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Justice Knot #2
Dark Spell: Surviving the Sentence
For many who've heard of the West Memphis Three--especially through "Devil's Knot" and/or the feature film based on that book, the story of their trials ended when the court handed down their sentences. For the teenagers, though, that moment marked the start of yet another story, one more dangerous than the first. Jason Baldwin was sixteen, the youngest of the three teenagers, when he heard himself sentenced to life in prison with no possibility of parole. "Dark Spell" is the account of what it was like to be taken in handcuffs and shackles into Arkansas's adult prison system, where inmates and guards alike saw him as a Satanic child-killer. Many of those who sent him there did not expect him to survive. Prison officials shared the same, realistic fear. More than once, death hovered perilously near. But Jason survived. He survived, day by day and year by year, in one of the harshest environments on American soil. This would be a hard story to bear, save that it is brightened and transformed by Jason's insight and upbeat persona. "Dark Spell" illuminates the many ways America's justice system, once having gone wrong, can fight to sustain that wrong. It celebrates the countless ordinary heroes who rose up, using art and new technology, to challenge trials they perceived as mockeries of justice. At its heart, "Dark Spell" walks readers into prison with an innocent teenager and reveals how he managed to forge a life of honor by not abandoning his personal integrity, demanding an education, and discovering the peace to be found in kicking Hacky Sack.
312 pages, Paperback
First published May 31, 2014
51 people are currently reading
1193 people want to read
About the author
Mara Leveritt
6 books135 followersMara Leveritt is an Arkansas reporter best known as the author of Devil’s Knot (Atria 2002) and Dark Spell, (Bird Call Press 2013), the first books of her intended Justice Knot Trilogy about three Cub Scouts who were murdered in West Memphis, Arkansas and the case of the three teenagers who were convicted of the murders and then, 18 years later--and after pleading guilty--were abruptly set free. A 2013 feature film staring Colin Firth, Reese Witherspoon and Stephen Moyer is based on Devil's Knot. Leveritt’s earlier book, The Boys on the Tracks, (St. Martin’s Press 1998, republished by Bird Call Press, 2011) focused on the political intrigue surrounding the still-unsolved murders of two Arkansas teenagers.
Leveritt is a contributing editor at Arkansas Times, where she has written extensively about the prosecution of Tim Howard, an African-American man, for the murder of his best friends, who were white. After Howard spent almost 15 years on death row, a court found that state officials had not released potentially exculpatory evidence to his defense lawyers at trial--a violation of law. A new trial has been scheduled for September 2014.
Leveritt also blogs on her website about law, police, courts, and prisons. She has won several awards for her writing and posts the photo here of herself in cap and gown because she is so unabashedly proud of her honorary doctorate of humane letters from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.
As Leveritt is new to Goodreads, she has started by adding books that influenced her to her bones.
Leveritt is a contributing editor at Arkansas Times, where she has written extensively about the prosecution of Tim Howard, an African-American man, for the murder of his best friends, who were white. After Howard spent almost 15 years on death row, a court found that state officials had not released potentially exculpatory evidence to his defense lawyers at trial--a violation of law. A new trial has been scheduled for September 2014.
Leveritt also blogs on her website about law, police, courts, and prisons. She has won several awards for her writing and posts the photo here of herself in cap and gown because she is so unabashedly proud of her honorary doctorate of humane letters from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.
As Leveritt is new to Goodreads, she has started by adding books that influenced her to her bones.
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
October 23, 2016
This book is the worst.
If you've never read anything ever about the WM3, this book has a lot of useful information.
If you've read even one other book about the case, you'll find at least 60% of this book to be a complete rehash of everything out there.
I specifically wanted to read about _Jason_, about who he is and how he handled his time there. About halfway through the book it becomes apparent that Leveritt cannot write a book without writing about Damien. I just got done reading _Devil's Knot_ (which she name-checks at least a dozen times) and after awhile I began to feel like I was rereading _DK_. Instead of reading about Jason's life, I got to read yet another recap of the dry legal wranglings, mixed in with some babble about how great the internet is.
