Is Napolitano Up On This Case?

Earlier I noted here that Judge Anthony Napolitano stated on Fox News that a source told him the Aruban legal community thought there likely wasn't enough evidence to make a case against any of the currently known suspects.

I may well have missed something, but one of the claims in Napolitano's report was to the effect that this new judge might rule differently in part as he didn't even know the earlier judge because the new judge was brought in from Curacao. Unless I'm mistaken, or the Aruban's change judges every time out, every judge previously assigned in this case has been brought over from Curacao, making Napolitano's statement incorrect.

IF that is the case, perhaps they should up his consulting fee, or at least try and get him to pay closer attention to the matter at hand.

Also AP reports suggest the hearing was in front of only one judge, not three, as Napolitano inferred and the one judge will confer with colleagues before rendering a decision.

The hearings were closed and the judge was expected to confer with two colleagues before issuing a ruling Thursday.

It's unclear from existing reports with whom the lone judge apparently in attendance will confer.

Other news reports state that two search groups will be leaving the island shortly.

A Texas group that's been searching Aruba for an Alabama teen said it's ending its efforts after more than three weeks.

And ...

Underwater crime scene investigators from Florida State University have also ended their search and left the island Tuesday.

This post is also available at Blogger News Network.

Comments

[Marci]

No, It is my understanding from following what has been stated in the media that it is "three different judges," and it was three that heard the appeal today.

[Blue Dog]

Is Napolitano Up OnThis Case?
Probably not. But then again, which talking head is in any case. They have to make a real living. Being a talking head is not a real living, more like a part time job.

[southernBELLE]

It's my understanding that I am not sure who is understanding anything involving this crazy case! :)

[Canadian Girl]

If he has made an error re the Judges, I hope he is also mistaken about everyone getting off.:(

[harry]

The Monkeys reported that one judge heard the motions on Tuesday in Aruba; however, three judges will review the appeals on Curacao. In a sense, the motions request a reconsideration of the an earlier decision. One judge hears those motions. The actual appeal reconsideration requires three judges. That is what Napolitano was trying to explain to Fox News.

[harry]

To me, all this speculation between The Dairio and Napolitano gravitates around the existence or non-existence of this alleged confession by Joran van der Sloot. If in fact, there exist a confession, in whatever degree, then the prosecution has the upper hand. The kids will most lkely be incarcerated, as per the Dairio. On the other hand, if this confession proves to be a chimera, then the defense will prevail, and the kids will be released, as per Napolitano.

[annie]

That isn't what was reported earlier though. They talked about sending three judges over. SO what gives? Also, how is that being any more "fair" if they have one person hear the information in person and then go back and confer (based on his own heresay as to what transpired in the appeal hearing)? That makes no sense to me. Why is it that EVERYTHING related to this case has to be so befuddling? No wonder everyone is suspicious of coverup theories.

[wreck]

OBUFUSCATION, OBUFUSCATION, OBUFUSCATION! This was their plan from the beginning to protect tourism. Now it's too late. Their plan has backfired.

[harry]

Annie:

An appeal requires the three judges to review all the evidence and pleading documentation presented at the original hearing. That means the judges sit down and peruse all the documents and hearing transcripts. Additionally, as a plus under the Napoleonic Code, new evidence can be submitted to the appeal documents under review. It is not a hearsay encounter over a bottle of Jamaican rum by the boys. It is quite professionally done.

[Phantom]

It is quite professionally done.

Posted by: harry | July 13, 2005 12:26 AM

As have all elements of this have been.

[michele in bham]

Marcia Twitty will be taking your phone calls live on the Rob and Shannon show.

Google it.

[elan]

all hell is going to break loose if they let sloot get away with murder.

[Blue Dog]

There obviously a lot of rumor and misinformation flying around about this case and what the 3 boys have said or not said in statements to the police.
Seems to boil down to the probable fact that at least 2 of the boys (maybe 3) have admitted to having had sex with NH but no one is admitting to being present when she passed over to the other side and therefore cannot say they know what was done with the body. And if she died by murder or an accident cannot be proven beyond a resonable doubt. Seems like a stalemate to me.

[Jayne]

Napolitano kept commenting throughout the Scott Peterson case that he was going to walk. He is only a commentator, not omniscient. While I respect what he has to say, he couldn't have been more wrong about his consistent analysis of the Peterson case.

I personally think that the Aruban prosecutor will not let Joran slip out so easily. The Aruban gov't also knows it is expedient for someone to pay for this tragedy. I believe Joran will go to prison. However, the catch is that as someone who was only 17, he'll be out of prison before he's 21.

