This is a documentary, and strictly speaking there are no spoilers, because the killer was never found. Speaking of which, I first knew that "The Three Gangs of West Memphis" was in "Devil's Knot", but the plot is similar to "West Memphis", and the level of excitement may be inferior to "West Memphis", so friends who want to know about this murder can directly Watch West Memphis or Paradise Lost.
The story takes place in a poor state in the United States in 1993: West Memphis, Arkansas. Three children who went to play and ride bicycles in the forest after school went missing, their bodies were found a few days later, and the bicycles were thrown into the river. The three children sank to the bottom of the river, naked and bound by shoelaces. One of the children was brutally castrated, and three young children who were only eight years old were brutally killed and thrown into the lake. The public was in an uproar, the parents were deeply distressed, and it attracted the attention of the whole society. The police believe that this murder is related to the Evil religious worship, and used this as a clue to capture three delinquent youths at that time, they were sentenced to prison and life imprisonment.
1. The background of the murder case
The West is different from the East. They have a religious tradition. Unlike me in Greater China, friends with religious beliefs are not allowed to participate in politics and officials and are not allowed to join the party. The advantage of this is probably that most people with faith always firmly believe in holiness and always have tolerance in their hearts. People with faith often have a green lake in their hearts. The lake is crystal clear to the bottom. The green lake is surrounded by grasses and warblers in four seasons, and flowers are blooming. But everything has two sides, and religion is also ignorant. Here, it refers to cult worship.
In the United States at that time, the cult crisis spread all over the state, and this murder case that shocked the United States also made the police suspect that the murder case was related to a cult that believed in Satan, and used this as a clue to start tracking the murder suspect.
Recently, my country has also attracted the attention of the whole society due to the murder of cultists. "Almighty teaching" sounds very ridiculous, but it actually exists and is believed in society, which is closely related to people's education level and spiritual emptiness, just like there are many people who cheat in society It's easy to find people who are illiterate and empty of heart. This is probably why the police in West Memphis, Arkansas suspect that it is a cult sacrifice. This state is poor, social unrest, and evil. easy to breed.
Now, three juvenile offenders who were regarded as murderers have all been found innocent and released as guilty. Does it sound a little confusing, clearly defending their innocence, but in the end they were released because they admitted their guilt.
The strong public support in the society forced the government to make concessions, and in the end, they reached an agreement: plead guilty but acquitted. These three innocent teenagers are almost at a loss after 22 years of unjust crimes, and they will still be charged with murder for the rest of their lives.
2. Suspenseful public opinion
In this murder case, there is a force that played a major role in the conviction and release of these three teenagers: public opinion. At the beginning of the murder case, the police declared the three 16-year-olds as murderers. Although all three claimed innocence, the angry crowd marched in front of the police station with placards every day, chanting the slogan "Severely punish the murderer" , countless witnesses appeared in court and identified the three as criminal suspects, although the confessions were full of loopholes, and the government police department was under great pressure, using jury convictions, two trials, three juveniles were sentenced to death and life imprisonment.
Twenty-two years later, a similar scene was repeated. People held banners to celebrate the release of the three teenagers. Countless people sighed for the 22-year prison life of the three teenagers. Before they were released, the people spontaneously stood up for them. Defend and run around looking for evidence of their innocence.
The power and sharpness of public opinion is obvious, both in the past and in the present.
In today's society, we are always talking about democracy and public opinion. And public opinion, is it true democracy? Is it really fair that the minority obeys the majority? If so, the great sage Socrates would not have been exiled, Galileo would not have been treated as a heretic, homosexuality would not have had a hard time in society by coming out of the closet, and if it had been, the three innocent teenagers would not have been wrongfully imprisoned.
If the rights of the few are deprived of the rights of the few for the benefit of the many, is that really fair and just? If so, why should a minority be deprived of the benefit? And public opinion, what is public opinion? the will of the people. There are foolish people and wise people among the people. When the foolish people are manipulated by evil forces and make this society bloody, is the so-called public opinion correct?
These are all worth thinking about.
In "Luo Ji Thinking", the topic of democracy is discussed in "Politician Lincoln". True democracy begins when leaders change from politicians to politicians, from leading people forward, from politicians who exude the brilliance of their humanity standing on the top of the tower of power to prostrate behind the people, and with this attitude, guide the people Politicians on their way back to the real start.
Public opinion will change, and truth will not change. What today's leaders need to do is to carefully follow the people behind them, listen to their voices, and judge and guide them toward the unchanging truth.
This feeling was especially profound when I watched West Memphis. The power of the people is really great, and sometimes, it has to make people feel mean.
In "The Devil's Knot", a private detective decided to defend the three teenagers. He found the mother of one of the victims, and he said: "Now this town has lost three young children, can you bear to let the other three Is a child who has not yet grown up sacrificed again?"
Perhaps, such a sacrifice is only for the surging public opinion?
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After the three teenagers were sentenced to prison, many people began to run for them spontaneously. With the development of technology, DNA identification, and the witnesses' confessions at that time, new clues continued to emerge, all beginning to prove that the three teenagers Nothing to do with the murder. It is even more skeptical that the three boys were actually killed by murder rather than religious sacrifices. The scars on the boys' bodies were caused after death, and the lack of genitals was caused by a giant sea turtle in the river that likes to start with soft parts. .
There are different opinions, and there is no consensus.
No one can solve this unsolved case so far. I have watched two films and documentaries about this murder case, "The Devil's Knot" and "West Memphis", and I am also very confused. After all, after more than 20 years, people's memories are lost. It may not be easy to decide who is right and who is wrong. The rest is regret.
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