Nancy Grace Discusses Case Dismissal with Beth Twitty & Dave Holloway

From Friday August 11, 2006: Nancy Grace:

Its not just about Natalee Holloway, its about ever person who travels abroad. This is just one of the many aspects of this case that make to compelling to so many. It is not just about one missing girl, its about millions of potential travelers.

TWITTY: Well, Nancy, first, I`d like to say that, you know, it`s not just Natalee and it`s not just Natalee`s last shot at justice. What we have, Nancy, we have millions and millions and millions of Americans who travel internationally every year. And what we are learning from Natalee is that, you know, the challenges that you will face should you find a loved one a victim of a crime in a foreign country. Your United States constitutional rights do not apply in other countries, and it`s been a hard life lesson for us to learn. There is no recourse. We faced jurisdictional issues, extradition every — every step of the way. And it`s just hard to know the right turns to make. I mean, we`re doing the best that we can to see what can be done for an American citizen who`s a victim of a crime in a foreign country.

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NYC Judge dismisses the Civil Case of Natalee Holloway’s Parents

It is something that many figured would happen, however, many were hoping for a miracle. Today we did not get that miracle. NYC Judge has dismissed the civil case filed by Dave Holloway and Beth Twitty. Its has been confirmed by members of the family.

A New York Superior Court judge has dismissed a lawsuit filed by the parents of Natalee Holloway against a Dutch teenager, who was one of three young men arrested in connection with the Alabama teenager’s disappearance in Aruba in May 2005. (KDKA)

I had an opportunity to talk to Dave Holloway after the ruling came down. He said, “that with regards to the lawsuit … we were hoping for the best, but preparing for the worse.” Also Dave Holloway wanted to stress to all involved that this does not clear Joran Van der Sloot in any way. Dave said,

“Joran Van der Sloot is still a suspect in the disappearance of Natalee. There is an ongoing investigation in Aruba and hopefully will be a prosecution. Joran came to NYC with his family and we saw an opportunity to get answers in the US. The judge ruled on a jurisdictional issue, not innocence or guilt.”

Dave Holloway also went on to say “that Joran Van der Sloot is more than welcome to come to either Mississippi or Alabama if he is concerned with providing everyone with the truth.” I wonder if Joe Tacopina would have a jurisdictional issue in those venues? Make no mistake about this. This was a jurisdictional ruling. Not one of guilt or innocence. Joran Van der Sloot and the other two suspects are hardly off the hook and should not yet think about going on with their lives. Natalee Holloway isn’t is she?  

Court documents: (Decision/Order)

Initially Attorney Joe Tacopina went on the record saying that if this case was thrown out there would be no counter suits filed. We shall see if that is upheld. However, it is unlikely that Tacopina will want his client exposed to any legal proceedings in the United States.

Greta Van Susteren Answers Criticism About Natalee Holloway Shows. Why?

Greta Van Susteren, I am not sure why we would even have to say this to you … but why would you feel the need to answer criticism about your show and the coverage of Natalee Holloway? Who would complain about your coverage of Natalee Holloway, a missing teenager in Aruba, who symbolically represents all teenage girls who go on vacations and think they are safe and immune to real life dangers that exist in overstated safe island paradises.

Let us just say there is a big difference between criticism of one’s opinions and criticism of one’s content. One you have a right to, the other you do not.

I agree with Greta’s answer when it comes to those who wish to tell you what is important and what you should do and write on. The blogosphere is not all that much different from TV in that respect. Whether it be remote, key board or mouse; they are one in the same.

“They should take out the remote control if they don’t like it,” says the attorney-cum-broadcasting star with characteristic directness.

One wonders why people would criticize Greta for her coverage of Natalee Holloway. Is it the competition who fell to a distant second, or those that just feel the need to think they know more than a successful broadcaster? The make-up of Greta’s show would be a natural to cover such a story.

