Damien Echols: Film Analysis

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Recommended: Abuse in our prisons

Damien Echols is found guilty and sentenced to death for the crime of killing three eight-year old boys; for eighteen years he spends his life on Death Row before he is released. Before being placed on Death Row at Varner Super Max Security Unit in Grady, Arkansas and Tucker Max Security Unit, Echols also spent time in Crittenden County Jail for misdemeanor charges he received as minor. While on Death Row Damien explains that it was the guards that he had to watch out for and not the other prisoners. The visits from spiritual advisors as well as the media caused Echols to receive hatred from the guards. They destroyed everything in is cell, planted a knife in his bunk, sent to solitary confinement for no reason, beat up by a team of five guards, Two guards had been abusing him so he sought out revenge; he made a knife from a piece of chain link fence and stabbed both guards to death. As punishment twenty guards beat him and continued to everyday leading up to his death date. It wasn’t always guard on inmate abuse, Echols also tells a story of when Jason Baldwin, his best friend and “accomplice” in the murder, had to be hospitalized due to a skull fracture after a man had attacked him from behind. Along with physical abuse Damien states that he also experienced vision and health problems due to being forced to what he called “slave labor”. Echols also talks about how living on Death Row caused him to sleep deprived. In prison the lights are always on with an exception of a few hours when there is still a constant noise from prisoner and guard activity. Damien believes that he is seeing himself growing older while he is in jail waiting to be released. Insane and mentally retarded inmates were also common while Echols was on death row. Although it is illegal for both to be put to death for crimes, they were often given drugs to make them understand they were going to be

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