Madeleine McCann Missing-Praia Da Luz, Portugal 3/05/07 #1

[festa]

Kate McCann shows the strain as Portuguese police bid to 'crack' her

Despite all the speculation about their involvement in the disappearance of daughter Madeleine, Kate and Gerry McCann faced the press this morning as they left home with their children.

The McCanns left their home in Rothley, Leicestershire, earlier today for a short trip to a nearby park.

The McCanns' public appearance came as police in Portugal increased pressure on them by making an application to seize Mrs McCann's diary which, they claim, could help prove that she killed her daughter.
As a number of family friends mounted a defence of the couple, others suggested the strain of the inquiry was beginning to take its toll.

Police believe that entries in Mrs McCann's diary could explain to a court why an apparently devoted mother could have killed her child and engaged in what they claim is an elaborate cover-up.

The new revelations follow an emergency application by Portugal's public prosecutor to take possession of an unnamed item - now understood to be the diary - within 24 hours.

Although the diary, which Madeleine's mother has kept updated almost constantly since the four-year-old vanished on 3 May, is already in the police's hands, legal rules mean that they need judicial authorisation to use it any trial.

The judge in the case, Pedro Miguel dos Anjos Frias, has a day to grant the request, which is thought to be highly unusual - but he is expected to approve the application

In Rothley, Gerry McCann drove the family's turquoise Volkswagen people carrier while his wife sat in the middle seat in the back, in between the twins.

Earlier, the family's spokesman, David Hughes he told the press: "They are taking the children to a play area for about an hour."

He said that neither he nor the McCanns would not be commenting on the case.

The twins looked excited as they were driven out of the cul-de-sac.

Just after 8.30am this morning Mrs McCann's uncle, Brian Kennedy, arrived at the McCann's home in his black car, looking tired.

After about half an hour, he battled his way through the cameras and left.

Earlier, a post worker arrived with a box of mail for the McCanns, which was taken into the house by a police officer.

Robert Murat, the only other official suspect, has also been spotted for the first time since news of the McCanns becoming suspects was announced.

Gerry McCann has insisted that he and his wife Kate are "100 per cent confident" of each other's innocence.

It was the first time he had acknowledged some Portuguese reports claiming that Madeleine's mother accidentally killed their child and her husband helped cover up the dreadful accident.

In an emotionally-charged entry on his internet blog, he insisted: "Kate and I are totally 100 per cent confident in each other's innocence and our family and friends have rallied round unflinchingly to support us."

He also spoke of the "unending nightmare" confronting his family, writing: "The pain and turmoil we have experienced in this last week is totally beyond description.

"We could never possibly have imagined being put in this unbearable situation."

Mr McCann has often used the official Find Madeleine website to hit back at criticism and the couple are under renewed pressure following fresh claims of DNA evidence.


There are photos here:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/worldnews.html?
in_article_id=481408&in_page_id=1811



They already have/read the diary - so that doesn't seem good - whatever she wrote seems to incriminating by the Portuguese police, they just need the go ahead to use the info at trial  and the judge is going to approve the application, something that they are deeming, "unusual", so I am assuming it is crucial and relevant.  I cannot believe this - again, they state an "elaborate coverup" - that would mean more arrests, no?

[festa]

Thank you Puzzler - that answers a lot - so they can tell if from corpse or not and if from Madeleine, not a family member - this doesn't look very good at all for the McCanns then if it is her hair -  I am still shocking over this - the implications - IF - IF - this would mean Madeleine probably died before dinner and they came up with this whole charade possibly/probably involving some or all of their dinner/travel companions - AND then they started an international campaign to find her knowing they wouldn't meeting celebrities and the Pope and raising money toward her safe return - Can this be? this would make them monsters -

The McCanns know the police have read this diary, I doubt she made a confession of sorts, but I wonder exactly what she did write down that concerned the Portugal police.

[Anna]

I haven't read anything that suggests the PLE think anybody other than the McCanns involved.  The dinner companions would only know what the McCanns chose to tell them.

While the behavior of a couple of them does seem very strange, I don't think they are suspected of being implicated, at least not by the police at this time.

.

[festa]

I haven't read anything that suggests the PLE think anybody other than the McCanns involved.  The dinner companions would only know what the McCanns chose to tell them.

While the behavior of a couple of them does seem very strange, I don't think they are suspected of being implicated, at least not by the police at this time.

.

