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JennyM
 Posted:
Fri Mar 24, 2006 8:48 pm |
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Top Defense Lawyers Weigh In on Holloway Case
http://abcnews.go.com/US/print?id=1764946
Top Defense Lawyers Weigh In on Holloway Case
Attorneys Consider Suspicion that Missing Teen Used Alcohol or Drugs
March 24, 2006 — - Aruban police apparently suspect that complications involving alcohol and perhaps drugs killed Alabama teen Natalee Holloway, who vanished during a trip to the Dutch Caribbean island and has been missing since May 30.
ABC News asked some of the nation's top criminal defense lawyers what they thought about the possibilities.
Roy Black
Criminal defense lawyer, Florida
Represented William Kennedy Smith, Rush Limbaugh
ABC News: Is it possible that Natalie Holloway died accidentally, and that there was a coverup to hide her body?
Black: The problem with that is usually people don't cover up an accident or an accidental overdose. That may happen, but that is very rare. Usually, the only time someone covers up a death is when there is criminal conduct involved, because they're afraid of the police discovering their part in it.
So with an accident, there's no reason to cover it up. This theory is somewhat far-fetched because if she died of an accidental overdose, there was no reason for anybody to cover it up. Generally, when there's an accident, people just leave the body where it is. Why would anybody throw it at sea or anywhere else?
ABC News: Is it possible Natalie Holloway died accidentally but that there was no coverup, that her body wasn't found because she ventured into a hard-to-reach place like the sea?
Black: It's very hard to lose a human body. When somebody dies, it's almost always discovered, because it's very hard to lose or dispose of a human body. With decomposition, there is a very pungent smell, and it's very easy to find a dead body.
So I don't buy any of those theories. The theory that she died accidentally and somehow her body disappeared is highly unlikely.
Gerry Schargel
Criminal defense attorney, New York
Represented John Gotti, Sammy "the Bull" Gravano, Daniel Pelosi
ABC News: How significant are witness statements that Natalie was seen with drugs?
Schargel: It's hard to comment on that. Drugs are not talismans in whose presence all the other evidence in the case goes away and disappears.
ABC News: Is it possible that she died accidentally and that her body wasn't found?
Schargel: Who knows? The quality of this investigation has been less than stellar. But if someone dies accidentally of drugs and alcohol, it's likely someone would have sought medical attention. And the fact that her body would have disappeared on a small island smacks more of murder than drugs and alcohol.
Chris Tritico
Criminal defense attorney, Texas
Represented Timothy McVeigh
ABC News: How significant are witness statements saying Natalie Holloway had drugs?
Tritico: It's hard to tell when we have no context in which to put the drugs. There's one of two possibilities. It could be that because of the drugs, she died an accidental death. But the other possibility is that the drugs combined with other people, and she could have still been killed.
We don't have an answer to the mystery. I think the drugs are an important piece of evidence, but it is not the final piece of evidence by which the police should close this investigation.
ABC News: Is it possible that Natalie Holloway died accidentally but her body was not recovered?
Tritico: I think that certainly that's a possibility. The fact that her body has never been found leans more toward a homicide than an accidental death. But because we don't have all the pieces of this puzzle, we really don't have an answer.
Copyright © 2006 ABC News Internet Ventures
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| pax
Posted:
Fri Mar 24, 2006 10:56 pm |
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Thanks for sharing this, Jenny M.
It's interesting that they all are wondering what motive someone would have to dispose of the body, if indeed it was an accidental overdose.
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| wtf?
Posted:
Fri Mar 24, 2006 11:00 pm |
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Here's one theory..........
| bamuda wrote: | | Quote: | | Natalee made it back to her room, her friend woke up at 4 am which she has said publiclly, Natalee was smashed and her friend made the mistake of laying Natalee on her back on her bed. She choked on her vomit and died. The room mate phoned her daddy with the Jet to ask what to do, as her other roomate was the senators granddaughter. They could not get involved in this involuntary manslaughter, so they flew the jet down and wisked the body away back to Alabama where it lies on ice to this day. The Joran thing is a smoke screen and for the publics consumption to pin the blame of her disappearence on something, anything. |
This sounds like a real possibility, except for the part about involuntary manslaughter......why would the girls have anything to fear, except for their own reputation, and the obvious embarassing questions that would involve them and their families....and just that fact could explain why they panicked and wanted to "cover it up".
It also explains how it might be possible for the real story to remain hidden for so long.....only a very few people knew about it (roomates), and they aren't about to say anything that would smear their reputations (or that of their families).........and besides which, they didn't really do anything wrong, per se.....it was an accident. So they don't have a guilty conscience, either. Makes it all that easier to keep your mouth shut. Especially if NH didn't really "fit in" with the group (weren't her "real friends"), as their attitude would be of "look at the trouble this little wannabe has gotten us into now.......... |
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| writergal
Posted:
Fri Mar 24, 2006 11:03 pm |
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| pax wrote: | Thanks for sharing this, Jenny M.
It's interesting that they all are wondering what motive someone would have to dispose of the body, if indeed it was an accidental overdose. |
That's because they're all assuming that it was J2K who disposed of the body.
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Satirical Siren
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| MoonShadows
Posted:
Fri Mar 24, 2006 11:07 pm |
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I don't see J2K burying her...no motive...no time.
