the so-called west memphis three were abruptly granted their freedom. something that would have been very hard to believe when i first met one of them on death row just last year. >> between the rain and the overcast skies it looks really bleak out here. nothing around but farm lands and small towns, probably for the last 20 miles. penitentiary area, beware of hitchhikers. that suggests that people might actually escape from this place. but this prison is the super max of arkansas, the worst of the worst go to this prison. and at the time of his conviction, no one was considered worse than damien echols. judged as the leader of a grotesque and senseless ritualistic murder spree, a jury of his peers sent him here to be executed. but that was 17 years ago. the once cocky and defiant teenager who horrified and enraged thousands of people is now pushing 40. escorted to our interview, handcuffed and shackled, the damien echols i see appears frail, lonely, and eager to tell his story. >> you know, people are going to be watching you throughout this interview,

none of it is a match to the imprisoned west memphis three. and in fact, the dna points in a different direction. >> i don't think they would have let them walk free if they didn't understand that this would be a very powerful defense. because not only would the prosecutors have a very difficult time linking these three to the crime, the defense could very legitimately point to someone else, someone specific, and say it's more likely that he did it than my clients. >> reporter: which brings us to today. in one of the most shocking and even confusing exoneraraons seen in a u.s. courtroom, the west memphis three would be allowed to walk out of prison, but prosecutors agreed to sign off on the deal only if the defendants would plead guilty. >> guilty plea today. >> guilty. >> i am pleading guilty. >> normally a judge will say you can plead guilty but you need to tell me what you did, you need to say that you did it. this is different. >> this is totally different. this is the defendants saying almost with a wink and a nod, yeah, we'll plead guilt

crime and punishment the west memphis three tonight. first isha sesay. >> reporter: you have to see it to believe it, and even then a baby in a sfroeler in the back of a pickup. and wait until you hear what the babysitter said about it. that and much more when 360 >>> syria today, 23 killings >>> syria today, 23 killings today alone. in a moment you'll hear from a top syrian diplomat who says that security forces are there to protect protestors, not mo them down with gunfire. he says we have it all wrong tharkts world has it all wrong. we're keeping them honest tonight the best possible way with a first-hand account from somebody who says syrian authorities are hunting us like animals. he spent the day not in hiding but in this. [ screaming ] [ gunfire ] >> just as you see it here. wave after wave of gunfire directed at people chanting "god is great "and throwing rocks shouting "unbeliever" the people target them. syrian state tv says armed men opened fire on friday worshippers with peacekeeping forces and were arrested. that's been the

crime and punishment the west memphis three tonight. first isha sesay. >> reporter: you have to see it to believe it, and even then a baby in a sfroeler in the back of a pickup. and wait until you hear what the babysitter said about it. that and much more when 360 continues. [ waves crashing ] [ martin luther king jr. ] i still have a dream that one day on the red hills of georgia, the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood. i have a dream today! [ male announcer ] chevrolet is honored to celebrate the unveiling of the washington, d.c., martin luther king jr. memorial. take your seat at the table on august 28th. [ male announcer ] they'll see you...before you see them. cops are cracking down on drinking and riding. drive sober, or get pulled over. >>> syria today, 23 killings today alone. in a moment you'll hear from a top syrian diplomat who says that security forces are there to protect protestors, not mo them down with gunfire. he says we have it all wro

today, why the men known as the west memphis three walked free. >>> and san francisco's interim mayor was a no show of sort last night at the debate. why he went bar hopping instead. >>> and the positives of plastic. the last-minute change to some california textbooks about the virtues of plastic bags. >>> and good afternoon, i'm chief meteorologist jeff ranieri. a lotren hen i of sunshine dow the southay.ouay but temperatures -- talk about mild. well below average with already 52348 san francisco and 75 in sunnyvale, we'll talk more about this cooling trend coming up. >>> there's been a dramatic development in the case of three arkansas men known as the west memphis three. two decades ago they were teenager convicted of killing three cub scouts in what police and prosecutors described as a satanic ritual. after their lawyers presented some new dna evidence, the three men were set free today. but there's a catch -- here's nbc's chris clackum. >> reporter: free for the first time in 18 years, the west memphis three met with the media just moments after their release. as defiant as ever

