Mara Leveritt

Hello, Friends. Starting Jan. 16, I'll lead "Secrets to the Grave," an online class examining the rumored connection between the unsolved murders of the Boys on the Tracks and drug smuggler/informant Barry Seal's use of the airport at Mena. Hope you can join us!

Current Term Information : CLASSES : LifeQuest of Arkansas You may download the current class brochure and registration form and mail your registration to LifeQuest, P.O. Box 25523, Little Rock, AR 72221, or register online or by telephone. Online registration is first come, first serve, while mailed or telephoned registrations are processed during business...

Last summer, a court in West Memphis denied a request by Damien Echols to have evidence in the 1993 murder case in which he was convicted retested. That evidence was the shoelaces that were used to tie the victims.
Years ago, DNA extracted from knots in those laced traced to the stepfather of one of the victims—but not to any of the men found guilty of the murders. The question was: could newer tests with more powerful technology provide more information?
Arkansas law allows “a person convicted of a crime” to ask a court to allow testing that might “become available through advances in technology to demonstrate the person’s actual innocence.”
But when Echols asked for that, the prosecutor in West Memphis argued that the testing law did not apply to him because he was no longer in prison. The circuit judge agreed. She denied Echols’ motion to retest the knots.
Last week, Echols appealed that ruling to the Arkansas Supreme Court. His lawyers noted that the law says nothing about whether a person seeking to have evidence tested is being held in prison or not.
The filing’s bottom line was simple. A court cannot, it argued, “read into legislation what is simply not there.” It asked the high court to accept the plain meaning of the law.
Throughout this case, courts high and low have focused on elements that were “simply not there.” Remember how the trial judge admitted the testimony of a discredited, self-described “expert in the occult”?
And remember how, on appeal, the state supreme court affirmed the resulting convictions—without a dissent—finding that the “expert’s” testimony was “substantial evidence”?
It’s time for the Arkansas Supreme Court to return this case to reality. To accept science and reject specious arguments. To honor the plain language of law.
We cannot know what might result if those knots finally get retested. The more critical test for now is the one before the state’s high court.

At the start of this new Congress, let's not forget that investigation into allegations of drug smuggling and money laundering by associates of Adler Berriman 'Barry' Seal at Mena that the House Banking Committee conducted in Arkansas in the mid-1990s.

Reviewing files for my book ALL QUIET AT MENA, I came across a letter that two law enforcement officers sent to Rep. Jim Leach, the committee's chairman, on Jan. 15, 2001, in which they asked whether the committee's report on that investigation would ever be released.

They told me they never received a response. Now, 22 years have passed since that letter, no report has been released.

Friends, I'll be signing copies of ALL QUIET AT MENA until 12/15. Just email [email protected] and let me know how (to whom) you'd like your book(s) personalized. THEN, order at the link below. That's all! Thanks & Happy Holidays!

All Quiet at Mena All Quiet at Mena is Mara Leveritt’s personal account of the obstacles faced by investigators reporting on one of the most secretive episodes in America’s long war on drugs. Starting with the crash that killed Emile Camp, a co-pilot of the notorious co***ne smuggler Barry Seal, she explores how ...

Folks, I've had a great time speaking at libraries this year. Russellville was terrific! This coming Saturday I'll be speaking about (and signing) all my books, but especially ALL QUIET AT MENA, at the Garland County Library in Hot Springs. 7 p.m. Hope you can come!!!

For a real scare, check out this warning from the past. It starts with the politically motivated beating of an old man.

Clip HD | The Mortal Storm | Warner Archive The Mortal Storm (1940) director Frank Borzage’s brilliance behind the camera empowers this story of Hitl...

Had a terrific time in Bentonville. Great audience--despite the storm! Tomorrow (Friday) night, I'll be speaking and signing books at the Pope County Library in Russellville. 5 p.m. No rain in the forecast. Come if you can!

