Smart Case, Tuesday, July 16

Deseret News ^ | 7/16/2002 | Derek Jensen

[TheDon]

I think it is too late for the girl in question. They found a girl's body in a remote area about 35 miles from the abduction. I haven't heard a confirmation that it is the girl who was abducted, but I imagine it is. A sad day for another family.

[TheDon]

No kidding! They have a bit longer to keep it up though.

[Bella]

I NEVER said that bugs only happen at night. (The well-established forensic scientist, Doctor Henry Lee.) But, you can rest assured, that you get a whole lot more at NIGHT than during the daytime.

That's right, you never did and you're correct..JG appears to have some memory lapses tonite, possibly by choice?

[TheDon]

Report: Body Of Child Found In Riverside County

[Bella]

They have a bit longer to keep it up though.

Can be viewed as "obstructing justice" though..

[TheDon]

They have bigger crimes to hide.

[Bella]

They have bigger crimes to hide.

You don't think this is a big crime?? Interesting..

[IamHD]

Either that, or he's trying to clear RICCI. :-)

[Bella]

Either that, or he's trying to clear RICCI. :-)

You might have hit the head on the nail because we know that Ricci's in jail for robbery.

[Bella]

You might have hit the head on the nail because we know that Ricci's in jail for robbery.

OOppssss...Hit the nail on the head....guess I'm getting tired..

[Jolly Green]

You're referring to me, and I'm going to answer to it! I NEVER said that bugs only happen at night. (The well-established forensic scientist, Doctor Henry Lee.) But, you can rest assured, that you get a whole lot more at NIGHT than during the daytime.

Gee, did I mention you by name? Did my criticism of a half-baked theory cut a little close to home?

I'll repeat my previous comment on the subject for those not familiar with it. I have lived in Utah in the summer time and know all too well that you can hit pockets, especially near marshes, where you can hit thousands of bugs - day or night. The original poster, (who I don't recall) claimed that bugs came out only at night.

[IamHD]

"Gee, did I mention you by name? Did my criticism of a half-baked theory cut a little close to home?"

No, you didn't! But this was a conversation between you, me, and another poster that "god forbid" spelled Dr. Lee's name wrong...specifically, "LEIGH." And, you did not hesitate to go after that poster.

Half-baked theory? Not even. And, I'm not going to go into the "bug" thing with you again. So 'bug' off!

[Bella]

And, I'm not going to go into the "bug" thing with you again. So 'bug' off!

Wonder if JG has a "bug" fetish??

[pamlet]

Frankly I don't understand the furor over whether a sketch has been released or not. Whether it be a 5 year old or a 9 year old - for whatever reason there must not be enough information to release a sketch.

I don't think it's fair for us to speculate or put that type of burden on Mary Katherine. She is a little girl - who knows what was going through her mind when this happened. I've seen adults make stranger decisions.

As to your comment that some members take offense due to their faith - I am not Mormon either - but I do find all the sniping offensive. I can't say I agree with the Mormon faith BUT I will say that in my experience Mormons are decent, clean living folks - and all the silly speculation that seems to relate the the Smart's faith is uncalled for. Why is it that when a group of people want to live decently that there is always a group that wants to find any little unsavory thing they can to hang their hat on it?

[TheDon]

The "bigger crime" refers to their involvement in the abduction of Liz. Sorry to disappoint.

[InvisibleChurch]

i admit that i haven't followed this as closely as others, but my impression from what I have read suggests that someone in the household is holding back information... I don't recall there ever being a police sketch of the guy MK saw that night, and there's something about the uncle that seems odd... I think that Elizabeth is still alive, but that something went wrong during this tragedy and was supposed to have been returned long ago.

[DoughtyOne]

I haven't followed it closely either.  I do know the police did not provide a sketch of the perp.  I do know the police lied to the public.  I do know that the police have withheld evidence.  I'm sure some of this could be defended.  The end result is that Elizabeth has not been found.  Would she have been found if the police had acted differently?  Well, that is a valid question.

