Should A Police Investigation Be Left to the Police ?

[faithlilly]

From the first the McCanns endeavoured to push their friend's sighting of a man carrying a child to centre stage.

The PJ were less than convinced by Tanner's credibility as a witness yet the McCanns still pushed, using political channels, for the description to be circulated. Further the McCanns own private investigators also had little faith in Tanner's sighting, telling the McCanns that their limited funds would be better spent investigating the Smith sighting.

Of course we now know that, according to SY, Tannerman was almost certainly an ordinary dad carrying  his child home from the night crèche yet untold police, private investigator and public hours have been wasted chasing a swarthy spectre who, in all reality, didn't exist.

My question is twofold. Firstly is it ever a good idea for victims of a crime to run a parallel investigation when there is already an official one in progress and secondly has the McCanns decision to try to steer the investigation  by subtle manipulations behind the scenes and very public pronouncements in front in any way helped further the search for their daughter or have they in fact, innocently or otherwise, made it harder for the authorities to now ever learn the truth ?

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[ShiningInLuz]

From the first the McCanns endeavoured to push their friend's sighting of a man carrying a child to centre stage.

The PJ were less than convinced by Tanner's credibility as a witness yet the McCanns still pushed, using political channels, for the description to be circulated. Further the McCanns own private investigators also had little faith in Tanner's sighting, telling the McCanns that their limited funds would be better spent investigating the Smith sighting.

Of course we now know that, according to SY, Tannerman was almost certainly an ordinary dad carrying  his child home from the night crèche yet untold police, private investigator and public hours have been wasted chasing a swarthy spectre who, in all reality, didn't exist.

My question is twofold. Firstly is it ever a good idea for victims of a crime to run a parallel investigation when there is already an official one in progress and secondly has the McCanns decision to try to steer the investigation  by subtle manipulations behind the scenes and very public pronouncements in front in any way helped further the search for their daughter or have they in fact, innocently or otherwise, made it harder for the authorities to now ever learn the truth ?

Question.  If OG shuts down and there is 750K in the Find Madeleine fund should the McCanns simply decide to hand this to charity ...

Or should they investigate?

[Brietta]

Question.  If OG shuts down and there is 750K in the Find Madeleine fund should the McCanns simply decide to hand this to charity ...

Or should they investigate?

I think that would be a decision very much for them to make ... they have said they will never give up on Madeleine and I do not believe they ever will.

[pathfinder73]

Finding Smithman should definitely be left to the police.

[Carana]

From the first the McCanns endeavoured to push their friend's sighting of a man carrying a child to centre stage.

The PJ were less than convinced by Tanner's credibility as a witness yet the McCanns still pushed, using political channels, for the description to be circulated. Further the McCanns own private investigators also had little faith in Tanner's sighting, telling the McCanns that their limited funds would be better spent investigating the Smith sighting.

Of course we now know that, according to SY, Tannerman was almost certainly an ordinary dad carrying  his child home from the night crèche yet untold police, private investigator and public hours have been wasted chasing a swarthy spectre who, in all reality, didn't exist.

My question is twofold. Firstly is it ever a good idea for victims of a crime to run a parallel investigation when there is already an official one in progress and secondly has the McCanns decision to try to steer the investigation  by subtle manipulations behind the scenes and very public pronouncements in front in any way helped further the search for their daughter or have they in fact, innocently or otherwise, made it harder for the authorities to now ever learn the truth ?

Hmmm. I'm not sure how many of your premises are substantiated on that.

The LCD seems to be that Jane Tanner saw someone, within a plausible timeframe, who might have been carrying the missing child.

When she couldn't be sure if the person she saw was Murat or not, her account was deemed to be suspicious. She was even accused of being a liar, with all sorts of indirect sinister implications.

A simple question: did the PJ check the crèche records or make a public appeal for any innocent male carrying a child that evening to come forward?

[G-Unit]

From the first the McCanns endeavoured to push their friend's sighting of a man carrying a child to centre stage.

The PJ were less than convinced by Tanner's credibility as a witness yet the McCanns still pushed, using political channels, for the description to be circulated. Further the McCanns own private investigators also had little faith in Tanner's sighting, telling the McCanns that their limited funds would be better spent investigating the Smith sighting.

Of course we now know that, according to SY, Tannerman was almost certainly an ordinary dad carrying  his child home from the night crèche yet untold police, private investigator and public hours have been wasted chasing a swarthy spectre who, in all reality, didn't exist.

My question is twofold. Firstly is it ever a good idea for victims of a crime to run a parallel investigation when there is already an official one in progress and secondly has the McCanns decision to try to steer the investigation  by subtle manipulations behind the scenes and very public pronouncements in front in any way helped further the search for their daughter or have they in fact, innocently or otherwise, made it harder for the authorities to now ever learn the truth ?

