Madeleine McCann: Kate And Gerry’s Blood, Threat And Tears
MADDYWATCH - Anorak’s at-a-glance guide to press coverage of Madeleine McCann.
THE SUN front page: “KATE’S AGONY – CONFESS & YOU’RE OUT IN A YEAR.”
“Deal of blood, threat and tears.” Kate McCann is being interviewed by police. This is a “highly-charged confrontation, Portuguese officers citing forensic evidence told the GP she would receive a jail sentence of between two and three years if she signed a confession.”
Kate McCann is “horrified”. Says she: “How dare you?”
A source tells the paper: “The police were trying to get Kate to say she had amnesia or was in shock or had a breakdown. They said if she signed the confession she’d serve a year and that her husband would not be charged and could go home. It was effectively emotional blackmail.”
“SHOCKED” Gerry McCann has been named as a formal suspect.
THE SUN SAYS: “But the allegations made yesterday against Madeleine’s distraught mother Kate are astonishing and, in places, farcical. A suspicious page of the Bible left open? A call to a priest on the day of Maddie’s disappearance? Not exactly a smoking gun.”
Do all crimes involve a smoking gun?
The Sun concludes: “The Sun desperately wants justice for Maddie. But the greatest pity is that she is the one person who seems to have been forgotten in this mess of incompetence.”
And the Press continue to watch the parents.
DAILY EXPRESS front page: “MADELEINE: DEATH ON MUM’S BIBLE.”
THE WORLD’S GREATEST NEWSPAPER writes of “THE DAY THE JEERING STARTED”.
“Just two days ago Kate McCann, 39, was regarded almost universally as a victim who had suffered unimaginable agony. Families everywhere shared her heartbreak at losing her beautiful daughter. But it was clear yesterday, as the GP arrived to be formally named as a suspect in her daughter’s disappearance, that much of that sympathy has now gone.”
The crowd outside the police station – 400-strong – goes into a “frenzy” when Kate McCann arrives. “There were whistles, then jeers and boos before some in the crowd began to shout insults. ‘Whore… daughter of a whore,’ some yelled in Portuguese.”
The Express translates.
A local man says: “They will find this more and more because in Portugal harming a child is the worst thing…The Portuguese people took them to their hearts and now we feel cheated. It will not be nice in Portugal for them now.”
Kate is “cool and collected”.
DAILY MAIL front page: “THE ACCUSED. Portuguese police’s staggering grilling of Madeleine mother.
• Why was her blood in your car?
• Did you drug her that night?
• Confess and get just two years.”
DAILY STAR front page: “YOU KILLED MADDIE.”
DAILY MIRROR front page: “MADELEINE SENSATION. We have found her blood in the boot of your hire car.. DID YOU KILL HER BY ACCIDENT?” This is “what police asked Kate McCann during 16-hour grilling”.
THE GUARDIAN front page: “Mother, victim…suspect: police target Kate McCann.”
THE TELEGRAPH: “Kate and Gerry McCann named as suspects,” says the headline.
“Mr McCann stared straight ahead as his suspect status was announced and refused to answer questions from awaiting journalists. A crowd which had been attending a concert in the town square earlier listened to the announcement and several people gasped audibly.”
In “Villagers back Madeleine McCann’s parents”, the paper journeys to Rothey, Leicestershire, the McCanns’ home town. Michelle Canilleri, who lives in Rothley, shares with the world: “I can’t believe it. This is such a shock. They have got the wrong people. No way in the world would either Kate or Gerry harm any of their children.”
THE INDEPENDENT front page: “FROM ANGUISHED PARENT, TO GRIEVING MOTHER, TO SUSPECT.”
“Shortly before 11am, Mrs McCann’s spokeswoman, Justine McGuinness, revealed that the 39-year-old GP was being made an arguida – official suspect – in the case. And then she uttered the six short words which will be inconceivable to some who have followed this case and a confirmation of long-held suspicions to others. ‘Kate fears she will be charged,’ Ms McGuinness said.”
THE TIMES front page: A picture of the McCanns meeting the Pope.
Madeleine McCann The Public Spectacle
Posted: 8th, September 2007 | In: Madeleine McCann Comments (1,454) | Follow the Comments on our RSS feed: RSS 2.0 | TrackBack | Permalink
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September 8th, 2007 at 8:43 pm
426.
I don’t think there is shared jurisdiction because of the victim’s nationality. I think the trial over the killing would have to take place in Portugal.
But Britain could try them for fraud when they get home, since a lot of Britons’ money went into the “Fighting Fund”.
September 8th, 2007 at 8:43 pm
Well, Moderation, giant legal brain who just lost every point in your giant slur, why don’t you “look up international law” for us and show where that exists.
Martin, who seems to know what he’s talking about, says that Britain can assert jurisdiction whenever one of its subjects is killed abroad, particularly, I assume, by another of its subjects.
But hey, you can look up international law, as you blithely put it, and show us how that’s not so.
While you’re doing that, I’ll be eating cheeseburgers. Righto!
