throwing the dice with all its unknowables having a new trial. However, Stidham struggled with the outcome just the same. This book was kind of a therapeutic device to "get it all out" on paper, documenting all the reasons he was 100% sure Misskelley's confession was a lie from a mentally challenged person who was coerced into it, frightened into it, saying whatever he had to say to "go home" in his mind.

There is a lot of legalese in this book, and that's the part that went over my head a lot of times and I didn't enjoy. I've read Damien Echol's memoir Life After Death, and another book on the subject called Devil's Knot: The True Story of the West Memphis Three, and this was yet another prism of information on the subject- albeit a little dry.

[Ken Heard · Rating 3 out of 5]

Up the rating to 3.5 stars.

I covered the Rule 37 hearings and the subsequent release of the three convicted in the West Memphis 3 homicides when I was a reporter for the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. I was also on the periphery of the original case when I was a stringer reporter for the Memphis Commercial Appeal back in the early 1990s.

I know enough about this case to not be convinced of the three's guilt. I read the Misskelley confession and was convinced the three did it. Then, I started seeing some discrepancies. I think the most glaring one was Jason Baldwin's alibi. There really was no way he could be at the crime scene at the time the slayings occurred.

The oddest part of covering this was the Rule 37 hearings which attempted to show that the defendants' attorneys were not doing their job. I noticed Dan Stidham, who represented Misskelley, cared enough about his client then that he tried to show his legal "incompetence" in the trials. It was a lengthy process for those hearings and, based on the judge's results, pretty much a time-waster.

I was somewhat put off by Stidham's constant slamming of prosecutor Brent Davis. I've known Brent for 30 years and think he's one of the more honest, true-hearted people out there. I know that goes against those who were involved in the Free the West Memphis 3 organization, but regardless, Brent is a good person. (and on a side note, I was one of two reporters cited on the Free the West Memphis 3 site as being fair and not biased toward the three's guilt.)

However, eventually, the three were released on an Alford plea.

I thought Stidham did a decent job recounting his efforts to free Misskelley. The beginning of the book, I felt though, was a bit rushed and confusing. It seemed to jump around and assume that the reader knew a lot of the case before delving into this book. Had I not covered it extensively, I may have been lost. There was also some tedious parts that maybe only lawyers would appreciate when Stidham talked about the laws involved and his efforts.

Also, there were several minor errors. For example, Kankakee, Ill., is on Interstate 57, not I55, as he writes. He misspelled Judge David Burnett's name once, dropping the second "t" off the last name. He also wrote about going to a New York Yankees game in 1998 and how at the end of the season, the Yankees had won more games than any team before. Wrong. The 1906 Chicago Cubs won 116. two more than the Yankees had at the end of the 1998 season. He also noted that Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa were trying to break Roger Maris' home run record of "60." Actually, Maris' record was 61 home runs for a season. These are very minor errors but, as they told us in newspaper land, small errors can create distrust and readers may question the accuracy of real facts.

Of all the defense attorneys who were involved in this case-- and there were a lot once the case got national attention (the timing of this was perfect in that the internet was just becoming a thing and the case got a lot of notoriety) -- I felt Stidham was the most sincere and caring.

[Joey R. · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars— As a longtime prosecutor, I have followed the West Memphis 3 case since the documentary, “Paradise Lost” premiered on HBO. I have followed with interest as Hollywood embraced the cause of the three teenagers who were convicted of the murder of three young boys in Arkansas, ultimately resulting in their release from prison after serving approximately 18 years in prison. The WM3 had a lot of supporters — none more passionate than one of the WM3’s (Jessie Miskelley) original attorneys, Dan Stidham. When I saw that Stidham wrote a book on the case, I was all in because I wanted to see what drove him to be so passionate about the innocence of the WM3. Unfortunately, despite being a well written book, “ A Harvest of Innocence” doesn’t give much insight into the evidence that led to conviction and imprisonment of the WM3, but is instead a detailed look into one man’s lifelong obsession to free the WM3. I can honestly say there is absolutely no one I would rather represent me in a case than Dan Stidham as he made it his lifelong quest to get “justice” for his client at the expense of his marriage and personal life. The book itself was more like a closing argument as he attacks the original judge and prosecutors mercilessly and acts as if anyone who didn’t agree with his position was unethical with no redeeming qualities. He acts if every experts’ testimony in favor of the WM3 is the gospel truth, when any experienced trial attorney knows that many experts will craft their testimony to help the side that retained their services. It is also obvious that Stidham got caught up with all of the celebrities that were backing his cause and the compliments and accolades he received for his unrelenting defense of the WM3. I respect the passion Stidham showed for his client, but I definitely don’t think this is a book which gives a reader a balanced look at any of the evidence in this case. Check out the Callahan website or the many other more informative books on this subject if you want to learn about the true facts of the WM3 case. This book is just a victory lap for Dan Stidham who is now an elected Judge in Arkansas. I want to congratulate him on his win but I sure do feel sorry for whoever is the prosecutor in the court he presides over.😂😂

[Rebecca Roberts · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having followed the case for many years, I enjoyed Mr. Stidham's book and seeing the case through his experiences. I was impressed with his selfless efforts through many years to see this sad case through to the release of these young men. His is undoubtedly the "rescuer" energy, as mentioned in the reading. Without the seemingly endless pursuit of justice among Mr. Stidham and others of like mindset, Jessie, Jason and Damien would still be held in prison if not worse. He kept the flame burning for truth. I remember when this case took place and I simply could not believe what I was seeing and hearing. No way did three teenagers do this crime. Obviously, to me anyway, those children were most likely murdered by an adult figure of authority. They were obviously not killed on that creekbank due to the total lack of blood evidence. Being from the south myself, I am very familiar with the bible belt's love of stoning the innocent if they do not dress or act in a way dictated by the majority. These boys got railroaded for the sin of being poor and daring to read a book or listen to music that was deemed "satanic" by the "Christians" who should read Jesus' teachings to "be ye kind one to another".