I still can't get the MB "Skyy vs Aristocrat" picture out of my head...
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| JennyM
Posted:
Fri Mar 24, 2006 11:07 pm |
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Why is that posed pic of kids drinking any different than any posed pic we've seen of JVdS?
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| WangChung
Posted:
Fri Mar 24, 2006 11:09 pm |
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| MoonShadows wrote: | I don't see J2K burying her...no motive...no time.
I still can't get the MB "Skyy vs Aristocrat" picture out of my head... |
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Everybody Have Fun Tonight
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| JennyM
Posted:
Fri Mar 24, 2006 11:10 pm |
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So what?
Girls posing with bottles.
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| MoonShadows
Posted:
Fri Mar 24, 2006 11:10 pm |
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Because the MB pic was taken AFTER Nat went missing. They still had their HI all you can drink bracelets along with their Hope for Nat bracelets...and they sure weren't sad about their friend who was just "raped and murdered.
The pics of the boy were taken before...
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| WangChung
Posted:
Fri Mar 24, 2006 11:11 pm |
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| MoonShadows wrote: | Because the MB pic was taken AFTER Nat went missing. They still had their HI all you can drink bracelets along with their Hope for Nat bracelets...and they sure weren't sad about their friend who was just "raped and murdered.
The pics of the boy were taken before... |
Slam dunk!!!! 
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Everybody Have Fun Tonight
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| JennyM
Posted:
Fri Mar 24, 2006 11:12 pm |
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This was in August.
Are they supposed to be in mourning for the rest of time?
This is like the Bethworshipers going on and on about how J2K did not search, how they smile in pics, how DK went to C&C's after that night.
So what?
Really, so what?
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| JennyM
Posted:
Fri Mar 24, 2006 11:13 pm |
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Wang--are you of the opinion that girls who did not seem to be all that close friends with NH should be in mourning for the rest of their lives?
This pic was 3 months later.
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| JennyM
Posted:
Fri Mar 24, 2006 11:14 pm |
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No, the pics of the boys are not all taken before.
BFN whines ad nauseum every time a new pic of JVdS smiling is posted.
HOW DARE HE SMILE EVER AGAIN?????????
This is no different.
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| MoonShadows
Posted:
Fri Mar 24, 2006 11:15 pm |
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I understand that the unseen timestamp indicates August, but I don't buy it. The Aruba tans are too fresh. And if it IS August, how strange to keep wearing "all you can drink" bracelets for 3 months...
It's just my opinion, but...something bothers me about that pic.
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| JennyM
Posted:
Fri Mar 24, 2006 11:15 pm |
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| Quote: | | They still had their HI all you can drink bracelets |
Which one has this bracelet?
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| JennyM
Posted:
Fri Mar 24, 2006 11:16 pm |
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Why would they be Aruban tans??????
What, people do not go to the beach or pool all summer?????????
And, even if this was a week later, so the fuck what?
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| JennyM
Posted:
Fri Mar 24, 2006 11:17 pm |
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I am trying to understand what it is that bothers you about that picture.
I appreciate your trying to explain it to me.
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| SavannahStar
Posted:
Fri Mar 24, 2006 11:19 pm |
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| JennyM wrote: | | Why is that posed pic of kids drinking any different than any posed pic we've seen of JVdS? |
It's not really. And that's exactly the point.
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**SuperStar**
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| JennyM
Posted:
Fri Mar 24, 2006 11:20 pm |
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I agree, SS. Completely.
Which is why I do not see anything sinister about this picture. Or unseemly.
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| SavannahStar
Posted:
Fri Mar 24, 2006 11:20 pm |
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I love Roy Black's comments. It's about time we heard some common sense. 
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**SuperStar**
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| katya
Posted:
Fri Mar 24, 2006 11:22 pm |
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Agree, Jenny, what is wrong with these girls getting on with their lives, and they are not still wearing their HI bracelets, Moonshadow.
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Alma Hermosa
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| JennyM
Posted:
Fri Mar 24, 2006 11:27 pm |
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I didn't see any HI bracelets. Thanks, Katya.
There are people wanting to see something sinister about JVdS going away to Holland party pics because he is drinking and smiling with friends.
This is just the same.
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| Trixie
Posted:
Fri Mar 24, 2006 11:27 pm |
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The only thing I would like to add is that this photo was taken on June 21 (three weeks after Natalee disappeared). There was an event earlier that day the attended and this was the after party. Maybe 3 weeks was all it took in MB for the mourning of Natalee.....
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| WangChung
Posted:
Fri Mar 24, 2006 11:29 pm |
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| Trixie wrote: | | The only thing I would like to add is that this photo was taken on June 21 (three weeks after Natalee disappeared). There was an event earlier that day the attended and this was the after party. Maybe 3 weeks was all it took in MB for the mourning of Natalee..... |
Well, you know, Trixie, 3 weeks is plenty of time to get on with their lives even though they were still attending Prayer Meetings and doing media appearances about their Dear Lost Friend.
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Everybody Have Fun Tonight
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| JennyM
Posted:
Fri Mar 24, 2006 11:31 pm |
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Even if it's three weeks and not three months (though the pic says taken in August), it makes no difference.
Most of these threads are filled with the opinion that these girls were not very good friends with NH.
And, even if they were, it seems to me of little importance that they got together and partied.
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