(Image: West Memphis Police Department)

BY STEFANIE REDDING

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After serving 18 years in prison, 3 men famously known as the West Memphis 3 have been released.
WFTV has more...


“...the men convicted of killing three eight-year-old cub scouts in Arkansas have been set free. Recent DNA test at the scene was found not to be a match to the so called West Memphis Three, but the men still had to agree to plead guilty under the deal that set them free. Damien Echols, Jason Baldwin and Jessie Misskelley were all convicted in the brutal slayings of three children.”


So -- how did they plead guilty -- yet go free?
CNN explains -- the three made a deal known as an Alford plea, which means...


“...they didn't admit to any actual criminal act, but they did acknowledge the prosecution probably has enough evidence that it would lead to their conviction.”



On CBS -- attorney Stephen Braga says there were a few other things that played a part in their release.

“I think there were three turning points that helped make this resolution possible -- three new things. A lot of new evidence, DNA evidence as described in the earlier report by Erin. New witnesses, different things coming to the forefront, a new hearing  and perhaps most importantly a new judge.”



The release of the men has received mixed reaction -- with victim’s father telling the judge -- releasing the three is like opening quote- “Pandora’s Box.”
But Fox News legal panelist Tamara Holder says...


“I think its splitting the baby -- really the prosecutors they don’t lose the case but they get the guys to admit to not their guilt but to say that they believe the state would find them guilty and then the guys get to go free. It’s already been eighteen years.  I don’t know there are mixed reactions, its just one of those cases where both people feel bad.”



But since the men are free -- what will they do now?
A writer for the Christian Science Monitor says the first challenge -- will be life outside prison.


“They must adapt to the practical side of an unstructured world – making life decisions for the first time and learning new skills like working a smart phone. Second, community support is a must. And third, they need psychological attention to understand their experience.”

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Transcript by Newsy.