[Leann Waite · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm very conflicted in my rating of this book because it truly did keep me engrossed almost the entire time (save for the first few and last few chapters that boarded on rambling). But as good as the story is, the writing of it was bordering on scream-inducing. not only did the authors continously repeat themselves over and over again, stating the same facts or thoughts multiple times but just in different words, but the main author/lawyer being so obviously infatuated with himself started to become nauseating. Although he did offer sympathy and insight into what the WM3 boys must have gone through for 18 years, he very often focused on how hard it was for him as it somehow equated to their pain. And yes I get this book is just as much about him, from his perspective as it is about the WM3 but his constant undertone of "poor me but also everyone thinks I'm the best!" kept me rolling my eyes at least once per chapter.

[Mary Beth Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been interested in and researching this case since 2016 when I first found out about it. I wasn’t born yet when the murders occurred but I grew up in Jonesboro which was not far from the crime scene and also where one of the trials was held. I became obsessed with this case, and not just because of how tragic it was for the victims, but also because of the tragedy that was 3 innocent boys being thrown in prison. Back in 2016 I decided they had the wrong guys, but this book just heightened that belief. Dan Stidham was a savior for all three boys and sacrificed so much to commit to what he truly believed was “justice.” I strongly recommend this book to anyone interested to learn more about the case. If you think the three boys were truly guilty, read this book. Now we have so much more to do… including clearing these boys’ (now men) names and find the real killer.

[MK Jackson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, this story was utterly unbelievable due to the sheer disgusting behavior of the legal system against the West Memphis Three. I believe this is a must read for anyone working in the justice system. Insane that people got away with this behavior essentially scotch-free while three innocent men sat in jail.

This story had a lot of impact for me because it is set in Arkansas and because the mentor that Dan Stidham talks about is my boss this summer. Importantly, David Stidham shows how one person can really make all the difference with perserverance. After reading this book while in my third year of law school, I am really impacted by the lawyer Dan Stidham is. I am inspired to fight for justice and be an advocate for what is right while beginning my career in the legal profession in Arkansas.

Highly recommend !!

[Avid Reader and Geek Girl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall Book Rating: 3.75 stars
The book is more of a memoir than a straight-up true crime book. It's obviously slanted toward the author's experiences. I don't know if everyone was as terrible as he says they were, but if so, damn, they need about ten tons of Clorox to clean up that corruption. That said, it was still a solid book. I just wish he'd focused more on all the victims, not just the wrongly convicted, but the murdered kids.

Narrator Rating: 4.5 stars
The narrator did an excellent job overall, particularly in conveying the author's emotions.


Read if you're in the mood for something: dark, informative, sad, & medium-paced


Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Medical content, Grief, Murder

Moderate: Alcoholism, Sexual violence, Violence, Religious bigotry, Classism

Minor: Body horror, Blood

[Natalie Collins Wahle · Rating 5 out of 5]

The murder of the young boys these men were accused of happened the week I was born, and they were released from prison the week I started college. I am now nearly 33 years old, an attorney myself, and I am still not even the age the men were when they were released from prison. It is just so wild to think about because those are such clear bench marks in one's life to compare this story too.

True crime is one of my favorite genres. This particular story I first learned about when I was a 1L in law school. It has tons of complicated legal procedures that I truly feel like only an attorney would understand. But it is a true triumph of patience and the power of knowing how to use the rules to your advantage and that justice can happen ... even if it takes a long time.

Highly enjoyed this one, and highly recommend. Will definitely continue to follow this case as well!

[Cchulie · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I was younger I watch the Paradise Lost Series and have not been able to get this case out of my head since. Maybe b/c If I know I would have been friends with those boys they all remind me of people I knew as a teen. It could be that now I have a son who is mentally disable which made me understand Jesse more then others and have a internal need to want to protect him. As frustrating as this book was at time because of how the case was handling Im so happy to read about what happened and see that my community (Metal heads/ rockers) stepped up and used their voices to help innocent men. Im pray for the day that the person/persons who actually committed those crimes are brought to judice and WM3 can truly be free.

[Kaitlyn Sitz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just when I thought I knew everything there was to know about the WM3 case, I finished this book and realized I never knew the half of it! Dan’s behind-the-scenes look into the initial trial and everything that has happened since was so insightful. I enjoyed learning more about the legal side of things. I’m still so angry, and probably even more so now, about the incompetence of the West Memphis police and everyone involved in the prosecution (including the JUDGE🙄). But I am also grateful to know there are people in the world like Dan who continue to fight for truth and justice. This was a great read!!

[Darlene Payne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've been waiting for this book for a long time. This case exposes everything that's wrong with our justice system, but the author is, in my opinion, one of the very few heroes involved with the case. Dan Stidham put his heart and soul into this case, and went above and beyond the call of duty because of his personal commitment to trying to right a horrible wrong. This is the kind of story that would seem unbelievable if it were fictional. As it is, it's a frightening reminder of what can happen when people care more about their careers and getting convictions instead of finding the truth. An incredible read.

[Julie Elliott · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been intrigued with this case from the very beginning. In May of 1993 I had just turned 10 and West Memphis was roughly 70 miles from my hometown in Mississippi. This case was terrifying to me back then. Over the years I fully believed in the innocence of the WM3 and every new book, podcast, documentary etc. that comes out adds a little bit of knowledge about the case that I didn't know before and this book is no different. I appreciate Dan Stidham and his never-give-up attitude toward this case and these boys. I pray that the real killer will be found soon and that the state of Arkansas will finally test the DNA.