Was Kate McCann right to decline to answer the 48 questions?

[ShiningInLuz]

I don't think Kate had anything to do with Madeleine's disappearance, therefore I don't see how answering 1 question or 20000 questions is going to reveal Madeleine's whereabouts or fate.  I DO think the PJ were hoping to get Kate to incriminate herself so that they could have grounds to press charges.  My opinion.  Please stop your insinuations that I care nothing for Madeleine's fate, you are wrong and are being offensive IMO.

I have a list of questions that Kate and Gerry could answer, that would help in the search for Madeleine, and that have no potential to incriminate the McCanns.

Here's 3.

Was the OC driver who ferried them from OC reception to 5A younger or older?

Did the said driver enter 5A to help them with their luggage?

What route was taken to get from reception to 5A on Sat 28 May?

The first relates to when the said driver first clocked Madeleine and then connected her to 5A.  Tick-tock on a planned abduction.

The second relates to whether the driver's DNA might be amongst the unidentified DNA retrieved from 5A.

The 3rd is a check on whether the traffic routing was normal or not.  In addition, it relates to whether the first GNR unit drove past 5A to get to the OC reception on 3 May 2007.

The McCanns probably have little idea of the importance of these questions.  Perhaps Op G is better informed, though I have no great hope.

And absolutely nothing in there to incriminate the McCanns.

[Alfie]

I have a list of questions that Kate and Gerry could answer, that would help in the search for Madeleine, and that have no potential to incriminate the McCanns.

Here's 3.

Was the OC driver who ferried them from OC reception to 5A younger or older?

Did the said driver enter 5A to help them with their luggage?

What route was taken to get from reception to 5A on Sat 28 May?

The first relates to when the said driver first clocked Madeleine and then connected her to 5A.  Tick-tock on a planned abduction.

The second relates to whether the driver's DNA might be amongst the unidentified DNA retrieved from 5A.

The 3rd is a check on whether the traffic routing was normal or not.  In addition, it relates to whether the first GNR unit drove past 5A to get to the OC reception on 3 May 2007.

The McCanns probably have little idea of the importance of these questions.  Perhaps Op G is better informed, though I have no great hope.

And absolutely nothing in there to incriminate the McCanns.

Younger or older than what? 

[Brietta]

Why does one care if one assesses the questions as 'designed to assist' or not?  The opportunity existed for Kate to influence PJ thinking.  She did not take it.  Or rather, her influence was negative.

I had a rather curious incident about a month ago.  I was 'accused' by a neighbour of ringing his door bell and then departing.  Quite clearly, my neighbour believed I had done this.  I took the opportunity to assert that I had not touched his door bell (which was true) and he was forced to accept this.  What he thinks internally - who knows.

Kate's situation was the same, though obviously more important.  If she had done a Gerry and answered all the questions, then it may have influenced the investigation in a positive manner.  As she didn't answer most of the questions, we will never know.

Hmmm ... do you have independent witnesses to attest you did not ring the door bell?

No smoke without fire ... did you ring the doorbell, then have a false memory that you did not?

Kate had already failed to influence the Policia Judiciaria thinking while being questioned by them for many hours as a witness the day before she was constituted an arguida.

Witness = placed her under an obligation to answer all questions put to her.
Arguida = the right to be questioned in the presence of her lawyer and the right to remain silent.

If you read through the questions put to Kate McCann (arguida) and compare them to the questions asked the day before of Kate McCann (witness) ... with the proviso you cannot, because we have not seen that transcript ... you may notice the oft repeated sentence,
" Kate McCann said she could not explain anything more than she already had."

When did she explain anything?  Quite obviously during the marathon grilling session the previous day during which she was obliged to answer all questions put to her.
The questions had been asked and answered ~ not only did they fail to give any answers as far as Madeleine's investigation was concerned but could not be used in the PJ investigation against her.

[Brietta]

Gerry answered all the questions put to him and I believe he is still a free man.

They were not interested in Gerry.

[Brietta]

Unfortunately, your post is high on emotion and low on fact.

First, prior to being made arguidos, the McCanns had published that they were returning to England.  If they had done this move a bit faster, it is probable that they would not have been made arguidos.

Second, having been made arguidos, they were not restricted in their movement.  Specifically, they were free to return to England, and that is what they rapidly did.

Third, a life was at stake.  Madeleine's, not Kate's.

If you wish to defend a mother who spurned the opportunity to advance the search for Madeleine, go for it.  This tells me that you are raising Kate's circumstances above those of Madeleine.  And that is an arrangement I firmly reject.

How much assistance would Madeleine have received with her mother incarcerated in a Portuguese prison?  More or less than Joana Cipriano?

[ShiningInLuz]

Hmmm ... do you have independent witnesses to attest you did not ring the door bell?

No smoke without fire ... did you ring the doorbell, then have a false memory that you did not?

Kate had already failed to influence the Policia Judiciaria thinking while being questioned by them for many hours as a witness the day before she was constituted an arguida.

