Natalee Holloway: Murder Charges Require Clarification

More confusion as regards the on going investigation in the Natalee Holloway disappearance would be nothing new. Now, with headlines blaring that the three suspects still in detention have been charged with murder it might be best to wait and see what type of clarifying statements could follow.

Weeks ago, as reported here, murder was suggested as a potential charge against the suspects in this confounding case. To be more clear, "murder, manslaughter or intentional containment with the dead as consequence."

As America has already learned, significant differences across systems of justice and language translation have already caused tremendous confusion during this investigation.

What is known is that politics are as much a part of this now as anything else and the boys are heading to court on Monday when a judge will rule on the legality of their being detained for another sixty days while the investigation continues.

Were the three boys to simply walk away on Monday as a result of a lack of evidence, it would be a public relations nightmare for Aruba. Headlines blaring "Suspects Charged With Murder" the weekend preceding that hearing might do more to ensure their continued detention than any evidence the prosecution is prepared to present at this time.

While I too would like some clarification of Dutch statues relevant to this matter, it's my present understanding that no one can be formally charged with murder unless and until the prosecution presents its case in open court. As of now, and perhaps not until Monday afternoon, if then, that has not happened.

Hopefully this information will be clarified by authorities, or educated on lookers in the meantime.

Update: According to all known previous reports, this case was stalled and possibly lacking in significant evidence. Word on the ground from multiple sources was that the possibility existed that the three suspects could actually be released on Monday. Given what was known only hours ago, a confession, or one or more of the suspects being willing to testify against another, or others, looked like it might be the only hope for prosecutors. We also know that a certain amount of psychological gamesmanship has already been applied in this case through the brief detention of Joran's Father, Paul(us) v d Sloot. What better way to try and get one or more of three boys talking than to have murder charges in the headlines just two days before they go back to court.

This post is also available at Blogger News Network.

Comments

[Michelle Sollicito]

Fox has now clarified that these charges were placed a few days ago but kept quiet out of respect to the Twitty's feelings - possibly explaining why the Twittys have been so emotional lately, but happier with the authorities -

[Mary]

Just more confussion.

Who is this person that reports for the AP and gives out this sort of news. ??? They (AP) did the same thing weeks ago when they said they had the body. What the hell gives with the AP reporteres ?????
They feed all other press, who are they trying to bring down here by telling lies.???

[Michelle Sollicito]

This is not lies
see http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,161375,00.html

[kathy]

Now the report is false? Why can't they get this straight!

[elaine]

thank you dan

michelle sollicito: I believe you!!

[Island Hopper]

I susupect there is a language problem here combined with a wording issue. Seems we "charge" when we are ready to layout the charge in the US. We "docket" when ready to go to court.

In the Dutch system, they do not dicuss the case with the media so there is no layout of the case and they "charge" when they are ready for trial.

[EJsgal]

This just gets better and better. I am really starting to think the Rave angle might just be the closest thing to the truth we have heard yet. It would explain why no one has spoken yet. It would also explain Steve Croes. His smugness and what appears to be stupidity actually may be that he knows the boys won't talk because his Boss will make sure of it. Maybe they let him go to gain more info. I don't know, but I think we will soon.

[Mary]

Wonder what the physical evidence is.? Noitce we have heard nothing about the 2 boys. But..we see pics of them bringing Joran back into the police station for more questioning. Did the two boys tell the real truth ?? hmmmmm

[wft]

ust more confussion.

Who is this person that reports for the AP and gives out this sort of news. ??? They (AP) did the same thing weeks ago when they said they had the body. What the hell gives with the AP reporteres ?????
They feed all other press, who are they trying to bring down here by telling lies.???

Mary,

The AP report is Peter Prengaman.

[gallowaygirl]

If this is confusion between the terms "suspicion" and "charged", why is Karin Janssen stating charges were kept from the family in an interview with the AP dated today?

I think Dan is right...this is gamemanship and it may indicate desperation in anticipation of forced release of the boys on Monday. And I think this may be indicative of a whole new level of ineptitude in the investigation of Natalee's disappearance.

from drudge:

Prosecutor: 3 Charged With Aruba Murder

By PETER PRENGAMAN
The Associated Press
Friday, July 1, 2005; 5:17 PM

ORANJESTAD, Aruba -- Three young men detained in the disappearance of an Alabama teenager have been charged with murder since their arrest more than three weeks ago, Aruba's chief prosecutor told The Associated Press on Friday.

The charges were not announced at the time to protect the feelings of the family of 18-year-old Natalee Holloway, said Attorney General Karin Janssen.

