Elizabeth Smart Thread, 9/9/02 to ???

[stlnative]

New thread...

[sandude]

Moul's got to go through the wringer, too, you know, if we want to try to be objective.

Agreed. What we do know is that LE has called him credible. We also have an indication that his interview on PTL didn't exactly jive with Ashley Banfield’s piece or the CNN story that was published. There is also the ABC story which you brought into play today. I think that all of these little matters would have been cleared up in the Grand Jury room. It is from this testimony that the credibility that LE has in Moul would have been culled. I have not been able to come up with any good reason for him to railroad Richard. Coupled with that is Angela’s changing statements tend to point back at her husband instead of clearing him. The Ricci’s behavior surrounding the Jeep is very questionable.

[lakey]

The last time on Larry King, she said that she wanted "balance, to balance things out." Doesn't sound like she intends to come back.

LK likes her, and so does Mark Gar? whatshisname. They, especially Mark, made some very kind comments to Angela.

[varina davis]

LK likes her, and so does Mark Gar? whatshisname. They, especially Mark, made some very kind comments to Angela.

Yes, they did. (Mark Garagos.) Even Nancy Graceless wasn't too cold to her.

[lakey]

Nancy did have to get her jabs in, though.

[sandude]

LK likes her, and so does Mark Gar? whatshisname. They, especially Mark, made some very kind comments to Angela.

I think they were being kind to a woman who'd just lost her husband. It would have been cruel for them to really hit her with a line of hard questioning under the circumstances. Nancy Grace got the only really hard question in and it was a good one dealing with waiving the spousal privilege. The bottom line is that if Angela really wants to clear Rick's name she will need to waive that privilege. His original lawyer indicated that there was an explanation for Richards actions that would be brought forth at the appropriate time. The lawyer can't speak about these things without Angela's approval. I don't think she will ever allow the lawyer to speak and that speaks volumes to me.

[varina davis]

I think they were being kind to a woman who'd just lost her husband. It would have been cruel for them to really hit her with a line of hard questioning under the circumstances.

Actually, I thought she got hit pretty hard that night, some of the questions were extremely personal, considering she was widowed just a few days before.

[Devil_Anse]

Changed stories in this case:

This is, according to my imperfect memory...if others don't remember it that way, let's try to look it up.

1. The description of the abductor's cap changed from ballcap to golf cap.

2. Angela first said she was as sure as she could be that Rick didn't get out of bed on the night in question, b/c she can "feel it" when he gets up to go to the john, and she didn't feel it. Later, Angela allowed as how it was possible that Rick had gotten up to go to the john that night.

3. Angela said, as to the call to Neth's by "Mrs. Ricci," that it was not she who had called, and she had no idea who had, nor of what that was all about. More recently, Angela says she did call Neth's at some point.

4. One early news account said the abductor wore a mask. No other account has said he wore a mask.

5. Early accounts said the abductor threatened Mary Katherine. Later, this was changed to say the abductor didn't threaten Mary K., he only threatened Elizabeth.

6. The height of the abductor has been variously described as 5'8", btw 5'8" and 6', and 5'9".

7. In one account, it was reported that Rick said he'd been out with friends the night of the 4th. Other accounts said he was home cooking dinner for Mormon missionaries the night of the 4th. (Of course, he could have done both these things, if he'd gone out rather late.)

8. When Moul joked about the mud on the jeep, and all the windows open and newspapers on floor, he said Rick told him he'd been 4-wheeling. Later, it appeared that both Riccis insisted Rick never even took the jeep out, and therefore didn't get mud on it, or open the windows, or go 4-wheeling, etc.

9. Mr. Smith, Riccis' attorney, pointed out on LKL that it would be quite easy to get 500-1000 miles on the jeep just by driving it in the SLC area. Seems strange he was making this point, since later it appears that the official story was, Rick never took out that jeep at all during the time the miles were put on it.

10. Moul says he saw seat covers piled in the back of the jeep, and Ricci put them in a bag and took the bag. Angela and her father said the jeep never had any seat covers. Moul also said he knew the jeep had seat covers b/c his shop had gotten oil on one of them one time.

11. Get this--I saw Mr. Mitchell of Mitchell's Nursery SAY on TV, early on, that Rick worked on June 5. Every account since then has said that Rick was off June 5, and Rick's neighbor even gave an account of things Rick did on the 5th, and it wasn't working at the nursery.

12. Carma Tolman, next-door neighbor of Riccis, said Angela asked a couple neighbors if they'd seen Rick leave the trailer the night of June 4-5. Angela says she never made these inquiries.

