Madeleine McCann: Suing Amaral, Mark Lawson’s Fact And Fiction, And Bloggers Beware
MADDIE WATCH - Anorak’s at-a-glance guide to press coverage of Madeleine McCann
THE GUARDIAN: “The Panama Mystery - Mr and Mrs Canoe’s case fascinates but can’t match crime fiction’s satisfying motives and denouement”
Mark Lawson does so love a good ending to a work of fiction and fact. A super-fiction. Take care you don’t confuse the two.
In his piece Lawson name checks them all: John and Anne Darwin, Radovan Karadzic, Fred and Rose West, Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman, Ian Huntley, Harold Shipman and…
As the trial was coming to a close, I was at the Harrogate Crime-Writing Festival, and newspapers were reporting the latest developments in the Madeleine McCann case.
Bingo! Where were you?
One of the reasons for the huge popularity of crime fiction is that the genre explores, in a sanitised environment, the fear and prurient fascination we feel when faced with murders and abductions. Real-life criminality and fiction have become a loop, communicating with each other: several of the books discussed at Harrogate featured missing children; in two years, expect a slew of novels about husbands and wives who mysteriously disappear.
Can you tell the difference between fact and fiction? Now read on…
THE SUN: “McCanns to sue cop over book”.
DEVASTATED Kate and Gerry McCann are to launch a legal blitz in Portugal after the publication of a scandalous book about the disappearance of their daughter Maddie.
In The Truth Behind The Lie, ex-police chief Goncalo Amaral details ludicrous allegations about the couple and the pals they dined with when Maddie vanished in Portugal last year.
Who gets sued?
The McCanns plan to take action against Amaral, Portuguese newspapers which reprinted parts of the £10 book and bloggers who discussed it.
Anorak did not discuss the book’s merit. We did not reproduce a single quote from the book. But can bloggers who did be sued effectively? Many are men and women of straw. What can the outcome be? Best for bloggers, perhaps, to avoid the matter? Or get a crack moderation team – like Anorak. But what, then , of freedom of speech?
Says Amaral: “This book is not revenge, it is not persecution. We can discuss the case in court if they want.”
In the context of a libel case, they might well…
DAILY MAIL: “We failed, says Maddie police chief… but he refuses to apologise to her parents”
Says Amaral: “’There will be no apology, I was just doing my job.”
As a writer…?
DAILY TELEGRAPH: “Madeleine McCann case: Portuguese police admit failings
The police detective who led the search for Madeleine McCann has admitted that there were some failings in the investigation but refused to accept responsibility for not solving the case…
Several hundred people queued up to collect copies of “Maddie The truth of the Lie” and many congratulated Mr Amaral for his courage to speak out.
BELFAST TELEGRPAH: “McCann case detective’s book to get English translation”
Who will review it if it published in the UK?
THE HERALD: “Sympathy for McCanns must be tempered”
Letters to the editor:
How kind Colette Douglas Home is to Gerry and Kate McCann (Comment, July 22). She uses many column inches pouring scorn on the Portuguese police (perhaps justifiably, I don’t know), showering Gerry and Kate with sympathy (I, too, feel for them), but only makes passing reference to the action that, had it not happened, would have prevented this heartbreaking event from occurring in the first place.
This is clearly their “decision to leave her sleeping while they met friends for dinner”.
- Allistair Matheson, Selkirk.
Colette’s opinion - that Gerry McCann is handsome and Kate McCann beautiful - is irrelevant. The eye of the beholder? Colette states: “And they will always carry the burden of their decision to leave her sleeping while they met friends for dinner.” What kind of parents, in a foreign land, needlessly leave their child, not yet four years old, asleep without a child-minder and out of sound or sight, while they indulge themselves with their friends?
The McCanns deserve all the anguish they brought upon themselves through poor judgment, and not endless public sympathy. Madeleine is the victim. I hope and pray that she is unharmed and is being looked after in loving care, however wrongfully.
- Donald C Irving, Ayr.
