There might be a gag order, but Steve Branch (father of Stevie Branch who was murdered) doesn’t care according to WREG-TV.
Steve Branch, father of WM3 victim Stevie Branch: “There’s supposed to be a gag order on this but they’re not going to gag me. They can put me in jail if they want to. I’ll go to jail to stand up for my son’s rights.”
Branch says that two of the West Memphis 3 (Damien Echols, Jessie Misskelly Jr., and Jason Baldwin) who were found guilty of killing Stevie Branch, Michael Moore, and Christopher Byers will be released on Friday after they make confessions to killing the three small boys in 1993. (UPDATE: All three men have been released upon entering guilty pleas).
Two of the WM3 will be released included Echols who was sentenced to death. The others had life sentences with Misskelly have two additional 20 year sentences tacked onto that.
DNA evidence done in 2007 was unable to tie the WM3 to the crime. However, the court found the DNA results inconclusive.
The case has been the center of controversy over the last 15 years with many celebrities joining the cause to have the West Memphis 3 released. Celebs to support the WM3 over the years have included Johnny Depp, Henry Rollins, and Pearl Jam.
UPDATE: The WM3 are in the Jonesboro, Arkansas courtroom. So is Pearl Jam’s Eddie Vedder. There are two vans waiting outside the courthouse to take the WM3 away. The guilty confessions are being made and signed. All three men have now been released from prison and are free.
From the Commercial Appeal(read full article):
Damien Echols, Jason Baldwin and Jessie Misskelley stood before Circuit Court Judge David Laser and entered the guilty pleas while maintaining their innocence in the case.
They were given credit for time served and a 10-year suspended sentence for their pleas in an agreement with prosecutors.
All three defendants showed little emotion during the 30-minute hearing, answering the questions posed to them by Judge Laser. All three were dressed in suits, Misskelley the only one wearing a tie.
Per the Commercial Appeal’s Marc Perrusquia (on Twitter): HBO filmmaker Bruce Sinofsky (‘Paradise Lost’): “I’m glad the films helped keep Damien alive.” #wm3
More from Marc:
Ellington: “These defendants, the stat believes, could very easily have been acquitted.” #wm3
Ellington cited stale evidence, deaths of witnesses and new DNA evidence ad reasons for deal. #wm3
Damien Echols at press conference: “I’m being released for a crime I didn’t commit!”
“It’s been a living hell!” – Echols (who was on Death Row)
“There aren’t out there trying to find who really killed those boys.” – Baldwin
“They wouldn’t be able to pull the same tricks.” – Echols (on if a new trial would have taken place)
Lorri Davis Echols, Damien’s wife, was thanked profusely by Damien for her tireless work in helping secure his release.
Baldwin wanted to fight it and not plead guilty, but he said he knew that Echols had it so rough that he was willing to do whatever to go along to make all of their releases possible.
Echols at the press conference was dressed in a dark suit jacked, blue shirt, dark rimmed eye glasses, with his hair styled like Johnny Depp, who was a big supporter of helping get the West Memphis Three freed over the years.
No travel restrictions have been placed upon the WM3 releases. The men ARE NOT on probation. They can travel and go as they free. The men will likely make a large sum of money via book, talk show, and movie deals (at some point).
The men came across very well and believable in the press conference.
Agree or disagree?
They will do anything to prevent images and/or footage from being leaked before the Kim 