Witness = placed her under an obligation to answer all questions put to her.
Arguida = the right to be questioned in the presence of her lawyer and the right to remain silent.

If you read through the questions put to Kate McCann (arguida) and compare them to the questions asked the day before of Kate McCann (witness) ... with the proviso you cannot, because we have not seen that transcript ... you may notice the oft repeated sentence,
" Kate McCann said she could not explain anything more than she already had."

When did she explain anything?  Quite obviously during the marathon grilling session the previous day during which she was obliged to answer all questions put to her.
The questions had been asked and answered ~ not only did they fail to give any answers as far as Madeleine's investigation was concerned but could not be used in the PJ investigation against her.

Does my neighbour have independent evidence that his doorbell was rung?  Given that there was no-one else on the street, I am of the opinion that his doorbell was not rung.

Kate's interview the day before is on file.  Why shouldn't it be?

[Alfie]

This is the type of reply that makes me question if you are being serious.  You stated out with Kate controlling the interview, now you have switched to self-control, and you are asking us to believe that muttering f ts under her breath is what one does to keep calm.  I think that defines unbelievable.

Pity she didn't write 'bread and butter' in her book, isn't it?

I have not switched anything, Kate controlled the interview by giving the PJ nothing, Kate controlled her emotions using a well-known calming technique of repeating a mantra (the words you repeat don't really need to mean anything), if you don't understand this then that's probably because you have no understanding or empathy (you did once claim not to have any so I'm not saying anything you haven't already admitted to), and that's your problem not mine.

[ShiningInLuz]

How much assistance would Madeleine have received with her mother incarcerated in a Portuguese prison?  More or less than Joana Cipriano?

That's a superhuman leap of imagination.  The McCanns were unrestricted by arguido-dom.  Not a hint of a Portuguese prison in sight.

And with all due respect, this interview is completely unlike the Cipriano case, so I will not follow that diversion.

[ShiningInLuz]

I have not switched anything, Kate controlled the interview by giving the PJ nothing, Kate controlled her emotions using a well-known calming technique of repeating a mantra (the words you repeat don't really need to mean anything), if you don't understand this then that's probably because you have no understanding or empathy (you did once claim not to have any so I'm not saying anything you haven't already admitted to), and that's your problem not mine.

I know enough about the working of the brain to know that the words used are extremely important.  Words and brain function are linked.

Your assertion that the words are irrelevant is simply incorrect.

[stephen25000]

How much assistance would Madeleine have received with her mother incarcerated in a Portuguese prison?  More or less than Joana Cipriano?

So your view would be that if women are found guilty of a crime, and have children, they shouldn't do time ?

[ShiningInLuz]

Terribly sorry but the SUN will have to do ...

Maddie hunt: Send in dogs The Sun
 
By Ian Hepburn and John Askill
Published: 23 May 2007
 
Stubborn Portuguese police chiefs are refusing to let the world's best sniffer dogs join the hunt for Madeleine McCann.
 
Senior British cops last night urged officers leading the inquiry to accept help from UK dog teams before it is too late.
 
Two dogs attached to Britain's National Policing Improvement Agency have developed such powerful tracking skills they can follow a scent for miles, even one up to 28 days old.
 
By sniffing an item of Maddie's clothing, they could trace a trail that might finally unlock the mystery of the four-year-old's disappearance.
 
Police in the Algarve appear no nearer to finding Maddie 20 days after she was snatched from her bed in the family's holiday apartment in Praia da Luz. But the sniffer dogs are still being snubbed.
 
A senior UK police source said: "It is an absolute scandal, time is fast running out for this little girl.
 
"These dogs have immense capability. Their tracking skills are among the finest in the world.
 
"The dogs were put on standby to go to the Algarve within days of Madeleine’s disappearance.
 
"You would expect the Portuguese to make use of the best resources available to them, but they repeatedly ignore the offers of assistance."
 
The dogs include a spaniel whose sense of smell is so keen she can sniff traces of blood on a weapon even after it has been scrubbed clean.
 
But the source warned: "They work most effectively within a 28-day time frame. After that the scent becomes much weaker."
 
Other British dog-handling teams did join the initial search for Maddie, and local cops later reported that dogs found a scent, but the trail was lost after 250 yards.
http://www.gerrymccannsblogs.co.uk/Nigel/id157.htm

Many thanks.   

[slartibartfast]

There seems to be a suggestion from the supporters that Kate and Gerry out smarted the PJ with their respective answering strategies.

[Robittybob1]

Gerry answered all the questions put to him and I believe he is still a free man.

Did he answer them all correctly?

[Alice Purjorick]

There seems to be a suggestion from the supporters that Kate and Gerry out smarted the PJ with their respective answering strategies.

I think there is more than a suggestion that Jate & Kerry outsmart the whole goddamn world on a daily basis.
"You just wait til they come out fighting" comes the cry not infrequently. Which is bizarre considering how many times they have been dumped on the canvas.

[Robittybob1]

Then it would have been different for Kate because.......?

Kate is as free as Gerry, what is the difference?