I still want to believe in the McCanns innocence, not only because of how horrible this would be, but because it seems they would need help - that is my suggestion of possible other arrests IF the McCanns are brought to a trial - The police may not be implicating/suggesting anyone elses involvement at this time, but they have questioned the discrepancies of some of the dinner companions statements, so that could come back to them being accused of lying to help the McCanns, IF indeed the police go forth with this claim that the McCanns harmed Madeleine, not saying this is a definate, just stating that there seems to be an underlying suggestion of aiding - by questioning the discrepancies in certain statements - like the Dr checking on the McCann children, but only listening at the door, but later saying he did enter and the room was "lighter" meaning the shades had been touched - which does that make sense? - if you were abducting a child, wouldn't you close the shades, not open them? - am I missing something? - And the other female companion seeing a man fitting the description of Murat carrying a child in a blanket - while others have suggested only 1 person left the dinner table that evening and another late arriving companion (arrived at 9:30) saying no one left the table while she was there, but Mrs. McCann left shortly after that to check on the children - very confusing - either someone isn't telling the truth or they did have many bottles of wine with dinner which is another discrepancy - BTW, wouldn't a receipt be able to tell this?  How long do restaurants keep their receipts?  This seems like it would be an easy answer.  The McCanns and companions said 3 bottles while the restaurant or barkeep says more like over 10 (12 or 13 I believe) -

[festa]

Madeleine:
Police believe Kate's diary will prove she killed her daughter

..........
A friend of the McCanns, citing a number of legal sources, said the family had been advised that the prosecutor is probably either seeking further guidance from the judge or applying for the authority to carry out more searches.

Today's demand came as the McCanns challenged Portuguese police: "Find the body and prove we killed her."

It is understood that lawyers acting for Kate and Gerry McCann have told them that without a body it will be extremely difficult for Portuguese authorities to press charges.

A close friend today said: "The legitimate question to ask Portuguese police is: 'Where is the body?' Where's the evidence that Madeleine is dead? We have got no idea."

-----------

Presumably Portuguese authorities are looking at a trial. Gerry has remained consistent that they can explain everything that needs to be explained and will do so. They are innocent; they did not kill Madeleine and dispose of her body."

The McCanns fear they are losing the public relations battle which has seen them turn from being victims of a terrible child abduction to formal suspects in the police investigation.

Their campaign manager Justine McGuinness leaves her post on Saturday, having only ever been contracted until that date. The McCanns are now being advised to assemble a new media team to try to create more positive headlines.




http://tinyurl.com/yuwmsd

[MuffyBee]

Just a thought about the amounts of wine consumed or alleged to have been consumed by the 9 people at the table with the McCann's the night Madeleine went missing:  I've read the group of vacationers said they consumed 3 bottles of wine, and I read that the waiter or barkeep mentioned 14 bottles of wine.  What difference does it make if it is 3 or 14?  The folks could have had drinks BEFORE they went to the restaurant.  When my DH and I travel, we sometimes would have a bottle of wine or other drink in the room.  Also, there were 9 people, but one person, Dr. O'Brien was out part of the time to tend to sick child.  And, with 9 people, that doesn't mean all 9 drank equal amounts of wine.  There might be 9 people, but maybe not all were drinking.  Or maybe some had a glass or two, or maybe one of the persons drank most of a bottle.  There may be receipts from the restaurant, but there could have been wine or other alcohol consumed prior to the restaurant, in the room etc.  Also, some resorts will serve alcohol pool side etc.  What is the significance of the amount of wine/alcohol consumed?  Did it show the group was sloshed and not keeping track of the time and that is why the interviews or timelines each gave don't add up?  If I were on vacation and having dinner and drinks, I don't think I would be keeping a running timeline...Also, if a lot of wine/alcohol were consumed it could be part of a plan the McCann's used to make sure no one in their group was paying particular attention-a diversion if you will.  I don't know. 

[klaasend]

O/T

[MuffyBee]

From Festa's post above:
"Madeleine:
Police believe Kate's diary will prove she killed her daughter "

This one makes me scratch my head in wonder.  If my child died by accident or by my hand and I had knowledge and covered it up, I'm not sure I would be writing down things that could implicate me.  If Kate did have knowledge of how her daughter died and wrote enough about it that it could implicate her in her daughter's death, then here are some possibilities:

1.  Kate McCann was confident enough of her position of fooling everyone around her that she didn't think she would be caught.
2.  Kate McCann is in complete denial about what happened and has serious mental problems.
3.  Kate McCann is a very stupid woman.

What would be written or included in the diary?  Maybe not an out and out confession, but perhaps some wording or phrases that could be seen as a revelation of what happened, in bits and pieces.

There has been discussion about body language, which can be another useful tool to an investigation.  I think to make a case, the PLE and the British police would have to line up such things as the wiretaps and listening devices and that evidence, the diary, the statements made by everyone, the DNA, time lines and etc.  It might take all of those things together to make a case.  Unless there was an out and out confession, a video, extremely reliable witness or enough damning dna or other physical evidence, there will be a lot of work involved to make the case.

