Episode 13: The Case Against ... "Sucking the blood ... frightening" #WM3 #TheCaseAgainst

Commentary from Gary Meece, based on his book, "Blood on Black," concerning Damien Echols of the West Memphis 3, along with some brief observations on the glut of true crime documentaries, including those on Adnan Syed, Madeline McCann and Steven Avery  from "Blood on Black"    "BROKE PROBATION ... SUCKING THE BLOOD ... FRIGHTENING TO COMMUNITY MEMBERS"     A homesick Damien Echols returned to Arkansas. Echols later told friends that a Satanic priestess followed him from Oregon, with the intent of either murdering him or pulling him back into the cult. In his 2001 affidavit, Dr. George Woods described Echols’ circumstances: “Mr. Echols was completely incapable of caring for himself when he returned to Arkansas. He had no money and his mental illness and lack of skills and experience prevented him from working. He lived on the streets and even stayed at the home of his abusive step- father, Andy Echols, a few nights. Within days he was identified by his probation officer who believed that Mr. Echols should be treated in a long-term residential psychiatric facility. The probation officer had Mr. Echols detained in the juvenile facility for violating his parole by returning to Arkansas. Staff and residents at the facility describe Mr. Echols as losing touch with reality. His behavior deteriorated drastically. One resident reported he observed Mr. Echols ‘. . . sucking the blood off the scratch that . . .’ another inmate ‘. . . had on his arm.’ Mr. Echols was placed in isolation and on suicide watch. The juvenile facility quickly obtained a court order and sent Mr. Echols to Charter Hospital for the purpose of ‘determining the appropriate method of referral to a residential treatment facility.’ Mr. Echols was readmitted to Charter Hospital in Little Rock, Arkansas, on September 14, 1992, where he remained until his discharge on Sept. 22, 1992.” While driving Echols to Little Rock, Jerry Driver asked about the blood sucking incident. At first Echols told him it was a joke “and then he said that’s how you receive power. He said I’ve been doing this for years ... and generally it’s with willing people and he had some scars on his arms and he said he and his girlfriends and other people .... had done that, and that’s how they receive power.” Echols’ aunt, Patricia Liggett, was given temporary custody so she could admit him to the hospital. Charter notes from Sept 15 indicated: “Damien’s behavior has become frightening to community mem- bers in Jonesboro …. Had been suspected of witchcraft and/or devil worship prior to incident involving  arrest. … Again, thought to be suicidal, but not afraid to die, per Damien. Knows he can ‘come back.’” Dr. Woods reported: “The provisional diagnoses at Charter Hospital were psychotic disorder, not otherwise specified, and dysthymia. Staff members immediately noticed Mr. Echols’ bizarre behavior, including his ‘growling’ and making other strange sounds. … “Mr. Echols also had noticeable problems with attention and concentration. He ‘stared off into space’ and daydreamed in class and group activities. When staff members attempted to bring him back to the task  at hand he ‘would then act like he was very startled, as if “jolted” back into the group process.’ “Other serious problems noted by staff members include ‘[a]lteration in thought processes evidenced by delusional thinking and inappropriate social behavior.’ His appearance was ‘disheveled’ and ‘unkempt,’ and he had consistently ‘poor’ eye contact. He dressed ‘in en- tirely black clothing, frequently [wrote] poems and [drew] pictures of symbols’ which one staff member erroneously interpreted as ‘closely associated with devil worship.’ Mr. Echols stated that he was ‘a witch’ not a vampire or devil worshiper. “Mr. Echols’ mood disturbances continued unabated. His affect ‘was extremely flat,’ he showed ‘absolutely no observable evidence of emotion’ and he appeared anxious and uncomfortable. Charter Hospital records reflect that Mr. Echols