Has Martin Smith Changed his Opinion ?

[ferryman]

You are saying you don't know, but you see nothing wrong with guessing? Neither do I, but an imo would let others know you didn't have some secret source.

There is a difference between guesswork and sound inference from available information ....

[Alice Purjorick]

Quote
He has given no stories or helped in any photo fits. He sent a solicitor’s letter to six papers in relation material that was printed that was misquoted. The Evening Herald paid his solicitor's fees and all papers printed an apology. His photograph appeared in another tabloid paper and this matter is being pursued at the moment.
End Quote

It would appear that Martin Smith having form for taking successful legal action to being misquoted confirms "the old "it must be true because no one has sued" ploy."
If he hadn't said it ... he would have insisted it was withdrawn just as he did formerly.

In your opinion.

[pegasus]

The fact that this witness made a proposed identification in Sept 2007 was documented by Irish, English, and Portuguese police.

[G-Unit]

There is a difference between guesswork and sound inference from available information ....

If only your inferences were sound. Unfortunately your reasons for believing Martin Smith changed his mind are very weak.

[Alfred R Jones]

If only your inferences were sound. Unfortunately your reasons for believing Martin Smith changed his mind are very weak.

And your reasons for believing he hasn't changed his mind are weaker still, supported by NOTHING. 

[blonk]

The fact that this witness made a proposed identification in Sept 2007 was documented by Irish, English, and Portuguese police.

But his proposed identification is absolutely worthless. It would be ripped apart in seconds by questions such as:

* you were only '60% to 80%' certain?

* what was your opinion based on - the way he was carrying Sean?

* don't parents usually carry their infant children the same way?

* why did it take you 13 days to report your sighting?

* did you report it only because your son Peter 'phoned you up and said: 'Am I dreaming...?'

* which of the four separate reasons you have given for delaying reporting your sighting is the true one?

* or are none of them true?

* you have co-operated with the McCann Team since early 2008, haven't you?

* you have called for people to help find 'the abductor', haven't you?

* you drew up one of the-fits, didn't you?

* but another member of your family has drawn up a totally different-looking man? 

* you co-operated with the McCann Team by changing the age of the man you saw twice, from '35 to 40' to '40', then down to '34 to 35'. Why did you do that?

* when you saw DCI Redwood twice, in 2012 and 2013, did you tell him that you still thought the man you said you saw was Gerry McCann?       


Really, there are people on this forum who doubt that Madeleine was abducted. There is a significant majority that believe that she WAS abducted. Given the many reasons for doubting the abduction claim, I cannot for the life of me understand why anyone who doubts the abduction claim should spend one further second thinking that any of the Smiths can contribute to those doubts. To persist in thinking that the Smiths have valuable evidence that it was Gerry McCann carrying his dead child through the streets of Praia da Luz - at the very time his wife was raising the alarm - is one of the clearest examples I can remember of 'flogging a dead horse'.

[faithlilly]

And your reasons for believing he hasn't changed his mind are weaker still, supported by NOTHING.

Supported by a direct quote from the man himself.

[Alfred R Jones]

Supported by a direct quote from the man himself.

So, you have a quote from Martin Smith saying "I haven't changed my opinion - I'm still 60-80% sure it was Gerry I saw" have you?  Let's see it then.

[faithlilly]

So, you have a quote from Martin Smith saying "I haven't changed my opinion - I'm still 60-80% sure it was Gerry I saw" have you?  Let's see it then.

So what do you think he meant by this direct quote ?


''Commenting on the Crimewatch documentary which was broadcast on Monday night he added: "The only new thing in the investigation is the elimination of Jane Tanner's sighting.

"Apart from that from our point of view everything else remains the same in relation to what we said to the police and the media at the time. We have nothing more to add." "

[Alfred R Jones]

So what do you think he meant by this direct quote ?


''Commenting on the Crimewatch documentary which was broadcast on Monday night he added: "The only new thing in the investigation is the elimination of Jane Tanner's sighting.

"Apart from that from our point of view everything else remains the same in relation to what we said to the police and the media at the time. We have nothing more to add." "

Which police?  Which media?  Which time?  Details please.

[ferryman]

So what do you think he meant by this direct quote ?


''Commenting on the Crimewatch documentary which was broadcast on Monday night he added: "The only new thing in the investigation is the elimination of Jane Tanner's sighting.

"Apart from that from our point of view everything else remains the same in relation to what we said to the police and the media at the time. We have nothing more to add." "

The sighting of the man the Smiths think might be Madeleine's abductor is not new.

[pathfinder73]

But his proposed identification is absolutely worthless. It would be ripped apart in seconds by questions such as:

* you were only '60% to 80%' certain?

* what was your opinion based on - the way he was carrying Sean?

* don't parents usually carry their infant children the same way?

* why did it take you 13 days to report your sighting?

* did you report it only because your son Peter 'phoned you up and said: 'Am I dreaming...?'

* which of the four separate reasons you have given for delaying reporting your sighting is the true one?

* or are none of them true?

* you have co-operated with the McCann Team since early 2008, haven't you?

* you have called for people to help find 'the abductor', haven't you?

* you drew up one of the-fits, didn't you?

* but another member of your family has drawn up a totally different-looking man? 

* you co-operated with the McCann Team by changing the age of the man you saw twice, from '35 to 40' to '40', then down to '34 to 35'. Why did you do that?

* when you saw DCI Redwood twice, in 2012 and 2013, did you tell him that you still thought the man you said you saw was Gerry McCann?       


Really, there are people on this forum who doubt that Madeleine was abducted. There is a significant majority that believe that she WAS abducted. Given the many reasons for doubting the abduction claim, I cannot for the life of me understand why anyone who doubts the abduction claim should spend one further second thinking that any of the Smiths can contribute to those doubts. To persist in thinking that the Smiths have valuable evidence that it was Gerry McCann carrying his dead child through the streets of Praia da Luz - at the very time his wife was raising the alarm - is one of the clearest examples I can remember of 'flogging a dead horse'.

You need more than identifying him to close the case and he wasn't seen at the same time Kate was raising the alarm.

[ferryman]

Two key facts remain:

Martin Smith Smith and his wife both produced efits (of a man neither, any longer, believed/ believes, is Gerry).

Mrs Smith is on record, very recently, (way after public release of the files) as expressing great sympathy with the McCanns .....

[G-Unit]

Two key facts remain:

Martin Smith Smith and his wife both produced efits (of a man neither, any longer, believed/ believes, is Gerry).

Mrs Smith is on record, very recently, (way after public release of the files) as expressing great sympathy with the McCanns .....

Facts?

We don't know who produced the e-fits.

Mrs Smith spoke to the press in August 2008.

In 2013 Mr Smith said nothing had changed except the Tanner sighting.

[mercury]

Two key facts remain:

Martin Smith Smith and his wife both produced efits (of a man neither, any longer, believed/ believes, is Gerry).

Mrs Smith is on record, very recently, (way after public release of the files) as expressing great sympathy with the McCanns .....

Neither are facts, and your post is quite unfathomable. August 2008 was neither "way after public release of the files" ...it was the same month and year. And her being quoted in a newspaper in the same month /year is not "very recently" unless you think 8 years ago  is a very recent time...is there any point in expecting you not to embroider? the facts in this case and call your embroidering "facts"?

By all means make your case, but make sure its truthful!!

Eta GU beat me to it