“On Natalee Holloway, we worked hard and fast in the beginning and we had all the sources and contacts — and being aggressive enables us to get the jump on other people.” (National Ledger)

For the most part Greta Van Susteren walked a fine balance between reporting, fact gathering, exclusives and ratings. That is what boosted her show, “On The Record” ahead of The O’Reilly Factor last summer. On The Record was must see TV for those that wanted information on the Natalee Holloway case. However, I will say she made a tactical error when she had the opportunity to interview Joran Van der Sloot, (interview 2 or 3) that cost her in the eyes of many. Not holding Joran’s feet, or sneakers as the case may be, to the fire was one. The other was stating “she was inclined to believe him“. It hardly seem possible especially coming from an attorney who was privy to so much inside information in the case due to her special relationship with Beth Twitty. Maybe it was just said in hopes of getting interview II?

 For those who wish to criticize Greta for her coverage of Natalee Holloway miss the big picture. Yes, I know this is a new flash to all you college journalism majors, but the media is about ratings. The media is not about altruistic stories that win Pulitzers. You will learn that when you graduate. That being said, the media is about ratings. What the media learned is that missing persons gather ratings. 

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Aruba Take Notes, This is how you treat victims and criminals and Do Damage Control

Aruban authorities and government officials may want to make a phone call to the Prime Minister of St Vincent to understand how one is supposed to act following a horrific crime. Aruba take notes:

It was reported earlier that four men were arrested in St Vincent for the rape and beating of two Florida teenagers and their mother. The horrible event was condemned by the Prime Minister as being just that, “dastardly criminal acts.”

Aruba take a good look at how people are supposed to act when they care about the ramifications of a crime and how it may impact them.

Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves and Leader of the Opposition Arhnim Eustace expressed sadness over the incident and urged the family to make themselves available to give evidence in the trial.

(Dr Ralph Gonsalves)

 

Gonsalves last week described the alleged incidents as “dastardly criminal acts” even as he identified a need for some damage control. Gonsalves told reporters last week that government had offered to have the alleged victims return to St Vincent for every stage of the trial, at the expense of the state.

 

Aruba, imagine if you had taken this tact from the very beginning, middle and end of the investigation. Treating criminals like criminals and victims like victims. Imagine if you had not blamed the family of Natalee Holloway or even Natalee Holloway, as Gerold Dompig did, stating she died of an accidental overdose. Look at the reaction that Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves received from the victims in this heinous crime. Aruba, you have much to learn in people skills as how to treat such a delicate situation like a family losing their daughter.

Gonsalves last week described the alleged incidents as “dastardly criminal acts” even as he identified a need for some damage control. Gonsalves told reporters last week that government had offered to have the alleged victims return to St Vincent for every stage of the trial, at the expense of the state.

 

“The victims acknowledge that our country is peaceful and law-abiding but that there are a few persons who are seeking to disturb our peace and tranquillity and who are criminally minded,” Dr Gonsalves who is also Minister of National Security said.

He added: “And we have to stamp out those elements and get them on the straight and narrow and where they are not coming on the straight and narrow they must be in the prison, away from law abiding people.

Gonsalves told reporters last week that government had offered to have the alleged victims return to St Vincent for every stage of the trial, at the expense of the state.

“This paramount act of criminality offended the sensibility of all right thinking people.”

• Tell Dave Holloway to go to C&C’s, have a beer and she will show up
• Blame the family for their involvement for the cases initial failures
• Not bother to consider what occurred as a crime and not investigate
• Blame the victim for her own death
• Blame the family for your declining tourism
• Blame the media for bad coverage
• You don’t provide insults, you provide compassion

Take some responsibly for what happened, other Caribbean islands seem to. You wonder why Americans feel the way they do and have decided to not return?

 What a difference an island makes.

Americas Most Wanted to Feature Natalee Holloway Disappearance on Saturday Night

America’s Most Wanted has followed the disappearance of Natalee Holloway since her disappearance last summer in Aruba. Again this coming Saturday, AMW will feature the Alabama teens investigation and any possible new leads in the investigation. Rick Segall of AMW was on Rita Cosby, Live & Direct, recently discussing the upcoming program.