. ♪ >>> the convicted killers known as the west memphis three are in a jonesboro courtroom this morning. there are live pictures of a crowd gathered outside that court, and they are waiting for word on whether the three will be released. there's a hearing to determine whether they should get a new trial as well. however, some sort of plea deal apparently has been struck or is being negotiated. the three men may be walking out free today. >>> here is a rundown of some of the stories we're working on. next, what do the markets need to hear to calm things down? and then two days after she walked off the set of cnn's piers morgan tonight, christine o'donnell has more to say. >>> and then a heart patient makes a drastic change when she was told she needed surgery. hear dr. sanjay gupta's story about a lesson we all could learn. >>> and alison kosik is at the new york stock exchange with another update. alison? >> compared to yesterday, it's like the markets are taking a bit of a breather today. volatility is still king. at the hopi opening bell, the d fell and then rose. it is a headline-dri

crime and punishment, the west memphis three. isha? >>> you have to see it to believe it, and even then, a baby in a stroller in the back of a pickup. and wait until you hear what the babysitter said about it. that and much more when "360" continues. [ waves crashing ] [ martin luther king jr. ] i still have a dream that one day on the red hills of georgia, the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood. i have a dream today! [ male announcer ] chevrolet is honored to celebrate the unveiling of the washington, d.c., martin luther king jr. memorial. take your seat at the table on august 28th. but i did. they said i couldn't fight above my weight class. but i did. they said i couldn't get elected to congress. but i did. now i'm trying to make it in music. ♪ sometimes when we touch ha ha! millions of hits! [ male announcer ] the new hp touchpad starting at $399.99. ♪ sure, but let me get a little information first. for broccoli, say one. for toys, say two. to

crime and punishment, the west memphis three. isha? >>> you have to see it to believe it, and even then, a baby in a stroller in the back of a pickup. and wait until you hear what the babysitter said about it. that and much more when "360" continues. every time a local business opens its doors or creates another laptop bag or hires another employee, it's not just good for business -- it's good for the entire community. at bank of america, we know the impact that local businesses have on communities, so we're helping them with advice from local business experts and extending $18 billion in credit last year. that's how we're helping set opportunity in motion. whether it can be done safely and responsibly. at exxonmobil we know the answer is yes. when we design any well, the groundwater's protected by multiple layers of steel and cement. most wells are over a mile and a half deep so there's a tremendous amount of protective rock between the fracking operation and the groundwater. natural gas is critical to our future. at exxonmobil we rec

they've been known as the west memphis three. they were teenagers when a jury convicted them of the 1993 killings of three young boys, but over the year, the doubts gr grew. damien echols was on death row before a maneuver set him and his companions free. >> they came in with ghost story, rumors. innuendo, things that had nothing to do with the case whatsoever. and they know now the whole world was watching, they would have to come with some sort of concrete physical evidence, and they didn't have any. >> david mattingly has long been covering this case. this hearing was a bit of a surprise. take us inside the courtroom when the west memphis free will be free. >> reporter: well, this was a small courtroom, absolutely packed. there was about 15 to 20 armed officers in that room to to maintain order. there were families abandmember both the west memphis three and for the young boys who were killed. when the judge started explaining all the twists and turns behind this complex legal agreement, everyone slowly was able to hear that t

they were called the west memphis three, convicted of murdering three cub scouts in west memphis, arkansas, in 1993 despite any physical evidence linking them to the crime. after years of fighting for freedom, they were released today in a very unusual plea deal. erin moriarty of "48 hours mystery" has been on this story for four years. >> my name is damien echols, i am 36 years old and released today from death row for a crime i did not commit. >> reporter: arkansas death row inmate damien echols got his life back today. as part of an unusual plea agreement, echoles and two other convicted men-- jason baldwin and jessie misskelley-- were released from prison. >> this has been going on for over 18 years and it's been an absolute living hell. >> reporter: 17 years ago, damien echols was sentenced to death. the other two were given life. jason baldwin. >> and we didn't tell nothing but the truth, that we were innocent, and they sent us to prison for the rest of our lives for it. >> reporter: known as the west memphis three, the men were teenagers in 1994 when they were convicted of killing t

and it's no longer free the west memphis 3. it's the west memphis 3 is free. it's really, really an important thing. i had to call my kids, everybody's been on pins and needles the last couple of days. to see these guys embracing each other is just wonderful. >> i know, it's nothing -- nothing could be greater for a filmmaker to see real world change. we've stuck with this story for 18 years. three films and the fact that there's finally a result. you know, it's just very rewarding. >> damien echols himself, as you know -- >> 17, 18 years, i've marked many of the passages of my life thinking wow, i've had one child, i've had two children. they've gone to high school. all while thinking about these guys are rotting in prison on death row. you think about this case, talk about this case all the time and the fact that it's finally has a resolution is just very emotional for us. >> then specifically, damien, echols, talking about this gift here. he essentially says in your one your films that your documentaries saved his life. if people haven't seen this, i want t

now the three men dubbed the west memphis three convicted of pruittly killing three young boys in west memphis, arkansas, walk away today free men. the court made a ruling just a couple of hours ago. prosecutors argued that jason baldwin, damien echols and jessie misskelley, jr. who you see here. these are old photos were driven by satanic ritual, that they hogtied these three boys with shoelaces and mutilated their bodies before tossing them in a ditch. but this case has gotten national attention. even like eddie vetter and the dixie chicks and johnny depp were rallying for their release. why? because of what investigators could not do. which is provide direct evidence that tied the three men to the boys' murders. dna evidence later failed to link the men to the crime. i want to go straight to jonesboro, arkansas, now where david mattingly is standing by outside the courthouse. david, this case has gotten so much attention, not the least of which because -- the conviction, rather, was not overturned and yet, they were set free. so explain to us exactly how this happened. >> reporter:

