The following is an excerpt from an ANB story by John Lyon:
If death row inmate Damien Echols were tried today in the 1993 killing of three West Memphis boys, he would be acquitted, attorneys for Echols told reporters Thursday.
“We are here today to discuss the evidence that establishes that no reasonable juror would convict Damien Echols, essentially knowing what we know today,” lead attorney Dennis Riordan said at a news conference at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock law school.
On Monday, Echols’ lawyers filed a motion in federal court to overturn Echols’ conviction based on new evidence that includes DNA test results showing that no genetic material from Echols – or two other men convicted in the killings – was found on the victims’ bodies.
A spokeswoman for 2nd District Prosecutor Brent Davis, the lead prosecutor in the case, said Thursday that Davis would not comment on the case or the defense attorneys’ remarks.
