30 - Amy Berg's West of Memphis with Gillian Pensavalle

Send us Fan MailWelcome back to Drawn to Darkness. This week, we are joined by special guest Gillian Pensavalle from True Crime Obsessed to discuss West of Memphis (2012), Amy Berg’s documentary that revisits the case of the West Memphis Three. In 1993, Stevie Branch, Michael Moore, and Christopher Byers were murdered and with little evidence and rising panic about satanic rituals, police quickly focused on three local teenagers: Damien Echols, Jason Baldwin, and Jesse Misskelley. Despite inconsistent confessions, lack of physical evidence, and alibis, all three were convicted, and Echols was sentenced to death. West of Memphis follows the nearly 20-year fight to free and exonerate them. Meanwhile, the real perpetrator remains unidentified. We unpack wrongful convictions, moral panic, police misconduct, what Damien is like in real life, and the long, exhausting fight for justice. We explore how three teenagers were targeted as “weird kids,” how fear of satanism shaped a narrative with no evidence, and why decades later they may be free from prison, but still aren’t exonerated. Spoiler + Content WarningThis episode and the documentary include discussion and imagery of the murder of children, child abuse, castration, false confessions, prison abuse, solitary confinement, systemic injustice, wrongful convictions, and satanic panic. We also spoil the documentary.Palate CleanserTrue Crime Obsessed – if you like a laugh along with your true crime. Spending time with family (as simple as ice cream or Del’s Lemonade)RecommendationsBob Ruff’s Truth & Justice podcast (Season 5) Mara Leveritt’s Devil’s Knot (deep dive into courtroom details) Wrongful Conviction podcast (featuring interviews with Damien Echols and Jason Baldwin) Satan Wants You (documentary about Satanic Panic) Sarah Marshall’s podcast You’re Wrong About + The Devil You Know Stranger Things (Eddie Munson inspired by Damien Echols) Mindhunter (John Douglas appears in the case) The Crucible (mass hysteria and scapegoating) Stand By Me, The Goonies, It (kids, innocence, and loss) The Body Farm by Patricia Cornwell for a Medical Examiner who knows what she’s doing.The Hurricane with Denzel Washington for more wrongful convictionsThe Craft and The Perks of Being a Wallflower - for the “weird” kidsLord of the Rings  and listen to Pearl Jam  (support the celebrities who championed the West Memphis 3) Damien Echols’ books, podcast, and Patreon HomeworkNext episode, we’ll discuss Sinners before shifting gears slightly with: Goodfellas  The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson (it’s a book, so start now!) And remember, always insist on a lawyer!Special thanks to Nancy Azano for our cover art (Instagram: @nancyazano) and Harry Kidd for our music (Instagram: @harryjkidd, Spotify).