Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory

Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory (2011)

Directed by: Joe Berlinger, Bruce Sinofsky

Stars: Jessie Misskelley Jr, Jason Baldwin, Damien Echols, John Mark Byers and Terry Hobbs

Being that this is the final film of the Paradise Lost trilogy, it feels bittersweet. I have watched the West Memphis Three started out as teenagers who are now in their mid-30s. It was heartbreaking to me that these three innocent men are still behind bars, even though the original judge that presiding over their trailer, David Burnett have denied their appeals numerous times.

The movie goes back to the side of the three men saying that they are innocent, even though they went down a similar path with Revelations as accusing another stepfather of the murdered boys saying that he might be involved, Terry Hobbs. I did not want to get into what was discussed, but it might be possible that he could have done it.

This film showed the new evidence that was not available back in 1994 when the trials were going on. there was evidence that showed the Byers was not mutilated by a knife, but by a wild animal that found the bodies. New DNA evidence showed that a hair belonging to Terry Hobbs was on the shoelaces that was found of the boys. None of the DNA from the WM3 was found on the victims.

The one person that was vocal about making the WM3 die is now stomping for their release, John Mark Byers. he is adamant that the WM3 should be released.

You would think that the new evidence that was introduced would grant the men a new trial, but it doesn't. They have to go into huge hurdles in order to get their convictions overturned. Luck was on their side as Burnett was not assigned to their case.

I won't tell you what happens at the end, but I felt that the WM3 have gotten a raw deal. I felt duped. Really? It reinforces the fact that the justice system is broken. This is it on the screen. Shown in its full un-glory. When I finished watching the film, I was aggravated. These three innocent men have gotten a raw deal. Their youth was taken away from them and the state of Arkansas took a huge shit on them. This makes me question, how could take have happened? It makes me question the validity of the judicial system as it is today.

My Rating: