Choose a blog

HBO's sneak peek of new documentary on the West Memphis Three

"Lost in Paradise 3: Purgatory," the third documentary in the series chronicling the conviction of a group of men who have come to be known as The West Memphis Three, makes its debut tonight on HBO.

The West Memphis Three -- Damien Echols, Jessie Misskelly Jr. and Jason Baldwin -- were convicted of murdering three elementary schoolboys in 1993 in West Memphis, Arkansas. The men were teenagers at the time of their conviction.

The first two "Paradise Lost" documentaries drew national attention to the men and the flimsy evidence used in their convictions. People from all over the country, including rock star Eddie Vedder and actor Johnny Depp, took up their cause and worked to earn them new trials.

Facing mounting evidence of their likely innocence (including recantations of testimony and new DNA evidence), the Arkansas Supreme Court ordered hearings for a new trial, but before that could happen, the men were offered the chance to admit guilt without confession and be sentenced to time already served. The Alford Plea, a rarely-used legal maneuver stemming from a 1970 North Carolina case (North Carolina v. Alford), meant the men -- who vehemently profess their innocence -- walked free.

What to Watch on Thursday: '30 Rock' returns, West Memphis Three doc hits HBO

30 Rock (8pm, NBC) - Season 6 is back as the TGS gang returns to work after the holiday break. Liz adopts a new mindset and Jenna gains newfound fame as a hateful celebrity judge. Meanwhile, Kenneth takes a day off to ready for the Rapture.

Rob! (8:30pm, CBS) - A new sitcom starring "Saturday Night Live" alum Rob Schneider playing a confirmed bachelor who has just married into a tight-knit Mexican-American family.

Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory (9pm, HBO) - The much-anticipated third part in the documentary series following the conviction of the West Memphis Three -- three teenagers from Jonesboro, Arkansas, who were found guilty of murdering three young boys in 1993, but whom most believe to be innocent of the crimes. In this installment, the legal teams fight to overturn the sentences using changes in witness testimony and DNA evidence that was not available at the original trial. Note: The three men entered Alford pleas in the case and were released from prison in August 2011, after this film was completed. Filmmakers Joe Berlinger and Bruce Sinofsky amended the documentary with footage from the release.

The Finder (9pm, Fox) - In the premiere of a new series about an eccentric, reclusive veteran with an uncanny gift for finding people and things, a teen asks Walter Sherman (Geoff Stults) to locate his father, who went missing after his plane crashed in the Florida wilderness. Based on "The Locator" novels by Richard Greener. Check out Adrienne's review.

Person of Interest (9pm, CBS) - The episode information simply says "Reese and Finch involve Carter in a case," so I guess that means Reese survived his gunshot wounds from the previous episode...

Have You Heard from Johannesburg (2am, UNC-TV) - This is a five-part Independent Lens series tracing the anti-Apartheid movement, which UNC-TV is not only showing at bizarre times but apparently also a little out of order. This is the best I can figure out: tonight you get Part 2, "The New Generation" (which also airs at midnight on 1/15 on UNC-MX). Part 1, "The Road to Resistance," airs 1/15 at 11 p.m. on UNC-MX. Part 3, "From Selma to Soweto," airs on 1/21 at 11:30 p.m. on UNC-MX. Part 4, "The Bottom Line," airs the day before, 1/20, at 2 a.m. on UNC-TV and again on 1/22 at 12:30 a.m. on UNC-MX. The final part, "Free at Last," airs on 1/27 at 2 a.m. on UNC-TV and again on 1/28 at 11 p.m. on UNC-MX. Clear?

What to Watch on Saturday: 'Love Begins' in Hallmark movie

Up All Night (9pm, NBC) - If you missed this premiere on Wednesday, check it out tonight. "Free Agents" airs at 9:30.

Love Begins (9pm, Hallmark) - Clark Davis (Wes Brown) has adventurous dreams of seeing the world, but those dreams are put into jeopardy after he and a friend start a fight which damages a local cafe. Through a plea deal with the sheriff (Jere Burns) and cafe owner (Nancy McKeon), Clark works off his sentence as a farmhand for the Barlow sisters, Ellen (Julie Mond) and Cassie (Abigail Mavity). As time passes, Clark and Ellen begin to fall for one another.

Doctor Who (9pm, BBC America) - The time travelers arrive at a mysterious hotel that houses their deepest fears.

Home by Novogratz (9:30pm, HGTV) - An apartment shared by four models needs some personality and warmth (insert your own joke).

48 Hours Mystery (10pm, CBS) - The release of the West Memphis Three (Damien Echols, Jason Baldwin, Jessie Misskelley), who were convicted of murdering three 8-year-old boys in 1993.

Bad Dog! (10pm, Animal Planet) - A dog that plays the piano and sings (how is that bad!?) and a dog with an insatiable appetite.

Rock and Roll Fantasy Camp (10pm, VH1 Classic) - Sammy Hagar rehearses with the campers for the sold-out season-finale concert on the Sunset Strip.

HBO to rebroadcast documentaries on West Memphis Three

"Paradise Lost," the 1996 HBO documentary that brought national attention to the plight of the West Memphis Three, will be rebroadcast beginning next week.

"Paradise Lost: The Child Murders of Robin Hood Hills" and "Parardise Lost 2: Revelations" will be available on HBO's mobile app HBO Go on Tuesday August 23 and will be available on HBO On Demand on August 24 (HBO Go is available free to HBO subscribers but Time Warner Cable customers currently do not have access to the app).

"Paradise Lost 1" will then air on HBO on August 29 and "Paradise Lost 2" on August 30.

A third documentary, "Paradise Lost 3: The Purgatory," which was produced by HBO, will get a limited theatrical release in January.

Cars View All
Find a Car
Go
Jobs View All
Find a Job
Go
Homes View All
Find a Home
Go

Want to post a comment?

In order to join the conversation, you must be a member of newsobserver.com. Click here to register or to log in.
Advertisements