Jessie Jail Statement – Text Statements From Sheriff’s Officers

Text of Statements made by Jessie Misskelley to Sheriff’s Officers

(Official Jail Incident Report)

Note: This is far from being a transcript; it is the recollection of law enforcement officers of a conversation they allege occurred with Jessie.

On the afternoon of Feb. 4th 1994, Deputy James Lindsey and myself were transporting Jessie Miskelley to the Arkansas Department of Corrections at Pine Bluff. Jessie was asked if there was anything he wanted to say and after being assured we could not use anything he said against him in court, he chose to talk.

(Incidentally, this was a lie.  They certainly can – and did – attempt to use their summary of their version of an unrecorded conversation.  As “state actors”, the sheriffs were overtly violating Jessie’s Sixth Amendment right to counsel and his Fifth Amendment right not to incriminate himself.)

Jessie advised he had received a call from Jason Baldwin asking him if he wanted to go to West Memphis to “get some girls.”

(Jessie Misskelly did not have access to a phone at this time.  He had stayed the night at a friend’s house who had no phone. There is no way he could have received any call)

Jessie, Damion, and Jason met on a local road on May 5th (sometime that evening). Jessie claimed that he had been drinking Evelyn Williams whiskey that Mrs. Hutchson had bought him and Jason and Damion were drinking beer. It was also stated that they had smoked two marijuana joints that afternoon. Jessie said that he had known Jason Baldwin since the 6th Grade and did not know Damion that well but that Damion would drink human blood remembering a time when Jason was bleeding and Damion took some of the blood with his finger and licked it off. Jessie stated that Officer Callahan had lied in Court about not seeing him on May 5th, Jessie claims they had a short conversation. After all meeting on the road, the three boys walked to the woods and were sitting in the water with Jason and Damion “going under,” Jessie said he could not go under because of his ear problem.

The three young boys were seen from a distance when Damion told Jessie and Jason to hide. Jessie said they were hiding behind bushes when Damion grabbed Michael Moore. The two other young boys started hitting Damion trying to help their friend and that is when Jessie and Jason jumped out and helped Damion “beat them.” Jessie advised he helped hold them and beat them but had no part in raping or killing them.

Jessie advised two of the boys were raped from behind before and after they were tied up and that Damion and Jason were taking turns with the two boys. Jessie said the boys were still alive at this time.

Jessie said the boys were kept quiet by putting hands over their mouths and that Jason and Damion had used “shirts” and that at times their face was pushed down into the ground.

Jessie was asked how the boys were kept under control while being raped and not tied yet and he stated “They were like puppies, when you whoop a puppy and tell it to stay, it will.” Jessie did say he had to catch Michael Moore but did not say at what point.

Jessie claims that the third boy was never raped but that he may have been the one that Damion took his penis and put it in his mouth (the young boys penis). Jessie said at one point Damion and Jason had one of the boys in a headlock with one he believed had his penis in the boys mouth while the other one had him from behind. Jessie said he did not mention the “ears” to the police, only a headlock. Jessie also mentioned that “sticks” had been used to beat the boys.

At one point, Jessie said that Jason had a “bucktype locking knife” and “cut it all off and threw it in the weeds” saying the boy was alive and tied at this point and that he was surprised blood did not get on him because blood went everywhere and he was about a “car length” away. Jessie said “they” threw him into the water and “he was still squriming around in the water” at which point he left. Jessie said he does not know what happened to the knife. Jessie said he believed the other two boys were not conscious when he left but were not in the water.

Jessie also stated that Jason called him “later” and asked him why he left and he told them he could not watch it any longer. He claims the only other contact with Jason and Damion were a couple of times at the skating rink but they were mad at him.

Other Information

Jessie claims his lawyers asked him if he was innocent and that he had lied to them.

Jessie said the boys had a clubhouse and that’s why he thinks they were in the area.

When talking about the “meetings” they had, Jessie could remember about nine people showing up and at one particular meeting “Kent” was to bring a dog “as his treat,” the dog was taken away in the woods where it was killed and skinned. The dog was brought back and cooked in something that looked like Crisco in a “washing machine type bucket.” Jessie said he eat a little one time and got sick. “Kent” was to catch the dog at the trailer park and Jessie believed they had killed about four dogs altogether. Jessie said Jason and Damion would both have sex with Dominique at these meetings.

Jessie said he lied about the time and the rope to “trick the police and to see if they were lying.”

Jessie says he feels the other boys tricked him into what he did.

Jessie claims he has felt sorry for what has happened and talks as if he wants to testify against the other boys so they will not go free and to help himself.

Jessie did say the photograph showed to him was a group picture of the boys “riding” their [bicycles] in front of a house.

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