There are some of us, however, who have found that freedom can come with a much steeper pricetag. Among those experiencing the worst form of stickershock are Damien Echols, Jessie Misskelley, Jr., and Jason Baldwin, collectively known as the West Memphis Three. By the time they gain their freedom, each will have given his entire adult life thus far, but still, that isn't enough. You know that line you hear on all those crime dramas about how "if you cannot afford an attorney, one will be provided to you," leading you to assume that the words "free of charge" just go without saying? Well, there's a reason they don't say "free of charge." A legal defense, especially the kind of good one the WM3 so desperately need, is (to use the understatement of the century) costly in the extreme.
Recently, I undertook to design a tattoo for the amazing woman behind so many WM3 events. The original plan was to design the art for her, then auction off my original piece (snazzed up a bit to be suitable for framing) and have the proceeds go to the Damien Echols Legal Defense Fund. After a conversation with one of my cousins who is a tattoo artist, I have decided to take it a few steps further. I'll post more information as things solidify but here's what I'm planning and what I need from viewers like you!
What I want: I would like to have the piece I've already designed, along with one other, added to the walls-o-samples you see when you walk in to a tattoo shop, or a page in a book of what's offered, or some other kind of notice that the shop is supporting the WM3 and will donate a portion (at their discretion) of the proceeds to the legal defense fund.
What I need: Contact information for tattoo shops and/or licensed individual artists who would be willing to participate. I live in the Raleigh-Durham region in NC and pretty much have this area covered. However, don't hesitate to tell me anyway if you know of someone you're sure I don't.
What I want: A website where I can post the artwork and publish the names and contact information of the artists/studios who participate, that way they get something more than a warm fuzzy out of the deal. Good PR never hurt anyone, right?
What I need: Someone more skilled at web design than I am, who is willing to do the work in return for only warm fuzzies (and maybe a batch of my famous brownies if you're really nice).
What I want: Ultimately, to put the design on t-shirts & any other swag I can.
What I need: A way to do that without overhead. Don't say CafePress. Don't get me wrong, they're great for what they are, but they're not what I'm looking for.
What I'll be doing in the meantime:
- getting good, clean renditions of my designs up and ready to be posted & distributed
- starting a Facebook group
- putting together presskits for studio owners/artists and oh, anyone else who ought to have one
- doing my own research on all of the above things I want
- Repost, ReTweet, and link to this post
- Learn about the WM3, the case history, current events, and more at the official website.
- Friend WM3 World Awareness on MySpace
- Follow wm3awareness on Twitter
- Donate to the defense fund
- Sport your WM3 swag
- Support those who support the WM3: Listen to Pearl Jam, Henry Rollins, or Jello Biafra (to name a few). Read Margaret Cho's I Have Chosen to Stay and Fight. Hell, even watch a Will Ferrell or Jack Black movie.
- Watch the HBO documentary series Paradise Lost, which chronicles the Robin Hood Hills murders, trial, and wrongful conviction of Echols, Misskelley, and Baldwin.
- Find Devil's Knot in the True Crime section of your local bookstore or library.
- Stay tuned here for more updates on this project.
- Anything else you can think of!