[getmeouttaPalmBeachCounty_FL]

I just saw a "breather" in the conversation, if you will, and decided to jump on in. I'm new here, but being a mother to two very spirited little girls, I'm certainly *not* new to bickering and cat-clawing.

Personally, I feel such an overwhelmingly, heavy heart for little Mary Catherine...*especially* each and every time *anyone* publicly speculates or digs for information into what MC has said or not said, heard or not heard, told or not told since that awful night. Let me explain...

It astounds me how, minus a small percentage, that each and every person in this world seems to feel it is their right to know everything THEY FEEL THEY DESERVE to know. It doesn't matter that national security is at stake when leaks come from the Pentagon. Who really cares that each time a "secret" or "highly confidential" document mysteriously appears on Dan Rather's desk & is reported, that our service members' lives are placed within firing range? As long as it isn't affecting me, seems to be the feeling, because otherwise....

Please tell me there are some folks here who feel as I do about Mary Catherine. FOR THE REST OF HER LIFE, her mind will forever contain the events of that night, and how her big sister, who sheltered her and cared for her, was snatched away right before her eyes.

Maybe, just maybe, the family understands this deeply, and had the foresight to agree to protect MC from a snarling public. WHAT IF she was too distraught to remember anything? What were the Smarts to do? Toss that out to the media to chew on and rip to shreds? Years later, MC could then do a media search, and have hours of affirmation...that everything hinged upon her, and she failed to produce.

WHAT IF MC *has* seen photos, heard Ricci's voice, and he just isn't the guy? Divulging that sure would give the plaintiff much to wave around.

WHAT IF Ricci IS in this up to his moustache, but only realized how deep he was in, after all was in motion? Isn't it possible there are others who wanted this girl, who knew Ricci had the home memorized, and that he broke in successfully on prior occasions?

Isn't is possible he's not going to talk because telling what he knows is going to kill him, or his own family? I see him as the Chihuahua of the pack of dogs in the prison yard.

Ricci sure seems puny to me, inside and out. His fellow prisonmates and parollees may have had one owed to them by Ricci, and he had no choice but to pay up. His fellow parollees may have even been clever enough to think about using the old Smart jeep as their abduction vehicle, given the likely possibility they could use the old DNA excuse if things started to get closer to the truth. Maybe Ricci even realized that he could wind up being the fall guy in all this, and the group solution was to place the jeep in the shop (but somehow gain access to it)? Ricci may have even slept well for a night or two thinking they had thought of everything...

WE DON'T need to know anything, in my opinion, about MC, her thoughts, her assistance, her fragile memory. Even Sean Hannity continues to probe this line, to my amazement.

WHATEVER MC knows, has already been collected, don't you think? I imagine her to be a juicy orange that everyone has wanted a piece of, and now what's left is an all- squeezed- out little 9 year old girl, who misses the big sister she absolutely adored.

This is an incredibly strong family, that leads their family with the faith that their loving, Heavenly Father is in control. That is their rock, their direction and their hope. We are so used to seeing dysfunctional, and nutball cases all the time, that when something pure happens to come along, the majority of us become suspicious, and can't accept a good thing when one should appear.

Just my opinion, is all. And for the record, I believe in folks having their right to speak freely, however I feel even stronger about protecting the defenseless, and promoting the common sense to look around to consider others needs, too.

[InvisibleChurch]

I do know the police lied to the public. I do know that the police have withheld evidence

anything in particular?

thankx

[Neenah]

Yes, I agree. I marvel at these people who have suffered this loss, and in the Smarts case, are still going through it...that they talk about other's in need.

I guess we can only find true compassion for other's in situations, when we have visited the same pain. It is like..if there is a group of people in a room that have lost children to death. One may have lost their chlld in a car accident, and the other lost their's to cancer. Different circumstances of death, but both felt the same pain of loosing their little one.

I stand personally in awe of those who reach out to other's that have visited and live in the pain they are. they are the ones who will touch more lives, and in the long run, help awareness to this nation wide problem. God bless all of them.