"At the time, we didn't want to upset the (Holloway) family talking about murder while they searched," Janssen said.

Janssen, who has said several times in the past three weeks that no one was charged in the case, said they also kept the information quiet in order not to compromise their investigation. Authorities have said they have no physical evidence suggesting Holloway is dead.

Janssen said 17-year-old Joran van der Sloot, 17, and two Surinamese brothers who are his friends have been charged since their arrest _ 10 days after Holloway disappeared on May 30.

Also Friday, Aruba's government defended its handling of the investigation, saying many of the criticisms arose from misunderstandings of the Dutch legal system used on the Caribbean island.

Police have been criticized for letting more than a week go by without detaining the three young men last seen with Holloway and for waiting 16 days after she went missing before searching van der Sloot's home.

Ruben Trapenberg, spokesman for Prime Minister Nelson Oduber, said the government has put 21 detectives on the case.

Trapenberg also mentioned the 70 Dutch Marines on the island who helped in initial searches and were called back Thursday to comb the island again.

"They do not bungle cases," Trapenberg told The Associated Press. "Aruban police and prosecutors are professional forces that have been successful."

Prosecutors have an 89 percent conviction rate on the Dutch Caribbean island, he said. Violent crime is rare in the tourist haven.

Asked why two of three suspects were transported together, apparently giving them the opportunity to compare or arrange their stories, Trapenberg said that was done to secretly monitor what they might tell each other.

Late Thursday, CNN captured images of van der Sloot, and Deepak Kalpoe handcuffed together, being put in a car to leave San Nicolas prison. It wasn't clear where they were being taken.

The Kalpoe brothers and van der Sloot were the last ones seen with Holloway the night she disappeared. Police questioned the three that same day but did not detain them until June 9. Two other people, including van der Sloot's father, Paul, an island judicial official, were detained and released.

"One of the techniques is that after hearing separate stories and getting nowhere, prosecutors will have suspects confront each other," said Trapenberg. "The U.S. system might be different, but this technique has worked in the past here."

Trapenberg also said that police initially did not have any cause to hold the young men: "If they had arrested them immediately, they would never have collected evidence."

Natalee's mother, Beth Holloway Twitty, has repeatedly criticized investigators, saying that if she did not get answers soon she would believe they were protecting someone _ probably Joran van der Sloot because of his father's position.

"Prosecutors couldn't even attempt a cover-up because they know better than anyone that this case is under a microscope," Trapenberg said.

© 2005 The Associated Press

[Kelli]

I'm totally not believing this! I remember the Holloway's and others saying that under their law in Aruba,when they threw on charges,it was a wide range of them so that later they could pick a few and make them stick.Rape,Kidnapping,Murder,etc...So has some real evidence suddenly appeared like maybe forensics back? Real question here...What kind of evidence could they have to tie in three people for murder?Must be something powerful right? Not just guilt by asscociation surely.I'm waiting for more info on this..Shakes head..

[harry]

Fox News interviewed a Justice Ministry official: No Murder Charges have been filed. From the official, the three kids remain as suspects. Sounds like a scare tactic. If the kids are innocent, it means nothing.

[Mary]

Late Thursday, CNN captured images of van der Sloot, and Deepak Kalpoe handcuffed together, being put in a car to leave San Nicolas prison. It wasn't clear where they were being taken.

I had not heard anything about this. I only saw a pic of Joran. Wonder when this happened. ??

[wft]

Harry,

I think that guy on Fox was from the newspaper Aruba Today. Correct me please if I am wrong. He did say they were only suspects still. Major confusion.

[Midge]

I think the younger brother is the best bet to crack.

[fred]

The behavior and attitude of PaulusVDS does not surprise me. In fact is is rather predictable. I am an American expat, living in the Benelux for 10 yrs. Folks here look like us but are wired very differently. Many Europeans have an intrinsic distrust of government, organized religion etc. 'Patriotism' or nationalism is scorned, distrusted and ridiculed. They have a deeply rooted adverserial relationships between employers and employees. Yeah, there are lofty, altruistic social policies in place requiring great contibution from the tax base yet everyone I know has made it a fine art to avoid their tax obligations without conscience. PVDS counseling his son to work the system is nothing strange of deviant withing the context the prevailing winds over here. Sad but true and I'm sure very shocking to most Americans.

[wft]

Mary...If you look at the latest video of Joran in the white shirt being put in the front seat of a car, you will see Deepak directly behind him in the backseat. Whoever is behind Joran looks handcuffed. Another man then gets in the car and sits next to him (Deepak) in the backseat. Deepak looks around the front seat Joran is sitting in and then ducks back behind the seat. He turns away from the window and the camera as they drive off. Tivo is great.

