|
 Movie obsession claimed
Ad placed by Ramseys says they think ransom note shows writer had fixation with thrillers By John C. Ensslin
%%byline%%By John C. Ensslin
Rocky Mountain News Staff Writer
The author of the JonBenet Ramsey ransom note had an obsession with language from movie thrillers, her family believes.
The note contains passages similar to dialogue in Ransom, Speed and Dirty Harry, the family suggests in a newspaper advertisement scheduled to run in Sunday's Boulder Daily Camera.
|
Film quotes that are echoed in ransom note
The Ramsey ad suggests that the following film quotes show JonBenet's killer had an obsession with phrases from "techno crime movies.''
Among the movie phrases cited are:
- Dirty Harry
-"If I even think you're being followed, the girl dies.''
-"That's the end of the game. The girl dies.''
-"Now listen to me carefully.''
-"Now listen. Listen very carefully.''
-"It sounds like you had a good rest. You'll need it.''
- Ransom
-"Do not involve the police or the FBI. If you do, I will kill him.'' -"Do not inform the media or I will kill him.''
-"No tracking devices in the money or the cases or I will kill him.''
- Speed
-"You know that I'm on top of you. Do not attempt to grow a brain.''
|
The ad does not contain the actual language used in the note, which was discovered on a stairwell inside John and Patsy Ramsey's Boulder home on Dec. 26.
Patsy Ramsey told police she found the note several hours before the body of her slain 6-year-old daughter was discovered in a basement storage room.
The case remains unsolved.
"We continue to honor our agreement with law enforcement authorities and, therefore, are not publishing any actual verbiage of the ransom note,'' the ad says.
Investigators have been aware for months of the parallels between films and the ransom note. Portions of the note have been published.
The ad breaks some new ground by quoting a passage from Dirty Harry.
A character in the movie says, "If you talk to anyone, I don't care if it's a Pekingese (urinating) against a lamppost, the girl dies.''
The ransom notes says, "If you talk to a stray dog, you die.''
The Rocky Mountain News in January reported similarities between the Ramsey case and the kidnapping of a man's son in Ransom, starring Mel Gibson.
In May, the News also reported a parallel phrase from Speed.
Actor Dennis Hopper's character warns, "Do not attempt to grow a brain.'' The ransom note -- addressed to John Ramsey -- states, "don't try and grow a brain, John.''
The 21/2-page ransom note was written on a pad found inside the Ramsey home.
Early in the investigation, police gave the Ramseys a copy of the note.
The ad is the latest in a series paid for by the JonBenet Ramsey Children's Foundation. An earlier ad revealed a small segment of handwriting from the note.
The Ramseys, who are suspects in the case, have repeatedly maintained their innocence. They have launched their own investigation.
Leslie Aaholm, spokeswoman for the Boulder police, said officers have not seen an advance copy of any of the ads.
As before, she said the department has no position on the usefulness of the ads.
"It doesn't slow us down or set us off in another direction,'' she said. "It in no way determines our investigation.''
August 15, 1997 |