McCann v Gonçalo Amaral libel hearing witness Kate Healy (McCann).Important Notice
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its veracity. All reports are made in good faith.Libel trial McCann v Gonçalo Amaral - Day 12 Witness No 1
The testimony as it happened...
(08.07.2014, 9:45am)
Kate McCann enters the court room, stands at a chair directly in front of the Judge Maria Emília de Melo e Castro. Standing by her right side is a female interpreter who will translate the questions put to Kate and communicate her answers back to the Judge and lawyers. To Kate McCann's left sits lawyer Dr. Miguel Coroadinha, Isabel Duarte and her assistant Dr. Ricardo Afonso. Opposite the McCanns sits Dr. Henrique Costa Pinto, lawyer for VC Filmes, Dr Fátima de Oliveira Esteves, Dr Ginçalo Amaral and his new lawyer, Dr. Miguel Rodrigues.
The Judge tells Kate McCann that she is obliged to speak the truth during her declaration. Kate then promises under oath to tell the truth and the whole truth. The Judge questions her about her name to which Kate replies that it is "Kate Healy". The Judge asks why she doesn't use the name McCann as her last name and Kate responds that she still uses her maiden name. Kate is then asked about her home address, and her employment status to which she replies that she is a "general practitioner" and that she has stopped working since Madeleine was "abducted". The Judge orders Kate Healy to sit down so the declaration can proceed.
Judge - Do you recall when the book was first published and when you first heard about it?
Kate Healy (McCann) A few months after it was published.
Judge - Did you read the book and when?
Kate Healy (McCann) I first read extracts from the book in media reports and then on the internet around the end of 2008.
Judge - How and what did you feel?
Kate Healy (McCann) Responds that she was devastated. She already had an idea of what was in that book, but when she read it all she felt desperate because of the injustice against her and her family as a whole and also felt anxious because of the damage that this book was causing to Madeleine. She gives as an example the fact that the book accuses her and her husband of being somehow involved and of faking an abduction. The book smears her and her husband throughout.
Judge - What sort of damages?
Kate Healy (McCann) - The book had many negative effects in Portugal. She says that this book sounds credible and if people believe what it says, that Madeleine is dead, they will not search for her and bring more information about her. She says that it is a particularly serious matter that such a theory is published in Portugal, because it is from there that Madeleine disappeared.
Judge - What were the damages in Portugal?
Kate Healy (McCann) - The book was read by thousands of people, people would believe, due to the author's credibility, that Madeleine was dead and that we were involved. People, neighbours on the street, in coffee shops believed Mr. Amaral. And for us Portugal was the most important place. It was here that Madeleine was taken from us.
Judge - Do you remember a documentary?
Kate Healy (McCann) I learned about it through Portuguese friends who watched it on TVI, they texted me saying the documentary was horrible. On the following day they sent me detailed annotations.
Judge - Did you watch the documentary?
Kate Healy (McCann) I watched some parts of the documentary on the media and then the full documentary on the internet.
Judge – What new element does this documentary bring? How did you feel watching it compared to what you felt when you read the book?
KMC finds that the destructive power of the documentary is bigger, it is yet more damaging.
Judge – Did you feel worse and why?
KMC explains that the documentary was more definitive and cutting than the book. She felt despair because of the injustice towards her family as a whole and she was anxious that it would damage the search since there was no official investigation and they were the only ones working very hard. As it was jeopardising their efforts, she felt pain and fear.
Judge - Do you recall an interview that Mr. Amaral gave to Correio da Manhã on 24th July 2008 called
Cadaver was frozen or kept in the cold.Kate Healy (McCann) He gave several interviews but I do recall one in particular which was exaggerated. Where he said that Madeleine's body had been kept frozen and then taken inside the boot of the car we had rented seven weeks later [sic, car was rented 23 days later].
Judge - How did you learn about that interview?
Kate Healy (McCann) Some friends in Portugal sent us the translations, they made summaries of what was published by the Portuguese media.
Judge - When did you learn about that interview?
Kate Healy (McCann) Right after the documentary was broadcast.