Cause and effect. Dated articles that predate Amaral's book.

[Lyall]

You miss the point. Because the book was written by the ex officer in charge and claiming that Madeleine was not abducted and the parents and friends blah blah blah.....The McCanns were quite rightly deeply concerned  that it did/would have an effect on the general public looking for Madeleine especially in Portugal.

In Portugal perhaps, I don't know about that. But witnesses in Lisbon appear to be suggesting he had great influence in the UK. Perhaps he did amongst the tiny minority online but 99% of the British public don't know him, or his book.

Don't know about Portugal >@@(*&)

[C.Edwards]

Don't forget that Amaral's book was the backbone of the hate-leaflets penned by the "Madeleine Foundation" - leaflets that were posted through the doors of Kate and Gerry McCanns neighbours.  What kind of upset and distress do you think that must have caused? In fact, wasn't Bennett trying to use the fact that the injunction had been overturned to carry on his stalking campaign against the family.

Stick to the point. Bennett is irrelevant in all this.  How do you suppose it can be proved that the Madeleine Foundation only did that leafleting because of Amaral's book then?  Is this documented anywhere?

[C.Edwards]

You miss the point. Because the book was written by the ex officer in charge and claiming that Madeleine was not abducted and the parents and friends blah blah blah.....The McCanns were quite rightly deeply concerned  that it did/would have an effect on the general public looking for Madeleine especially in Portugal.

And would you also concede that in the hypothetical situation whereby the parents were involved, they would also be extremely upset over a book that may well have nailed exactly what happened?  Regardless of which book, ignore Amaral's for the moment. If any case got shelved, the people involved were genuinely involved but claimed they weren't and the lead coordinator of that investigation went on to publish a book about it, wouldn't their reaction be equally horrified that they may not yet have gotten away with it*






*My hypothetical situation bears no resemblance to any persons alive or dead. ;-)

[gilet]

From rhe first link:

At some point in time it seems the McCann's had a key to a local church, which may have had a fridge or freezer.


Oh dear.

Can you point to the page of the files where the PJ bothered to investigate whether this church had a fridge or freezer? Or is that another example of the incompetent way the case was handled?

[C.Edwards]

Can you point to the page of the files where the PJ bothered to investigate whether this church had a fridge or freezer? Or is that another example of the incompetent way the case was handled?

It's irrelevant.  Start a new topic about it if you want. Try and stick to the point that I've demonstrated clearly if you can - this is about the claim that the book was what turned the public opinion against them when it clearly wasn't.

[LagosBen]

And would you also concede that in the hypothetical situation whereby the parents were involved, they would also be extremely upset over a book that may well have nailed exactly what happened?  Regardless of which book, ignore Amaral's for the moment. If any case got shelved, the people involved were genuinely involved but claimed they weren't and the lead coordinator of that investigation went on to publish a book about it, wouldn't their reaction be equally horrified that they may not yet have gotten away with it*






*My hypothetical situation bears no resemblance to any persons alive or dead. ;-)

Why would any guilty party, pester, petition, give TV and Newspaper interviews. Plead with the Police / Prime Minister. In fact doing everything in their power to keep their case (An abducted child) to the forefront of everyone?

[Rachel Granada]

Why would any guilty party, pester, petition, give TV and Newspaper interviews. Plead with the Police / Prime Minister. In fact doing everything in their power to keep their case (An abducted child) to the forefront of everyone?

 

I've said this before and I'll say it again Ben - if they'd "done it" they would have breathed a sigh of relief after the shelving and slunk away into obscurity, glad that they'd got away with it.  Guilty people certainly wouldn't want the Yard poking around in things, IMO.

[gilet]

It's irrelevant.  Start a new topic about it if you want. Try and stick to the point that I've demonstrated clearly if you can - this is about the claim that the book was what turned the public opinion against them when it clearly wasn't.

You may not believe the book did not turn public opinion against the McCanns.

But you seem to be forgetting something.

This trial is nothing to do with the UK.

How would you know what the situation is regarding the book in Portugal?

When you offer evidence related to the trial which is taking place then we can start a proper discussion.

And its odd that you rule the comment from me out of order but ignored it when the point I was replying was made. Two-faced?

[ferryman]

Why would any guilty party, pester, petition, give TV and Newspaper interviews. Plead with the Police / Prime Minister. In fact doing everything in their power to keep their case (An abducted child) to the forefront of everyone?

Excellent questions.

I do recall predictions at one point that the McCanns would fade anonymously into the background, never to be heard of again; perhaps much more the way you would expect a guilty party to react.

But they didn't, and guess what ....

[gilet]

More generally and related to the effect in Portugal in particular. I wrote this earlier.

Had the key document available in public in mid 2008 been the one from the AG stating that there still is a chance (however slim) that Madeleine is alive and that there is no evidence of any involvement in the disappearance from her parents the situation would have, I suggest, been very different to the situation which Amaral engineered for profit.

That situation was that a book by the senior detective on the case (a man very willing to spread the word far and wide on TV and elsewhere) making claims which completely trash the findings of the archival report stating that the child was dead, there was no hope of finding her alive and that her parents had covered it all up was being sold all over Portugal and potentially all over the world.

There is no way that his book had no damaging effect on the search.

[gilet]

I've said this before and I'll say it again Ben - if they'd "done it" they would have breathed a sigh of relief after the shelving and slunk away into obscurity, glad that they'd got away with it.  Guilty people certainly wouldn't want the Yard poking around in things, IMO.

Excellent points.

I even recall people predicting the McCanns would never go to trial against Bennett, they would withdraw. Those people were wrong.

Then the predictions that the McCanns wanted to withdraw from this case. Again wrong.

[Lyall]

Excellent questions.

I do recall predictions at one point that the McCanns would fade anonymously into the background, never to be heard of again; perhaps much more the way you would expect a guilty party to react.

But they didn't, and guess what ....

You may have answered your own question there.

(speaking hypothetically of course)

[stephen25000]

Excellent points.

I even recall people predicting the McCanns would never go to trial against Bennett, they would withdraw. Those people were wrong.

Then the predictions that the McCanns wanted to withdraw from this case. Again wrong.

How do you know that ?

Are you an associate of the Mccanns ?

[gilet]

How do you know that ?

Are you an associate of the Mccanns ?

Wouldn't you like to know?

But to you and others like you. I say simply, "Mind your own business! What difference would it make if I was? Would I not be entitled to an opinion?"

[Lyall]

Excellent points.

I even recall people predicting the McCanns would never go to trial against Bennett, they would withdraw. Those people were wrong.

Then the predictions that the McCanns wanted to withdraw from this case. Again wrong.

Pretty obvious what a big part of the motivation is. Whatever the truth about Madeleine's disappearance, her parents are now fighting for what history will have to say about it to their other children in the future.