Why were Jason and Damien arrested in the first place?
To respond to pressure from the community for a prompt arrest, a large reward was offered for information about the crime. Being young and poor, Damien and Jason were easy targets. A mentally challenged young man, Jessie Misskelley, gave a false confession. His interrogators enticed Jessie with the prospect of reward money and the promise that he would be sent home a free man just as soon as he told them what they wanted to hear.