He'll most likely go down, and they'll rationalize it, because, it's not like he's eligible for a life sentence. I don't think the Kalpoes, or Paul will face charges. They will let Joran take the heat, and he'll do a few years, in relative comfort in the prison, where they are allowed computers and online privileges, as well as personal clothing, and probably other comforts.

[RealPotential]

is it possible that bodily fluids may have still been found in one of the vehichles impounded, that may have been 'evidence witheld' until charges are acctually made (as per Dutch law), and that DNA may have been found after all....

even if it wasn't blood... is it possible that even a small sample of Natalees saliva might show levels of alcohol and drugs in her system? Might those levels be high enough to conclude beyond reasonable doubt that she had to have died from it... related to her body weight...etc?

[Blue Dog]

RP: They would need a quantity of blood for that test. And it is possible that she may have died from aspiration. If she were not accustomed to drinking alcohol to the dregree that she had that night, she could have passed out, vomited and enhaled her on vomit. We have no way of knowing now of course. And neither do the police IMO.
They know that she is likely dead, can't find her body and the boys were the last ones seen with her. After that, it seems to get pretty thin about what is known as fact.

[Dirk]

Judge Nap made one crucial mistake, he was comparing this hearing to a criminal court case in the U.S. Under U.S laws, a suspect only can be arrested if an offical charge has been made. A Judge will decide if this charge is valid. After that there will be a hearing wether the suspect is rightfully charged. If so, a bail will be set, or the suspect can be hold without bail. As far as I understand it.

Under the Dutch system a suspect does not have to be charged, to keep him in custody. But the D.A. must present enough evidence that the suspect has something to do with the case. The judge then will rule if the suspect can be hold in custudy and that depends on 1 the evidence, and 2 how serious the case is. For example a shoplifter will not be held for another 60 but a trail date will be set. There is no bail in the Dutch Juridical system.

To compare this case to the Scott Peterson case is actually very good. Probally under u.s. law, JVDS could be held only for 48 hours without enough evidence. Just like in the Peterson case.

Judge Nappy did not inform himself enough, and that for a judge is incompetent.
And Fox news is incompetent for inviting all those so called "experts" who's only source of information is Fox news.

[willo]

Yes, I recall all other judges being flown in from Curacao. In fact, I'm almost certain the last hearing (when the Kalpoes were released) was delayed because the judge's flight from Curacao was postponed or cancelled. At one point recently, I remember hearing that judges would be flown in from Holland. Anyone else remember that?

[Fred Durst is a good fighter]

Your 15 minutes are up, Dan. Time to get back to being a pseudo-intellectual from Joisey.

[Ralston]

Jug Twitty for President! Dan Riehl for his running mate.

[Mick O'Malley]

Time for Judge Napolitano to get his ass back to the pizza parlor. He doesn't belong on national TV, that's for sure.

[Concerned Conservative]

Dan,

I am very concerned that someone who calls himself "conservative" hasn't rushed to defend Karl Rove. He is under attack from the liberals, and you need to educate your readership regarding this vicious onslaught. We can't let the Boy Genius resign or get fired. Please write something defending him.

[Hoyt]

Do you know why I think that Joran is innocent of raping Natalee? Because Joran is a god-damned HOMO, that's why! Why would a homo rape a woman?

[!]

If Joran is released and the boys are not rearrested I hope that the GHOST will be wondering on the island and the boys and dad
will all go away.
As far as I am concerened they are all toliet scum and so is the goverment in Aruba !
This case has been a big joke from the start.
NATALEE deserves justice and so does her family and friends. !

[Larry]

The turd I laid in the commode tonight has more morals than those fucking vanderSloots.

[Gino Warkentian]

My hypothesis is that Joran is innocent. I think that those lazy Hindu Kalpoe brothers killed Natalee 'cause they were jealous that their tiny little Indian dicks were smaller than Joran's, who, by the way, while much much larger than the curry-eating Kalpoe Bros. was STILL much smaller between the legs than Abraham Jones and MIckey John. Whether or not those 2 securtiy guard were guilty, I don't know. But I can tell you they had a LOT to be proud of in the "between-the-legs" department.

Dan, your doing a great job!

