So many years ago, probably around 2010 or 2013, my sister gifted me some true crime novels she thought I would be interested in. They were added to my quickly growing pile of "To Be Read" books that I very clearly never got around to. This book is actually about a notorious trial of The Memphis Three, a trial that found 3 teens guilty of murder with literally zero actual evidence. This book was written in 1993, around the time when the sentence was actually applied.
I actually just recently found out about this case after falling down a rabbit hole about the Dixie Chicks conspiracy because one of the singers spoke out on behalf of the teens in 2001 or so. So I did a Google search and realized this was actually a huge deal and I'm surprised I hadn't heard of it before. There are three movies called Paradise Lost (with various subtitles) which were released in 1993, 2001, and 2012 respectively.
Reading this book after watching all three movies is interesting. Not only because I know how the story "ends" if you will, but also just the time shock, which is only further proven by statements such as, "Under Arkansas law, Luminol test results are not admissible in court because they are considered unreliable, suggestive, and highly prejudicial." A lot of reviews on Goodreads rate this book as 1 Star simply because of it's bias. Upon finishing the book, I don't know where people got the idea that there was a bias at all. I feel that this book was far more in depth that the "Paradise Lost" documentary, and it had accounts for many more people, which only went to show how confusing this case was and how insubstantial the evidence was.
For a true crime novel, I actually found this one more enjoyable to read than most. Of course, it's strange reading a book that is 20 years old about a case that has already been revisited and resolved, but regardless I'm glad I got this additional point of view on the case. Since I'm prone to falling down rabbit holes, I will also be trying to find interviews on YouTube and will be watching the film "The Devil's Knot" soon enough, and hopefully I'll find a way to watch "West of Memphis" soon, too.
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