Offered is an original handwritten letter from Damien Echols, written during his years on death row in Arkansas. Echols was one of the West Memphis Three, convicted in 1994 in connection with the 1993 murders of three eight-year-old boys in West Memphis, Arkansas. He spent approximately 18 years incarcerated, including years under a death sentence, before being released in 2011 after entering an Alford plea.
This multi-page handwritten correspondence provides a rare firsthand glimpse into Echols’ thoughts and experiences while incarcerated. Written entirely by hand on lined notebook paper, the letter discusses a variety of personal subjects, including life behind bars, correspondence, books, and his circumstances while serving his sentence.
COA included
Damien Echols is an American author and former death-row prisoner who became internationally known as one of the West Memphis Three. In 1994, Echols was convicted, along with Jason Baldwin and Jessie Misskelley Jr., in connection with the 1993 murders of three eight-year-old boys in West Memphis, Arkansas. Echols was sentenced to death, while Baldwin and Misskelley received life sentences.
Echols maintained his innocence throughout his incarceration and spent approximately 18 years behind bars, including more than a decade on death row. In 2011, the three men were released after entering Alford pleas, allowing them to maintain their claims of innocence while acknowledging that prosecutors had sufficient evidence to secure convictions.
