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112. Most of the questions put to Jessie before the polygraph focused on Damien. According to notes Allen wrote at eleven that morning, Jessie stated that he had known Damien for about a year; that Damien was “sick”; that once, when Jason had gotten a bloody nose, “Damien stuck his finger in the blood and licked it.” Jessie also reported that he’d met Hutcheson after the murders occurred; that she had, in fact, asked him about Damien; and that he had never been in Robin Hood. Ridge also jotted a report. He noted that Jessie had been picked up in the first place because “it had been previously discovered that Jessie, Damien and Jason were members of a cult-like group of youngsters who had previously had meetings in various locations in the state.” Ridge added that when he entered the room while Allen was questioning Jessie, the boy had appeared “nervous and failed to look at me in the eyes, and had the gestures that he was being deceptive.” Contrary to anything that either detective wrote in their early notes, Ridge later wrote in his typed report that, “Jessie stated that he thought that Damien had committed the murders with a friend of his being a partner in the murders. Again he was nervous throughout the interview from this point, and he appeared to be with-holding information.” It was after this, Ridge reported, that he asked if Jessie would be willing to submit to a polygraph examination.

113. There is a discrepancy regarding time between Ridge’s typewritten report and the forms signifying waiver of rights. Ridge reported that Durham began the polygraph exam “at about 10:30A .M.,” but the time on the waiver of rights form that Durham gave Jessie prior to the exam lists the time as eleven-thirty.

114. For Ridge, Jessie’s response to the child’s voice on the tape recording marked the turning point in the case. Here is how Ridge described the moment in his report: “Jessie told of one occasion he had gone to the scene of the murders and sat down on the ground and cried about what had happened to the boys. He had tears in his eyes at the time, telling of the incident. I felt that this was a remorseful response about the occurrence and that he had more information than what he had revealed. At about 2:20P .M., Jessie told Inspector Gitchell that he was present at the time of the murders and began crying about what had happened. Jessie seemed to be sorry for what had happened and told that he had been there when the boys were first coming into the woods and were called by Damien to come over to where they were. At this time, myself and Inspector Gitchell gave Jessie some time to compose himself and for me to compose myself, due to the emotional situation that had just began. We then prepared for the interrogation to be taped, due to this being the first indication that Jessie had actually taken a part in the murders and was present in the woods at the time.”

115. While no law requires that police interviews with citizens be recorded, police organizations in Arkansas won passage of legislation requiring that if an officer is questioned by police, that interview or interrogation must be recorded in its entirety.

116. Under the heading “Neck Injuries,” the medical examiner reported: “Situated on the left side of the neck were a few scattered abrasions. Subsequent autopsy of the neck showed no hemorrhage in the strap muscles of the neck. The hyoid bone and larynx were intact. No petechial hemorrhages were noted. No fractures were noted.”

117. After the tape recorder was shut off, according to an unsigned, undated chart in the files of the West Memphis police, “Work was started in reference to obtaining search warrants and arrest warrants.”

118. After the time chart was typed, someone wrote “incorrect” across an entry that claimed that the second recorded interview began at 3:45P .M. ( The Arkansas Supreme Court later concluded that Jessie had been questioned “off and on” for more than seven hours.) A typed transcript of the second recorded interview did not mention