Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory (2011)

Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory: Directed by Joe Berlinger, Bruce Sinofsky. With Gary Gitchell, Todd Moore, Dana Moore, Pam Hobbs. A further followup of the case of the West Memphis Three and the decades long fight to exonerate them that finally gained traction with new DNA evidence.

“The filmmakers return to update the case of the West Memphis Three. In 1993, three boys Steve Branch, Michael Moore, and Christopher Byers were murdered in the woods. In 1994, three older boys Damien Wayne Echols, Jason Baldwin, and Jessie Misskelley were convicted for those crimes. The first half of this movie basically recaps the first two documentaries. John Mark Byers, stepfather of Christopher Byers, makes peace with Echols and is now convinced of their innocence. In turn, Echols apologizes for accusing John. For me, the most damning is the accusation against the jury foreman Kent Arnold. There is new DNA evidence against Terry Hobbs, Steve Branchu0026#39;s stepfather, but itu0026#39;s not that convincing for me. The Three is able to win a legal victory and after their judge moved on as a State Senator, the guys finally accepted an Alford plea essentially guilty but maintaining their innocence. u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eIs this justice? Itu0026#39;s hard to say. The most obvious problem for the justice system and this movie as a drama is that nobody is in prison for the boysu0026#39; murders. For a documentary, thatu0026#39;s always the limitation. The real world doesnu0026#39;t always have a neat happy ending. They are able to point the finger at Terry Hobbs but the second movie pointed the finger at Byers. There is nothing done against the various people who did harm against justice in this case. It is able to wrap up the odyssey of the West Memphis Three but justice for the murders may never be done.”