The Dixie Chicks are thrilled to announce the newest addition to the family. Martie's daughter, Harper Rosie Maguire was born this morning in Austin, Texas. She is a perfect 7lb 10 ounces. 20.5 inches long. Martie is doing very well and Gareth and the family are over the moon.
Dear friends, my husband Gareth and I are thrilled to announce that we are expecting our third daughter in late summer. Eva and Katie are very excited to have a new baby sister. Three girls, what a magic number!
I'm writing this letter today because three men have spent the past 13 years in prison for crimes they didn't commit. On May 5th, 1993 in West Memphis, Arkansas three 8 eight-year-old boys, Steve Branch, Christopher Byers, and Michael Moore were murdered. Three teenage boys, Damien Echols, Jesse Misskelley, and Jason Baldwin were convicted of the murders in 1994. Jason Baldwin and Jesse Misskelley received life sentences without parole, and Damien Echols sits on death row. I encourage everyone to see the HBO documentaries, Paradise Lost and Paradise Lost 2 for the whole history of the case. I only discovered the films about 6 months ago, and when I finished Paradise Lost 2 I immediately got online to make sure that these three wrongly convicted boys had been set free since the films were released. My heart sank when I learned that the boys were now men and were still in prison. I couldn't believe it. I searched for answers as to what had been done and what was being done to correct this injustice. I donated to the defense fund and received a letter from Damien Echols wife, Lorri. She is a lovely woman who has dedicated her time and heart to her husband. I was glad to hear that after so many years of fighting for justice it looked like things were finally happening. Below, I have written what the DNA and forensics evidence shows. I hope after reading it and looking at the WM3.org website, you will know that the wrong guys are sitting in jail right now, and feel compelled to help. Inspired and determined to see the justice system work, many people have worked on this case pro bono for the past 13 years. However, there are still costs that go along with the process of freeing these three men. There has been a wonderful resurgence of interest by the media for this case, but nobody mentions the need for funds. Donations to the defense fund are desperately needed. DNA and forensics tests are expensive. They are also what will finally set these men free. Due to so many people's passion and generosity, what would normally be a case that costs millions is costing a fraction of that. I know around the holidays we all get inundated with deserving causes and charities that are in need of donations, but this can't wait! With all of the new evidence things are finally moving, and fast! Any money that you can donate is desperately needed to pay for the experts and the federal court hearing that is just weeks away. There is also a letter campaign that has been started by a new and energized group of people in Arkansas. By clicking on this link, you can download the sample letter. Signing and sending this letter makes it very difficult for this case to be ignored. Please mail the letters to the following address:
Arkansas Take Action Capi Peck, Coordinator P.O. Box 17788 Little Rock, AR 72222-7788
After so many years it literally comes down to this hearing.
The evidence is so strong that at the very least the judge will grant a new trial, but hopefully he will overturn the verdict and these guys will finally be sent home to their lives and families. I know that this is a hard thing to just take my word on, so please look at the case and the evidence for yourself. I am confident that you will see the DNA evidence is irrefutable and that these three men did not get the kind of trial that is promised to us - as Americans. The system hasn't only failed Damien, Jesse, and Jason, but it has failed the three little boys that were murdered. Their killer(s) is still out there, and justice has yet to be served. Please know that your generosity will make a difference.
Sincerely, Natalie Maines Pasdar
The following is just some of the DNA and forensic evidence that will be presented in the federal court hearing.
In late October, legal papers were filed in federal court in Arkansas showing that Damien Echols was wrongfully convicted. The 200-page court filing includes DNA evidence that fail to link any of the three boys to the crime scene. This is very important because the prosecution claimed that Echols had sodomized the victims.
-DNA tests also show that a hair belonging to Terry Hobbs, the step-father of one of the victims, was found in the ligature of one of the victims.
- DNA tests also match a hair at the crime scene to a friend of Hobbs that was with him that day.
-DNA test results show foreign DNA-from someone other than Echols, Misskelly, or Baldwin-on the penises of two of the victims.
-Scientific analysis from some of the nation's leading forensics experts, stating that wounds on the victims' bodies were caused by animals at the crime scene-not by knives used by the perpetrators, as the prosecution claimed. These wounds were the centerpiece of the prosecution's case, and evidence was presented that a knife recovered from a lake near one defendant's home caused the wounds.
-Sworn affidavits outlining new evidence uncovered by Pam Hobbs (the ex-wife of Terry Hobbs) who found a knife in Terry Hobbs' drawer that her son (one of the victims) had carried with him at all times. After her son was killed, the knife was not among his personal effects that police gave to the Hobbs family, and Pam Hobbs always assumed that her son's murderer had taken it during the crime.
-New information implicating Terry Hobbs-including his own statements made to police in recent interviews where he acknowledged that several of his relatives suspect him in the crime. The filing also includes a chronology of Hobbs' activities on the night of the crimes, when he washed his clothes and sheets at odd hours for no reason other than to hide evidence from the crimes.
-A sworn affidavit that refutes hearsay evidence from Echols' trial. The mother of one of two girls who testified that they overheard Echols admit to the crime at a softball game now says that Echols' statement was not serious and that neither she nor her daughter believes he committed the crime.