Then she'd have one of her weird turns where she'd go into how sad it was that Jason couldn't have Internet access. I swear to you this right here is like a third of the book:
1. Long, detailed rambling about some website run by "ordinary people" to bring attention to the WM3.
2. Quotes pulled from website forum or chat room.
3. Anecdote about some awareness stunt pulled by the Ordinary Website People Who Make A Difference™.
4. A paragraph about how sad it is that Jason had no idea about any of this because he couldn't have access to the Internet in prison.
She spends more book time bemoaning Jason's lack of web experience than she does bemoaning the severe beatings he received. It was just WEIRD.
I've been a WM3 supporter since the first film aired on hbo. Unlike Jason I was on the Internet from about 1988, so I was one of the first visitors to the wm3 site. I have to say I find it a bit grating at this point to see Leveritt using the case as some sort of piggy bank. There was no reason for this book--ostensibly a biography of Jason's time in the Arkansas corrections system--to turn into another blow-by-blow account of Damien's Rule 37 hearing. Yes, I know Leveritt counts herself a personal friend of Echols and Davis, and she probably feels left behind as they published their own memoirs without her assistance. But this book really feels like she is yet another person lining up to exploit Jason, as she uses this book to communicate just how important she and other volunteers were in getting the three men released. It seems like the subtext--sure you may be buddies with Peter Jackson now, but don't forget those who helped you FIRST--becomes text. This ceases to be Jason's story and instead becomes Leveritt's not-so-subtle- guilt-trip to Echols and Davis.
If you've never read anything ever about the WM3, this book has a lot of useful information.
If you've read even one other book about the case, you'll find at least 60% of this book to be a complete rehash of everything out there.
I specifically wanted to read about _Jason_, about who he is and how he handled his time there. About halfway through the book it becomes apparent that Leveritt cannot write a book without writing about Damien. I just got done reading _Devil's Knot_ (which she name-checks at least a dozen times) and after awhile I began to feel like I was rereading _DK_. Instead of reading about Jason's life, I got to read yet another recap of the dry legal wranglings, mixed in with some babble about how great the internet is.
Then she'd have one of her weird turns where she'd go into how sad it was that Jason couldn't have Internet access. I swear to you this right here is like a third of the book:
1. Long, detailed rambling about some website run by "ordinary people" to bring attention to the WM3.
2. Quotes pulled from website forum or chat room.
3. Anecdote about some awareness stunt pulled by the Ordinary Website People Who Make A Difference™.
4. A paragraph about how sad it is that Jason had no idea about any of this because he couldn't have access to the Internet in prison.
She spends more book time bemoaning Jason's lack of web experience than she does bemoaning the severe beatings he received. It was just WEIRD.
I've been a WM3 supporter since the first film aired on hbo. Unlike Jason I was on the Internet from about 1988, so I was one of the first visitors to the wm3 site. I have to say I find it a bit grating at this point to see Leveritt using the case as some sort of piggy bank. There was no reason for this book--ostensibly a biography of Jason's time in the Arkansas corrections system--to turn into another blow-by-blow account of Damien's Rule 37 hearing. Yes, I know Leveritt counts herself a personal friend of Echols and Davis, and she probably feels left behind as they published their own memoirs without her assistance. But this book really feels like she is yet another person lining up to exploit Jason, as she uses this book to communicate just how important she and other volunteers were in getting the three men released. It seems like the subtext--sure you may be buddies with Peter Jackson now, but don't forget those who helped you FIRST--becomes text. This ceases to be Jason's story and instead becomes Leveritt's not-so-subtle- guilt-trip to Echols and Davis.
September 11, 2020
This book is a bit of a muddle. When I read it the first time, I was happy to access any information I could on the West Memphis Three Murder Case, but now that I know a lot I'm surprised that Leveritt did not explore Jason Baldwin's situation more. Of course, Baldwin is writing his own book and this may have deterred her from detailing things that could have ended up being repetitive to the public concerning Jason. One of the things I saw that was interesting was really in subtext. The overall contextual problems of trying juveniles as adults, even in capital cases, IS seriously problematic. We are the only civilized country in the world that does this and it's not to our advantage. Baldwin was a sixteen year old who was highly marginalized. There are several things I know about him that I won't write about here, but knowing them makes me truly frustrated at how our criminal justice system treats anyone under eighteen years of age. The whole system needs reforming.