let us know what happens. >> thank you, sir. >>> ahead the west memphis three. freed from prison the same day they pleaded guilty to murdering three children. little-known legal strategy that allowed that to happen. >>> but first flash flooding in pennsylvania. a mother and her children die when their car is swept off of the road. with the blow dryer and the flat iron until i see smoke. so pantene said, "breakage and split ends? no problem." they gave me this pantene called breakage to strength. [ female announcer ] the keratin protection pro-v system helps prevent then repair split ends. zero fear of breakage, 100% more strength. no regrets, just health. i'm not giving up the heat. [ female announcer ] the breakage to strength system from pantene. the nascar nationwide series, [ female announcer ] the breakage to strength system i know pleasing fans is a top priority, 'cause without the fans, there'd be no nascar. just like if it weren't for customers, there'd be no nationwide. that's why they serve their customers' needs, not shareholder profits. because as a

. >>> up next, the west memphis three, freed from prison the same day they pleaded guilty to murdering three children. the little known legal strategy that allowed them to go free. >>> and a deadly tornado strike in the midwest. and the severe weather is not over yet. that one day on the red hills of georgia, the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood. i have a dream today! [ male announcer ] chevrolet is honored to celebrate the unveiling of the washington, d.c., martin luther king jr. memorial. take your seat at the table on august 28th. discover aveeno positively radiant tinted moisturizers with scientifically proven soy complex and natural minerals. give you sheer coverage instantly, then go on to even skin tone in four weeks. aveeno tinted moisturizers. the nascar nationwide series, in four weeks. i know pleasing fans is a top priority, 'cause without the fans, there'd be no nascar. just like if it weren't for customers, there'd be no nationwide. that's why they serve their customers' needs, not share

one of the big story we want to you about is another development in the case of the west memphis three in prison nearly 20 years for the murders of three 8-year-old boys in arkansas. it's a controversial case and all three men have said they are innocent. now we are told some of them could be freed later today. after making a deal with prosecutors. erin moriarty has been following this case and we will talk about that coming up. >>> a live look at the numbers. on thursday the dow jones industrials finished below 11,000 as worried traders rushed to find safe havens for their money. rebecca jarvis is at the new york stock exchange this morning. >> reporter: things opened lower by more than a hundred points. the stock market has cut some of the losses in the united states and things in the united states, as far as stocks are concerned, are looking better than their counterparts in europe and asia and overnight traded significantly lower. >> what is this volatility about? is it just that people are scared to see what is happening overseas or is there more to it? >> reporter: first of all,

the men who came to be known as the west memphis three have always insisted they did not commit a brutal triple murder. and now, a stunning decision to let them walk out the door. here's abc's jim avila. >> reporter: nearly two decades after they were convicted of murdering three boy scouts, hogtied and left in a ditch, and four years after abc news first broke word of dna evidence that could exonerate them, today, the west memphis three walked free. >> it's been an absolute living hell. >> reporter: three outcasts with mullets and dark clothing who dabbled in the occult. damien echols. jessie miskelley. and jason baldwin. teenagers then, in their mid-30s today. convicted in what many labeled a literal witch hunt. no physical evidence against them. >> we were innocent and they sent us to prison for the rest of our lives. >> reporter: damien echols was sentenced to death, but then, a long road to redemption. three documentaries produced by hbo and dna tests from hair found on the v vtims that did not match the jailed men. the hair belonged to someone else. and since e e trial, witnesses h

the west memphis three were arrested and convicted of those murders. but now as you just said, they have been released, but despite that the district attorney said they did get the right people and the case is closed. the men known as the west memphis three in court almost two decades after juries found them guilty of the horrific murders of three cub scouts. they each pled guilty while professing their innocence. >> your honor, i am innocent of these charges. >> reporter: then they were set free. >> this was not justice. >> reporter: in an exclusive interview with "today", just released jason baldwin claimed law enforcement pinned the case on them in part because of how they looked. >> we were penniless, poor teenagers who listened to rock or had extreme hair styles. >> reporter: but he says he agreed to plea to save codefendant damion echols who was on death row. >> when we went to trial the first time they came in with ghost stories, rumors, things that had nothing to do with the case whatsoever. they knew the whole world was watching. >> reporter:

the west memphis three go free, but not free of the word murderer. >> it is not perfect. it is not perfect by any means. but at least it brings closure to some areas and some aspects. we can still bring up new evidence and continue the investigations we have been doing. we can still try to clear our names. the only difference is now we can do it from the outside instead of having to sit in prison and do it. >> after their entire young adult lives spent in prison, what next? they have the support of celebrities like pearl jam's eddie vedder who was inside the courtroom when they were set free. they also have the relentless hatred of some of the families of the murdered children. in this outbifrurst yells out t the youth that he's opening a pandora's box. >> i don't think it will make the pain go away to the victims' families. he don't think it will make the pain go away to the defendant families. i don't think it will take away a minute of the 18 years that these three young men served in the arkansas department of corrections. >> reporter: prosecutors say the case is clos