13. All the conflicting accounts of why Jean Boylan wasn't brought in immediately.

14. Initially, we heard nothing of the garage door being left open that night. Later, we hear that it was accidentally left open for hours.

15. First, it is insinuated that the Smarts called neighbors, or bishop, or Tom, before calling police. Later, we are told the police checked this and were satisfied that the first call was to them.

16. In the interview I saw(Banfield), Moul said Ricci took the jeep out for an "emergency," b/f work on it was completed. Brigette says in the interview with Primetime, Moul said the jeep was surreptitiously removed b/f the work was done.

17. As reasons for why the 2 girls (5 yr. age difference) shared a room, we have heard that it was b/c of renovations, then we heard that their mother had enjoyed sharing a room with sisters, and specifically set it up so they could have the same good experience.

18. Some say Rick wore a machete on his belt when he returned the jeep on June 8, others say he did not. Rick, of course, denied through his wife that he had returned the jeep on the 8th, much less appeared at Neth's with a machete on his belt.

19. Angela said there was loss or theft of a jeep key while Riccis out with friends in April. Later we hear that the key was lost or stolen while Rick was at a smoke shop with a relative.

20. Accounts which give the date that the jeep was taken out of the shop for "emergency" say it was taken out on May 30. At least one account says the jeep was taken out of the shop "two days b/f the kidnapping."

Needless to say, this is not an exhaustive list. Needless to say, varina, in some of these examples, the apparently conflicting stories could be reconciled.

[lakey]

No, she shouldn't waive spousal privilege. Let the Grand Jury reveal their findings. LE has made the accusations against Richard, let them come forward if they are so sure of his guilt. Angela doesn't have to prove anything! She passed a lie detector test & didn't balk at appearing before GJ two times.

I think she should demand to see what LE didn't agree with on Richard's test.

And if cookiedough, or Bella, or any other attorney on this thread can prove otherwise, I'll listen.

Am going to bed. 'nite

[Devil_Anse]

Who is Jimmy Walter Crook??

[varina davis]

then we heard that their mother had enjoyed sharing a room with sisters, and specifically set it up so they could have the same good experience.

I did read your entire list and this jumped out! OMG! Don't know why I didn't think of it before. Could be very, very pertinent.

[varina davis]

Whom do you think it will be?

I already answered in Post 775.

[Devil_Anse]

This case has stunk to high heaven since day one...it's similar to the Ramsey case

Yes, it has similarities to the Ramsey case. But one big difference: the Smarts didn't have a dead body in their house that had to be accounted for. If one of them caused Elizabeth to disappear, couldn't they have come up with something better than a story that would have the police all over them like white on rice? "Elizabeth is visiting relatives, Elizabeth is on a trip, etc." Anything that would at least buy some time. The Smarts could get in big trouble--influential family or not--if they caused all this expense simply b/c, say, their daughter got pregnant or something.

For all we know, Lizzie walked out of that house with a person she knows...

True. But...in her pajamas? Does that sound like what a runaway would do?

[sandude]

Thanks for the list. I'm off to bed so good night all.

[Devil_Anse]

I only know of one time she's been on TV since Ricci died--do you know of other times?

In addition to her LKL appearance early this month, she was also on one of the morning shows right around that time--around September 4.

It's too early to tell yet if she has ulterior motives for going on TV since Ricci is beyond the reach of the authorities. She may have simply wanted to try to "clear his name," in which case I would expect her to now go back to her life. She did about as good a job as one could, of creating sympathy for her and her soulmate, and obviously she convinced a lot of people to be sympathetic. Time will tell whether that is all she wanted to do with her public appearances.

[Devil_Anse]

She...didn't balk at appearing before the GJ two times.

Maybe so. But one of the times she was scheduled to go b/f the grand jury, she was instead busy filming a Larry King interview.

If LE had been sure of Ricci's guilt, they'd have indicted him in the kidnapping and/or murder.

[Devil_Anse]

Mark Geragos. He was indeed very nice to "Angie" that night on LKL. IMO, Mark would not bother, unless he saw some opportunity to make hay.

To me, the fact that Mark Geragos supports someone means absolutely nothing. (Needless to say, he was a big Clinton booster during impeachment.) Mark Geragos went on all those shows at the beginning of the Chandra Levy case, and ranted on ad nauseam about Condit's virtues. As nearly as I can tell, he didn't bother to tell the public till much later that he was being paid by Condit.

He is a paid shill and nothing more. (And he seems to make a very good living at it.) This doesn't mean that he is being paid by Angela currently, but it may indicate that he wants to do a little business with Angela, should she ever need a lawyer who is well-known to the TV public.