September 8th, 2007 at 8:40 pm
I was interested by the family statement whereby they state if there is forensic evidence then it must have been planted by someone who has access to their appartment. If the evidence is blood or fluid from a decomposing body how is this possible unless someone else killed her and put whatever bodily fluid in their hire car.
I feel really sorry for the families (especially Kates)
I hope that this is not true sad refection on life if parents could do such a thing. If the police don’t charge them soon then I don’t think it will go any futher and that they are indeed inocent.
The next few days will tell all
September 8th, 2007 at 8:40 pm
I also stated it’s a possibility it and it =
I also stated it’s a possibility and it is (one that I think is unlikely as stated above)
September 8th, 2007 at 8:40 pm
Martin, if you look up internation law it’ll tell you…….. committed in Portugal, tried in Portugal. BUT, no body, no charges as yet, no crime as yet.
Forgot to say, I’m off now. Its not good here anymore.
September 8th, 2007 at 8:39 pm
Moderation, if you will read again, I stated this in response to m.e.’s point and put into words what he was implying, but not stating.
I also stated it’s a possibility it and it. I’m sure the police have looked into it.
If you can read (doubtful) you’ll see I disagreed with m.e. every time it was raised and said I do not think this happened.
I sure as hell hope not.
September 8th, 2007 at 8:37 pm
No Christoph, I meant the sex, torture, sadism you inferred against the children in the group by the parents in the group. Remember?
No, you’re just not a nice person. I’ve had verbal spats with many people on here (its what its about) and differing opinions but you are the first person than I can honestly say I don’t like.
September 8th, 2007 at 8:34 pm
Looks like the McCanns might be looking for a trial in a British court. The ‘planning to return to Britain’ story is featuring strongly on Sky. Not sure quite how the CPS and Portuguese federal prosecutor’s office decide which country should try them for involuntary manslaughter of a British citizen, since in such a case there’s shared jurisdiction. Anyway, the procedure would be different, and their lawyers might think they’ll do better with an English jury, but the evidence, based mainly on British investigations, would be just about the same. Or maybe not - phone-tap evidence is still not admissable in a British court.
Interesting. Perhaps there are various supplementary charges that could only be brought in Portugal, and they could fight extradition for some considerable time - and perhaps they’d prefer to await trial in a British prison, or on bail in Britain, rather than in a Portuguese jail a long way from their main support group.
September 8th, 2007 at 8:27 pm
And it was getting really fun. Am sure to be back about 2am. How sad am I ?
September 8th, 2007 at 8:26 pm
Take care, m.e. McDonald’s cheeseburgers are calling me and I won’t be denied any longer!
September 8th, 2007 at 8:25 pm
Hear, hear, 415 beloving2u. I don’t know you, but I like you.
September 8th, 2007 at 8:24 pm
Christoph 418
I agree. And i gotta go
September 8th, 2007 at 8:22 pm
*leaving her alone, obviously.
September 8th, 2007 at 8:21 pm
I so hope you’re wrong. Because if “Moderation” ever figures out what you’re talking about then he may decide to insult you.
And then however would you cope?
September 8th, 2007 at 8:20 pm
412.
I agree with you that people sometimes go too far in their comments, and some are inappropriate.
But as for the presumption of innocence, that exists only in the courtroom.
September 8th, 2007 at 8:20 pm
Moderation 412:
Killing is obscene. As is harming a child in any way. Including by neglect in eating her alone to eat dinner (if that’s all that happened).
Some people, for example, krissie, expressed warped and almost evil views.
Sexist remarks? Ah, heck, I like to flirt. But I have female fans including here. You never cook an omellette if you don’t break any eggs.
And I like to cook omellettes.
Abortion is evil. It’s killing your own child. While you may not concur, it just so happens to be the default position of no less than the McCanns’ religion, numbnuts… remember when they visited “the pope”?
And I haven’t made one “racist” remark about Islamists… I have pointed out the half of your mosques lead by radicals aimed at your country’s destruction is a wee bit of a problem. Or don’t the terrorist attacks strike you as a problem?
You mean the sex rings/torture/sadism the McCann’s indicated were the likely cause of their daughter’s disappearance?
Anyway, your slur now entitles me to launch an attack at you. You’re an idiot.
September 8th, 2007 at 8:18 pm
408-9:
That story comes from a longer piece in the Mail, which led on their website last night, and to which I linked, with comments and exerpts this morning (here):
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=480630&in_page_id=1770&ct=5
Gievn that the Mail has apparently the best British police sources in the UK media, I think it’s probably pretty reliable.
The bit that REALLY struck me was (also quoted above some hours ago):
“There is a great deal of co-operation between the Portuguese and British police. There are likely to be further dramatic developments in the next few days.
“A lot of people will be surprised by what else is going to come out.”
I ask again: Are we so sure the body hasn’t already been found?
