John Q. Kelly and Beth Twitty on The Abrams Report (1/25/06): “I mean you know we were at such a disadvantage from the beginning. It’s just incredible”.

The Abrams Report for January 25, 2006 (Beth Twitty & Attorney John Kelly)

ABRAMS: A couple of hours ago before we got this late news we spoke with Natalee’s mother, Beth Holloway Twitty, and to her attorney John Kelly. I began by asking Beth what she makes of Aruban authorities asking questions in Alabama.

BETH HOLLOWAY TWITTY, NATALEE HOLLOWAY’S MOTHER: Oh boy, it’s hard to sort through it all. I mean you know when I’m listening to the things that have happened over the last eight months and you know when you just hear things as simple as how the FBI is allowing the Aruban officials here in the United States to conduct these interviews and you know they’re presented even in, you know in English, it’s just amazing to me, and I think of how difficult it was for the FBI in Aruba when they were not even allowed in the interrogations and they’re presented in Dutch. I mean you know we were at such a disadvantage from the beginning. It’s just incredible.

ABRAMS: Beth, I want to ask you about a comment that you made back at the end of October about the possibility of getting these additional statements from Natalee’s friends and I want to ask you if your view on this has changed.

You said they have all the statements that they need from the FBI regarding the students being on the island that evening. They just need to look at them. They do not need to be advertising for these students to contact them. They have the statements. There’s nothing else that they need.

Do you still feel that way?

TWITTY: Well, you know I do feel that way but if Aruba feels that they need some, you know some additional information to fill in a few holes, then you know so do it. And I think that what everyone is saying is that the United States is accommodating them, and not only that, but you know even helping set up these interviews and you know being there to support them while they obtain the information. We just don’t want Aruba to come back on us and say that you know we failed on our part. We have certainly not been negligent on our part.

ABRAMS: Has your relationship with the Aruban authorities gotten better?

TWITTY: Well you know Dan, one thing I’m grateful for is I’ve elicited the help obviously of John Quinlan Kelly, and I have turned over that to him. And he is the primary source of you know keeping the communication and obtaining the communication from the prosecuting attorney and the chief of police. You know I just didn’t do well with that, Dan, so I had to turn that over.

ABRAMS: Well look, good for you. I mean you know of all the things that you’ve got to worry about and deal with in your life these days, I would think that this is one of those details that you can hand over to your lawyer. That’s one of the reasons you get a lawyer. So John, you’re still with us, right?

JOHN Q. KELLY, HOLLOWAY FAMILY ATTORNEY: Yes.

ABRAMS: Let me ask you. Has the relationship with the Aruban authorities improved? I mean because it got real rocky there for a while.

KELLY: It was. I think there was a line drawn in the sand from the end of August until you know I went down there at the beginning of December, after I you know agreed to help Beth with that situation. And you know I met with Dompig and Janssen at that point. Janssen has been in constant telephone communication with me.

I’m going back down there Sunday as a matter of fact for a few days. I’ll be meeting with the key players down there including Dompig and Janssen and at least there’s some flow of information both ways. You know there are things that I feel are of value that I’m sharing with them, and they keep me posted on what they’re doing there too, so that is a plus.

ABRAMS: Beth, have you made any other efforts to contact or confront any of the three suspects?

TWITTY: Oh no I haven’t and I think those days are over, Dan. I think that you know I did what I could on the island and you know I don’t regret anything that I did. I wish I could have even you know gotten more contact with them, because you know I felt as if I had questions and they had information, and you know it was just desperate trying to get it.

ABRAMS: Let me ask you a question, Beth, and if you don’t feel comfortable answering this, please just tell me, and I’ll change the subject. But you also have a son, Natalee’s brother. Are you comfortable talking about how he’s doing through all this?

TWITTY: Well you know I am, Dan. And you know Matt is—he is almost 18 years old. He is doing well. You know I think that, of course, you know some people deal with things differently, and—but for the most part, yes, he is doing good. And you know we just have to get through it and just hang in there, Dan.

ABRAMS: Has all the attention made it harder for him to just be an ordinary senior in high school?

TWITTY: Oh, no. I mean no, he’s been so supportive, Dan. He’s been very supportive of all of my efforts in this investigation and he knows that we need to continue. And no, I don’t think as far as that goes that has changed in his life, Dan. He’s—no.

ABRAMS: All right. Beth Twitty, keeping up the fight, keeping on the pressure and hiring a great attorney like John Kelly. Thanks to both of you for coming on. Appreciate it.