Posted on 08/12/2002 9:08:54 PM PDT by IamHD
You notice that early on in the case, Ed Smart called the Bishop in.
Calling the Bishop of a ward is a very LDS (Mormon) thing to do. It is for spiritual comfort that we call the bishop, he can coordinate whatever help is necessary (and don't read anything into that statement.) A lot of times in tragedies familes can be totally non-functional, and it is a good thing to know that the Relief Society women will be bringing in meals, watching kids, cleaning the house, listening, whatever needs to be done in a time of need and/or tragedy. The LDS men would be there to help also. That used to be neighborly compassion. And I know that ministers and preachers of other churches also help in times of need and tragedy.
As far as the unwashed massed (me included, I presume), looking to the 'Hierarchy' of the LDS on how to react to the Smart abduction and other things that happen to the community is...I can't think of a nice word to say: ludicrous. Contrary to popular opinion, the hierarchy does not stand over us each and every Sunday and tell us what to think and how to act each week to each and every given situation. As Joseph Smith said "I teach them correct principles and they govern themselves." For the first few weeks after Elizabeth Smart's abduction, you would hear prayers for her, now it is down to all abducted children. (And now I'm sure we will be set upon because we are so calloused to forget her abduction.) No, she is being remembered in family prayers in many homes here.
In my earlier posts I laid the foundation for an accomplice in this crime. As far as I've heard, they have yet to identify who dropped Ricci off at Moul's garage.
Who takes photos of guys working on your house? Maybe it was like a group photo with kids laughing, guys working...one big happy family? How precious. Boylan made it clear that nothing had been done to influence Mary Katherine's memory. If the family did it, or if the police did it - it was done. Boylan NEVER should have indicated otherwise. She damaged her own credibility.
Your apparent arrogance in this post is most unbecoming. You can disagree with me without putting on an air of superiority. I always read your posts and try to give constructive criticism where I think some is deserved. I respect your opinions and your desire to see justice done in this case. Just because I may not agree with your theories doesn't make me a dolt. None of us know the answers to the questions being pondered on this thread. I gave a possible scenario for showing MK a photo without tainting her memory. My scenario could be dead wrong but that doesn't mean that it couldn’t have been done. I fail to see where Boylan damaged her credibility in this, unless you feel that because she supports LE in this that she also must be some kind of dolt. You are entitled to your opinion, please give me and others the same consideration.
There is nothing in her statement to support this. You are reaching here. You might be right but then again your interpretation may be off. We know from news accounts that MK was interviewed on at least four different occasions. This would indicate an extensive query. LE has told us that she has been consistent. Some posters do not want to believe this and are entitled to their view. I think that the public statements by those involved support a scenario where MK was carefully interviewed as to not damage her memories of that night. Boylan confirms this in her statement. Remember, it is possible that the SLPD/FBI could have some very talented people working on this case. It is also possible that the Smart family is not quite the bumbling fools some would believe. Naive perhaps, but not fools.
Perhaps, but I think that you can cut this the other way also. Let's look at it in two ways. There may be many more scenarios but I'm going to limit my post to the following:
1: Someone close to the family or of importance in the community at large is behind this. LE, in their fear of exposing this person calls off Boylan until they can get their act together. By the time they do bring her in, MK's memories have been totally trashed and they are unable to even get a sketch. They promise Boylan that if she'll just play along they will be sure to bring her in on future cases.
2: MK didn't get a good enough look at the perp to produce a sketch. LE doesn't want to come out and say this because they want the abductor to believe that she did see him.
It may be simple, but out of these two scenario's I'll take door number 2. I think the truth is probably very close to option 2.
This is true in any big city police department or government agency. When you do get a high profile case though, the best and the brightest tend to get the assignment. No police department wants to get embarrassed by shoddy police work. It happens, Washington D.C. is a recent example of this how wrong an investigation can go. You can also have the situation we saw in the OJ case. Some of LA's best detectives investigated that murder. In my opinion, the city was afraid to convict him, so the district attorney’s office threw the case on purpose, destroying the careers of a few of LAPD's finest.
I wonder if anyone read excerpt's of her book that I posted. Very interesting !
Like it or not, your sarcasm comes off as arrogance.
I said that because Boylan was steadfast in her claim that nothing had been done to influence Mary Katherine's memory, her credibility was shot.
I respectfully disagree.
I'd just like to know who's telling the truth and who isn't, and more importantly, why.
I'm in total agreement with you here. I'm coming from a position that LE has only deceived us in an effort to solve the case and that most of what they have told us is truthful and accurate. It is my feeling that you differ in that view.
Does anyone know if these are areas with white mud and pine trees?
And, I also believe that the public has been, to a certain extent, misled. From day one they basically begged for the public's "help,"...but with only a generic description of the abductor, what were we the public supposed to be looking for? I mean, we had a completely well-dressed man, with a description from head to toe, with no face. If we were only supposed to be on the lookout for Elizabeth, why give any description of the perp at all? All Elizabeth had on when she left was a pair of red pajamas, and I believe that those pj's were traded for new duds shortly after she was taken. And, from the time that she was taken, until the time that it was reported, she could have been taken anywhere.
I also enjoy her posts and gain from her input, although it does appear that she doesn't have much patience for those of us who have differing views from hers.
Really? I've never noticed that at all. I really enjoy reading most everyone's posts and have only noticed 2 or 3 posters that "have no patience," and spore-gasm isn't one of them. :0)
There has certainly been confusion generated in this case. I think that the media frenzy has certainly contributed but more confusion has come from the tightness with which LE has held information in this investigation. I just don't think MK really got that good of a look at the guy. In their rush to get something out, they blew the description of the hat that was worn. If everyone had been looking for guys driving cars that morning wearing a golf hat rather than a baseball hat then maybe they could have got a break. They should have corrected that as soon as they realized they were in error but for all we know maybe they didn’t recognize their mistake until several days had passed. Some of you may be shocked to hear me say something critical of LE in this case. Mistakes have been made but once again I have faith that they are on the right track. These mistakes may give defense attorney’s an edge if this ever goes to trial but I don’t think that the description of the hat will be a major factor in court. I could be wrong though. I might also add that I do not believe that they are trying to railroad Ricci. If they were, there would be a lot more heat on him right now. It appears to me that they are sure they have one of the principles in the crime and he is going nowhere fast. They can take their time building a very strong case and at the same time go after anyone else who may be involved.
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