SEGALL:  At this point, at the one-year point, you have to look back at all of the missed opportunities, the things that could have been done in the first hours, the first days, the first weeks.  And you know, it makes your head reel.  But unfortunately, there‘s nothing that can be done about that right now.  You have to focus on, as of today, what can be done. 

So we‘ve always said at “America‘s Most Wanted” it only takes one tip and getting information out to the right person to provide the tip.  In Saturday‘s show we‘re going to be directing people to “Opsvering Versadt” (ph), the Dutch version of “America‘s Most Wanted”.  We‘ve got transcripts from their show.  We‘ve got clues.  We‘ve got information from them we want our viewers to see and take a look at as well.  And we‘re still hopeful.  Perhaps in a month or so a deep water search can yield more information.

Rick Segall also goes on to discuss the different approach that AMW will take during the airing of their show.

RICK SEGALL, “AMERICA‘S MOST WANTED”:  You know, watching your time line here, a great time line, over the course of the past year, emotionally exhausting.  And we weren‘t even the ones who lived through this.  It was Dave and Beth and their families. 

We‘re taking a little bit of a different approach this Saturday.  Dave and Beth have done an amazing job keeping Natalee‘s case in the spotlight.  And I think they would both admit that Beth has sort of been the face for the family here a little bit more than Dave has. 

So after talking to both Beth and Dave, we decided that we were going to focus on what it‘s been like as a parent to go through this past year, to do it from Dave‘s perspective, as well as talking about to a classmate who‘s never done any interviews with the media before.  She‘s coming forward.

SEGALL:  She had an awful lot of anxiety and said that the thought of doing it in the past has sort of put her in tears.  And she‘s finally at that point, I think, after hearing rumor and speculation, helping us to put some rumors to bed, to set the record straight on exactly when Natalee met Joran, things of that sort to sort of set, as I said, some speculation to rest as well as hoping that by coming out, telling her story perhaps it‘s going to help jog somebody‘s memory and to help the Holloway family. 

It has been reported today on FOX  News that the ALE lead investigator will be attending the show as well as Federal agents from the FBI.

I have to tell you we got late confirmation that the lead investigator is flying to Washington D.C. to be on hand when the show airs along with 2 FBI agents from Alabama and Miami who will be there.

America’s Most Wanted Natalee Holloway Preview Videos

The AMW feature will hopefully have new information of the Columbian witness information of the Columbian witness that was reported in the National Enquirer as having been questioned by police. What new information could the 40 year old Columbian witness have provided?

Part 1          Part 2         Part 3

We had originally heard of the Columbian witness during an interview on Hannity & Combs with Natalee’s aunt, Linda Allison.

I do think there are some friends of the three suspects that may have been questioned and need to be brought back again. There is a witness they’ve been questioning lately. He was at the beach that night and potentially witnessed or actually said there was an occurrence that happened at the beach. Later he was able to obtain some forensic evidence.

This is information that came to light about a week ago. I don’t have any other info at this time, but I hope that this witness is credible.

Actually this individual was a witness to observe some things that occurred on the beach.

Maybe AMW will get into a further examination of the Wever/Joran Van der Sloot relationship as reported by The Globe.

(Click to enlarge)

Or get into more detail in to the cover up during the investigation as reported by The Globe.

Part 1   Part 2    Part 3    Part 4    Part 5   Part 6    Part 7

(Click to enlarge)

I am sure what most of us would want to know is if anyone in the main stream media has pursued anything a long the lines of questioning Aruban authorities as to “Why Paint Rocks in the Middle of Nowhere? Confirmed Painted”

It would be refreshing to see at least one of the main stream media outlets pursue this angle. Or at least ask the question so that someone would provide a reasonable answer as to what was going on.

We can only hope that someone comes forward and does the right thing by calling into AMW and provides a tip that ends this nightmare for the Holloway’s and Twitty’s.

 (Hat Tip: Klaas)