Crowd awaits word of deal in West Memphis murder case

 From left Jason Baldwin, Jessie Misskelley and Damien Echols, all convicted in 1994 of brutally murdering a trio of 8-year-old boys.
From left Jason Baldwin, Jessie Misskelley and Damien Echols, all convicted in 1994 of brutally murdering a trio of 8-year-old boys.

A crowd was gathered outside the Craighead County Courthouse on Friday awaiting word of a possible plea agreement that will release the three men convicted of the murder of three West Memphis boys in 1993.

Some in the crowd applauded as Lorri Davis, Damien Echols’ wife, entered the courthouse. Pearl Jam front man Eddie Vedder also traveled to Jonesboro for the hearing.

Damien Echols' mother told reporters she believes her son will be freed after a hearing Friday.

Damien Echols' mother arrives at court

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Damien Echols, Jesse Misskelley and Jason Baldwin have been imprisoned since being convicted in the 1993 slayings of Boy Scouts Stevie Branch, Michael Moore, and Christopher Byers.

Uniformed sheriff’s deputies tried to sort through the chaos Friday as hundreds of people — spectators, reporters, supporters — filled the hallway outside the courtroom. Officials called for quiet among those waiting to attend the public hearing scheduled for later in the morning as a private hearing began at 10 a.m.

Read tomorrow's Arkansas Democrat-Gazette for full details.

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Information for this article was contributed by The Associated Press.

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