Rita Cosby Discusses Deepak … and Michael Posner?

Rita Cosby Live & Direct for Sept. 19th discusses with Beth Twitty and Harold Copus the latest news in the disappearance of Natalee Holloway. Read the transcript. This was a rather interesting exchange, referencing Michael Posner. Not a topic or angle normally discussed.

COSBY: What about Michael Posner? There’s this gentleman who owns a casino where Natalee and Joran were seen spending time. Apparently, Joran has a big credit line there. I went into that casino. What do you know about the guy that owns that casino, Harold?

COPUS: Well this guy has that casino. He‘s alleged to have organized crime ties back to Chicago. And you can say alleged, he‘s actually served time. He‘s been convicted. So he comes up into Aruba and is able to get a gambling casino. At the same time, we‘re told that Joran and his dad both are gambling there. It really makes you wonder how that‘s happening and how they got this line of credit.

COSBY: Yes. And a big, big line of credit. Beth, I know you‘ve actually been to the casino, right? And Michael Posner threatened you, is that correct?

HOLLOWAY TWITTY: Well, there was a phone call made. And it was just really having me refer to—you know, I‘d only mentioned the fact I had gotten from prosecuting attorney as far as the open line of credit, and that Joran is in his casino gambling, and I don‘t think there was ever a question that Joran and Paulus Van Der Sloot had been in that Excelsior Casino, and, particularly, on the night of the 29th where he and his father met Natalee.

COSBY: Well they seemed to be worried about business. Well, of course, your daughter‘s well being is a lot more important. You know, Beth, as you think about this, you know, I was so heart broken. We left to cover the hurricane. And when I say we, not just myself, but a number of other people, because, of course, I was so devastating. And then, sure enough, a couple days later, they all get out. How disgusted are you at the system?

HOLLOWAY TWITTY: You know, it‘s just incredible, and especially as early as September 1, I felt like we were so close to getting answers. And it‘s just amazing that, you know, that they can hide underneath the cloak of Hurricane Katrina, right in the midst of just getting close to finally having an answer to what happened to Natalee and where is she. The Dutch interrogators were just as shocked as I was, when these suspects were released.

COSBY: Yes. And they certainly seemed, Harold, didn‘t you think that they were closing in. That was the sentiment I got, too. Real quick, Harold.

COPUS: Well I think so. I think this case was really close. And now one more time, it seems like something was easily within our grasps, we‘ve lost it one more time. In a case, it‘s hard to gain momentum, especially, when it‘s had this stop and go so many times.

Discussing Deepak Kalpoe and the release of the suspects

COSBY: But now we‘re going to turn to another big story that we‘ve been following for a while, shocking new details tonight in the disappearance of Alabama teenager Natalee Holloway. A private investigator just back from the island of Aruba says there‘s much more there than meets the eye. Live and direct tonight from Birmingham, Alabama is Beth Holloway Twitty, Natalee‘s mother, and also from Atlanta, Harold Copus, he‘s the man who uncovered the latest information in the Holloway case. Harold, let‘s talk if we could, you and I just missed each other when we were in Aruba. But what did you find out from Deepak Kalpoe, one of the brothers?

HAROLD COPUS, FORMER FBI SPECIAL AGENT: Well I think the interesting thing was that Deepak had said that he claimed that he, his brother and Joran Van Der Sloot all had sex with Natalee, which was very shocking. It was very—he was just very distanced the way he described it.

COSBY: And, Harold, did he talk about what I know Beth and I have talked about before. Sort of going in and out of consciousness during this issue?

COPUS: He certainly did. One of the things that he had said was that when they left Carlos & Charlie‘s, that she was obviously an individual who couldn‘t stand up, very well intoxicated, passing in and out of consciousness. It makes you really wonder what they were trying to do there, and take advantage of that young girl. COSBY: You bet. And, Beth, you know, I want to tell you, we are not going to forget about this case. You and I talked a bit, when I was in Aruba. How angry are you, when you hear what Deepak Kalpoe is talking about?

BETH HOLLOWAY TWITTY, NATALEE HOLLOWAY‘S MOTHER: You know, Rita, it‘s just incredible that all this new evidence is coming out, and there‘s still even be a question of its credibility or, you know, or whether this is enough evidence brought forward to warrant the re-incarceration of these suspects. It‘s just unbelievable.

COSBY: How hard , as a Mom, too, Beth? I mean, you loved Natalee so much. I tell you, you know, John Walsh and I were talking during the break. It is because of you that this story has been alive. Just you and your love for your daughter. It just must outrage you to hear what this young boy is now talking about?

HOLLOWAY TWITTY: Oh, I know. Well, you know, Rita, it‘s so difficult, because Doug and Dave, Natalee‘s father and I, we‘ve all three known that, at least Joran had admitted in his statements that he had had sex with her. So this is something that we‘ve had knowledge of since before July 1. And also, of course, huge suspicion of Deepak and Satish‘s involvement. And, you know, we‘ve had to hold this in for a long time. And, you know, it‘s—you know, now I‘m just glad the world sees that—what has all happened to Natalee.

COSBY: Absolutely. And, Harold, why not hold these boys under suspicion of rape? I mean, you‘ve got a guy who‘s saying that she was going in and out of consciousness. You‘ve got a number of them now saying that they had sex with her, while she clearly was incoherent? Why not hold them on rape?

COPUS: Who knows? You know it‘s really hard to understand that system, and what they‘re trying to accomplish down there.

COSBY: Are you stunned, Harold? I mean, you‘re a seasoned FBI guy. You‘ve been in law enforcement forever. If this was America, would these guys be free?

COPUS: Well you know after awhile, and even in the job I‘m in now, you get hardened, but yes, I think stunned would be, at least, the smallest word I could use.