Even without taking into account that it's possible Jason Baldwin went to prison for a crime he did not commit, it's staggering and sometimes just "jaw-dropping" to study the actual case. I could list a hundred things wrong with how the West Memphis Police Department handled this case from May 5th, 1993. the day the children were reported missing. This whole case is about a group of marginalized people, men, women, and children, who were abused, neglected, and then lied to by the WMPD. And that isn't even the murder.
What a mess. What a terrible mess. Jason Baldwin was sixteen, marginalized, immature, uneducated, practically blind, and NOTHING TIED him to the case but a weak confession or confessions and his association with Damien Echols who was Jerry Driver's dark obsession. Leveritt spends too much time on Echols as does everyone. Tragic. Just freaking tragic for everyone involved.
Second read. Four star rating.
Even without taking into account that it's possible Jason Baldwin went to prison for a crime he did not commit, it's staggering and sometimes just "jaw-dropping" to study the actual case. I could list a hundred things wrong with how the West Memphis Police Department handled this case from May 5th, 1993. the day the children were reported missing. This whole case is about a group of marginalized people, men, women, and children, who were abused, neglected, and then lied to by the WMPD. And that isn't even the murder.
What a mess. What a terrible mess. Jason Baldwin was sixteen, marginalized, immature, uneducated, practically blind, and NOTHING TIED him to the case but a weak confession or confessions and his association with Damien Echols who was Jerry Driver's dark obsession. Leveritt spends too much time on Echols as does everyone. Tragic. Just freaking tragic for everyone involved.
Second read. Four star rating.
November 26, 2018
a) this book hurt me
b) by main character obviously i mean the subject of the book, jason baldwin, who is an actual person and not a character but i don't see the point in making a separate shelf for that
c) i think i'm too emotionally involved to really rate things objectively but that's life man
b) by main character obviously i mean the subject of the book, jason baldwin, who is an actual person and not a character but i don't see the point in making a separate shelf for that
c) i think i'm too emotionally involved to really rate things objectively but that's life man
June 26, 2014
I'm not a huge fan of her writing style, but the content of the book makes it worth the read.
June 19, 2014
Amazing book. Jason Baldwin has survived many storms in his life, and emerged a strong, compassionate person.
January 31, 2017
Poorly edited, some factual errors, and somewhat haphazard in what is covered. Leveritt's prose is certainly nothing to write home about. Still very interesting.
January 27, 2022
I just finished Dark Spell: Surviving the Sentence by Mara Leveritt and Jason Baldwin. It details the (badly botched) trial and conviction of Mr. Baldwin as one of the West Memphis Three, a triumvirate of teenagers wrongly convicted of the 1993 murders of three little boys in Arkansas during a Satanic ritual. Damien Echols, one of the three was sentenced to death, while Jason Baldwin and the third defendant, Jessie Misskelley, Jr. were sentenced to life in prison without parole.
After being incarcerated for eighteen years, and after much hard work by advocates for the three young men that called into question a judicial system run amok, the three were offered Alford pleas on August 19, 2011. This allowed them to assert their innocence while acknowledging that prosecutors had enough evidence to convict them. The offer, however, would only be secured if all three defendants agreed to accept it. Many people, including Jason Baldwin, felt that the plea deal in and of itself was a miscarriage of justice. While he took the plea, he said, "This was not justice. However, they're trying to kill Damien."
He has further stated, “Mine is righteous anger. And to be righteously angry at the system when it is not doing what we know it should be doing is healthy. So, you channel that in positive manners that you hope will enact change in a better way that makes the system better for not just you, but for everybody. We’re all in this together. If we’re making it bad for somebody, we’re making it bad for us too. If we’re making life unbearable for a certain class of people, we’re creating misery in this world... ...we need to make it better for everyone—all classes, all religions, all races, all countries … And hope is action. Hope is looking at the world the way it is with open eyes and recognizing what you’re dealing with but saying, ‘I’m not gonna let it beat me. I’m not gonna let it destroy me. And, (as) a matter of fact, I’m going to help... make things better for everyone.’ Hope empowers me.”
