Should We Doubt the Smith's Testimony ?

[lordpookles]

Really? Why do you guys think that the Smiths were not responsible for the efits? I thought private investigators for the McCanns first approached the Smiths and constructed the efits. Will all become clear if I read the thread from the beginning?

[faithlilly]

Me too ... but I have no idea.

I do not think the Met publicised them without there being good reason, and would they necessarily tell us if they have found him and he remains a person of interest given the sensitivity of Portuguese secrecy law?

Of course we were told about Tannerman when he was eliminated so there is no reason to think that that wouldn't happen with Smithman.

[G-Unit]

Really? Why do you guys think that the Smiths were not responsible for the efits? I thought private investigators for the McCanns first approached the Smiths and constructed the efits. Will all become clear if I read the thread from the beginning?

It's not discussed on this thread, but I have never been sure where they came from. 

[Brietta]

Really? Why do you guys think that the Smiths were not responsible for the efits? I thought private investigators for the McCanns first approached the Smiths and constructed the efits. Will all become clear if I read the thread from the beginning?

Martin — He did not notice any other relevant details partly due to the fact that the lighting was not very good.
           — States that it is not possible for him to recognise the individual in person or by photograph.

Aoife  — Questioned, states that probably she would not be able to recognise either the individual or the child.

Peter — States that it would not be possible to recognize the individual in person or via photograph.
http://www.mccannpjfiles.co.uk/PJ/MARTIN_SMITH.htm

If unable to describe the man's features a fortnight after seeing him, why would any of these three family members be able to give a description years later.

We haven't seen Mary Smith's statement although the presumption can be made that she made one as it is recorded she refused to change it to match her husband's when he thought the man resembled Dr Gerry McCann.
So if any member of the Smith family was able to give sufficient information to enable an efit to be made, it would be Mary ... and from that we would have to ask the question why her information was not used to do that by the investigators when she made her initial statement whenever that may have been.

Surely worth returning to Portugal for ... or for an artist to be sent to Eire.

[G-Unit]

Thanks, Brietta, very clear statement of the problem. do you have any guess as to where they may have come from?

[Anna]

Thanks, Brietta, very clear statement of the problem. do you have any guess as to where they may have come from?

Any Help, G?


Efits -smiths refused
http://www.mccannpjfiles.co.uk/P16/16_VOLUME_XVIa_Page_4135.jpg

Smiths Efits compiled by private detectives (Oakley) dossier was handed to Mccanns in ?Nov 2008
They were then circulated to PJ and UK police. Oct 2009
………………………….

News item re- efits


http://www.irishtimes.com/news/world/uk/drogheda-family-s-evidence-key-to-madeleine-appeal-1.1560826
http://www.pressgazette.co.uk/sunday-times-sued-mccanns-over-story-which-wrongly-claimed-evidence-was-withheld-police

[lordpookles]

Yes thanks for that Brietta. One or 2 things I'd like to discuss but am in work and unfortunately can't chat about McCanns all day, but info much appreciated. Will post later. The edits do indeed bear a resemblance to Mr McCann imo. Even the one with the lighter hair if you compare it to a pic of Gerry at night. Suffice to say, the efits also look like several other people persons around the case like Mathew Oldfield for instance imo. This highlights I believe the fact that the efits are very ambiguous in their nature.

[Alice Purjorick]

Me too ... but I have no idea.

I do not think the Met publicised them without there being good reason, and would they necessarily tell us if they have found him and he remains a person of interest given the sensitivity of Portuguese secrecy law?

A moot point I guess, which will fail to mute the punters.

[ferryman]

Do you think that is why the Smith e-fit of a person resembling Gerry was conveniently tucked away and forgotten until nice Mr Redwood came along and found it? 
 

No

I think the context of a live and on-going police enquiry was needed to release it.

Also, the Portuguese and British police both had the efit for years before it was released.

Andy Redwood was very specific that the efits are two produced by two (diiferent!) witnesses

[G-Unit]

So, to recap. The Smiths saw a man carrying a child at around 10pm on 3rd May 2007. They gave a vague description of the man, but didn't think they would know him again, although one of them later seemed sure the man wasn't Robert Murat. He also suggested at some point the man could have been Gerald McCann. Quite a few changes, so OK to have doubts, I think.

The two efits shown on Crimewatch may or may not have anything to do with the Smiths.