Arkansas Take Action

Arkansas Take Action was formed in November 2007 by Lorri Davis, Capi Peck and Brent Peterson after the WM3 defense team’s press conference at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock William H. Bowen School of Law.

Past activities include:

  • Screening of Paradise Lost at Market Street Cinema, Little Rock, with Q & A conducted by the panel of Lorri Davis, Capi Peck and Brent Peterson. Event poster designed by Stephanie Caruthers.

  • Rally and media event on the steps of the AR state capitol with speakers Natalie Maines and Lorri Davis, an intro by Capi Peck, and delivery of letters and petitions to the governor’s office.

  • Petition table set up at the entrance to Brent and Capi’s Trio’s restaurant.

  • Dinner at Trio’s restaurant for key members of the AR legal community with briefing by Damien’s lawyer, Dennis Riordan, and a DVD developed by ATA?s Ray Chanslor, Caran Curry and Brent Peterson with segments from the press conference and Paradise Lost. (This event turned up the witness to the jury misconduct.)

  • Mailing of the DVD and introductory letter to 300 other members of the legal community.

  • Development of the Time for Truth video posted on many web locations and mass media mail-out of the DVD. The video contains segments of the press conference, Paradise Lost, and the Larry King Show. (The ATA publicist, at the time, was instrumental in attracting the Larry King Show and a People magazine article.)

  • Various cards, fliers, T-shirts and bumper stickers created by ATA members for disbursement in LR and around the state.
  • ATA member canvas of Hillcrest shopping district merchant event with
    info/petition tables.

  • Development of the “Living Petition” video with personal testimonials of support and a choreographed visual performance by ATA members on the AR capitol steps with other segments shot in LA, Denver and Little Rock and posted on various web locations. Edited by Bryan Frazier.
  • ATA members Rob Fisher, Holly Ballard, Bryan Frazier, Lorri, Capi and Brent participated in NYC fundraiser in the home of Peter Yarrow.
  • Canvas of NCAA regional basketball tournament (with 6500 Memphis Tiger fans on hand) in the LR River Market district with fliers, petitions, filming of “Living Petition” segments and an airplane banner (designed by ATA) circling overhead.
  • ATA info/donation/petition booth in the Heights neighborhood in conjunction with the Ecumenical Buddhist Society’s “Hair on Fire” fundraiser. “Living Petition” filming continued.
  • WM3 Candlelight Vigil and media event in LR’s River Market district with introduction by John Hardin, assistant to US Rep Vic Snyder, info/donation/petition/T-shirt table.
  • Strategic re-occurring letter and op-ed writing campaign to statewide, West Memphis and Memphis newspapers.
  • Re-occurring development of media talent relations in Little Rock, Jonesboro and Memphis. These dinner and coffee meetings were instrumental in the writing of several favorable news articles and the production of TV segments, including a 30-minute local ABC piece, a finalist for a Webby award.
  • Discussion and Q & A at Unitarian Church in LR with Lorri, Capi and Brent.
    Re-occurring car caravans to circuit court hearings in Jonesboro, AR.

  • Media conference held at Trio’s restaurant to announce the tip line, initiated by public advocate, Lonnie Soury, and investigator, Jay Salpeter.
  • Canvas of West Memphis with distribution of information about the new tip line.
  • Silent protest at former WM3 prosecutor John Fogleman’s press conference at the state capitol. ATA members stood up as he announced his campaign for the Arkansas State Supreme court and removed their shirts to reveal T-shirts stating “Abuse of Power” and ?West Memphis Three? along with names from two other dubious cases also cited by the Center for Public Integrity. We then walked out. Posted on various web locations.
  • Letter-writing campaign to the AR Supreme Court to question their denial of an FOI request by Mara Leveritt (ATA board member and author of Devil’s Knot) and their sealing of all files previously open (except one re: jury misconduct) to the public.
  • Presentation of “48 Hours” and Q & A at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock William H. Bowen School of Law with Lorri, Brent and Blake Hendrix, local counsel for Jason Baldwin.
  • Presentation of Paradise Lost and Q & A at Hendrix College with Lorri, Brent and John Hardin of ATA.
  • Lonnie Soury also secured a 48 Hours two-part special in production with interviews of ATA members, plus Lorri and Damien. Lonnie also got articles in Parabola Magazine, the New York Times and on the CNN website.