Another Holiday in Prison

With the upcoming Easter holiday, I've been thinking about the passage of another holiday for the West Memphis Three in prison. It has to be a hard thing to see year after year pass from behind bars, especially on holidays which the rest of the world celebrates with loved ones.

So this holiday, make sure to appreciate your loved ones and the time you spend with them.

Interesting Movie

I was browsing Hulu today and I found a movie that WM3 enthusiasts may find interesting. It involves a teenager who becomes the target of a police investigation because of her differences from the mainstream in the wake of the Columbine tragedy. One of the things taken as "evidence" from her were her journals (sound familiar anyone?).

Below is the movie, titled "Not Like Everyone Else." It really shows how communities can overreact in the wake of tragedy - and how the justice system may not recognize the hysteria for what it is. If that doesn't sound like the defense position in the WM3 case, I don't know what does.

Inmate in Texas challenges death penalty based on new drug

Cleve Foster, a convicted murderer on Texas' death row, is challenging the state's switch to a new drug for executions in light of the growing shortage of sodium thiopental, the New York Times reports today. Foster was convicted in 2004 of murdering a Sudanese woman with his roommate, who died in prison last year.

The Supreme Court has issued a stay of execution, also according to the Times, based on questions about counsel in addition to the questions about the legality of his execution.

However, what most interests me is the effect of a ruling against the use of alternative drugs in the execution of criminals:

As recently as January, 34 of the 35 states that allow lethal injections for executions used sodium thiopental, usually administered as the first of three drugs that are intended to prevent pain, inhibit muscle movement and then stop the heart.

Michelle Lyons, a spokeswoman for the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, said Monday that Mr. Foster’s execution was one of seven scheduled in Texas through August.

Ms. Lyons said that the state had plenty of sodium thiopental on hand, but that it reached its expiration date at the end of March.

Ms. Levin said Monday that Texas had failed to adhere to its own administrative rules when it decided to switch to pentobarbital and that it had not properly notified the public of the change.

Mr. Foster’s lawyers also say the state used an invalid federal permit to buy pentobarbital.

“Given the frequency of which we carry out this ultimate act, it should be done in compliance with the law, with transparency and deliberateness and care,” said Ms. Levin, who also teaches at the University of Texas. “It is experimental, a drug that is brand new to lethal injections.”

What do you guys think? Will the Supreme Court rule in Foster's favor? - and better yet, should they?

More FOIC photos!

Casey Hilder - a great photographer for the University of Memphis' Daily Helsman - has more pictures from the FOIC at the U of M last week.

Californication Shout-Out!

In completely random news: Showtime's Californication featured a shout-out for the WM3! Watch below!

FOIC Video!

Here's a video of footage from the FOIC - asking an important question: Why should we still care about the WM3 case?

Photos from FOIC at the University of Memphis

Below are some photos from the Freedom of Information Congress at the University of Memphis on Thursday. The event was a great success! Mara Leveritt gave a talk about media coverage and the WM3 case, and a panel discussed coverage further afterward. The panel included panelists (from left to right in photos) Lorri Davis, myself, Holly Ballard, Henry Stokes, Dan Stidham and Mara Leveritt.