Friends--especially you up around NW Arkansas. I will be speaking about all my books and signing some in a talk titled "Crime after Crime" at the Bentonville Library. Come by in you can! 6 p.m. Monday. That's tomorrow night!

Friends, The Benton Branch of the Saline County Library is hosting a book extravaganza from 1 to 3:30 next Saturday, Oct. 15. I'll be there with nine other local authors. After that, I'll be speaking at the Bentonville Public Library at 6 p.m. on Oct. 24; at the Pope County Public Library in Russellville at 5 p.m. on Oct. 28; and at the Garland County Library in Hot Springs at 7 p.m. Nov. 5. Please come if you can!

Library to offer Local Author Showcase The Saline County Library is bringing together Central Arkansas authors to showcase the talent in the area and encourage budding authors to write their own works.

Very proud to see ALL QUIET AT MENA among such great company on this year's Arkansas Gems poster from the state library.

Thirty-five years ago tonight,
on August 23, 1987,
a freight train dismembered the bodies
of two Saline County teenagers
who’d been murdered hours before.
A half-dozen more killings marked
the county’s corrupt,
drug-fueled “reign of terror.”
The Arkansas medical examiner—
The county sheriff—
The state police—
A local prosecutor and judge--
The FBI—
And the U.S. attorney—
All either foiled the investigations
Or backed away,
Leaving Arkansas with nothing
but
whispered
outrage.

The Boys on the Tracks An examination of two Arkansas murders, which appeared to be drug related, and the surrounding political corruption that prevented prosecution of the killers.

So I guess we're learning that women are wrong to expect that physicians will provide appropriate medical care to save their lives or ease their pain if the government tells them not to.

Abortion laws spark profound changes in other medical care A sexual assault survivor chooses sterilization so that if she is ever attacked again, she won't be forced to give birth to a rapist’s baby. An obstetrician delays inducing a miscarriage until a woman with severe pregnancy complications seems “sick enough.” A lupus patient must stop taking med...

Six weeks from now will mark the 35th anniversary of the murders of Kevin Ives and Don Henry, known in death as THE BOYS ON THE TRACKS. It is way past time for the secrecy around this mangled investigation to end. Please consider signing:

Sign the Petition Release the Docs for Kevin Ives & Don Henry!

This week in "quiet" history: In June 1984, CIA technicians hid cameras in an old C-123 owned by smuggler/informant Barry Seal. Almost no one knew that Seal then hid the plane at Mena, Arkansas--until after his death, when it was shot down in Nicaragua.

All Quiet at Mena All Quiet at Mena is Mara Leveritt’s personal account of the obstacles faced by investigators reporting on one of the most secretive episodes in America’s long war on drugs. Starting with the crash that killed Emile Camp, a co-pilot of the notorious co***ne smuggler Barry Seal, she explores how ...

HUGE THANKS to everyone who responded--so quickly--to my request! Mission accomplished! In record time!

A filmmaker contacted me hoping I could help her get in touch with Dan Harmon, but I have no idea where he is these days. If anyone has a suggestion, please DM me and I'll pass it along.

Standing with #********!

Kremlin crackdown silences war protests, from benign to bold A former police officer who discussed Russia's invasion on the phone. A priest who preached to his congregation about the suffering of Ukrainians.

Something strange kept agents' evidence of a multi-state drug conspiracy, money laundering and a $2-million fraud from reaching a federal grand jury. What that was is the restless secret, the queasy ALL QUIET AT MENA.

All Quiet at Mena: A reporter's memoir of buried investigations All Quiet at Mena is Mara Leveritt’s personal account of the obstacles faced by investigators reporting on one of the most secretive episodes in America’s long war on drugs. Starting with the crash that killed Emile Camp, a co-pilot of the notorious co***ne smuggler Barry Seal, she ...

If you watched the first episode of HBO's THE INVISIBLE PILOT, you might be interested in hearing how Betzner described his smuggling life for a committee of Congress. I found it--and him--fascinating. (But that's me. :-} )

Contra Drug Running: Testimony of Gary Betzner and Contra Leaders (Apr 7, 1988) APRIL 7, 1988 | The subcommittee hears testimony on methods of drug smuggling from convicted drug smuggler Gary Betzner and the videotaped testimony of the A...