. >>> following developments this year in the case of the west memphis three. a source close to the case telling cnn's david mattingly, convicted child killers could go free after a court hearing today. damien echols, jesse misskelley and jason baldwin have spent the past 18 years behind bars for the murders of three arkansas cub scouts. the case has drawn national attention with supporters including numerous celebrities claiming the men were wrongly convicted. the men have always maintained their innocence. >>> a father and son from pennsylvania behind bars this morning accused of conducting a month-long campaign to threaten sarah palin and her family. craig and shawn christy have been indicted by an alaska grand jury. they allegedly ignored a restraining order and called palin's number 400 times leaving threats about deadly and sexual attacks on the former governor and her children. >>> if you're the president, there's probably never a good time to get away, just as president obama arrived on martha's vineyard for a ten-day family vacation the stock market to

the west memphis three are now free to prove their innocence outside of prison. you will hear from them next. in one place. ♪ the front-row tickets you never bought. the lucrative investment you never made. the exotic vacation you never took. but there's one opportunity that's too good to miss. the lexus golden opportunity sales event, with exceptional values on the lexus rx. but only until september 6th. see your lexus dealer. what if we designed an electric motorcycle? what if we turned trash into surfboards? whatever your what if is, the new sprint biz 360 has custom solutions to make it happen, including mobile payment processing, instant hot spots, and powerful devices like the motorola photon 4g. so let's all keep asking the big what ifs. sprint business specialists can help you find the answers. sprint. america's favorite 4g network. trouble hearing on the phone? visit sprintrelay.com. energy is being produced to power our lives. while energy developement comes with some risk, north america's natural gas producers are committed to safely and responsibly

. >>> new doubts in the convictions of the west memphis three. and why after more than 15 years behind bars they could be going home today. that's next from the "cnn newsroom." [ male announcer ] it's simple physics... a body at rest tends to stay at rest... while a body in motion tends to stay in motion. staying active can actually ease arthritis symptoms. but if you have arthritis, staying active can be difficult. prescription celebrex can help relieve arthritis pain so your body can stay in motion. because just one 200mg celebrex a day can provide 24 hour relief for many with arthritis pain and inflammation. plus, in clinical studies, celebrex is proven to improve daily physical function so moving is easier. and celebrex is not a narcotic. when it comes to relieving your arthritis pain, you and your doctor need to balance the benefits with the risks. all prescription nsaids, like celebrex, ibuprofen, naproxen, and meloxicam have the same cardiovascular warning. they all may increase the chance of heart attack or stroke, which can lead to death

the men who came to be known as the west memphis three were convicted of killing three young cub scouts in 1993. the case quickly became a legal lightning rod. nor from jim avila. >> nearly two decades after they were convicted of murdering three boy scouts hog-tied and left in a ditch and four years after abc 7 news first broke word of dna evidence that could exonerate them, today the west memphis three walked three. three outcasts with mullets and dark clothing who dabbled in the occult. damien, jesse and jason. teenagers then. in their mid 30s today. convicted in what many labeled a literal witch hunt, no physical evidence against them. >> we are innocent and they sent us to prison for the rest of our lives. >> damien echels was sentenced to death but then a long road to redemption. three documentaries produced by hbo and dna tests from hair found on the victims that did not match the jailed the hair belonged to someone else. and since the trial witnesses changed their testimony amid claims that an initial confession was coerced. a new trial likely an all deal was struck. the prosecu

the west memphis three said they will continue to fight to get their names cleared. and, dan, now they can do it from the outside. >> let's bring into this case with "gma" legal analyst dan abrams. dan, good morning. >> morning. >> if the prosecutors are saying as they have that they believe they got the right guys initially, why did they let them out? >> well, that makes you question whether they still are as firm in that conviction. >> do you feel they have to say that? >> you know, it's hard to believe that prosecutors would let three guys walk out. one of them was on death row a couple weeks ago, if they actually believed that they could prove beyond a reasonable doubt that they did. it was almost certain there was going to be a new trial here. and they would have then had to go back with witnessss who recanted their testimony. dna evidence which pointed to someone else. i think the prosecutors knew it was going to be a very, very tough road for them if there was a new trial. and as a result, they said, you know what, we don't want to admit we got it wrong. we're

