The tapas group and the 'reconstitution' that was never to take place.

[faithlilly]

I have answered this already in my responses to other posts but safe to say anyone who lived through that night will have events imprinted in their memory.  Do you realise how embarrassing it is to take part in a reconstitution only to be shown to have been mistaken?  Had Jez been there when the documentary was being made, when Jane was left in tears by Gerry, I wonder what his reaction would have been to have had both of them establish it was he who was mistaken?

Excellent point John.

[John]

So the police would allow the reconstruction to basically be a bunch of people all re-writing the timeline a little bit here a little bit there until it all fitted into place, a process which could take days potentially and that would help find Madeleine's abductor how, exactly?  Or would it simply be an exercise to prove that the McCanns and their friends and the other witnesses who gave statements about the evening were all more or less correct in their original statements?

As someone already pointed out above, a 'reconstitution' would establish who, if anyone, lied, and that in itself could provoke charges.  If it turned up new information about Madeleine's disappearance all the better.

Alfred, can you please use the correct terminology when referring to the reconstitution.  A reconstruction using actors is a completely different matter. TY

[Carana]

And if they had proved that they weren't the investigation could have been refocused. What is wrong with that ?

How could it have been? The issue at the time was whether to charge one or more of the arguidos or to archive the case - unless Madeleine had suddenly been found or a spontaneous confession / or highly credible new evidence dropped on someone's desk.

The clock was ticking. The due date on the final investigation report had already been exceptionally extended twice (the last one was to process the results of the rogatory interviews).

The law has changed since then to allow more time for ILORs... but that wasn't the case back then.

[Carana]

Very true.  The Portuguese example of using a reconstitution (not actors) instead of a reconstruction (using actors) is something we in the UK could learn from.  The confrontation when Robert Murat faced his accusers is also unique to Portugal.

The whole point of a reconstitution is to find the liars and identify those who have for some reason or other been less than forthcoming where the true nature of events are concerned.  You only need to look at the accidental confrontation when Jane Tanner was intentionally usurped by Gerry McCann when she attempted to show how he got his recollection wrong as to where he and Jez were situated that fateful night.  Question is, what else did he get WRONG?

A full reconstitution would reveal the sequence of events on the night Madeleine disappeared.  Who was where, when and why.  It wouldn't take long for any fabricated timeline to fall apart in such circumstances.

Every single person who was known to have been there that night should have been forced to take part in the reconstitution, anyone failing to do so should have been charged with the Portuguese equivalent of attempting to pervert the course of justice.  Had this been done I bet nobody would have refused to take part!

What did the confrontation with Murat prove?

[Carana]

As someone already pointed out above, a 'reconstitution' would establish who, if anyone, lied, and that in itself could provoke charges.  If it turned up new information about Madeleine's disappearance all the better.

Alfred, can you please use the correct terminology when referring to the reconstitution.  A reconstruction using actors is a completely different matter. TY

What is the correct terminology in English? I've heard of reconstituted food as in:


reconstitute
/riːˈkɒnstɪˌtjuːt/
verb (transitive)
1.
to restore (food, etc) to its former or natural state or a semblance of it, as by the addition of water to a concentrate: reconstituted lemon juice
2.
to reconstruct; form again

[John]

What did the confrontation with Murat prove?

Unfortunately, we don't have a transcript of what was actually said.  However, I would think the detectives came away with their own thoughts on who was mistaken or who wasnt.

[John]

What is the correct terminology in English? I've heard of reconstituted food as in:


reconstitute
/riːˈkɒnstɪˌtjuːt/
verb (transitive)
1.
to restore (food, etc) to its former or natural state or a semblance of it, as by the addition of water to a concentrate: reconstituted lemon juice
2.
to reconstruct; form again

The Portuguese know it as a reconstitution and that is what we are concerned with.

[faithlilly]

How could it have been? The issue at the time was whether to charge one or more of the arguidos or to archive the case - unless Madeleine had suddenly been found or a spontaneous confession / or highly credible new evidence dropped on someone's desk.

The clock was ticking. The due date on the final investigation report had already been exceptionally extended twice (the last one was to process the results of the rogatory interviews).

The law has changed since then to allow more time for ILORs... but that wasn't the case back then.

There was obviously elements of the McCann and friends story the PJ wanted clarified. What was wrong with that ? Why were the group so loath to help ?

[Mr Gray]

There was obviously elements of the McCann and friends story the PJ wanted clarified. What was wrong with that ? Why were the group so loath to help ?

for the reasons already discussed a million times

[Anna]

There was obviously elements of the McCann and friends story the PJ wanted clarified. What was wrong with that ? Why were the group so loath to help ?

Are you referring to, Jez and the McCanns friends, who could not make it back for the re-con, Faith?
The McCanns agreed to attend.

[pathfinder73]

Are you referring to, Jez and the McCanns friends, who could not make it back for the re-con, Faith?
The McCanns agreed to attend.

Only after the others had refused. 28 March they will do it if the McCanns agree. 1 May interview below shows they didn't say yes. Answer the question and stop trying to run the investigation. Fat chance  %£&)**#

[Alfred R Jones]

As someone already pointed out above, a 'reconstitution' would establish who, if anyone, lied, and that in itself could provoke charges.  If it turned up new information about Madeleine's disappearance all the better.

Alfred, can you please use the correct terminology when referring to the reconstitution.  A reconstruction using actors is a completely different matter. TY

Perhaps you could remove the word reconstruction from the title of this thread if it is now a proscribed word then.


Done 
Edit by editor.

[Alfred R Jones]

As someone already pointed out above, a 'reconstitution' would establish who, if anyone, lied, and that in itself could provoke charges.  If it turned up new information about Madeleine's disappearance all the better.

Alfred, can you please use the correct terminology when referring to the reconstitution.  A reconstruction using actors is a completely different matter. TY

How would a "reconstitution" prove anyone was lying rather than simply mistaken?  Perhaps you could give me an example.

[John]

Only after the others had refused. 28 March they will do it if the McCanns agree. 1 May interview below shows they didn't say yes. Answer the question and stop trying to run the investigation. Fat chance  %£&)**#

That'll be a no then which sort of answers some of the aforementioned questions by default.

[John]

How would a "reconstitution" prove anyone was lying rather than simply mistaken?  Perhaps you could give me an example.

That is how a detective earns his keep, knowing the difference from professional experience.

Personally, I will never understand how the parents of a missing child wouldn't do all they coud and take part in anything which would assist the investigation regardless of their own insecurities.  I think this fact alone is the reason why so many people feel they were less than helpful when they should have been.