[MuffyBee]

O/T

Oh yeah!  Thanks for the reminder.  I wouldn't want to miss this.   

[festa]

Good point, MuffyBee - you're right it doesn't matter - just adds to the uncertainty of some of these statements in the press - I just think at this time, there is a lot of room for misquotes or wrong info we are hearing -
And I do think the timelines have wiggle room - I am the worst at estimating time - You're right, who keeps track, especially on vacation and at dinner - The only thing would be that the McCanns said they checked the children every 20 or 30 minutes - so that would suggest THEY were keeping time, but not the others -
The 13 or 3 bottles doesn't factor in except it seems that that should have been an easy thing for PLE to determine and get that FACT straight - you're writing a report 13 or 3 - if you can't get that what else isn't correct?

[festa]

I've seen mention of this before in the Australia press, comparing this to the Azaria Chamberlain case, just another way to look at this -

-----------------------------------
The Chamberlain and McCann cases then take an uncanny parallel course. Both cases received saturation publicity, both stories were treated with scepticism, and eventually the focus went right back onto the parents.
---------------

In the McCann case, traces of dried blood are claimed to have been found in the McCanns' Renault Scenic car, hired 25 days after Madeleine's disappearance. The blood was found by sniffer dogs taken in by British police. Samples were sent back to the Forensic Science Service in Birmingham and the conclusion reportedly is that the blood might have been Madeleine's.

Other reports have it that the "strong smell of a corpse" has been found on the car keys and that dogs had picked up an interesting trail on a beach near Praia da Luz, suggesting the body was dumped at sea. As with the Chamberlain case, the blood evidence looks shaky. If the car was hired so long after disappearance of the child, then it could only have been transferred blood. And if a parent had a trace of the child's blood on a garment, so what? Children do have cuts, and the blood dries on a garment. Family members have traces of DNA of other family members all over them.

The problem with all this scientific evidence is that once it gets caught up in the frenzy of a chase, even evidence that is fundamentally flawed has a good chance of being accepted.

Then, when questions are raised as to motive, the real speculation has its day.

The Chamberlains, in the initial frenzy of public scorn, were accused of having killed Azaria as part of some satanic ritual. Their religion, the harmless and benevolent New World import called Seventh-day Adventism, was misrepresented and used against them. The McCanns are doctors, so the speculation moved into notions that they had overdosed their daughter on a sedative and covered it up when she died.

The saga wrecked the Chamberlains' marriage and despite good compensation payments to both of them, it had a devastating effect on their lives and the lives of their children. In the McCann case, the Portuguese police, after exhaustive questioning of the couple, have named them arguidas, or persons of interest. Just what happens from now is anybody's guess, but if past cases are any guide, the police, the forensic scientists and the Portuguese people will see their reputation on the line if proceedings against the McCanns fail. It might turn out that the couple did have something to do with their child's death. But anyone is entitled to say he, or she, did not do it. And it sounds very significant coming from a couple who, for all the world, have been loving and caring parents. As John Phillips put to the jury in the Chamberlain case all those years ago, why would they do it?

Whatever the outcome, the McCanns, and their twins who have yet to digest what their parents are going through, are in for a long haul.

http://www.smh.com.au/news/world/the-usual-suspects/2007/09/12/1189276808723.html?page=2



Now I've seen where they are looking at the new road and the church grounds, but are they doing searches in the water? 

[BlueKYGirl]

What would be written or included in the diary?  Maybe not an out and out confession, but perhaps some wording or phrases that could be seen as a revelation of what happened, in bits and pieces.

I agree--I don't think she'd be dumb enough to come out and confess in her diary. I also don't think many people would have the emotional wherewithal to come out and state in written words what she had done. (That in itself would be difficult for me). I think you're right in assuming there may be clues there from certain words, phrases, or even details that she's recorded in there.

Very interesting that the diary is the item they want to seize.

[Puzzler]

What if instead of what the words are in the diary, the police are looking for forensics on the diary: traces of blood, body fluids, scent of death?

[MuffyBee]

What if instead of what the words are in the diary, the police are looking for forensics on the diary: traces of blood, body fluids, scent of death?

mmhhhhmmm.  That is interesting Puzzler.

[Puzzler]

Wonder if the digging has begun?

http://www.thesun.co.uk/article/0,,2005320001-2007420470,00.html

[BlueKYGirl]

What if instead of what the words are in the diary, the police are looking for forensics on the diary: traces of blood, body fluids, scent of death?

mmhhhhmmm.  That is interesting Puzzler.

That is interesting!

[festa]

And more regarding Chamberlains:



LINDY Chamberlain-Creighton last night leapt to the defence of the parents of missing toddler Madeleine McCann.

Mrs Chamberlain-Creighton - who was jailed but later exonerated over the disappearance and death of her baby daughter Azaria in 1980 - has even offered to speak to the British couple as they come under even more scrutiny over their alleged involvement in their daughter's disappearance.