the west memphis three were convicted in 1994 with brutally killing three second grade boys in a sta tannicry chal. the case had all kinds of problems. in 2007 new dna evidence was submitted. in 2008 a judge said the dna tests were inconclusive and refused a retrial. but at this hour an arkansas circuit court judge is holding a hearing that could set these guys free in exchange for their plea to lesser charges. >>> the long arm of the law may reach out to ashton toucher. "the new york times" first pointed out the actor edited the online edition of "details" magazine and kept paradesing heads of companies he's invested in or pushing tech services where he's got money on the line. now the federal trade commission says it could investigate the case and the sec rules could apply here. "details accounts says there was disclosure that toucher puts his money where his mouth is back money of the companies he champions here. >>> i surrender to the wedding hubbub. in case you've been living in a cave and haven't heard, kim kardashian's getting married tomorrow. i'm not sure why everyone is suc

. >>> back here, the west memphis three are free today. all three agreed to a plea deal with prosecutors that released them for time served as well. they had been held since 1993 for killing three cub scouts. they spoke at a news conference yesterday. >> it don't matter what the crime is. you've got to think about your safety. >> in the beginning, we told them nothing but the truth, that we are innocent, and they sent us to prison for the rest of our lives and the only thing that the state would do for us is to say, hey, we'll let you go only if you admit guilt. >> also because of the agreement, the west memphis three will not be allowed to sue the state. >>> a tremendous violent weather in pittsburgh, pennsylvania. a mother and two children died and one is still missing. brenden joins us from wpxi. >> reporter: this intersection will remain blocked until further notice. workers are working on search and cleanup efforts less than 24 hours ago. this is where the water rose so fast that it killed three people. another person is also missing.

. >>> the men known as the west memphis free walked free today in jonesboro arkansas. they have maintained their innocence since they were convicted for the 1993 murders of the boy scouts. they originally pled guilty and they will now work to clear their names and have been freed because of dna evidence. >>> police rushed to morning glory court yesterday afternoon after getting reports that a man had attacked his elderly mother. when the men could not contact his mother or his son a swath team -- s.w.a.t. team was called in. several hours later the mother walked out the front door. police used tear gas to come out after negotiations failed. her husband was backed on charges of elder abuse and battery. >>> the visitations alley neighborhood, police say an 18- year-old victim was shot while standing on ray street last night. an ambulance rushed him to the hospital but he died shortly before two this morning. at least 20 police officers responded. the suspects walked up to the victim shot him and ran away. there is no description of the suspects. homicide and gang task fo

prosecutor as loued so called west memphis three to plead guilty to murder. they claimed they're innocent. but the deal heads off to a new trial. two men serving life jentss. jason baldwin was on death row, coming within three days of execution. >> we can still bring up new evidence and continue the investigations we've been doing. we can try to clear our names. only difference is that now we can do it from the outside. >> the nude bodies of the three 8-year-old victims were found in a drainage canal in the arkansas town of west memphis. >> how to keep track of where your charity dollars are going. >> and growing number of urban coyote sightings and advice >>> an increase in coyote sightings has california fish and game officials urging people to take precaution. signs have been placed along golden gate park telling people what to do if they encounter one of the animals. officials are warning against feeding them because that makes them more aggressive. >> they associate human beings with food. they also do not incur harassment from human beings. so it's a na

. >>> in the meantime a lot of people have been watching the west memphis three. well, now they're beginning their first full week of freedom. the men were released from prison friday after serving 18 years for the 1993 killings of three second graders in west memphis, arkansas. new evidence raised questions about their guilt. in a move to avoid retrial, they pled guilty and accepted a sentence of time already served while maintaining their innocence as well. now, they are focused on their future. >> right now i'm floating on the hands of the people who love and care for me, trying to help me get my feet up until me and everything. i'm just trusting god, you know, to take care of me. >> so where are you going to live? any big plans that you have? >> um, absolutely none right now. i do know in the near future -- not like today or this week or anything like that, but in the near future, i'm going to go back to school and everything. >> arkansas's attorney general and the prosecutor say they believe the men are guilty. >>> motorcyclists are hitting the road to honor

. >> because of the agreement the west memphis three will not be allowed to sue the state for monetary compensation. >>> later this hour ark look at the plea deal and how it was arranged. we'll hear from our analyst about how unusual this year. >>> while gadhafi's control other war torn libya appears to be shrinking as rebel forces are celebrating another gain. after a week of fierce fighting. a spokesperson says they're in control of the oil port. this makes days after the remembers made gains. >>> egypt says it plans to recall its ambassador from israel to protests the death of three egyptian troops killed in a shootout. egypt's interim government put in place accused israel of vieting the peace treaty of 1979 and commanded an apology. the israeli defense forces insist there had been no intention to harm security personnel. >>> pick perry wrapping up the first week on the campaign trail. the texas governor is refining his strategy. how is he doing so far with voters? not just good for business -- it's good for the entire community. at bank of america, we know the impact that local bu

