WEST MEMPHIS, Arkansas — The West Memphis Three are back in court on Thursday.
It's been a long battle to try and get newly discovered evidence DNA tested and now we could finally see some answers.
Damien Echols and his legal team will be in court to request a new type of DNA testing for evidence.
"We've been fighting for two years to get the approval," said Lonnie Soury, a member of Echols' defense team.
In 2020, Damien Echols' legal team worked to get evidence from the murders of three West Memphis boys.
That evidence, which was previously thought to have been destroyed was intact.
So they pushed to have DNA analyzed while using a new technology that wasn't around during the time of the trial.
"Specifically the ligatures that were used, ligatures of the ropes, that were used to bound the three children," said Soury.
The legal team thought that doing the DNA testing wouldn't be an issue, since it could potentially prove the innocence of the accused, but earlier this year, Crittenden County Prosecutor Keith Chrestman, refused to cooperate with the DNA testing.
"He basically said, 'I'm denying you the right to test the evidence. Go to court,'" said Soury.
The court hearing will be held on Thursday at the Crittenden County District Court in West Memphis.
"The criminals are out there, the families of the victims have been misled, and of course the families of those who have been incarcerated have suffered," Soury said.
Echols's legal team is hopeful they will get the answers they've searched for, and that they will find justice for the families of the three murdered boys.
THV11 will be at the hearing and update this article with the latest information.