Elizabeth Smart Kidnapping - Daily News/Chat Thread - Day 23

06/28/02 - Friday | Elizabeth Smart Kidnapping - Daily News/Chat Thread - Day 23

[FR_addict]

And she said there's also a Jeep, then they said to her "What Jeep?" So apparently it wasn't around there.

I have to agree that the evidence is starting to mount, but there are still a lot of unanswered questions here.

The wife passed her lie detector test and he failed. I think these test cancel each other out, since the wife provided the alibi.

Now if the neighbor said that the police didn't know about the jeep until she told them, this is strange. Mr. Smart should have already told them about this handyman and the car he gave him. They should have known about it and been searching for it.

If you were going to remove seat covers because they may contain evidence of a crime, then it doesn't make sense to do this in front of the mechanic. But perhaps this guy is really that stupid.

[codebreaker]

I havent been following the case very closely, what are all you guys's thoughts about this wierd gay uncle stuff in the Enquirer today and that Elizabeth went to use the family computer and saw the family S&M porn with the gay uncles.

Is there anything to back this up?

[TheDon]

I saw the mechanics interview with AB on MSNBC. It was quite an eye opener. If the wife is telling the truth when she claims Ricci didn't get the car from the shop, the question then becomes, why did he get the car from the shop without his wife knowing about it? What does Ricci say about the incident? Where did he go? Who was the other man involved? What does that man have to add to what was going on? Is he involved? So many questions! I'm guessing the police know a great deal more than they are telling the public at this point.

[TheDon]

They are in no rush to charge Ricci in the Smart abduction as they have him in jail on other charges. He is no flight risk while he's in jail. Your comment about Elizabeth, is unfortunately, looking to be all too correct.

[Carolina]

She also raved on and on about what a wonderful man he was...

What is it about families of criminals that go on and on about what wonderful people their criminal child/relative is.

There was a mother and child kidnapped last summer while they were parked at a pharmacy. The dad had gone into the store to buy something. The mom was feeding the baby. This perp brutally murdered the mom, tossed the baby by the side of the road and took off with the car (the baby lived).

He was caught on videotape with the mom at a grocery store while she was getting cash. The car was later found in his driveway.

On his arraignment, a whole host of friends, families, and neighbors, along with media, showed up at the courthouse and loudly proclaimed what a good boy he was, he would never hurt anyone, he would be vindicated, blah, blah, blah.

[Lorraine]

“He’s a cat burglar,” one law-enforcement source told NEWSWEEK. “His M.O. is going in at night when people are sleeping.”

I also heard last night on I forget which cable news station that Ricci was acting belligerent and defiant towards the detectives trying to question him.

IMO Ricci is guilty, but I believe he was not working alone. I'm heartbroken for Elizabeth and her wonderful family. This evil sociopath should NEVER have been released from prison. Did anyone catch the father-in-law last night when he mentioned Ricci had confessed to them that he went off the wagon and had started drinking and drugging again? I couldn't tell when he had done this, but my impression was that it was since he had become part of their family.

[floriduh voter]

And, I hate to criticize the parents but if I had a houseful of children, I'd want to spend a little extra dough and get reputable handymen to work in and around my home.

True, you're right, even a little yappy dog will alert, frighten and possibly even bite. My friend's little yappy taco bell dog snuck up behind me and bit my ankle. That hurt and I'm no burglar.

[ethical]

A post hole digger might be used to dig an airhole?

[Kentucky]

Just heard on Fox that the FBI will soon release a license plate number from one of the vehicles seen in the hospital parking lot the night of Elizabeth's kidnapping.

[PoisedWoman]

"I was in self-destruct mode." This is as they say a very "telling statement".

Good catch, Pistacio. I know that addicts of one sort or another keep "acting out" on their self-destructive behavior unless they take firm steps to get over it. Old habits die hard.

[shezza]

I'm already there.

Ricci was sentenced to life in prison and was released in less than ten years?? What confidence can a jury have in sentencing someone they've just convicted if a parole board comes along behind them and in mere minutes undoes what they spent months agonizing over? Ten years should mean ten years. Life should mean life. Period.

