Maryland Sniper Shootings-FR Commentary

Fox, CNN, Press Conferences | October 9, 2002 | Fox, CNN, Press Conferences

[Peach]

Another press conference due soon. To avoid multiple vanity threads regarding any news that comes from press conferences, thought we'd keep a live commentary thread going again today.

[kcvl]

I like Chief Moose!

[Miss Marple]

You are correct, harpseal He neither confirmed nor denied.

If it is true, kristinn, the police DID find it. All Channel 9 did was TELL the public about it.

[Catspaw]

Neither confirmed or denied.

This is one piece of evidence, if the reports are accurate, that the Chief didn't want released to the public. I have a feeling heads will roll if he finds out who did release the information.

[Peach]

The police have been working overtime, over night, all sorts of crazy hours on this. I'd be getting pretty upset with the media too, releasing info the police wished to hold back. They always try to hold back info, so the cooks who come out claiming responsibility can be quickly discounted if they don't know about the "held back" info. The media rots. The line forms to the left for those who are fed up with the media who think they are better than the police, the politicians, etc.

[Merovingian]

Yes, you are correct..He does not affirm or deny, however, he is pretty much admitting it..Saying things like "it should not have been said without my authorization...

He IS making a good point, imo, the media frenzy could cost lives..LLSS applies here too...

[Peach]

cooks=kooks

[kristinn]

Media asked Chief Moose about double standard of analysts being criticized for name calling the sniper when Gov. Glendenning was name calling yesterday.

The chief stumbled all over himself to say what Glendenning said was okay.

I think the chief would be happier working in the former East Bloc. They controlled the media real well.

[Miss Marple]

You are correct. It is quite possible because of Channel 9's actions there will now be tarot cards found all over the area, left by goofy teenagers and assorted nutcases, which will complicate the case.

[kcvl]

I'm already in line so they'll have to get BEHIND me. lol! Don't you just love it when someone actually MAKES SENSE such as Chief Moose.

Everyone from sociologists to former "whatevers" have given their "expert" opinon. It's about time somone told them to shut up and go home.

[kristinn]

True, but the Channel 9 reporters are conducting themselves with more maturity than the chief. Emotional stability counts in these situations.

[Peach]

Not to be "disgrumbled", but the chief, whatever we think of his public relations skills, has a good point. As is always the case in high profile cases, kooks come forward to confess, and the police like to have a piece of "held back" information so they can quickly discount the so-called confessions. It's the same thing as the White House asking the media to get the okay regarding tapes claiming to be AQ or OBL - they wanted to make sure there weren't code words contained in the tapes.

[Miss Marple]

Actually, I think he is quite calm, considering the situation. You have thousands of people whose lives are at risk and a lot of grandstanding reporters and experts spouting off 24/7 (including those of us here on this thread...LOL)

Imagine that you have the hardest, most nervewracking situation imaginable and you are constantly questioned and second-guessed.

At least he is still talking to the press. Myself, I would have been a lot nastier.

[Peach]

I do see a difference between being mad at the media not clearing a potential clue through LEO coordinator, and the public coming forward with important information. The media is the medium through which public appeals for help are made, not the medium through which police evidence should be released.

[kari]

The Tarot card, if kept secret would have been a pefect "tell". That is an unique piece of info that only the
real killer would know about. This is very important to
have to weed out all the fake confessions that have been pouring in. The pathetic losers who claim to be the killer
could have no knowledge of and therefore would make no
reference to the card and could be weeded out quickly.

Moose is right. The talking heads were so over the top yesterday I wanted to scream. Bad mouthing the perp
to try and enrage him so he'd act again. Easy enough
to do in a NYC TV station but not good for the region
under seige.

[GirlNextDoor]

After the Tarot Card taunting, I now think the sniper is a fairly young man (late teens, early 20s), loner, likely indulged by parents, who are probably both neglectful and uninterested government workers. He is not unlike the Columbine shooters.

WOW
That's some assuming/deducting!
And all that w/ just your fist? ;)

[ET(end tyranny)]

Good morning Peach!

[GirlNextDoor]

Morning Peach! Hope the day goes well for you and thanks for the post.
:)

[Catspaw]

Usually, the statements made by public officials in these cases are run by the cops, and in this case, the profilers as well, including the use of "code" words like "coward."

I remember watching former FBI profiler Candice DeLong over the weekend saying that the Fredricksburg VA murder was probably not related to the other murders (a short time before the cops confirmed that it was), and speculated about the age. She was not very helpful. In fact, I remember yelling at the screen, "you idiot."

Cops are very loathe to give out all information in a case while the case is still under active investigation. They may well have wanted to hold back on the Tarot card because it is one of those things only the killer would know. Now it's public knowledge. If the killer was going to use this as his signature--and the card holds significant clues, like his handwriting--that's long gone because now everyone knows about it. Do you have a need to have everything about the case known to the public (as well as the killer) in exchange for hampering the investigation, with the possibility of screwing up the case?

[harpseal]

[I]f the reports are accurate

That is the key question. We have absolutely no way of knowing if there was a Tarrot Card left. Reporters have been known to make things up and sometimes reporter's sources make things up just to jerk the reporters arround. Stay well - Stay safe - Stay armed - Yorktown

[Merovingian]

Chief Ramsey interviewed on Channel 5..Asked what he thought about Moose's remarks about former LE "Experts"..He agreed to a degree by saying "Lord knows during the CL investigation we had experts all over the place..and a couple of them had worked for us, and I wouldn't give you 2 DEAD FLIES FOR THEM"!