This guy ??
Posted on 08/23/2002 9:35:01 PM PDT by IamHD
I don't know when Utahn children start school, but Elizabeth should/would be starting the 9th grade, soon. :(
they had a side view of him and his old attorney and either Ricci is not that big or Smith is a Jabba the Hut....
Ricci still is clinging to life
Smart family hires forensic scientist to help investigation
By Derek Jensen
Deseret News staff writer
More than 36 hours after suffering a brain hemorrhage in his prison cell, Richard Albert Ricci remained comatose and in critical condition Thursday morning at University Hospital.
As Ricci clings to life, investigators are left to wonder whether important clues into Elizabeth Smart's kidnapping will be lost forever if Ricci dies or can't communicate when he recovers.
Ricci has been at the top of the list of potential suspects into Elizabeth's June 5 kidnapping for more than two months. He has repeatedly denied any involvement in the abduction, but police say he's never explained how his Jeep Cherokee logged an extra 500 to 1,000 miles near the time of Elizabeth's disappearance. Police have also questioned his alibi. Ricci has said he was at home in bed with his wife the night a gun-toting intruder took Elizabeth from her bedroom.
Salt Lake Police Chief Rick Dinse said he wasn't sure if Ricci's name could ever be fully cleared if he were to die while all the questions surrounding him remained unanswered.
"I could only hope if he were to survive it would impact his willingness to cooperate," Dinse said.
Desperate to solve Elizabeth's disappearance, the Smarts have requested the help of Henry C. Lee, a forensic scientist with a doctorate degree in biochemistry and the author of several books including "Cracking Cases: The Science of Solving Crimes."
Lee will work with detectives and must sign a confidentiality agreement.
Lee has sounded off numerous times on the Elizabeth Smart kidnapping on national television programs such as CNN's "Larry King Live." He was an expert witness for the defense in the O.J. Simpson trial and continues to help the JonBenet Ramsey murder investigation.
The Smarts have repeatedly asserted that Ricci was somehow involved in Elizabeth's disappearance and that others who know Ricci may have knowledge of what happened.
"I definitely feel there are other people involved with Richard," Ed Smart said Thursday morning on NBC's "Today" show. "I have placed so much hope in him coming forward. There is a potential that we might not know because we haven't been able to get anyone else to come forward with information. This is a big setback."
"It is just too early to know what the outcome could be," Dr. Richard J. Sperry said Wednesday of Ricci's prognosis, several hours after the 48-year-old underwent six hours of emergency surgery to relieve pressure on the back of his brain.
"Usually if (the hemorrhage) is discovered when a patient is comatose, either the patient dies or has very significant disability," said Dr. Ali Choucair, director for neuro-oncology at LDS Hospital. He declined to specifically discuss Ricci's prognosis.
Doctors say the first few days after a brain hemorrhage often determine how well the patient will recover.
"The next 24 to 48 hours will be critical in determining the outcome for Mr. Ricci," Sperry said.
Ricci's wife, Angela, remained at her husband's bedside most of Wednesday, as she has done much of the time since his collapse Tuesday evening in his Utah State Prison cell. She continues to maintain he is innocent of Elizabeth's abduction and has not changed the message on her answering machine recorded by her husband before his June 14 arrest on alleged parole violations.
Angela Ricci avoided reporters Wednesday and Thursday as she dealt with her husband's condition.
"It's kind of like having an avalanche drop on you," said Nancy Pomeroy, a spokeswoman for Angela Ricci.
Doctors say Ricci suffered from a blood clot that put pressure on his brain stem. Dr. Elaine Skalabrin, director of the University of Utah's Neurological Care Unit, said the hemorrhage was in the balance center of Ricci's brain, which affects a person's ability to walk. The cause of the hemorrhage is still unknown. Ricci's collapse didn't appear to be caused by trauma or a drug overdose, but it's still uncertain what exactly caused the hemorrhage.
"At this point, although his vital signs are stable he's not under the condition for us to investigate the why," Skalabrin said.