Baldwin has gone on to co-found Proclaim Justice, a not-for-profit organization that dedicates itself to helping the wrongfully convicted. He is also currently pursuing studies and plans to get a law degree.
In this citizen's humble opinion, Jason Baldwin is an amazing human being. What he and his co-defendants endured is appalling. His positive outlook and humane and compassionate response to it leave me in awe.
Jason? I wish I could step up and not just shake your hand but give you the warm embrace you deserve for not dropping the ball once you were freed, and continuing, instead, to fight the good fight.
A final word: Damien Echols proved himself to be equally resilient, and equally focused on the positive aspects of what most of us would consider to be an intolerable existence. His book, Life After Death, is a brilliant work of literature, and an inspiration to any one of us who might question from time to time what it is that we have to live for.
After being incarcerated for eighteen years, and after much hard work by advocates for the three young men that called into question a judicial system run amok, the three were offered Alford pleas on August 19, 2011. This allowed them to assert their innocence while acknowledging that prosecutors had enough evidence to convict them. The offer, however, would only be secured if all three defendants agreed to accept it. Many people, including Jason Baldwin, felt that the plea deal in and of itself was a miscarriage of justice. While he took the plea, he said, "This was not justice. However, they're trying to kill Damien."
He has further stated, “Mine is righteous anger. And to be righteously angry at the system when it is not doing what we know it should be doing is healthy. So, you channel that in positive manners that you hope will enact change in a better way that makes the system better for not just you, but for everybody. We’re all in this together. If we’re making it bad for somebody, we’re making it bad for us too. If we’re making life unbearable for a certain class of people, we’re creating misery in this world... ...we need to make it better for everyone—all classes, all religions, all races, all countries … And hope is action. Hope is looking at the world the way it is with open eyes and recognizing what you’re dealing with but saying, ‘I’m not gonna let it beat me. I’m not gonna let it destroy me. And, (as) a matter of fact, I’m going to help... make things better for everyone.’ Hope empowers me.”
Baldwin has gone on to co-found Proclaim Justice, a not-for-profit organization that dedicates itself to helping the wrongfully convicted. He is also currently pursuing studies and plans to get a law degree.
In this citizen's humble opinion, Jason Baldwin is an amazing human being. What he and his co-defendants endured is appalling. His positive outlook and humane and compassionate response to it leave me in awe.
Jason? I wish I could step up and not just shake your hand but give you the warm embrace you deserve for not dropping the ball once you were freed, and continuing, instead, to fight the good fight.
A final word: Damien Echols proved himself to be equally resilient, and equally focused on the positive aspects of what most of us would consider to be an intolerable existence. His book, Life After Death, is a brilliant work of literature, and an inspiration to any one of us who might question from time to time what it is that we have to live for.
January 26, 2017
This is a follow-up to Devil’s Knot, following the West Memphis Three (but mostly Jason) after they are convicted and in jail. The book was really compelling because most of the West Memphis Three story is focused on the trials and the unique circumstances surrounding their release. There were a lot of typos in the book, which is a major pet peeve of mine. In this case, it pulled me away from the facts and made the book seem less professional, so I hope it’s something that can be fixed in later copies. I’d even be willing to copy edit it myself, for the cause, because I think the errors, as minor as they may be, really diminish the credibility of the book and make it seem hastily thrown together.
February 7, 2025
A crucial read as an addendum to Devil's Knot, both for the humanity of it and the ongoing story and final revelations about the potential connections with Terry Hobbs. If I had a nickel for every time the step dad of one of the three murdered kids ended up with dentures and joked about the bitemark on a dead child, I'd have two nickels. Which is not a lot, but it's weird that it happened twice. 🙃
July 31, 2023
I enjoy the book. I found it infesting getting to seeing how this nightmare was unfolding and the thing going on in his head, Getting to know Jason and his feeling on most things.
