The Memphis Three and Casey Anthony

The West Memphis Three and Casey Anthony

I have always enjoyed the true crime genre in movies and books. Truman Capote’s, In Cold Blood is still one of my favorites on both video and in books. Robert Blake was spectacular in his portrayal of Perry Smith in the film version.

I have recently been reading the novel, The Devil’s Knot by Mara Leveritt. After reading the book I couldn’t help thinking about the Casey Anthony case. There are several similarities and differences in the two cases. Both were considered to be extraordinary cases for their times. In both crimes the victims were children who appear to have been murdered under loathsome circumstances. The accused suspects were both considered to be unlikeable characters.

Casey was a key suspect due to her unusual behavior during the thirty days that her daughter was reported missing. Damien Echols of the West Memphis Three was known to have studied both about the occult and the wicca religion. Damien was thought of as an unusual, troubled teenager who had an interest in Anton LaVey and Alistair Crowley. These attributes and circumstances did not endear either Casey or Damien to the general public or to the jurors.

Both crime scenes were in wooded areas.

Law enforcement personnel had circumstantial evidence in both cases but their physical evidence pointing to the suspects difficult to prove.