Replies

Just posted on Reihl World

A Change In Mood

Something happened this evening in Aruba to significantly change the tone of the family of Natalee Holloway. Whatever it was is not generally known, but thought to come from a private meeting with Aruban authorities about which the family isn't commenting, other than to say they are feeling better as regards the progress of the investigation.

Additional information on Paul(us) v d Sloot suggests if there is anyone legal mind on the island who might outwit the prosecution in this case, it could be him. Some colleagues have suggested that he is known to have poured over case law many have rarely if ever even read and is considered somewhat of an authority on not only the law, but the subtle loopholes and manipulations which can help an individual get around it.

This would fit very well into his past history on two levels. In Holland he is known for having tied the government's hands for nearly twenty years while preventing the building of a highway which would have cut into his family's estate. Ultimately, the highway took an entirely different route.

Added to that are other reports that as a lawyer he did not go directly into government service, but instead worked on behalf of those needing asisstance with conflicts with the government.

As regards an earlier comment of mine about a possible pattern for Joran v d Sloot, posted here - I probably did throw it out a bit too casually. The point required additional information which I was a little too busy to address at the time.

Joran was well known to many casino and hotel staff in Aruba - as was his taste in American women. In many ways it is safe to say the young man admired many things American and he did want very much to travel here to secure his college education. That's also consistent with the email I received from an individual purported to be Joran on the night before his arrest.

Reports state that his english was unusually good, probably a result of study to make it so. And he was not shy about employing it, very often in approaching American women visiting the island. Some staff in a local hotel have even expressed surprise at how seemingly fearless he seemed, never hesitating to approach an attractive young American woman he encountered, and most usually they were young and blonde.

It certainly doesn't make anyone guilty of anything. But it also does establish a pattern witnessed by many for Joran, who some others have described as a sexual predator, to aproach a young woman who looked very much like Natalee Holloway. As relayed to me by an indivdual from the island, she was absolutely the type of young woman Joran would seek out and approach.

At the same time there seems to be no basis for his having been enrolled in some type of anger management program through his school, or otherwise. I've yet to talk to one individual who can even establish that a formalized program of that type exists on Aruba. While he was known to have seen a therapist, whatever the cause, it remains confidential and mostly unknown.