A brain hemorrhage (also called a hemorrhagic stroke or cerebral hemorrhage) is the rupture of a small blood vessel in the brain. It leads to brain damage by preventing blood and oxygen from reaching tissues and by putting pressure on delicate tissue from the bleeding itself. The Harvard Medical School Family Health Guide says that while every stroke is serious, "brain hemorrhages are often devastating because they can affect younger people and are more likely to cause death.
"High blood pressure is the leading cause of a brain hemorrhage, but other risk factors include cocaine use, alcohol abuse, head injury, diabetes and bleeding disorders."
Although unconscious, Ricci is not considered brain dead and can respond to external stimuli such as someone touching his feet or hands. Those responses, however, are not controlled.
Ricci has a past history of high blood pressure but was not taking any medication for that or any other health condition since he was returned to prison June 14.
"He had a complete physical when he came to the prison in June," Department of Corrections spokesman Jack Ford said.
Skalabrin also indicated the possible stress Ricci may have been under because of the intense police focus on him wasn't likely a factor in his collapse.
"Generally speaking it has nothing to do with a stressful moment," Skalabrin said.
Ricci called for help Tuesday at 7:25 p.m. over an intercom from his cell inside the Uinta One section of the Utah State Prison, Corrections Deputy Director Jesse Gallegos said. Ricci lived alone in the 7-foot by 11-foot cell.
Within three minutes, an officer arrived and began talking with Ricci through his cell door. Ricci told the officer he was suffering from a headache and breathing problems, prompting the officer to call for medical help.
At 7:35 the officers reported Ricci had become unresponsive and radioed for a medical response group known as the "A-team."
Ricci had slumped over on his bunk. "He was actually blue when they got there," Corrections spokesman Jack Ford said.
At 7:42 p.m. more medical response arrived at Ricci's cell and restored his color, Gallegos said. Prison officials called 911 at 8 p.m. By 8:05 p.m. Ricci was taken to the prison's infirmary, similar to a hospital emergency room, where medical crews continued to work on him. A Salt Lake County ambulance arrived at the prison at 8:05 p.m.
Corrections officials called for a medical helicopter at 8:10 p.m. and the chopper landed at the prison 20 minutes later. Medical crews continued to work on Ricci until the medical helicopter lifted off at 8:47 p.m.
"His condition was very serious when he came in," Skalabrin said.
Do you recall the headache being mentioned in the initial reports? This is the first I've heard of it.
I agree with you here. It looks to me like this case was put in the icebox when Boylan left town and I'm not expecting anyone to pull the plug out of the wall. Our disagreement is, if there is something rotten here, and I agree it sure makes you wonder, I think the culprits are the SLCPD. In this article you posted notice what Dinse said:
Salt Lake City Police Chief Rick Dinse said Friday he was unaware that Ed Smart had asked Boylan for help. Dinse added that there is not enough information from Elizabeth's 9-year-old little sister -- the only witness to the purported abduction -- to warrant a composite sketch. "The family is the family," Dinse said. "They are going to do whatever they feel will help find Elizabeth. That's what everybody wants."
He says there's no reason for Boylan to have been brought in, which is I believe part of the argument police had been giving the Smarts not to bring her in. The next statement doesn't fit, 'They are going to do what they feel will help find Elizabeth'. The only way this statement makes sense is if he's explaining why they would want to bring Boylan in, this wouldn't be an explanation of why they didn't.
I'm not making any accusation but the ones I keep my eyes on here are the police. Just before Ed brought Boylan in her had started his own period of investigation, including smoking out the grand jury witness that said he sister had seen Ricci in Wyoming by making up the phony lost email story. Then it was clearly printed the Smarts brought Boylan in then 4-5 days later the police took credit for it and put a big P.R. show for Boylan (probably gave her money). The P.R. job was also on Ed because this is the point where his reliance went back on the police, there was an article then about how something like half the detectives were still assigned to this case and Ed was calling and talking to them every day.
This is where the case went in the ice box and any progress ended. Can we believe half the detectives in the SLCPD are still working on this case? I wouldn't even believe one part-time. I hope they're not paying half their detectives to do nothing.
