The investigation into the Smith family's sighting

[faithlilly]

So how do you investigate a sighting from the testimony of an unreliable witness?

So does Martin Smith still think who he saw was Gerry or not ?

[misty]

So does Martin Smith still think who he saw was Gerry or not ?

I have absolutely no idea what he thinks, only what he reportedly said.

[John]

So how do you investigate a sighting from the testimony of an unreliable witness?

Speaking of unreliable witnesses, can we believe anything Gerry McCann stated as occurring on the night Madeleine disappeared given he failed to relate correctly which door he used to enter the apartment and a short time later forgot on which side of the street he encountered Jez Wilkins?

[faithlilly]

Speaking of unreliable witnesses, can we believe anything Gerry McCann stated as occurring on the night Madeleine disappeared given he failed to relate correctly which door he used to enter the apartment and a short time later forgot on which side of the street he encountered Jez Wilkins?

Short answer, no.

[misty]

Speaking of unreliable witnesses, can we believe anything Gerry McCann stated as occurring on the night Madeleine disappeared given he failed to relate correctly which door he used to enter the apartment and a short time later forgot on which side of the street he encountered Jez Wilkins?

IMO the door issue was an interpretation error & the Wilkins conversation is only important as an alibi for the lengthy time he was away from the dining table. Men aren't exactly renowned for good memories when it comes to trivialities........

[faithlilly]

IMO the door issue was an interpretation error & the Wilkins conversation is only important as an alibi for the lengthy time he was away from the dining table. Men aren't exactly renowned for good memories when it comes to trivialities........

Gerry admitted within the body of his statement that he had made a mistake in his previous one with regard to the door so I can't see how it is a translation error and I think we all know Gerry's description of his chat with Jez is far more important than you are admitting.

[misty]

Gerry admitted within the body of his statement that he had made a mistake in his previous one with regard to the door so I can't see how it is a translation error and I think we all know Gerry's description of his chat with Jez is far more important than you are admitting.

Getting back to the Smith family sighting, why did Amaral take no action for 4 months despite deciding it was far more credible than Jane's sighting?

[Robittybob1]

Getting back to the Smith family sighting, why did Amaral take no action for 4 months despite deciding it was far more credible than Jane's sighting?

And then to blame inaction on his successor seems a bit too much.

[G-Unit]

Isn't that exactly what the coordinator of the investigation did when he changed Jane's sighting to suit his own hypothesis - and many people believe in his hypothesis? Why do you think he changed the direction of Tannerman's travel when Tannerman could have taken a long detour before ending up on Rua 1 de Maio?

The way I read it he didn't change the direction of Tannerman, he thought he was a red herring. Jane's sighting suggested an abductor walking East at 9.15 whereas the man carrying Madeleine walked West at a later time. A 'look over there, not over here' distraction.

[G-Unit]

Getting back to the Smith family sighting, why did Amaral take no action for 4 months despite deciding it was far more credible than Jane's sighting?

What do you think he should have done?

[pathfinder73]

So how do you investigate a sighting from the testimony of an unreliable witness?

Smithman is the unreliable witness and his TIME is coming.

[Robittybob1]

Smithman is the unreliable witness and his TIME is coming.

There is not much time left.

[jassi]

Who knows how long the PJ investigation will continue even though  OG may close at the end of the month

[Miss Taken Identity]

IMO the door issue was an interpretation error & the Wilkins conversation is only important as an alibi for the lengthy time he was away from the dining table. Men aren't exactly renowned for good memories when it comes to trivialities........

Having a good memory has no bearing on telling the truth. You do need a damn great memory if telling lies, especially a string of them- If you were standing under a lamp you will recall standing under a lamp and not a maybe err um  yeah you know... a tree. The statements are so vague with very little PERTINANT detail it really does not sound like a record of what did happen as it happened in my opinion.

I believe the Smiths recalled what they actually did see. I also believe them when they said it wasn't Murat because they knew him.

Strange how something can stay in a strangers mind but the Tapas struggle...

Gerry claimed to know EXACTLY where the table was when they were siting in the tapas bar that night- he demonstrated this by waving his hands saying " it was somewhere about here"  oh go on Ger be a love, and stop making claims you can't deliver on. He  also had an [b']emphatic No'[/b], not just an ordinary No .why would that be?  Why is it so difficult for them to recall things or over state unimportant things?

[misty]

What do you think he should have done?

Amaral could have started where Rebelo did - the Smith family timeline,  the CCTV at Estela da Luz, asking reception staff at the hotel if they remembered seeing the Smith family return & at what time.
He could also have told the McCanns that there was another potential suspect but they had to find out through the Irish press 2 weeks later. Why did Amaral want to keep it secret - what was so important about the Smith sighting that it could be neither disclosed nor investigated?