. >>> the three men known as the west memphis 3 are free tonight. the three agreed to a plea bargain today in an arkansas courtroom. the three have been behind bars since their convictions in the 1993 murders of three boy scouts. they all maintained their innocence and dna evidence never linked them to the crime. as part of deal they pled guilty and they were sentenced to time served. ekles is being freed from death row. >>> a comment made by a late night host during a june show apparently touched off the threat. letterman made a comment about an air strike that killed al- qaida's new leader. the fbi and new york police are investigating the threat. the officials with the show are not commenting. >>> apple is working with suppliers in asia to test production of the ipad 3. the wall street journal says the goal is to start in october and release the next generation of the tablet early next year. it is expected to come with a higher resolution display. it skyrocketed in sales with apple selling more than 9 million of them. >> a warning to san francisc

." ♪ anything for you ♪ >>> this is the first morning of freedom for the west memphis three. the three men were released from prison in arkansas yesterday. they accepted a plea deal with prosecutors that released them for time served. they have been held since 1993 for the killings of three cub scouts. since then, the three have maintained their innocence. they spoke at a news conference on friday. >> have you to worry about your own safety. it don't matter what kim it is. you have to worry about your safety. >> from the beginning we told nothing but the truth, and we were innocent, and they sent us to prison for the rest of our lives, and we had to come here, and the only thing that the state would do for us was say, hey, we'll let you go only if you admit guilt. that's not justice no matter how you look at it. because of the agreement the west memphis three will not be allowed to sue the state for monetary compensation. >>> an earful of criticism. this is congressman maxine waters speaking at the congressional black caucus jobs fair on friday. >> the president is going to h

if the west memphis three didn't if the west memphis three didn't kill those boys, then who did? -- captions by vitac -- www.vitac.com >>> tonight, she just won't let it go. christine o'donnell calls me rude, she says i'm creepy, and she accuses me of borderline sexual harassment, all because of this. >> well, don't you think as a host if i say this is what i want to talk about, that's what we should address? >> not really, no. you're a politician. >> yeah. okay. i'm being pulled away. you know, we turned down another interview for this. >> where are you going? you're leaving? absolutely extraordinary, dare i say it, rather surreal moment. christine o'donnell, one-time tea party darling walks out of my studio rather than answering straightforward questions. you've heard all about the fuss. and if you missed it, tonight we're going to re-air the whole interview all over again. i'm going to get some of the smartest people in politics and media to weigh in with their verdict. was it christine's day? or was it mine? >> all right. are we off? are we done? >> i'm not. i'm still here. d

>>> the men known as the west memphis three spent their first full day of freedom on saturday. a series of hbo documentaries helped call attention to the holes in the evidence against these men. they spent 18 years in jail for the 1993 murders of three young boys. >> right now, i'm just kind of floating on the hands of the people who love and care for me, you know, trying to help me get my feet up under me and everything, and i'm just trusting god, you know, to take care of me. >> well, baldwin says he plans to return to school and then get on with his life. as a condition of the release, the west memphis three pleaded guilty to murder but can maintain innocence of that crime. >>> with rebels bearing down on tripoli, libya's moammar gadhafi's hold on power aappears tenuous at best. we'll bring you the latest right here. ease of cooking is very important to me. perdue perfect portions is great on busy nights. five chicken breasts individually wrapped, so you can use what you want and put the rest in the refrigerator. and the best part is it only takes 10 minutes. it's my go-to m

nbc's pete williams reports on the west memphis three. >> a crowd gathered early outside the courthouse to witness the end of an emoeshlg saga that began in 1993 with the brutal crime in west memphis, arkansas. three second graders, cub scouts, tied up and beaten to death, left in a ditch behind a truck stop. a month later police accused three teenagers of killing the boys in a satanic ritual. despite a lack of physical evidence, all were convicted. jason baltimore win and jesse miskelly. they were found guilty and -- their dna was never found at the crime scene. appeals court said the trial was marred by police and juror misconduct, and an hbo documentary attracted nationwide attention to problems with the case. >> the murders had been part of a satanic ritual. >> reporter: in court a judge order aid new trial. then in a move worked out in advance, the three maintained their innocence, but pleaded guilty rather than face a new trial. sentenced to time served, they were free to go. the men said they wanted to prove their innocence, but agreed to the deal to get damian eckles off death r

free video section and paste that official just taken from this is victory day commemorations of the west memphis nirvana hundreds of songs and praise for nazi collaborators under sold so well from three bathrooms the office is on line for the right now being dropped. by. israel not planning to launch a new war lebanon at least peace activists and protesters in tel aviv the theory five years after the last song on its northern neighbor they believe a new conflict could be used to shift attention from israel's own ongoing social protest as well as trying to topple from power. there explains. five years on the last israel lebanon wall and israelis are convinced his below is we arming itself backed by syria and iran we can anticipate unfortunately. in the situation to a much bigger. goal of which i like about this volatile desire man if you have one last. enemy of the border but say the critics thinking a war is inevitable is simple israeli propaganda churned out for their own purposes there is like a war every five years very slowly very large to just provide a defense of war we want to def

