He Became Friends With One of the Members of the West Memphis Three.
After spending more than twenty years together on death row, Johnny Depp and Damien Echols, one of the “West Memphis Three,” became unlikely friends with one another. Both men were convicted of the same crime and sentenced to death. In point of fact, the actor was a stalwart supporter of Echols.

Eventual release from prison in 2011, which did take place at that time. Echols was freed at that point in time. At that point, Echols was allowed to go free. Even the skill of playing the guitar was one of the many things that Depp had taught him over the years.