Tickets Go On Sale August 13th For Grand Opening Concerts On October 18th & 20th
Across from STAPLES Center, Downtown's State-of-the-Art NOKIA Theatre L.A. LIVE Destined to Make Live Entertainment In Los Angeles an all New Experience
LOS ANGELES (August 6, 2007) – Two of music's most successful artists, the Eagles and Dixie Chicks, have been signed to headline the first concerts at NOKIA Theatre L.A. LIVE, downtown Los Angeles' new 7,100-seat state-of-the-art theatre. This historic grand opening event is presented by WACHOVIA.
When the Eagles and Dixie Chicks take the stage on October 18th, concert goers in Los Angeles will experience live performances like never before with the state-of-the-art acoustics, "intimate" site lines and a collection of amenities that NOKIA Theatre L.A. LIVE will be known for. The October 18th and 20th concert dates represent the groups' only U.S. concerts this year.
Tickets for the concerts will go on sale Monday, August 13th beginning at 10:00 AM via ticketmaster.com, Ticketmaster charge-by-phone lines at (213) 480-3232 or (714) 740-2000, and at all Ticketmaster Ticket Centers. Additionally, tickets will be available at the STAPLES Center Box Office and the Box Office at TEAM LA at Universal CityWalk starting Tuesday, August 14th.
The Eagles have sold more than 120 million albums worldwide, earning four 1 U.S. singles and four Grammy Awards. Their Greatest Hits 1971-1975 is the best-selling album of all time, exceeding sales of 29 million units. Hotel California and Their Greatest Hits Volume 2 have sold more than 16 and 11 million albums respectively. The Eagles were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1998.
The Dixie Chicks are the biggest-selling female group in history, having sold more than 30 million albums. Their first album, Wide Open Spaces, is the highest-selling album in history by a country music group and is among the top-100 selling albums of all time. They made music history at the 49th Annual Grammy Awards ceremony when they became the first female group ever to take home the big three top Grammy honors: Song Of The Year, Record Of The Year, and Album Of The Year. They have won a total of 13 Grammy Awards and more than four dozen other major awards.
The Eagles and Dixie Chicks have teamed up with iloveallaccess.com to offer the ultimate fan experience for the concerts featuring VIP ticket packages. For more details go to www.iloveallaccess.com.
About NOKIA Theatre L.A. LIVE Destined to become the preferred indoor venue for performers and fans alike, NOKIA Theatre L.A. LIVE is world-class 7,100-seat venue for live performances located in downtown Los Angeles within the new L.A. LIVE sports, residential and entertainment district. Offering guests mid-sized intimacy, with no seat further from the stage than 210 feet, exceptional comfort and amenities never before included in similar theatres, NOKIA Theatre L. A. LIVE will host over 120 music, family, dance and comedy acts, award shows, televised productions, conventions and product launches annually.
In the center of the entertainment capital of the world, NOKIA Theatre L.A. LIVE will be the heart and soul of the 4 million square foot L.A. LIVE sports, residential and entertainment district. Across the street from STAPLES Center, the world's busiest arena, and adjacent to the Los Angeles Convention Center L.A. LIVE will ultimately become the primary the "content campus" and event center for southern California where people seeking entertainment offerings intersect with the sports and entertainment industries at work in an energetic, unique, urban environment covering more than 6 city blocks.
The 27-acre L.A. LIVE will also include a 54-story, 1001-room convention "headquarters" hotel (combining JW Marriott and The Ritz Carlton brands and 224 luxury condominiums – The Ritz Carlton Residences at L.A. LIVE), Club Nokia, a 2,200 capacity live music venue, a 14-screen Regal Cineplex, "broadcast" facilities for ESPN along with entertainment, restaurant and office space.
NOKIA Theater L.A. LIVE - Downtown like you've never heard it before.
Shut Up & Sing" continues in movie theaters in Los Angeles and New York City. It opens in Dallas on Nov. 10, and will now open Nov 17 in additional major U.S. cities including: Boston, Washington, Philadelphia, Chicago, Detroit, Minneapolis, San Francisco, Seattle, Phoenix, Atlanta, Houston, Miami, Nashville, Austin, Denver, San Diego, Indianapolis, San Antonio, Knoxville, Tampa, Salt Lake City, Kansas City, Portland, Cleveland and Las Vegas. We will pass along further updates as they are received from the film distributor.
As you may know, the Chicks are releasing a new documentary called "Dixie Chicks: Shut Up and Sing" this Friday in New York and Los Angeles with cities across the U.S. rolling out in November.
To celebrate the release, there is a new home to free speech on MySpace. Click on
In response to all of your great comments and messages, we are pleased to announce that we are featuring several of the new songs over the next few weeks. Using votes from the Music Challenge and requests from the comments section, we will feature the following songs:
Lullaby beginning 7/21
Taking the Long Way beginning 7/28
Voice Inside My Head beginning 8/7
During this period, we would like to ask each of you to spread the word about the new music -- whether it is a bulletin to your friends, adding the song to your page or writing a blog about the new music.
Our goal is to reach 100,000 friends August 15, but we need your support to get the word out on MySpace.
Thank you as always and look for new info. on the next leg of the tour next week.
Update: We had a technical error posting the new song -- it will be up on July 24. Sorry for the delay.
P.S. And don't forget the tour kicks off this Friday in Detroit! Check out http://www.dixiechicks.com/06_ontour.asp for more info.