[gallowaygirl]

good Lord wft - what are the 'polis' thinking transporting these kids together. This is beyond ridiculous.

[marie]

wft,

I saw that also. What do you think about his expression? To me, it looked like he was holding back a smile, he certainly didn't look scared!

[Shari]

Can anyone make sense of any of this?????

[Mary]

Thanks wft...They were zeroing in on Joran so I guess thats why I missed that.

[Stumped]

Clarification?? How could that be Dan?? lol, Clarification is something we have not yet seen appear anywhere in this case.

[harry]

From the Monkeys:

Fox now on TV. Nothing has changed per prosecution, police commissioner and one lawyer. No change. no change. no change. they are held on suspicion of murder, manslaughter and kidnapping with death as a result. No change. this is why they have been held since day one. Formal charged come at the end of the instructive phase now on going. You will know it when it happens because they will all show up in court.

(Thanks iquitos)

CNN claims that they have spoken to three individuals who all have unequivocally stated that:

There has been absolutely NO change in status of the three boys arrested

[Ari]

We should avoid giving a precise legal meaning to the statements as reported in the press.
I believe that by "charged" they mean "held as suspects". Formal murder charges leading to a trial can only be decided upon by a court, not the police.

[Hannibal]

Fred,

I agree with you, I'd lived in various European countries for 13 years straight before I moved back to the US last year. Americans who think that Europe is some utopian ideal where everybody is open, people are altruistic, etc. have another thing coming!

Of course, I can't blame them for not trusting nationalism or religion. After all, look at the 1000 year dark age and the two World Wars it got them into, LOL!

But back to the point, Paul VDS strikes me as a cold calculating SOB, typical of the European conniver I've known.

[LetsHelp]

I think Dan is right. They are sending a signal to the judge not to release the 3 suspects and to give them more time to try and get a case together.

Aruba knows if they walk on Monday the uproar will be MASSIVE.

I don't think they have any more evidence against them today than they did when the first jailed them and I think they will walk free, even though I don't doubt they are guilty of her murder and worse.

[wft]

Marie...It did look like a smirk. My husband said he had that "deer caught in headlights" look.

[wft]

So, should someone contact Peter Prengaman at the AP and tell him to correct his story?

[gallowaygirl]

The AP sux. Period.

[Mary]

Letbefair...There you go again..Always taking up for the crooks. Get a real life. !!! They will not walk....READ MY LIPS...

[stacy]

ari- wrong answer bud...you can be charged by police but have to be indicted by court

[war eagle]

Any word on what the evidence, if any, was that was supposedly found by the searchers today?

The last I heard, they were diving in ocean (good luck!)

Also, what about the cocaine shipment? and is it true on the island that the F-18's have arrived from Dutch air force.

Any word from the island just what is going to come down tonight/ tomorrow??

Lone War Eagle

[war eagle]

I don't mean to post off-topic here, but usually the legalistic stuff is a red-herring...

....I feel that some action is being taken somewhere, given inside knowledge. Maybe even a red herring bone thrown to press to catch the real culprits off-guard???

[seedyrum]

well I am glad they are charged? Glad Karin has some sensititivity..

But I am left with

Why let family spend money, time, emotions, and efforts searching for someone who is dead and the authorities know.

why let outside entities search waste time, money, emotions when the Aruban Authorities already knows?

why give 'false' hope where there is none?

Tell the folks she is dead and the suspects are in custody.

Karin is as inept as the keystone kops.

[Ari]

Stacy:

Thanks. That is why I said "charges leading to a trial" - I meant indictment by that. Note that this is not universal though, it differs across legal systems.

[TS]

Hi geechee. I've been meaning to mention to you that I know the Ogeechee River very well. In fact, I'm looking at it right now. :) I was just curious if you know this river, too.

I'm gone for a while and come back to some interesting updates from Dan. Thanks Dan! I'm glad to hear that officials have some physical forensic evidence. Maybe they have a case after all.

[Mary]

It is quite obvious the goverment there is totally corrupted. Wonder how the elections will turn out. Keep in mind if the boys are held 60 days this next go round of hearings they want be going back to court again til September. That is when the elections are. The campaining will be surrounding this case. Can you imagine that ?
Hmmm.

[war eagle]

Seedyrum,

I don't think so....there is something going to come down.

You know what they say, "follow the money"

What was the coke shipment to be used for? What are the shippers in Colombia/Venezuela doing right now? Why were F-16's sent? Those planes are expensive; they are not for crowd control or sight seeing...IMHO

Are you on the island, Seedyrum, Dolores? What is the word?