And on it goes…
Posted: 25th, July 2008 | In: Broadsheets, Madeleine McCann, Tabloids Comments (626) | Follow the Comments on our RSS feed: RSS 2.0 | TrackBack | Permalink
Comments
July 25th, 2008 at 10:40 pm
Have you all read the current Sky report on the book. Very interesting but it upset me.
Poor, poor Amaral. What a terrible way to finish his career. And the trial coming up as well.
He does seems paranoid. Delusional. But I can’t help feeling sorry for him even though he’s doing such a silly and disreputable thing. He was way out of his depth with this case and felt betrayed by his colleagues and superiors as well as by the British. Even lost his wife as well (she left him).
This case seems to have turned his mind. IMO. If the Sky resume of the book is true. I doubt if Sky would mistranslate.
Apparently, most of his accusations against the Mcs are already known but they can’t be repeated on Sky because of the libel business.
To use an old-fashioned phrase : God help him.
July 25th, 2008 at 10:39 pm
Jo and Whoops
Yes it is very relevant. If Kate is pregnant now, it means (well to me anyway), that if charges were ever brought - yet again they got the sympathy vote. Headlines, would run - how can they do this to a mother one more time, or words to that effect. She’s a family loving woman etc etc
Whoops
Deffo Btox - she was gonna be so right for those cameras wasn’t she. But then I think she was a botox queen anyway. And, you can get botox on the NHS anyway to hide scars etc.
July 25th, 2008 at 10:39 pm
Ahhh-Garfy and there was me finking you had fings to do tonight.
July 25th, 2008 at 10:38 pm
whoops
If she had wandered off she would have been found. Simple as.
July 25th, 2008 at 10:37 pm
# jo Says:
July 25th, 2008 at 10:31 pm
Garth
Isnt it fantastic they take Amaral to court? Its going to be so much fun now
:lol:
:lol:
They can answer all the questions and also they will be able to put forward all the evidence of the abduction…at long last
What fun!!!
————-
jo
I feel sorry for you my darlin.
July 25th, 2008 at 10:35 pm
Here we go
Metodo
Tirelirelaaaaa
http://gazetadigitalmadeleinecase.blogspot.com/
July 25th, 2008 at 10:31 pm
Garth
Isnt it fantastic they take Amaral to court? Its going to be so much fun now
They can answer all the questions and also they will be able to put forward all the evidence of the abduction…at long last
What fun!!!
July 25th, 2008 at 10:26 pm
Christine
Is this relevant in the search for Madeleine? if the cow is pregant or not? I bloody hope NOT.
Not an other life who is going to suffer por dios!
July 25th, 2008 at 10:26 pm
Christine-Botox?
July 25th, 2008 at 10:21 pm
Cheryl
Fuller face, looks like much bigger boobs and, if I may say so, heavier boobs, a bra couldn’t have this effect (IMO), baggy top, where previously she wore skin tight tops. What do you think now - have another look and maybe a comparison of earlier photos.
July 25th, 2008 at 10:18 pm
M&A-
Unless they are teaching the dogs to sniff out euros/sterling/dollars-no i don’t think there is-why bother with a heratbeat if there’s no rolex around it?
M and A
exactly
July 25th, 2008 at 10:07 pm
Cheryl-are you seriously suggesting that their handlers got them to give a false response to make money. Tread carefully lady-that is quite a serious allegation IMO.
M and A
Their handler doesn’t make a lot of money. but if Cheryl is right perhaps call off the search and rescue dogs at earthquake sites, there is no earthly reason to use them , is there?
July 25th, 2008 at 10:05 pm
any news after yesterday evening?
did somebody read that book or knows something written on it?
July 25th, 2008 at 10:03 pm
Christine-can’t see any obvious signs.
July 25th, 2008 at 10:01 pm
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1038715/A-copper-shame-Maddies-detective-blames-lack-answers.html
Look at this photo - does anyone think Kate is pregnant? I do.
July 25th, 2008 at 10:00 pm
Cheryl-do you mean the one who has no more idea what happened than we do and was simply doing her job?
July 25th, 2008 at 9:54 pm
Cheryl
Do you mean the woman in court [judge] who spoke up for them and their pain?
