Contact: Lonnie Soury, Rob Fisher
(212) 414-5857, (917) 519-4521, (501) 772-1983
Lsoury@aol.com
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Private Detective Jay Salpeter Sets Up Confidential Tip Line Seeking New
Information about the Murders – (501) 256-1775
(Little Rock, Ark., April 14, 2009) – Highly decorated former NYPD homicide detective Jay Salpeter, known for uncovering crucial new evidence that led to the freedom of Martin Tankleff, wrongfully imprisoned at 17 for the murder of his parents, has joined the effort to free the West Memphis 3.
Damien Echols, Jason Baldwin and Jessie Misskelley were convicted in 1994 for a crime they did not commit, and have served 16 years in prison. There was no physical evidence, eyewitness testimony or motive tying the three local teens to the murders, only a coerced, false confession that was immediately disavowed. Damien Echols was sentenced to death; Jessie Misskelley and Jason Baldwin were sentenced to life imprisonment. Lawyers for the West Memphis 3 are seeking an innocence hearing before the Arkansas Supreme Court.
A Plea for New Information
“We need the public’s help. There are people who may have information about what really happened the night three 8-year-old boys were tragically murdered in West Memphis in 1993. I am convinced there are those who can help provide new evidence in this case and now want to do the right thing. Please call the confidential tip line and tell me what you might know that can prevent the execution of Damien Echols and free these innocent men,” said Jay Salpeter. Detective Salpeter also believes a man who was injured and seen at the Bojangles’ Restaurant on the night of the murders may possess important information about the case, and might even be a witness. An effort will be made to find and speak to the man and, of course, his identity and any information he can provide will be strictly confidential.
Callers are not obliged to give their name and all information will be kept in strictest confidence. The objective of establishing the tip line is to find out the truth and finally bring some closure to the people of West Memphis and, in particular, the families of the victims.
“We have three men in prison, yet none of their DNA was found at the crime scene. Recent DNA results indicate that other individuals, who were never investigated by the police, were present at the crime scene, and all of this leads me to believe that the truth about what happened on the night of May 5th 1993 has yet to come out,” added Salpeter.
New Evidence Can Lead to Freedom
Salpeter brings a distinguished 20-year career as a homicide investigator and hostage negotiator. As a private investigator, he has helped to develop crucial new evidence and find witnesses on many criminal and capital cases that resulted in acquittals. Recently, his investigative work led to the July 2008 exoneration of Martin Tankleff, in the 1988 slaying of his parents Seymour and Arlene Tankleff on Long Island, New York. Salpeter found dozens of new witnesses in the Tankleff case, many of which came forth via the Tankleff confidential tip line. The evidence uncovered by Salpeter convinced the New York State Appellate Court to unanimously overturn Tankleff’s conviction. Prosecutors decided not to seek a retrial in the case. Like the Tankleff case, the West Memphis 3 case involved a coerced, false confession and mishandling of the case by law enforcement.
“By bringing Jay Salpeter on board, we hope to root out the secrecy that has pervaded this case for the last 15 years,” said Capi Peck, spokesperson for the West Memphis 3 activist group Arkansas Take Action. “We want to reach out to everyone, especially the people in West Memphis who may be willing to speak confidentially. We plead with anyone who has any information to come forward so these three innocent men can be set free.”
The West Memphis 3 Confidential Tip Line – 501-256-1775
Private Detective Jay Salpeter can be reached at JSinvestigation@cs.com
For more information about the case: www.WM3.org and www.freewestmemphis3.org
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