I think that some of the things done by them or in their name is bordering on perverting the course of justice. The approaching of witnesses by them, Kennedy and their PI's could be described as intimidation;

Jeremy received calls from Gerry in relation to gaining permission from him to use his name in a portfolio of evidence being compiled by an organization employed by the McCanns. They were very persistent and made several attempts to contact him both at work and at home. They had no objection to being included but were concerned as to the method being used.
http://www.mccannpjfiles.co.uk/PJ/JEREMY_BRIGET.htm

 want to add that since January this year I have received numerous phone calls, messages and visits from the press regarding the collector of donations, which in turn put me in contact with other people such as Brian Kennedy, Kate and Gerry McCann. I feel that this is a constraint that makes it difficult to take the more correct decision.
I tried always to cooperate with the police in every way possible, telephoning them at the first available opportunity as soon as the news broke about the disappearance of Madeleine. There are certain times when I feel like a pawn in chess.
http://www.mccannpjfiles.co.uk/PJ/PAUL_GORDON.htm

He has been contacted by numerous tabloid press looking for stories. He has been contacted by Mr Brian Kennedy who is supporting the McCann family to take part in a photo fit exercise. He has given no stories or helped in any photo fits.
http://www.mccannpjfiles.co.uk/PJ/MARTIN_SMITH.htm

[Brietta]

Hmmm ... from the people who would have been 'battering down every door in Praia da luz' ... we bring you an exercise in hypocrisy.

[G-Unit]

Hmmm ... from the people who would have been 'battering down every door in Praia da luz' ... we bring you an exercise in hypocrisy.

If that was aimed at me, I don't recall ever using that phrase? Apologies if you were speaking of someone else, or if you have a cite.

Just to be clear, I would have searched and searched, but not battered down any doors or interfered with any witnesses. Door knocking and witness interviewing are jobs for the police, not amateurs.

[Alfred R Jones]

the irony of the question posed in this thread title cannot go unremarked upon.  There are dozens / hundreds of internet sleuths who have been busily beavering away trying to solve this case for years, all from a position of relative ignorance when compared to Operation Grange, but has that stopped them?  No.  There are thousands of people who believe that they are on a quest to bring "Justice 4 Maddie" who believe they know as much or more than the investigating team currently working on the case, which is both laughable and sad.   So I say, yes - leave it to the police and those that DO have full access to the facts of the case and to those who were involved in the events of the night of 3rd May, you sleuths don't have the answers, and in most cases you're probably not even asking the right questions. 

[Alice Purjorick]

We should have free for all.
Everyone should be allowed to do what the hell they please.
Why bother with laws and social mores and all that haraz, they only get in the way.
Think of the money it would save not having a police force 'n' courts 'n' stuff.
My next career is worked out on that basis.
Firearms dealer 

I guess that's the way folk think it should go if they try to justify "parallel police forces".

[faithlilly]

the irony of the question posed in this thread title cannot go unremarked upon.  There are dozens / hundreds of internet sleuths who have been busily beavering away trying to solve this case for years, all from a position of relative ignorance when compared to Operation Grange, but has that stopped them?  No.  There are thousands of people who believe that they are on a quest to bring "Justice 4 Maddie" who believe they know as much or more than the investigating team currently working on the case, which is both laughable and sad.   So I say, yes - leave it to the police and those that DO have full access to the facts of the case and to those who were involved in the events of the night of 3rd May, you sleuths don't have the answers, and in most cases you're probably not even asking the right questions.

Why in heaven's name do you have to make everything so personal Alfie ? Couldn't you for once just try and answer the question posed ?-

[Mr Gray]

We should have free for all.
Everyone should be allowed to do what the hell they please.
Why bother with laws and social mores and all that haraz, they only get in the way.
Think of the money it would save not having a police force 'n' courts 'n' stuff.
My next career is worked out on that basis.
Firearms dealer 

I guess that's the way folk think it should go if they try to justify "parallel police forces".

once again you totally miss the point and make  a rather ridiculous post....no one is suggesting that anyone acts outside the law

[Mr Gray]

From the first the McCanns endeavoured to push their friend's sighting of a man carrying a child to centre stage.

The PJ were less than convinced by Tanner's credibility as a witness yet the McCanns still pushed, using political channels, for the description to be circulated. Further the McCanns own private investigators also had little faith in Tanner's sighting, telling the McCanns that their limited funds would be better spent investigating the Smith sighting.

Of course we now know that, according to SY, Tannerman was almost certainly an ordinary dad carrying  his child home from the night crèche yet untold police, private investigator and public hours have been wasted chasing a swarthy spectre who, in all reality, didn't exist.

My question is twofold. Firstly is it ever a good idea for victims of a crime to run a parallel investigation when there is already an official one in progress and secondly has the McCanns decision to try to steer the investigation  by subtle manipulations behind the scenes and very public pronouncements in front in any way helped further the search for their daughter or have they in fact, innocently or otherwise, made it harder for the authorities to now ever learn the truth ?

I think it is a totally ridiculous post based entirely on your dislike of the McCanns. We live in  a free society and individuals are entitled to do what they want within the law.....should a patient be able to seek alternative medical treatment whilst still undergoing NHS treatment...of course they should be able to

[Mr Gray]

if the PJ had carried out anything like a proper investigation there would have been no need for the McCanns to have launched there own

[G-Unit]

if the PJ had carried out anything like a proper investigation there would have been no need for the McCanns to have launched there own

Well, the McCanns gave them lots of time didn't they? They complained abut the PJ n the night of 3rd-4th May and within nine days they were using CRG.