What is your wish for the world?
"Ah, that would be tougher penalties for parole violaters, Stan.... and world peace."
--Gracie Lou Flatbush (Miss Congeniality)

A distant idiot-in-law of my family, who shall remain nameless, tried to kill his wife with a hunting knife and was sentenced to eight years. He was released on parole 11 months later. Six days after his release, he was arrested again because of (a) sending his wife a letter full of expletives and death threats, (b) sending the judge a threatening letter, (c) not showing up for his required parole meetings, and (d) cocaine possession. His accompanying parole violation and possession charges were suspended and he was sentenced to three years on the "retaliation" charge. He served eight months of that sentence, then was released again. He skipped his parole meetings, had another warrant issued for his arrest, left the state (police: "There's nothing we can do if he has left the state"), then came back and called his wife, again threatening to kill her and everyone in her family. Her caller ID led the cops to him for a third time, and he's currently being held on "a technicality," but may be released at any time. He had already served six or seven short terms for drug charges in the local jail. You'd think they'd lock him up and throw away the key, as he has proven repeatedly that he is a menace to society and has no intention of "penance." Yet the pardons & parole board practically gushes about how this guy deserves another chance. And another. And another.

I'm with Gracie Lou.

[Bella]

What is it about families of criminals that go on and on about what wonderful people their criminal child/relative is.

Any good defense atty would always have the alleged criminal's family and friends testify in their defense as they know them.

[cherry]

i am just throwing this in here...Fox news stated that the FBI might have gotten at least on license plate off the hospital video and they might be releasing that info today.

let's home and pray that this is the case sealer....IF that was one of Ricci's cars and IF someone else was involved, let's hope that we will catch all of these bastards.....stay tuned

[Kentucky]

Fox News also has learned that authorities are investigating two suspicious cars that were seen in the parking lot of a children's hospital within a mile of the Smart family home at the time of the kidnap. One of the cars was flashing its lights, and the FBI has captured the car's license plate from a video surveillance tape used by the hospital.

The FBI is considering releasing the license plate number to the public for help in determining why the cars were there.

[Carolina]

The circus began even before the guy went to court. The family went on news shows claiming his goodness and were quite vociferous. This animal had a rap sheet full of armed robberies, assault and battery, and was paroled just before this horrible crime.

[codebreaker]

Is it possible that the gay uncles/father were found out with the male escorts on the Smart home computer when Elizabeth downloaded porn when she was looking for CD's in the family study? (according to this weeks tabs)

If Elizabeth knew about the sex ring between the uncles and her father that would make her a threat..

[lsee]

Several punches with a post-hole digger will also yield a shallow grave...

[Vinomori]

The FBI is considering releasing the license plate number to the public for help in determining why the cars were there.

Isn't this slow? Haven't we known about this for days? Can't they overnight a request for video enhancement? When someone's life may be at stake?

[BornOnTheFourth]

Since I've lived it, that's why I feel so strongly about dogs. And that's why I am talking about it. If any of you young parents take this warning, maybe YOUR child will be spared!

Ditto that. I have two dogs--chocolate and yellow labs. Labbies are extremely friendly, but these guys' barks frighten everyone who comes over (good boys!). My daughter won't go to bed until her dog is sleeping on it with her. They have free roam of the house at night for that very reason--to watch the house. Thankfully, no one has tried breaking in. Those boys are worth their weight in gold and rawhide bones ;-)

[lsee]

Boy, I'd also like to know whether they have gone back and re-searched the area where the volunteer searcher supposedly saw the man "covering his tracks"...and did the man match the general description of Ricci and did we know Ricci's whereabouts at that exact time of the day...The "gunshot" noises the other searchers heard might have been an engine backfiring as the person drove away. If tire-tracks were seen, they might now match the Jeep, unless searchers themselves messed up the evidence by walking around on top of the tracks. If the volunteer saw a man acting suspiciously in a certain area and Ricci's movements can't be accounted for at that time, I say search that area again with cadaver dogs.