The only things that I was really disappointing in, Is that there was no mentioning of the alpha plea How it all came about, his feeling and what was Jason's thought that made him agree to the alpha plea.
The only things that I was really disappointing in, Is that there was no mentioning of the alpha plea How it all came about, his feeling and what was Jason's thought that made him agree to the alpha plea.
March 30, 2023
Read Devil's Knot and then read this. It's a great insight into the prison system, what it's like to be there. It's pretty eye opening what young Jason did to survive and how it all unfolded. Definitely worth reading.
February 25, 2024
It started out pretty good and went downhill fast...too much useless information..I wanted to read more on his prison experience and especially when they were all finally released. I would not recommend this book.
March 8, 2025
This book broke my heart. Jason Baldwin is the reason I believe in the innocence of the WM3. The things he went through…he never should’ve had to. His only “crimes” were wearing black, listening to metal, and being besties with Damien Echols.
May 3, 2016
After reading The Devil's Knot, I needed to know more. How could such an injustice occur in a society where justice is to prevail? This book focuses the youngest of the Memphis Three, Jason. Entering the prison system in disbelief, Jason struggled to find his place in this unpredictable world. His courage in handling the fights, challenges, and loneliness of the prison system shine through in Leveritt's words. Despite all of Jason's struggles, he maintained his faith in humanity and developed a sense of self both of which helped him survive his 18 year ordeal. His hardships and frustrations are shared open as well. As his story unfolds, one can't help but develop a sense of admiration for his perseverance and a connection to his genuineness. While the situation is one that makes you question the essence of our justice system, Jason exemplifies the power of the human spirit to overcome.
July 30, 2016
The story of the West Memphis 3 is gripping. I've seen all the documentaries, poured through the case files, and read other books on the case, including Damien Echols' memoir. I was hoping to get a clearer picture of what Jason went through, but the book kind of falls flat to me. Along with a number of grammatical errors, the author doesn't even come close to delving into Baldwin's experience and background when compared to what Echols gave us with his book, Life After Death.
I'd love to see Baldwin actually write his memoir as promised through his KickStarter campaign. It's been over a year since he reached his campaign goal, but I'm waiting over here waiting patiently to hear some news about when it will actually be released. I'm hoping he can deliver more effectively when writing his story himself instead of relying on a third party.
I'd love to see Baldwin actually write his memoir as promised through his KickStarter campaign. It's been over a year since he reached his campaign goal, but I'm waiting over here waiting patiently to hear some news about when it will actually be released. I'm hoping he can deliver more effectively when writing his story himself instead of relying on a third party.
January 21, 2017
Great count from the perspective of one of the West Memphis three and how this legal miscarriage as some call it was done by the authorities. What you read in this book plus what you see on the videos correlates very well and Jason proves to be very eloquent and well spoken.
If this is your first approach to the case I suggest you at least watch the HBO documentaries to get a perspective since the book does not contain the final outcome of it, but the count of how Jason was living behind bars, his struggles and wins.
Very good book.
If this is your first approach to the case I suggest you at least watch the HBO documentaries to get a perspective since the book does not contain the final outcome of it, but the count of how Jason was living behind bars, his struggles and wins.
Very good book.
June 1, 2016
amazing story,intelligently told.
May 1, 2017
Jason Baldwin is a Saint
Even though the entire story was yet to reach a conclusion, in fact today, the West Memphis 3 still require exoneration, this in depth look at Jason Baldwin and his growth as a human being was tremendous. Damien Echols and Jason Baldwin are linked karmically yet are completely different people. I hope they meet occasionally to share the commonality of their life in prison.
Even though the entire story was yet to reach a conclusion, in fact today, the West Memphis 3 still require exoneration, this in depth look at Jason Baldwin and his growth as a human being was tremendous. Damien Echols and Jason Baldwin are linked karmically yet are completely different people. I hope they meet occasionally to share the commonality of their life in prison.
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews