david echols of the so-called west memphis 3. years on death row before he was released. he maintains he was innocent. i spoke to echols exclusively today and we'll have that interview for you in a moment, but first how we got here. today's protest was sparked by arkansas's plan next week to carry out a series of double executions. in all, seven inmates are set to die by lethal injection using that same drug used in 2013. the first round of lethal injections is scheduled for monday unless a court or governor enter veeintervenes. nbc's jacob ras ccon is in litt rock and joins me by phone. what have protestors been telling you? >> reporter: there's been more and more protestors coming here. we lost our signal so i'm on the phone with you instead. i have one man who came down from utah. his name is randy. randy's brother ronnie was executed in utah recently by firing squad. i just to want ask you, randy, why you felt it was important to come all the way down here for this rally. >> well, i came down here to lend support in the aboli

lorri davis began correspondents with damien echols while he was in prison and is an advocate. and david boies, a lawyer and anti-death penalty advocate. you mentioned 18 years on death row. you know all the men currently scheduled for execution now. >> yes. >> glor: you went to little rock last week. >> yes. >> glor: when this cropped up, did you have any thoughts? >> i was fide. we got a call from the woman who runs the coalition to abolish the death penalty. they were having a gathering to protest the executions and asked me to come. my first thought was no, it was a nightmare for me. i think it would probably be the second most traumatic thing to ever happen to me in my life to return back to where people tried to kill me the second after actually being sent to death row. but the more i thought about it, i couldn't sleep at night because i was thinking i can't just sit here and not raise a hand, not try to do anything while they're killing these guys. but even after i made that decision, i would go back and forth. i would say, i've got to do this. there's no way -- i'll reg

here in new york city, we're joined by damien echols.e was freed from arkansas' death row in 2011. over the weekend, he returned to arkansas to protest the state's rapid-succession execution plans. echols was on death row with many of the men the state plans to send to the death chamber. he was one of the west memphis three, the young men in west memphis, arkansas, who were imprisoned for the 1993 slayings of 38-year-old boys after an investigation largely fueled by unsubstantiated rumors of a satanic ritual. he ultimately was freed. we welcome you all to democracy now! begin witha list you. you are a lawyer for one of the prisoners slated to be killed, involved in the lawsuits that -- to the stays of execution at least for a few days. explain what you sued over. >> there were numerous issues in the complaint. the primary issue everyone is aware of is the state's expense did -- expected use of midazolam in the problems associated with it another executions and its inability to do essentially what it is prescribed to do in this case. ther

jeff: damien echols, lorri d avis, david boies, thank you for being here. ♪ ♪ >> u.s.on the retreat with the dow at its lowest close in two months. oil slumping on the dollar, gaining strength. >> the latest survey continues to see growth although it is described as modest moderate at best. announcing ason review of the iran nuclear deal. delaysly delay is -- their ambitions. tighter controls on live streaming apps.

one of the police later said that he said as soon as they found the bodies, it looks like damien echolsly did it. jeff: because you listened to metallica, did not act like everybody else in town. damien: i read stephen king novels. ever since i was really young, i really loved western issa terraces him, ceremonial magic. anything that is not fundamentally christian is automatically satanic to them. it put a bull's-eye on my back. jeff: they said these were called -- cult killings. damien: it was during the time in the late 1980's and early 1990's where you have this thing going on that is now called satanic panic. you had people all over this country sitting in prison because you had huge shows like geraldo rivera and oprah winfrey that were doing shows on this topic, which we now know did not even exist. they were saying as many as hundreds of thousands of human sacrifices were taking place across the country every year. they had no evidence to support this. no bodies were ever found to support this, but it was still accepted as gospel. not only in arkansas at that time but throughout

. >> reporter: damian echols was freed in 2011 and has become an advocate against the death penalty.ys he personally knew many of the moan ween who were senteo die. >> look what almost happened to me. >> reporter: the state is not slowing down the execution schedule. two more are scheduled for thursday. governor hutchinson says he thans to fight all appeals for >>> the "cbs overnight news" will be right back. with tampax pearl. you get ultimate protection on your heaviest days and smooth removal for your lightest. tampax pearl and pocket pearl for on the go. no matter who was in there last. protection. new lysol power & fresh 6 goes to work flush after flush for a just-cleaned feeling that lasts up to 4 weeks. lysol. what it takes to protect. because your carpet there's resolve carpet care. with five times more benefits than vacuuming alone... it lifts more dirt, pet hair and removes odours. while softening every fibre because your carpet never stops working, resolve carpet care with five times benefits >>> president trump is taking action on a signature c

. >> reporter: damian echols was freed in 2011 and has become an advocate against the death penalty.ys he personally knew many of the men who were sentenced to die. >> can't make them do anything. all i could do is say police reconsider, ask, look what almost happened to me. >> reporter: the state is not slowing down the execution schedule. two more are scheduled for thursday. governor hutchinson says he plans to fight all appeals for the victims' families. >>> the "cbs overnight news" will be right back. 60% of women are wearing the w...experience leaks. introducing always my fit. find the number that's right for your flow and panty size on the top of any always pack. the better the fit, the better it protects. always. no matter who was in there last. protection. new lysol power & fresh 6 goes to work flush after flush for a just-cleaned feeling that lasts up to 4 weeks. lysol. what it takes to protect. i'start at the new carfax.comar. show me minivans with no reported accidents. boom. love it. [struggles] show me the carfax. start your used car search at the all-new carfax.com. ♪ ♪

we have heard from actor johnny depp, he spoke out along with damien echols, they have spent nearly twoes on death row before being proclaimed innocent >> these guys, if they're getting ready to execute, the politicians tell you are irredeemably evil and can be saved or redeemed, these are the people who showed more kindness and compassion and generosity than any of the good people that are trying to kill them ever d did. >> in a ruling the federal judge said the eighth amendment which involves cruel and unusual punishment is the reason for the injunction before what is the largest number of inmates executed in a single month '90s when it executed eight people. they did that twice. arkansas is executed 27 people since the supreme court reinstated the death penalty back in 1973. it is only one of four states that executed multiple people on the same day. texas is included in that group as well. julie: thank you. easter celebration is getting scaled back in egypt following the deadly bombings at two coptic christian churches. the attack is getting attention around the world. next is the a

arkansas coalition to abolish the death penalty furonda brasfield, and former death row prisoner damien echols, go to democracynow.org. in egypt, a court has acquitted aya hijazi, her husband, and six other charity workers of all charges after they were imprisoned for more than three years without trial. hijazi, who grew up in v virgina and is a dual citizen of egypt, was arrested on may 2, 2014, along with her husband and others, while running a nonprofit seeking to help homeless children in cairo. she and her husband were accused of paying the children to participate in anti-government protests. to hear our interview about her with sharif abdel kudos, go to democracynow.org. as many as 1500 palestinian prisoners are now on hunger strike and eight separate israeli jails. israeli prison officials have moved to retaliate againinst strike leader marwan barghouti, moving him to anotr prprisonnd placacing him in solitary confinement. in a "new york times" op-ed published monday, barghouti wrotote -- "israel has established a dual legal regime, a form of judicial apartheid, that provides virtual im