LITTLE ROCK, Arkansas — The men accused of murder in the case of the West Memphis Three may get a second chance to argue their innocence.
Experts found pieces of evidence that was previously said to have been destroyed and now they're pushing to have it tested for DNA analysis.
Damien Echols, a member of the West Memphis Three, has had a legal team that's spent 18-months fighting to find evidence.
Echols, Jason Baldwin, and Jessie Misskelley all faced accusations after three West Memphis boys were murdered in the 90's.
The group all accepted an 'Alford plea' and have been fighting to prove their innocence ever since.
But, after a year and a half of fighting to view evidence that was once believed to be destroyed, Damien Echols legal team finally got their chance.
This week, lawyers were able to comb through the evidence as they looked for clues into what really happened in the case of the West Memphis Three.
Some of the evidence included shoe laces that were used to tie up the children.
"We certainly want to bring some measure of closure to the families of these three children, and of course, hopefully in that same moment exonerate Damien Echols, Jason Baldwin, and Jesse Misskelley," said Lonnie Soury, spokesperson for Echols' defense team.
Now that lawyers have their hand on the evidence, they're able to DNA test it with technology that wasn't available 10-years ago.
The process is known as M-Vac testing and uses a vacuum procedure to remove the DNA that is on the evidence so they're able to test it.
Along with the discovery of the evidence, West Memphis Police Chief Mike Pope announced this week that he plans to resign, with his last day being Dec. 24.
In a letter dated Dec. 7, but was released to the public this week, he told the mayor that he has other endeavors and goals that are leading him in a different direction.
According to a city spokesperson, Pope's resignation has no relation to the West Memphis Three developments.