paradise cured (SPOILERS - I guess)

For those unaware, in 1993, Damien Echols, Jason Baldwin and Jessie Misskelley, known as the West Memphis Three, were convicted of murdering three children in the Robin Hood Hills area of West Memphis, Arkansas. The case was documented in the HBO film Paradise Lost: The Child Murders at Robin Hood Hill and its sequel, Paradise Lost 2: Revelations, two films that, despite their highly upsetting nature, I highly recommend. The case became a cause célèbre for a number of celebrities, notably Metallica and Eddie Vedder, who maintained the innocence of the three teenagers. In all honesty, I didn't really give a shit about said celebrity support, given that I really don't care for any of them, until I saw this headline today on Pitchfork (groan):

The Cure Lend Guitar to West Memphis Three Auction

Now those are some celebrities I can get behind, despite the fact that Robert Smith is, well, kind of disturbing looking these days. Or at least moreso than he used to. Also, I think Damien Echols would make a really good Robert Smith. In heavier news, I feel I should state right now that I am by no means convinced of the innocence of the West Memphis Three, but it's easy to believe them when this guy was a suspect:



It doesn't really come across in the picture, but John Mark Byers, stepfather of one of the victims, is a seriously creepy person, terrifying even, and his presence in the documentaries is alone enough to make for mandatory viewing.

UPDATE: Upon reading the surprisingly extensive Wikipedia entry on the murders, I learned that Byers has apparently changed his stance and is now convinced of the innocence of the West Memphis Three. For anyone who's witnessed his borderline-psychotic behavior in the movies, this is a rather shocking development. Also, he's writing a book, and there's a chance for a film biography starring, yes, Brad fucking Pitt. That is seriously twisted in an absolutely amazing way. Also, he has a myspace page. Praise Allah!