[Blue Dog]

From what has been reported one can see that it took the police only about 24 hours after the arrest of the 3 boys to knock the Kalpoe brother off the Holiday Inn drop off story. Then the Kalpoes apparently told the police that they had actually dropped Joran and Natalee off at the beach by the Marriott because the two wanted to take a swim. Said they left them by a fisherman's hut. The police apparently went to Joran with this change in the story by the Kalpoes and Joran said no, the Kalpoes dropped him off at home and were to take Natalee to the Holiday Inn, but must have taken her to Ashara Beach by the California lighthouse and something bad must have happened to Natalee there because the Kalpoes were telling a lie about dropping he and Natalee off at the beach. I suspose that this is where the "confession and taking them to the body" near the California Lighthouse misunderstanding comes in. Later Joran must have agreed that he was not droped at home but was droped off near the Marriott.

But the question for me is why would Deepak be a taxie for Joran to pick up American teenage tourists at C&C so Joran could have sex with them?
Think Deepak is gay or does he get a cut of the action too? And if Deepak does get a cut of the action, how does that fit into his story about droping Joran off at the beach alone at about 2:00 am when they had left the bar at a little after 1:00am?

[Texas Joe]

No Body No Crime!

So where is the body?

Fact:
Aruba is a major trans-shipment location for Columbian drugs headed to Europe and America.

Fact:
Aruba is only 20 miles from South America

Fact:
Aruba has "free trade zones" where un-inspected cargo including cocaine and herion is transfered
to containers for shipment.

Fact:
Aruba's banking secrecy and casinos provide a service to South American drug cartel's to clean "launder" their money

Can all this be going on without the Aruban authorities being involved NO

The Aruban politicians, judiciary, (including Paul Van Der Sloot), casino owners, and yes the chief of police (PVDS's close friend) are likely all dirty and being paid off by organized crime on that "happy little island"

Why did the Aruban police try to pin this crime on two innocent men who's only crime was "being poor and black"? Why the big cover up for the Van Der Sloot kid? Because daddy know's enough to bring them all down.

Paul Van Der Sloot probably called the chief of police to help him get rid of the body.

So where is Natalie?
She was likely handed to the drug dealer's who shipped her off the island either in a container or on a fast boat used to bring coke from Venezuala.

No Body No Crime

Let's Invade and clean up this fetid backwater cesspool run by drug dealers and criminals.

If the Dutch don't like it TOUGH!

Texas Joe

[rotohooter]

Finally a sesible sleuth, Joe!

Enough of the Miss Marple crap and I'm up to here with the crazy sex slave fantasies.

This case is about professional brute force. Only two sources for this: the mob or the police. Neither makes many mistakes and knows how to cover the ones they do make.

[moey]

texasjoe

what you said makes a lot of sense. from my research your statements seem to hit the nail on the head.

we'll never know.

[Justice4All]

What happened to the three condoms found on the beach with the panties, was that where Beth was seen crying, was it the condoms the 2 or 3 who had sex with Natalee that nite?If so they covered themselves by admitting they had consentual sex with Natalee. I believe we can arrange for them to visit a prison and by George arrange for them to have CONSENTUAL sex too, with Bubah.

[Snoopy]

-AbleAdvocateDAN

If what you say is true about Jossy Mansur and the DIARIO Aruba, what happened to the lead of a reporter following a car in Venezuela that definitely had NH inside "alive"? Was the car lost? Was there a description and a license plate?

Also, were there any buildings, streets, driveways or other concrete foundations poured in and around the possible areas for hiding a body during the last few weeks? They should be checked as well...

[no case]

This whole thing is a joke, they have no evidence, which is why you saw Joran smile after he left the hearing last week. This was the first time he was able to see all eviedence against him, of which there is none. The media has hyped this thing and tampered with witnesses, so they are out.

[chris]

At the beginning of the case, just as the media was reporting that there had been a confession ("Something went terribly wrong!") someone posted a comment on this sight that said that word had gotten out that the police on Aruba were at the beach at the lighthouse digging something up in the dunes. The comment stated that this was at approximately 1:00 a.m. When a crowd gathered at the sight the police stopped digging and told the crowd that it was nothing but another dead end lead and for everyone to go home. The police left too. The informer then said that at around 3:30 a.m. the police returned to the dunes and dug something up and left. Does anyone else remember this comment?

[Justice4All]

Chris
Things just do not add up, which suggests a cover up. Check out this website and note the date that the article was written. Go figure. http://www.allheadlinenews.com/cgi-bin/news/newsbrief.plx?id=2236989952&fa=1

[Justice4All]

No not a cover up at all

Read
http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0507/12/lkl.01.html

[annie]

chris, not really, but if it was said, that is very telling as well. Cover-up!