Ark. man convicted of killing 3 boys to make case for innocence at state Supreme Court

Ark. man to ask for new trial in child deaths

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Lawyers for one of the men convicted of killing three 8-year-old Cub Scouts in West Memphis say he should be granted a new trial because of new evidence in the case.

Attorney Dennis Riordan told the Arkansas Supreme Court on Thursday that a witness will testify that Damien Echols was somewhere else at the time of the killings. Riordan also says the state’s DNA evidence rule is flawed. The defense says DNA tests conducted after Echols was convicted shows his DNA was not found at the scene.

Echols has maintained his innocence since he was arrested for the 1993 murders of Steve Branch, Christopher Byers and Michael Moore.

The state Supreme Court upheld Echols’ conviction in 1996 but he has filed a new appeal.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP’s earlier story is below.

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — Supporters of a death row inmate convicted in the murders of three 8-year-old Cub Scouts began lining up outside the Arkansas Supreme Court more than two hours before the court was to consider whether to grant him a new trial.

Damien Echols is arguing that newly examined DNA evidence show no traces of him at the scene where the boys’ beaten bodies were found.

One of the first in line Thursday was John Mark Byers, the stepfather of victim Christopher Byers.

Byers says he wants the court to grant a new trial for Echols, who was convicted in 1994 for murdering the boys. He says Echols couldn’t have “unwrapped a Twinkie” at the crime scene without leaving behind DNA.