Anybody in a mood to talk about books? I'll be at the Faulkner County Library in Conway tomorrow at 3 to do just that. THE BOYS ON THE TRACKS. DEVIL'S KNOT. ALL QUIET AT MENA. What do they say about Arkansas?

KTHV reporter @ MercedesMackay interviewed Jason Baldwin and me this morning for an interview to run in May. In a few hours we're heading to the Benton Event Center for a public interview, starting at 7 p.m. Come if you can--or stream it on the Benton Library's FB page!

Barry Seal. Buzz Sawyer. Gary Betzner. What a trio of pilots—and what intriguing ties to Arkansas, guns, and drugs.

The farmer who faked his own death to work for Pablo Escobar — and the CIA New HBO docuseries “The Invisible Pilot” tells the story of Gary Betzner, an Arkansas crop duster turned international drug smuggler.

For those who can't make it to the talk in person, the Saline County and Garland County libraries will live-stream it on their Meta pages. Right after that, on 4/7 and 4/9, I'll be speaking (alone) at libraries in Van Buren and Conway respectively. It's National Library Week!

IF YOU CAN ... join and me at 7 p.m. next week at the Benton Event Center! Jason will talk about being put on trial for his life at 16, the pressures of life in prison, and his ongoing work with Proclaim Justice.

Saline County Library Hosting Author Talk with Mara Leveritt and Jason Baldwin - Saline County Library The Saline County Library is excited to announce a live author event with author Mara Leveritt and Jason Baldwin on Tuesday, April 5th from 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM at the Benton Event Center. Baldwin was one of the three who were implicated in the West Memphis Three murders. Leveritt will be joining Com...

Jason and I will be signing books after the event on 4/5 at the Benton Event Center. We’ll have a few on hand, but if you want DARK SPELL or DEVIL’S KNOT, best to order in advance and bring it/them with you. See you there!!! https://www.amazon.com/Dark-Spell-Surviving-Sentence-Justice/dp/1499175752

So pleased to report that Jason Baldwin and I will soon be appearing together at the Benton Event Center. Please join us if you can! 7 p.m. April 5. Our talk, about irregularities in his case and others, is sponsored by the Saline County Library.

A circuit judge has ordered a hearing on June 23 to decide the dispute about retesting of evidence in the case of the State of Arkansas vs Damien Echols. (Big thanks to Channah French for forwarding this info.)

Russian warship, go f**k yourself.

The next stage in the battle over evidence in the case of the WM3 may unfold live, in court. Attorneys for Damien Echols will ask a judge to rule on Prosecutor Keith Chrestman's objections to their petition for retesting, including his claim that it was filed in the wrong court.
In a filing last week, Echols' attorneys argued that the petition was filed properly in Crittenden County, because that was where Echols entered the Alford Plea, which "vacated and replaced" his earlier conviction from Crittenden County.
Chrestman had also argued that the new M-Vac testing being sought should be barred because it would destroy evidence. But Echols' attorneys wrote that any testing for DNA alters the physical evidence to some degree, because of the DNA removed.
"The Arkansas DNA statute's preservation obligation has to allow for this degree of evidentiary alteration through the testing process," they wrote, "or else there would never be ANY DNA testing ever, turning the statute into a wholly meaningless enactment."

Arkansas came too close to executing one of the West Memphis Three. I hope you know of Proclaim Justice, the Texas group that fights wrongful convictions. In that vein, here's a passionate podcast from Alabama, about a guy there who SHOULD NOT be executed. Give a listen.

‎Corpus Delicti: 159: Road to Redemption: Chapter 1 - Death Row on Apple Podcasts ‎Show Corpus Delicti, Ep 159: Road to Redemption: Chapter 1 - Death Row - Mar 5, 2021