For Immediate Release: "3 for the 3" Benefit Concert Series

In honor of the national West Memphis 3 awareness week, New England based punk/metal band MONGREL (Screaming Ferret Wreckords / Locomotive Records) has teamed up with south shore Massachusetts heavy rock/metal favorites SCARECROW HILL and NJ based electronic/rock band END OF AN ERA to present the "3 for the 3" weekend May 30th, May 31st, and June 1st. All 3 bands, along with special guests on each show, will be playing 3 all ages benefit shows that weekend with all proceeds going to the West Memphis 3 legal defense fund.

The official WM3.org website provides this brief overview of the case:

Shortly after three eight-year-old boys were found mutilated and murdered in West Memphis, Arkansas, local newspapers stated the killers had been caught. The police assured the public that the three teenagers in custody were definitely responsible for these horrible crimes. Evidence?

The same police officers coerced an error-filled "confession" from Jessie Misskelley Jr., who is mentally handicapped. They subjected him to 12 hours of questioning without counsel or parental consent, audio-taping only two fragments totaling 46 minutes. Jessie recanted it that evening, but it was too late— Misskelley, Jason Baldwin and Damien Echols were all arrested on June 3, 1993, and convicted of murder in early 1994.

Although there was no physical evidence, murder weapon, motive, or connection to the victims, the prosecution pathetically resorted to presenting black hair and clothing, heavy metal t-shirts, and Stephen King novels as proof that the boys were sacrificed in a satanic cult ritual. Unfathomably, Echols was sentenced to death, Baldwin received life without parole, and Misskelley got life plus 40.

For over 14 years, The West Memphis Three have been imprisoned for crimes they didn’t commit. Echols waits in solitary confinement for the lethal injection our tax dollars will pay for. They were all condemned by their poverty, incompetent defense, satanic panic and a rush to judgment.

Now coming up on the 15 year anniversary of the imprisonment of these three men there is finally hope as due to increasing public awareness, fund raising, and finally the testing of DNA and forensic evidence to set the record right. With further awareness and fund raising events such as these benefit shows justice may finally be served. MONGREL, SCARECROW HILL, and END OF AN ERA hope that you will join them and other area bands to help raise money for the legal fight ahead and awareness about the case.

"3 for the 3" weekend:

Friday, May 30th - The Beal House in Kingston, MA
featuring: Scarecrow Hill, Mongrel, End of an Era, Hostile Ground, Hollow Image, and Shadows Smile. $12, all ages, 5pm.

Saturday, May 31st - St. Lawrence Hall in Ipswich, MA
featuring: Mongrel, Scarecrow Hill, End of an Era, Terror in the Midnight Sun, Jimi Half-Dead & the Die-Alongs, To Speak in Silence, and more tba. $10, all ages, 2-10pm

Sunday, June 1st - Tammany Hall in Worcester, MA
featuring: Mongrel, Scarecrow Hill, End of an Era, Corpse Thriller, Hollow Image, Widow Sunday, and more tba. $10, all ages, 2-8pm

limited edition event t-shirts will be available at all 3 shows, while supplies last for only $10 with all proceeds going to the WM3 legal defense fund.

related links:
Mongrel - mongrelband.com
Scarecrow Hill - myspace.com/scarecrowhill
End of an Era - myspace.com/endofanera01
West Memphis 3 - wm3.org


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for more information about the case please visit wm3.org
for more information about these events, press passes, interview requests, etc. please contact Adam Savage at: MongrelBand@yahoo.com

the Devil's Knot book is also excellent as an insight into the "trials" and is bound to infuriate anyone who believes in a real justice system.

amazon.com/devils-knot-story-...

no problem. the paradise lost movies are a great introduction to the case, the devil's knot book will really get someone pissed off about the case though