I have little doubt police know who Ricci's 5'8" accomplice, I think they knew him before they associated him with Ricci. The $40,000,000 question - why is it such a big secret. I would still like to see a picture of Remington, after all LE never said he was in jail that night, they let Remington's lawyer tell us that. Not saying Remington is the man, just that there is an appearances SOMETHING is wrong. And not making any accusation about the police, just saying I keep my eyes on them.
I just pray something doesn't happen to Ed like what happened to Ricci. But as long as Ed's compliant and not making waves he's probably safe. I'm not blaming what happened to Ricci on anyone and not saying anyone would want to do something to Ed, but the conditions are here for that to be a possibility.
oh yeah, that was said right in the beginning. Your tin foil must be bent on one end !! ROFLMBO !!!!
And the saddest part, is that precious little girl! so sad.
Question about the *key.* If Ed Smart knew, or even thought that RR had a key, why wouldn't he have changed the locks? Why did he NOT turn the alarm system on? I have an alarm system in my home, and it's antiquated...17 years old. I have the option of NOT using my motion sensors while in the home. Thus, it allows me to only arm my windows, doors, etc., or, all when not at home.
Huh? What are you so excited about? Didn't you figure Ricci might have stolen a key from the start? Didn't you figure the home may have had a lock box on it since it was for sale so anyone with a key (or could steal one) would have access to the house. Do you expect Ed to make some kind of confession these are possibilities, isn't this obvious?
There's a pattern here, folks!
There is a pattern to the posting of yourself, Bella, varina, cherry, lakey, & several others, yes.
- it was Ed's idea. He said Ricci didn't have transportation. So what was the deal with the other two cars the cops were looking for? Why buy two cars when you have a Jeep? Can someone explain this to me?
Ricci was famous for not showing up, it was probably Ed's idea because he was tired of Ricci using the excuse he didn't have a vehicle when he didn't show up for work. Ed also said Ricci told him he was looking at cars when Ed made this offer, he may have told Ed he didn't have the money for a down payment and probably couldn't have gotten a loan without a steady job and being an ex-con.
One of the other cars was Angela's and the other was one it was said Ricci had access to, it belonged to a relative.
One thing about the Jeep, a lot of people barter, for various reasons. Sometimes it is to keep from doing all the bookwork involved with labor. If Ed was in the habit of using "day laborers" who often work for less money, don't want to leave a paper trail, or have a bank account then that could be a reason. Also he had the Jeep and it was a way to get work from Ricci in exchange for something he no longer needed.
yep..caught that too. And in the beginning, he was singing Ricci's praises, remember? He did say in that interview that he gave him the jeep and Ricci paid it off with work.
I wonder if he worked off Blue Book?
I kind of shudder when the questions are cleaverly asked about the Jeep, and how he feels about Ricci...never know what the tone is going to be. I thought he said and Lois said, they liked Richard alot, and he was a good man. When did that change? Oh yes...it changed when he thought about the KEY. But , but, did you have him turn the key in? You didn't??? Why not?
Then you are saying that he kept this key so one day, he would go into your house and abduct your daughter in the middle of the night, getting in with THE KEY, and ........yep, that makes sense to me........WAIT !! you don't need a key to slit that tiny window open do you? oh yeah, that could be it........Oh No !!!! how can a big hairy man like Richard slip through that screen? Did they find black hairs on the screen from his hands? Did he land in the sink?.....geez, hope Lois had the dishes done, or that would have made a noise....WAIT !!! .....forget the screen...when he used the KEY to get in the door, he left the door ajar, and so they could walk right out the door...him in his tan slacks, polo shirt and white cap, and her is her Ralph Loren tennis shoes......ok now I get it......Boy ! I bet you wish you had had him turn his key in when he was done doing that good job for you !
(And in case you are ready to highlight what I wrote here, it sounds as dumb as some of the mistatements made on t.v. that I have witnessed. The thing changes every time he speaks. I don't want him to change like that ! I want him to just be "real" to grieve like a Dad will, to be frustrated like any parent would be...but if you don't have any more to say...please don't sound as bad as my post did..cause it is hard to believe you...Ed. And I do want to belive you.)
IamHD...I expect you to clap now !!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.