July 25th, 2008 at 9:50 pm
Gandolf Says:
July 25th, 2008 at 9:33 pm
I sense the wrath of a certain high court judge may be about to be very public.
__________
I hope you are correct, Gandolf, that would make my day! I’d love to see her lay them low after all the slagging she has gotten from that day in court. Rather hope she is like a lady lawyer here in DC that the men lawyers cringe and say when they have to go up against her in court - ’she eats men’s balls for breakfast every morning.’ That quote was in the newspaper years ago and I laughed until tears ran down my face.
July 25th, 2008 at 9:48 pm
Garf-no probs at all-I am genuinely interested-just make it practical, believable and verifiable-I can’t no matter which way i look at it. All ears.
Kids do wander off-quite a few drowned this week -and God bless them. Why could not the same have happened to Madeleine? If ir can happen on a beach in broad daylight-who is to say she couldn’t have woken up-got out-and yes they can-and wandered into the sea in the evening when there are far fewer people about.
I know Garf-still doesn’t explain the cadaver scent-but hey what is that amongst friends?
July 25th, 2008 at 9:42 pm
If, as some are saying, that the FSS were got at (blimey pull this post if I can’t say this), is that why the FSS took so long to produce the results, because there were negotiations going on, if you see what I mean. They did seem to go on for a very long time for no apparent reason and they were considered the best specialists in the field. Just a thought, but there’s a reason for everything.
July 25th, 2008 at 9:36 pm
Duncan R
No not me - but I still try to convince very small children and dogs that he does - they go along with it just fine and seem to enjoy it!
July 25th, 2008 at 9:33 pm
I sense the wrath of a certain high court judge may be about to be very public.
July 25th, 2008 at 9:33 pm
Christine
You don’t still believe in Santa Claus , do you ?
July 25th, 2008 at 9:29 pm
Now that arguidos status has been lifted, I presume that all the questions that were posed in interviews can be answered now. You know “we can’t talk about the investigation” kind of questions.
Am I being unrealistic?
July 25th, 2008 at 9:28 pm
# whoops Says:
July 25th, 2008 at 9:24 pm
Garf-my sincere apologies now please do enlighten us-all the details please-I have all the time in the world luvvy.
—————
no probs whoops but cant enlighten you right now as have got other fings to do unfortunately. Maybe another time eh?
July 25th, 2008 at 9:24 pm
m.e. Says:
July 25th, 2008 at 3:21 pm
Melanie
But you wouldnt be normal if you weren’t at least suspicious of me now would you?
So how come there are people here who blindly just see the innocence of the McCanns?
No logic to that stance at all is there?
[rel -dr]
________
Those dogs are not infallible and those dogs are highly questionable as just what or who they were reacting to or lead to react to by their handler who is now making money on them! imo.
M and A
Cheryl, their handler will be earning the same as anyone else of his rank, approx £30k p.a, the dogs are insured for a lot of money.
No one is infallible, well the Pope is reputed to be infallible, and maybe even doctors, well they do claim to be….
July 25th, 2008 at 9:24 pm
Garf-my sincere apologies now please do enlighten us-all the details please-I have all the time in the world luvvy.
July 25th, 2008 at 9:21 pm
Abraham Zapruder Says:
July 25th, 2008 at 3:22 pm
The key
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-477801/Madeleine-Now-Portuguese-press-claims-scent-corpse-McCanns-keys.html
__________
Interesting and noted the date of that story. Wasn’t that one of leaks that was put out during the sainted one’s reign? Haven’t heard much about it since…oh that is right the sainted one was unceremoniously dumped a month or so later and now published the so0n to be Number 1 best seller in Portugal.
July 25th, 2008 at 9:16 pm
# Gandolf Says:
July 25th, 2008 at 9:05 pm
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=PyW0riD54nY&feature=related
————-
That poor bleedin bus being abused like that - disgraceful
whoopsy
Its Garth luvvy
July 25th, 2008 at 9:14 pm
whoops says
Maria you know who the highly esteemed Paul Daniels and Dibby Debbie are -yeah?
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cr2zKCsbkdA