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. >> the men known as west memphis three jailed as teenager for killing three children are now free. the case gained national attention. the men released are still guilty of the crime. abc's john hendren explains. >> they pleaded guilty but say they remain innocent. >> i am innocent of the charges but i'm entering a guilty plea today. >> pleading guilty. >> after 18 years behind bars the west memphis three convicted of gruesome murder of three cub scouts served their last day in prison. they were teenagers whit happened. >> it's been a living hell. >> prosecutors accepted the plea bargain after concluding with no dna match and accusations all three might be acquitted retried. >> i believe this case is closed and there are no other individuals involve ootd men say they will fight to prove their innocence. >> we're still trying to clear our names. now, we can do it from the outside. >> jason baldwin didn't want to accept the deal but he says he could owe not allow ekels to face the death penalty. >> we're innocent. >> one victim's father remains convinced they're guilty. >> they were f

the so-called west memphis three spent nearly two decades behind bars. jason baldwin, damien echols and jesse misskelley jr. say they're innocent of the murders of three second graders. they were freed after reaching a deal, they had to plead guilty but still maintain their innocence. >> in the beginning we told nothing but the truth that we were innocent. they sent us to prison for the rest of our lives. we had to come here and the only thing the state would do for us, would say we'll let you go only if you admit guilt. and that's not justice, no matter how you look at it. >> i'm just tired. this has been going on for over 18 years, and it's been an absolute living hell. >> even when you're in prison it goes on every day, you to worry about your own safety. it doesn't matter what the crime it is. you still got to worry about your safety regardless. >> 911 operators in daytona beach, florida, flooded with calls after drivers saw this. a woman riding in the back of a pick-up truck holding on to a stroller. and there's a baby inside of the stroller. key yo

. >> hundreds of supporters cheered as the so-called west memphis 3 walked out of jail. they have been in jail for 18 years. the 3 were allowed to plead guilty to murder in exchange for time served. they can maintain their innocence while at the same time acknowledging that the state had enough evidence to convict them. >> we can continue the investigation and clear our names. the difference is now we can do it from the outside instead of having to sit in prison and do it. the families of the victims were notified about the deal but were not asked to approve it. >>> a member of the hacker group annonymous has broken off and outed himself. he said that he did not agree with the taking personal information. >>> billionaire investor is trying to take over icon, it's color clorox's biggest -- clorox's biggest shareholder. >>> wall street has been shaky and it has been fear of a double dip recession but there are some that do not feel it's at hand. >> a new business owner thinks that these are recession is proof. >> they will spend 3.50. but not $50. >> he opened empinadas an

. >> hundreds of supporters cheered as the so-called west memphis 3 walked out of jail. they have been in jail for 18 years. the 3 were allowed to plead guilty to murder in exchange for time served. they can maintain their innocence while at the same time acknowledging that the state had enough evidence to convict them. >> we can continue the investigation and clear our names. the difference is now we can do it from the outside instead of having to sit in prison and do it. the families of the victims were notified about the deal but were not asked to approve it. >>> a member of the hacker group annonymous has broken off and outed himself. he said that he did not agree with the taking personal information. >>> billionaire investor is trying to take over icon, it's color clorox's biggest -- clorox's biggest shareholder. >>> wall street has been shaky and it has been fear of a double dip recession but there are some that do not feel it's at hand. >> a new business owner thinks that these are recession is proof. >> they will spend 3.50. but not $50. >> he opened empinadas an

the west memphis three are released today under a unusual plea deal. prosecutors agreed to the deal after new evidence casts doubt on their conviction. >> survivors on the norway massacre returned to the scene. 1,000 survivors are expected on the island today. it is kim kardashian's big day. she will marry chris humphreys in near santa barbara,ical. will the star dropper had famous last name. kardashian said at home i will be mrs. humptryies and out on the street i am kim kardashian. >> i am gladd i am not prepared. thank you very employ. a barrage of bad economic news and market turmoil and a decline in treasury yields have some predicting a double dip recession. we are standing by with the latest. cheryl, what can you tell us. >>reporter: just the mention of the word is enough to make markets shaky since the down depraid of the s&p on the credit rating and the dow lost will you points on thursday and friday and feel four percent. one of the catalyst was investment banker morgan-stanly. they warned that the united states had a 30 percent chance was fa

