Natalee Case Discussion #762 6/30

Quote from: carpe noctem on July 04, 2008, 05:11:10 PM

From Dave's Book - ARUBA

When the prime minister arrived back in Aruba from Fort Lauderdale approximately ten days after Natalee disappeared, his island was inundated with international press members, and he decided that he needed to take action. He must have felt that a meeting with the families would send a clear message that the government was concerned about Natalee. He had previously met with Beth and her family, and it was time to meet with my side. He came to the Holiday Inn with his bodyguard, but the bodyguard did not come into the meeting room—a good faith gesture that this meeting would be private and friendly. His opening remarks were those of a concerned man. He told us that he had a son who was in college, and he expressed his sympathy about Natalee. But then he proceeded to tell us how many hotels he had built and how many other ongoing projects he had. In fact, he said he had a $90 million project currently in the works. He continued rambling, and the family’s mood quickly changed, as we were not interested in hearing this kind of self-adulation. We were only concerned about the investigation. I interjected, “Could I have the floor, and can I ask you three simple questions?” The room grew quiet and all eyes were on me. I began my inquiry:

“What is the legal age of gambling?”
   “18.”
   “What is the legal age of alcohol consumption?”
   “18.”
   “What is the legal age of driving?”
   “18.”

He asked why I wanted to know. I said, “In my country, a judge interprets the law and renders justice based on the crime. He also has the responsibility to project an image to the public that would represent trust, honesty, and integrity. Paulus van der Sloot’s son Joran is only seventeen. How can a man training to be a judge sit at a poker table with his son and allow him to gamble, go the Carlos’n Charlie’s and order drinks, and even drive? What kind of image does this project upon the average person in Aruba? Ordinary people are fined and sent to prison, but does it apply to Paulus van der Sloot and his son? Are they above the law?”
The prime minister responded, “Nobody here is above the law, and van der Sloot will not be a judge.” Apparently Paulus had failed the test required to become a judge on the island. The prime minister added that he had been trying to close Carlos’n Charlie’s for some time. I told him I would quote him and hold him to his word that “No one is above the law.”

snip
On June 23, 2005, two weeks to the day after Joran was arrested, his father, Paulus, was also taken into custody. It was rumored that when the police arrived at the van der Sloot home to arrest Paulus, Anita immediately called Police Chief van der Stratten, who had been under pressure to make an arrest. There was supposedly a problem during the arrest, because Paulus refused to get into the police car. He insisted upon driving himself and that is exactly what he did. A police escort accompanied him to headquarters. I cannot even begin to imagine anyone in the United States, especially an attorney, refusing to go with the police during an arrest and getting away with it. It is not as though Paulus had arranged to surrender himself to the police.

According to an announcement by the prosecutor, Karin Janssen, Paulus was being held on “suspicion of complicity to premeditated murder, complicity to kidnapping and murder and kidnapping.” Apparently, he had made statements to the press that conflicted with those he had given when questioned by police. Additionally, there was talk on the island that Paulus had picked his son up early in the morning after Natalee disappeared and knew more than he had admitted. We were pleased with the older van der Sloot’s arrest.

snip
Our hopes were soon dashed. Two days after his arrest, Paulus van der Sloot was released, as was Steve Croes. Paulus headed for his own car outside of the jail; another indication that he did, in fact, drive there himself.

ABOVE THE LAW?????