Mrs Chamberlain-Creighton said she felt "particularly sorry" for Kate McCann, who is accused of accidentally killing her three-year-old daughter while on holiday in Portugal.

"That sounds like a mirror image (of my experience), doesn't it," Mrs Chamberlain-Creighton said last night.

"Lie and tell us you did it and you can go free - tell us the truth and you can't."

Mrs Chamberlain-Creighton spoke out as Portuguese authorities stepped-up their investigations into the McCanns, with prosecutors last night making an urgent application to seize Mrs McCann's diary.

Police sources said prosecutors believe the diary may hold the key to the investigation into Madeleine's disappearance on May 3.

"Police want to seize Kate's diary to see if it can reveal what really happened on the night," the source said.

It comes a day after prosecutors handed judge Sylvia Bidarra 10 boxes of files containing DNA results, police interviews with the couple, witness statements, intercepted emails and tapped phone calls.

Most damning are strands of Madeleine's hair found in the boot of the parents' rented car, which was not leased until 25 days after her disappearance.

Mrs Chamberlain-Creighton last night urged people not the judge the McCanns, on the evidence already allegedly gathered.

"I heard something about blood on keys 25 days later - gruesome as it might sound, autopsy reports and everything else which I have had quite a lot to do with . . . you are not going to get fresh blood after 25 days, no matter what you have done with the body so you look at it and go somebody is stretching here," she told Channel 9's A Current Affair.

She said the fact that the McCanns had been staying at a Portuguese resort at the time of Madeleine's disappearance meant they would have had little opportunity to conceal their alleged crimes.

"How many other people would have to be involved to hide a body for 25 days - it's a hot country - you don't do that with maids coming in and people around and police," she said.

"There's got to be a whole lot more people involved if they were remotely stupid enough to do what people are now talking about."



http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,22408015-5001021,00.html

[festa]

Madeleine's parents consider new fund for legal battle


It seemed to go back and forth whether they will use any of the Madeleine fund for their legal bills with them stating they would not as to not anger anyone, but now it seems they may set up a seperate fund.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/europe/article2439634.ece

[Anna]

Media glare on the McCanns will not subside


Mark Borkowski
Wednesday September 12, 2007
MediaGuardian.co.uk


Whatever we are now being led to believe or not to believe about the McCanns, one thing is sure - the level of success achieved by their PR adviser, Justine McGuinness, is now being analysed from a new perspective. Her clients have to face a cruel new reality as recent events have begun to turn media opinion.
Over the past two months, the campaign to find Madeleine McCann has been brilliantly masterminded by Ms McGuinness, a 37-year-old former Liberal Democrat parliamentary candidate, who was selected via a headhunter.

Prior to Ms McGuinness's arrival in Portugal, the McCanns' media relations were handled by a team from the British government. To help the family cope with the enormous level of interest, Sheree Dodd, a former tabloid journalist, was dispatched to Portugal by the Foreign Office. Then Clarence Mitchell, an ex-BBC news presenter, became the voice of the McCanns.

With the foundations in place, the strategy was simple - keep the family and their missing daughter in the public eye and be proactive in keeping the story running.

This plan now faces a massive challenge as the tables have started to turn. Initially effective, the PR machine was relentlessly emotional. Spectators witnessed the daily photo opportunities, the finely tuned soundbites and deft PR choreography. The cast of characters has had a constant presence in the press, on the radio and TV and as a blog recording the progress of the search for Madeleine.

http://media.guardian.co.uk/marketingandpr/comment/0,,2167480,00.html?gusrc=rss&feed=4

This strikes me as very strange as well.  Why on earth would the British government supply them with PR assistance?  So now they are having to pay for this as well?  From the fund of well over $2 million dollars they have collected worldwide to help in the search for Madeleine? 

Seems they may have to pay for their own legal fees but I wonder if this is the sort of thing donators had in mind.

Why is professional PR required, anyway?  This is yet another thing I have never encountered before.  Hardly objective of the government to be assisting the parents who have not yet been cleared in this disappearance.

This just sounds all so staged.  I feel it was an attempt to sway public opinion in their favor from the start, a very odd thing for a government to be doing in the first place.  I can see the McCanns wanting this but not their government.

So was what we were watching an advertising campaign designed to obtain specific results?  Too slick by far, for my thinking.

.

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[festa]

2 things, I had mistakenly read that the PLE had READ the diary but were prevented in presenting it at trial as yet, but now I am reading that they have NOT read the diary:

Portuguese detectives believe the book – which they have already seized but are legally prevented from reading – may hold the key to cracking the case of missing Madeleine.

Also, they are asking not only for the diary but "correspondence"