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OK, so maybe we’re a little addicted to crime dramas, but when we finally rented HBO’s acclaimed Paradise Lost documentaries last year they literally changed our life. We’ve been following the plight of the West Memphis Three ever since.
To give you some background: Damien Echols, Jessie Misskelley and Jason Baldwin were once three young boys in rural Arkansas who happened to listen to heavy metal and wear black. Shortly after three eight-year-old boys were found mutilated and murdered in their small town of West Memphis, local newspapers stated the killers had been caught. The police assured the public that the three teenagers in custody were definitely responsible for the murders.
These same police officers allegedly coerced an error-filled "confession" from Jessie Misskelley, who happens to be 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, Baldwin and Echols were all convicted of murder in early 1994.
Image: Damien Echols in prison
Although there was no physical evidence, murder weapon, motive or connection to the victims, the prosecution 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. Sounds crazy, right? Echols was sentenced to death, Baldwin received life without parole and Misskelley got life plus 40 years.
The three boys (now men) still sit in prison, including Damien Echols who has managed to stay incredibly busy writing a new book, maintaining a MySpace page (who doesn't have one these days?) and collaborating with San Francisco artist Anne Reagan on collages that will be auctioned off at 111 Minna tonight with proceeds going toward his defense fund.
Echols is not allowed any art supplies in prison, so his work is often created with whatever materials he can scrounge, including coffee and old magazines.
This one-night-only event includes music, speaking, and poetry readings by good ol’ Henry Rollins, veteran rocker Jonathan Richman and this SFist's personal favorite, sexy mop-headed former Supervisor Matt Gonzalez.
There will also be more than 30 other artists’ works up for auction, including Winston Smith, Shepard Fairey and Jeffrey Brown. So show up, get drunk, buy some art and feel satisfied that you've done your good deed for the year.
Gallery open for viewing 12 – 6 p.m., Reception and auction at 6 p.m..
Minimum 15 dollar donation at the door
111 Minna Gallery
415.974.1719
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