September 8th, 2007 at 8:16 pm
I translet this from http://www.sosmaddie.dhblogs.be : The Portuguese police does not have any doubt that Madeleine died but the received results of Forensic Science Service - FSS - are not sufficient to formally accuse the couple to have killed their daughter, this is why the investigators decided to put the pressure on Kate, in first, and Gerry McCann thereafter. Same is waiting the McCann’s friends which taken part in the diner of May 3. (…)
For the moment, the police don’t have any direct evidences of the responsibility of the couple, but with only one certainty - to be confirmed the reliability of the results carried out by the FSS - the couple would have hidden and transported the corpse.(…)
So, they dont have any evidence…
September 8th, 2007 at 8:12 pm
406 i agree - i think the mccanns did something wrong, lied to cover it and now they are stuck. and if they admit they have been lying everyone will feel abused. if the mccanns keep on denying it at least some people will continue to think they are the victims.
personally, i am feeling a bit sorry for them. i shouldn’t because they are rubbish parents and represent the culture of child-hating prevelant in Britain.
September 8th, 2007 at 8:12 pm
Christoph,
ok but why not have your adult ‘fun’ later at night???
And as for me suggesting the possibility of ‘planning’ being involved I do not suggest that they necessarily knew she WOULD die but that they knew the possibility was there.
Anyway you know where I’m going with this. Wish I didnt think it and pray its not so but like you say, nothing can be ignored. I’ll leave it at that and just hope the police know what they’re doing….
September 8th, 2007 at 8:11 pm
Arthur Tolcher 391
excellent, pure genius
September 8th, 2007 at 8:10 pm
has everyone forgotten that they have not been charges as yet…. where is the ‘innocent until proven guilty’?
Some of the stuff on here, especially from Christoph is quite obscene and makes me wonder about him / her… demeaning insults, sexist remarks to females, all that abortion stuff, racist comments about Islamists and now talk of sex rings, torture and sadism.
Methinks Cristoph you have more problems than anyone.
————————
Mods and Admin
I did put a warning under a post about incest and paedophilia , and NOT to venture down that path to him.
September 8th, 2007 at 8:09 pm
407
Yes he is a defence lawyer…. this was pre-trial, he was just trying to get the guy to speak. He said nothing whatsoever, then with a cunning sleight of hand from his lawyer, he accidentally said everything!
September 8th, 2007 at 8:09 pm
I think the case might break when the police re-interviews the friends of the McCanns. If any one of them knows anything, and the police offer them a deal - say, they won’t be charged with neglecting, drugging there own kids and/or helping the McCann’s to hide the body (Dr. O’Brien) if they tell what they know - they’ll tell. Nobody’s THAT good a friend.
September 8th, 2007 at 8:09 pm
Big news, if true:
This too:
September 8th, 2007 at 8:07 pm
http://www.thisislondon.co.uk :
The McCanns have been under round-the-clock surveillance by Portuguese police for more than a month, it emerged.
The covert operation was launched after suspicions grew that they could be linked to the disappearance of their daughter.
Intimate conversations between the pair have been secretly listened to and their movements tracked by investigators.
A British source added: “After a slow start, the police inquiry is a lot more focused and professional.
“There is a great deal of co-operation between the Portuguese and British police. There are likely to be further dramatic developments in the next few days.
“A lot of people will be surprised by what else is going to come out.”
Dozens of British detectives have been drafted into the inquiry in recent weeks. Sources said 55 officers were now working on the case.
It is believed they are carrying out urgent inquiries on behalf of the Portuguese police into the background of the McCanns.
Investigators want to learn more about the state of their marriage, their relationship and whether either of them are prone to losing their temper.
It can also be revealed that Portuguese police have been deliberately leaking details of their inquiry to local media as part of an investigative strategy to put more pressure on the McCanns in recent weeks.
It has never been established when Madeleine was last seen in public and it may even be the case that she was alone with her family from earlier than 5pm.
Madeleine was photographed at the poolside that day at 2.29pm but there is no evidence to suggest she was seen in public after that.
September 8th, 2007 at 8:04 pm
So he tried to trip up his own client, Doctor? Or was this criminal lawyer a prosecutor?
In my country that would mean defence lawyer.
September 8th, 2007 at 8:01 pm
I think they’ve done something terrible and they’re stuck. They won’t change course now unless presented with irrefutable evidence. I know a criminal lawyer who told me that he once had a client (defendant) who refused to speak… but everyone was pretty sure of his guilt. So eventually the lawyer fabricated a little story and said ‘look, we’ve got a witness who says he can identify you’ and for the first time the defendant spoke and blurted out ‘he couldn’t have seen me he was too far away’….. the witness didn’t even exist! Maybe the police need to get more creative with their questioning…
September 8th, 2007 at 7:59 pm
Hear, hear, Andrew Todd.
September 8th, 2007 at 7:57 pm
Parents do kill their children, whether accidentally or intentional, it is a fact in over 90% of the cases.
These parents left their children unattended. Why assume they are innocent. They are guilty of leaving their children unattended; this is called child negligence. How far did their negligence go? Let’s not assume they are automatically innocent, we already know that they are guilty, as plain as day, of child neglect.
Surely, the media hype surrounding this case has done nothing for the investigation except hamper it by stirring up emotions in their readership. If the evidence points the finger at the parents and they are found guilty, then the media and their readership should share the guilt of hiding the truth of what happened to that poor child.