Was Mr Smiths claim just pie in the sky after all?

[Sherlock Holmes]

IMo Mr. Smith would have pricked up his ears/eyes - as soon as the McCanns were mentioned on TV and would already be relating back to his own part in the case -  by the time he saw Gerry coming down the steps.    He was struck by the similarity of how the child was being carried - but I ask you - how many different ways ARE there of carrying a sleeping child down steps?    And anyone would be careful not to trip or fall whilst carrying a child in that way - nothing extraordinary about that at all IMO.     

If it had been  a stranger of similar build, age, height  he had seen coming down the steps carrying a child,  I doubt if he would have made the same connection.    It was only because it was Gerry that it reminded him of what he had seen on 3rd May.  imo.

I would be very surprised if M. Smith still believes it was Gerry he saw that night.

Seeing Gerry on the news report was just a trigger for remembering the incident as a whole.

[Sherlock Holmes]

Anyone who is claiming that any of the Smith family 100% identified Gerry as the man they saw -  is re-writing history -  in the name of 'wishful thinking' IMO.

It would not make sense to say that one was 100% sure of being able to identify a person (or even 60% - 80% 'certain', whatever that means) and also say that one would not recognise him if he saw him again.

[AnneGuedes]

It would not make sense to say that one was 100% sure of being able to identify a person (or even 60% - 80% 'certain', whatever that means) and also say that one would not recognise him if he saw him again.

Is Mr Smith part of the conspiracy against the poor McCanns, along with their bad advisers ?
If you had once hold a dead child in your arms, you would know that it's not at all like holding a sleeping one.

[Sherlock Holmes]

Is Mr Smith part of the conspiracy against the poor McCanns, along with their bad advisers ?
If you had once hold a dead child in your arms, you would know that it's not at all like holding a sleeping one.

You mean the Smith family are conspiring against the McCanns?

That's foil helmet time!

[Benice]

Mr Smith's son and his wife didn't state that they didn't think Mr McCann could be Smithman.

I think you are splitting hairs Anne.

Quote from Martin Smith

During that time I spoke to all my family members who were with me on the night of 3rd May 2007 about this and the only one who felt the same way as me was my wife.
Unquote

So he didn't just speak to his son and wife, he spoke to ALL the family members and none of them agreed with him except one.   Seems pretty conclusive to me.

 

[stephen25000]

I think you are splitting hairs Anne.

Quote from Martin Smith

During that time I spoke to all my family members who were with me on the night of 3rd May 2007 about this and the only one who felt the same way as me was my wife.
Unquote

So he didn't just speak to his son and wife, he spoke to ALL the family members and none of them agreed with him except one.   Seems pretty conclusive to me.

Doesn't make it wrong.

Often first impressions.....

[AnneGuedes]

You mean the Smith family are conspiring against the McCanns?

That's foil helmet time!

Who knows ? Why did Mr Smith state that Mr McCann could be Smithman ? Had he something to gain with it ? Was he paid ? If not why did he contact the Gardai and was so disturbed, according to them ?

[Redblossom]

Who knows ? Why did Mr Smith state that Mr McCann could be Smithman ? Had he something to gain with it ? Was he paid ? If not why did he contact the Gardai and was so disturbed, according to them ?

The Mccanns had become celebrities by then fawned and aided and abbetted by the whole media, of course he would be shaking and thinking for days before  ringing up to say what he thought! But he trusted the police and did the right thing

[AnneGuedes]

I think you are splitting hairs Anne.

Quote from Martin Smith

During that time I spoke to all my family members who were with me on the night of 3rd May 2007 about this and the only one who felt the same way as me was my wife.
Unquote

So he didn't just speak to his son and wife, he spoke to ALL the family members and none of them agreed with him except one.   Seems pretty conclusive to me.

That's hearsay, isn't it ?
What's pretty conclusive is that, as long as you believe, the world goes round !

[AnneGuedes]

The Mccanns had become celebrities by then fawned and aided and abbetted by the whole media, of course he would be shaking and thinking for days before  ringing up to say what he thought! But he trusted the police and did the right thing

The funny part is that, had Mr Smith seemed to recognize Mr McCann's face, he would be doubtful as a witness, especially four months later. But his son's phone call re-enacted the scene and prepared the recalling of the weird carrying that had struck his mind.

[Sherlock Holmes]

Who knows ? Why did Mr Smith state that Mr McCann could be Smithman ? Had he something to gain with it ? Was he paid ? If not why did he contact the Gardai and was so disturbed, according to them ?

Mr Smith comes across as a sincere, publicity shy person. Why assume his intentions are anything but straighforward unless anything else presents itself to suggest that? He could have made a lot of money out of this in interviews and so on, and he has chosen not to.

[Benice]

That's hearsay, isn't it ?
What's pretty conclusive is that, as long as you believe, the world goes round !

No need to get personal.   I was merely replying to your post below pointing  out that it was Mr. Smith who said that only one member out of all of his family members agreed with him.   That leaves quite a large number who didn't.

Your post:-
Mr Smith's son and his wife didn't state that they didn't think Mr McCann could be Smithman.
Unquote

[AnneGuedes]

Mr Smith comes across as a sincere, publicity shy person. Why assume his intentions are anything but straighforward unless anything else presents itself to suggest that? He could have made a lot of money out of this in interviews and so on, and he has chosen not to.

Why did he contact the Gardai, why was he so disturbed ?

[AnneGuedes]

He recognised Gerry.

We KNOW the suppressed e-fit is The One, SY have told us so.

We KNOW it looks like Gerry, we have eyes.

You can discredit Mr Smith all you like, it's irrelevant really, because we have the SY telling us the sighting is GENUINE via the e-fit.

Why was he so disturbed (according to the Gardai) ?

[Silkywhiskers]

Why was he so disturbed (according to the Gardai) ?

Seriously?

Imagine if you realised you were THE ONLY WITNESS to one of the biggest crimes of the century.

Governments of several countries are involved, millions of pounds, a little girls life, the might of Team McCann's lawyers and PR power, let alone the attention of the world and the tabloids.

I think I'd be disturbed beyond measure, if I were in his place.