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Ellington: Money a factor in 'West Memphis 3' deal

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Updated: 4/18/2012 11:36 am

Published: 4/18/2012 11:36 am

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — Prosecutor and congressional hopeful Scott Ellington says costs to the state and potential juror misconduct factored into his decision to agree to the deal that freed the three men convicted in the murders of three Cub Scouts in 1993.

Ellington said Wednesday that concerns about the cost to the state if the three men known as the "West Memphis Three" were acquitted factored into his decision to support the deal. The three were released in August under a plea deal whereby their original convictions were set aside and they pleaded guilty to lesser charges.

Ellington, a Democrat running for an east Arkansas congressional seat, spoke with attorneys for the three men at a panel discussion on the case at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock's Bowen School of Law.

Associated Press

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Butch54 - 4/18/2012 4:39 PM

1 Vote

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Well I'm not the brain storm my mother wanted but I'm not stupid either. What this tells me is the coward didn't he had a case he could get a conviction on. No proof in the pudding. I would have either took it back to court and fought it. Having a full set that is the right thing to do. That was the way to have kept it clear. They would have either been cleared or convicted. I think that would have been the end of this. This guy was a stinking coward. Not only was it an injustice to them, but it was a wrong to us. I hope he ends up digging taters somewhere. That fits his mentality.

jreppoh - 4/18/2012 12:18 PM

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I never believed that these boys did it. I am happy that they were released. It is a real shame that someone got away with murder. I too think that the police messed it up.

suavedaddy - 4/18/2012 12:13 PM

2 Votes

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Arkansas owes those guys. They were in a hurry to get a conviction...Judge Burnett should be ashamed and resign and then he should drop dead......

lrdawg - 4/18/2012 12:08 PM

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@dilliagaf, not only the judicial system is at fault, the West Memphis police mishandled this whole thing from the start. Personally, I don't think the WM3 did it. There's no real evidence that linked those three to the crime.

dilligaf - 4/18/2012 11:46 AM

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What a joke this has been. Its sad, no, tragic, that the truth about the three boys that were killed that day will never be known. It will never be known because of pisspoor handling of this case from the beginning to the end. Our judicial system is in such shambles, and it will never get better as long as there are bleeding hearts that care more for the criminals than the victims and victims families. What a shame.

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