MEMPHIS, TN (abc24.com) — HBO filmmakers have documented the case of the West Memphis 3 for nearly two decades.
On Sunday, November 6, 2011, a piece of that documentary premiered at the Indie Memphis Film Festival. It's the third installment of the original film "Paradise Lost." This one is entitled "Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory."
abc24.com spoke with Jason Baldwin, one of the West Memphis 3, at the premiere. He told us it’s difficult to watch the film as he relives those memories.
Baldwin says even after being locked up for 18 years, it's not over and the real killers are still out there.
Not everyone is happy with all the Hollywood attention.
This past August the men known as the West Memphis 3 were set free in part because of international attention.
"I'm just so thankful that the films were put together," said Baldwin during the premiere.
Three HBO documentary films told the story of the West Memphis three and how they were accused of the murder of three West Memphis cub scouts in 1993.
“We definitely felt like these 3 guys were innocent and were not treated properly by the justice system. So we thought it was an opportunity to shine a light both on their case, but hopefully on the justice system more broadly,” said the film’s producer Jonathan Silberg.
In a legal maneuver, Echols, Baldwin, and Misskelley plead guilty and were freed for time served. The third film took 7 years to produce. Baldwin says the movie may be over but the case keeps moving forward.
"It's not the end yet. There's still a process that is still going,” said Baldwin. “I want to know who murdered those boys. I want them to be found and brought to justice."
As for the parents of the three boys who were murdered, it's far from over.
“I still can't sleep, especially now,” said Steve Branch. His son was one of the cub scouts murdered. “I was just starting to deal with it when they were set free. I can’t sleep anymore knowing they're out here and there's nothing I can do about it."
Branch believes they are killers. He's angry about their freedom and their Hollywood fame.
“Just because somebody has movie producers, TV stars and high profile lawyers do not make them right,” said Branch. “What they did was wrong. They shouldn't have ever let the West Memphis 3 go."
Jason Baldwin says the outside world is wonderful and has been a blessing. He lives on the west coast, he's learning how to drive and works in construction. He says he keeps in touch with Echols and Misskelley and takes it one day at time.
"Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory" premieres on HBO in January 2012.