Lone War Eagle

[KDH]

war eagle

It's true holland is sending those F-16's to Aruba for help...

[ploy]

This is just a ploy to force a confession, and to get one of the boys to roll. It rasies it to the "oh shite" level. If they don't talk, there will be no prosecution.

[annb]

I am just reposting this from Discussion 20. I don't believe in psychics myself. From what I had read elsewhere on this site, some info from a psychic was given to police in Aruba and they didn't act on it. It would be nice if Equusearch would search the park. It wouldn't hurt anything.
-----------------------------------
I am giving the location of where Natalie maybe located. As a psychic trying to help.They did go to the light house as they said Then they went to park mentioned below . l I believe the she is located in Arikok National park in the area surrounding the 1. Prins Plantation 2. 200 feet from the road 400 feet from a trail. Her head is facing South/West. 3 There are 3 scrub like bushes next to her She is buried under three feet in depth. 4. People that were looking for her passed by and missed where she was buried by 50 feet The area is smooth hump and can not be noticed as being a grave site.. 5. the 17 year old hurt her but the others where there She died at the hands of the 17 year old white male. She died at a turn off road parking lot for a trail head. The two brothers where there and had their way with her. 6. The two black males had nothing to do with the crime.and should be let go. If you have been following my blogs on other sites I had said that the two Black males were not involved in this crime. I hope that this information will help in the investigation and you pass it on to the people that can use this information. I know there are the sceptics out there who blieve she is in south america or other parts of the world. The reality is she is not longer with us here. If you are interested in what happens in a mind of a person or persons who do this kind of crime. Panic sets in they are scared of what they had just done. Now what place on this island would you best dispose of the body where nobody can findit. 1 toss it in the ocean? or 2 bury it where nobody except for those who put her there will find it. A place where at 2-4 in the morning they can put someone with out arising to much suspicion. A place where nobody lives. Check out the map of Arikok national park and where you can park and carry a body and hide it. Not to far from the road but far enough so where it might not be discovered. This is a lead not closer to the case once the body is found. Closure is when the hearts of the parents are put to rest and that the people responsible are punished for what they had committed. My Prayers go out to the family and friends of Natallie.

G

That is the post i copied and pasted from June 14th blog, on here. Who knows at this time its worth pursuing all tips, one never knows. Well has anyone heard of SYLVIA BROWN she is in fact a pshycic who works with Montel Williams and according to them has solved many cases. She just may do more good than Geraldo. Just a thought, anything to find Natalee. God Bless America and all its people

Posted by: posters | June 29, 2005 06:04 PM

[resorttownmom]

No wonder they ignored this. Three boys went prepared with a small Bobcat on a trailer behind their car so that they could dig a 6 foot by 3 foot deep hole in twenty minutes. Or they went prepared with three shovels and they dug for a couple of hours in rocks and sand.

[Lake]

The reporting on this case is a joke. I know FNC reports and one is to decide if the report is true or not, but the AP?

[seedyrum]

I believe the body is around the VDS home somewhere.

A criminal does things near places he is familiar.

The VDS are familiar with their home. They hid the body there because Natalie died there.

When the heat was off they moved it to Points unknown or it could still be there.

However as much as PVDS was perpiring, I dont think he was cofident they did a good enough job of secreting forensics.

[Hook'em Horns]

Yes, the VDS home was searched last week. That's when they searched the two vehicles as well.

[resorttownmom]

Fox just reported that the 3 suspects have another chance to go free next week when they go to their next scheduled hearing. What on earth is going on? MSNBC reported that they had been charged. And the new story is fading in favor of the Supreme Court nomination.

[bobup]

They will walk, with van der sloot buddy for a judge

[Lake]

Well the report on FNC says that the Prosecutor said the prosecution was centering its case around e-mail and cell phone text messages written between the suspects the night Holloway disappeared. Janssen declined to offer further details about the messages, but said not having a body would make getting a murder conviction more difficult but not impossible.

[LetsHelp]

Texas,

I agree, but the judge has to know if the three are released there is going to be a frenzy and a huge outcry from the U.S. because that would be admitting, hey, we blew it. We know they are guilty, the parents know they are guilty, the American public knows they are guilty, but due to our "stratetic" investigation we lost all physical evidence and so, sorry, bye bye.

[Stumped]

I agree with ANNB, I think a search team should follow up on that psychics lead, they have been known to help find missing persons in the past. What harm would it do to search the other side of the island? They seem to be concentrating the search all around that one part of the island near Holiday Inn and the VDS home area. Arikok National Park needs to be searched