Court: West Memphis slaying hearings on hold (UALR Public Radio) - An assistant to Craighead County Circuit Judge David Burnett says a set of hearings scheduled to begin Monday for three men convicted in the 1993 slayings of three boys in West Memphis will be postponed.

Michelle Grilletta says Burnett is drafting an order rescheduling the hearings for Damien Echols, Jason Baldwin and Jessie Misskelley. She says the judge told her nothing would be heard next week regarding the case.

Court officials said Burnett's order had yet to be filed Thursday afternoon.

Both Baldwin and Misskelley claim their lawyers failed to adequately represent them during their separate trials. Their lawyers also say DNA evidence provided by Echols' defense team shows the men - known to supporters as the "West Memphis Three" - did not kill Steven Branch, Christopher Byers and Michael Moore.

The Arkansas Supreme Court has upheld their convictions.

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