Prevent This Tragedy

Album: Crimson (2005)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This song is about The West Memphis 3. They were 3 men from West Memphis, Arkansas named Damien Echols, Jessie Misskelley and Jason Baldwin, who were tried and convicted for the triple homicide of 3 8-year old boys from the Robin Hood Hills in West Memphis. The victims, Steve Branch, Christopher Byers and Michael Moore were reported missing on May 5 1993. The alleged ringleader Damien Echols was sentenced to death, while Misskelley and Baldwin were sentenced to life in prison (Baldwin without the possibility of parole). It is widely believed that the 3 were wrongfully convicted of the triple homicide, seeing as the investigation was plagued by negligent police officers who failed to secure the crime scene and stored evidence in grocery bags. The trial also lacked any physical evidence and presented the facts that the 3 men liked heavy metal music and that Echols had an interest in Wicca as evidence against them. The trial was documented in the movie Paradise Lost, and several famous personalties have pushed for a retrial. >>>
    Suggestion credit:
    Chad - Andover, MN

Comments: 1

  • Jepha from Citra, FlThank you very much..I always ment to check out the site mentioned in the cd booklet...Alk3 really feels passionate for this case...I wonder why...?
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Janis Ian

Janis IanSongwriter Interviews

One of the first successful female singer-songwriters, Janis had her first hit in 1967 at age 15.

Lace the Music: How LSD Changed Popular Music

Lace the Music: How LSD Changed Popular MusicSong Writing

Starting in Virginia City, Nevada and rippling out to the Haight-Ashbury, LSD reshaped popular music.

Jimmy Jam

Jimmy JamSongwriter Interviews

The powerhouse producer behind Janet Jackson's hits talks about his Boyz II Men ballads and regrouping The Time.

Dar Williams

Dar WilliamsSongwriter Interviews

A popular contemporary folk singer, Williams still remembers the sticky note that changed her life in college.

Commercials

CommercialsFact or Fiction

Was "Ring Of Fire" really used to sell hemorrhoid cream?

Reverend Horton Heat

Reverend Horton HeatSongwriter Interviews

The Reverend rants on psychobilly and the egghead academics he bashes in one of his more popular songs.