. >>> topping the headlines right now on "andrea mitchell reports," the men known as the west memphis three convicted in the 1993 killings of three 8-year-old cub scouts will be freed from prison after nearly 20 years. an arkansas judge ruled today he accepted a deal in which the men would change their plea from guilty to not guilty an odd ma thooufr that will result in their freedom. >>> bank of america is slashing 3500 jobs and working on plans to cut thousands more. bank of america is making this move after its share price fell by 50% this year. >>> this is the image that is galvanizing people today. the mysterious figure skater. the young girl, the grainy image was found on a snapshot buried in an urn in one of the scandalous mass graves in arlington cemetery. as military investigators try to identify and properly bury the remains. the unknown girl's photo is the only clue. it was at an arena outside philadelphia that was attended by thousands of young girls. the young girl would now be about 20. if he is you or you know who she is, please contact us. >>> what a difference a week

. >>> for the first time in almost 20 years, the west memphis three are out of prison in arkansas. they agreed to a plea deal with prosecutors head and were released almost immediately. they were arrested back in 1993 with the arrest after the murder of three cub scouts. on friday it ended suddenly. >> still very much in shock, still overwhelmed. you know, you kind of have to take into consideration that i've spent the past decade and absolute solitary confinement. so i'm not used to being around anyone, much less this many people. it's kind of overwhelming. >> damien echos has been on death row. joining me is criminal defense attorney karen desoto. >> this plea agreement did not come very quickly? >> no, it did not. the unusual part about this plea is that it is an altered plea. somebody pleads guilty but they maintain their innocence. it's a way for a person to enter a guilty plea but not really be guilty according to them. that is really strange and not done in all states but in many states and it's really not that rare. it's done about 20% out of the time. >> what tromted the t

. >> in arkansas, the convicts known as the west memphis three, could be release from prison today. these were the men who were found guilty of a genuinely horrific crime, murdering three boy scouts in a satanic style, leaving their bodies in a ditch naked and hog tied. later, however, dna tests failed to link these men to the crime so today they'll be in court where a judge will consider whether they were wrongly convicted. >>> and look at this piece of video. these two guys are walking back to their van and look at that car. it comes -- an suv rolls over right where the men were standing seconds before. that suv driver had been attempting a u-turn on a highway nearby. nobody got hurt and i got to tell you, you know those two men who were walking back to their car you know they were thinking thank goodness i didn't linger for an extra pair of twinkies at the cash register which is, by the way, is exactly what i would have done. >> i'm sure that was going through their heads. >> yeah, twinkies, yeah, absolutely. i'm with you. i'm with you. >> love me some twinkies. >>> to the weathe

. >>> three men known as the west memphis three are free after 18 years in prison. barry snow is monitoring that in "the situation room" right now. what do you have, mary? >> the three men walked out of the prison a short time ago to the cheers of the supportive crowd. two were sentenced to life sen sense and one was convicted to death. the case drew national attention with many people believing they were innocent. many said they were on course to win the right to new trials this year. we'll have much more on this story at the top of the hour. >> 69 people died on an island where young people were gathered if for a summer camp. family members are being shown the location where each victim was found after the attack. federal authorities arrested two pennsylvania men charged with making threats to former alaska governor sarah palin, her family and her lawyer. they're john christie and son 22-year-old craig christie. they're accused of calling palin's attorney more than 400 times this month and leaving profanity-laced threats involving sexual assault, kidnapping and de

. >> three arkansas men in prison since 1993 for the murders of three cub scouts the so-called west memphis three an tkwraoeg to a plea today. they were allowed to plead guilty to murdering the 8-year-old boys in exchange for time served. the deal ending a long running legal battle that raised questions about dna and key witnesses. i'm marianne rafferty. now back to fox news reporting: dick cheney revealed. >> bret: welcome back. the 9/11 attacks chained the world. america's response to them would define the bush administration. if anyone was prepared for such a shattering crisis, it was dick cheney. >> i was in my office in the west wing in that first hour. radar caught sight of an airliner heading toward the white house. secret service agents came into my office and said we had to leave now. a few moments later, i found myself in a fortified white house command post somewhere down below. >> bret: president bush >> bret: that flight was united 93. where a brave group of pants tried to take back the plane from the hijackers. it crashed near shanksville, pennsylvania. >> my wife lynn and i w

., the so-called west memphis three are enjoying their first full day of freedom after 18 years behind bars. the trio were released from prison yesterday after cutting a complicated deal with arkansas prosecutors. the men were convicted for the brutal killings of three cub scouts in 1992, a crime they have long maintained their never committed. >>> an indiana community is saying goodbye to a hero. funeral services are being held for glen goodrich. goodrich died last week at the stage collapse last saturday night. goodrich leaves behind a wife and two sons. >>> delay it's air and water show. about two million spectators were expected to attend, the big draw, the thunderbirds. just after the show started, the crowd was told to seek cover. once the show passed, the show resumed. >>> back to that major story out of iran. the fate of american hikers shane bauer and josh fattal. iran's state run television said the pair had been sentenced to eight years in prison. a journalist joins us now on the phone from tehran. give us an idea, is there any real confirmation that they have indeed been se