Tuesday 27 May 2008

SOS Madeleine McCann 27/05/08: four of the McCanns' friends refuse to return to Praia da Luz for the reconstruction.

SOS Maddie 27/05/08

Maddie : Quatre amis des McCann ont refusé la reconstitution de la nuit du crime


La PJ va maintenant discuter avec le Ministère Public pour savoir si celui-ci avance avec l'accusation ou si la reconstitution reste indispensable.

Quatre des amis qui avaient accompagné Gerry et Kate McCann pendant leurs vacances au Portugal ont refusé de retourner à Praia da Luz pour y participer à la reconstitution des événements liés à la disparition de Madeleine, une diligence prévue pour jeudi et vendredi prochains et que la Police Judiciaire (PJ) considérait "extrêmement importante" pour consolider l’enquête.

Maddie: Four of the McCanns' friends have refused the reconstruction of the night of the crime. The PJ are now going to discuss with the Public Ministry to find out if they will proceed with the prosecution or if the reconstruction is still necessary. Four friends who had accompanied Gerry and Kate McCann during thier holiday in Portugal have refused to return to Praia da Luz to participate in the reconstruction of the events linked to Madeleine's disappearance, an action planned for next Thursday or Friday and which the PJ would consdier, "extremely important," to consolidate the enquiry.

0448d61d3451cc8ebdc23be32100e8ef.jpgL’information, confirmée aujourd’hui par une note du cabinet du Procureur Générale de la République (PGR), avance encore que, faute de leur présence, la diligence serait pure et simplement annulée.

L’annonce du refus de coopération des quatre britanniques, et la conséquente annulation de la reconstitution, n’a pas surpris les enquêteurs car ils avaient déjà reçu, il y a plus d’une semaine, l’information de leurs collègues au Royaume-Uni de qu’au moins deux des "Tapas sept", le couple Jane Tanner et Russell O’Brien, n’allaient pas revenir.

The information, confirmed today by a note from the office of the Attorney General of the Republic (PGR) further states that, without their presence, the action would purely and simply be cancelled. The announcement of the refusal to cooperate by the four British people, and the consequent cancellation of the reconstruction, has not surprised the investigators because they had already received, over a week ago, the information from their colleagues in the United Kingdom that at least two of the, "Tapas seven," the couple Jane Tanner and Russell O'Brien would not be going to return.

Vendredi passé, un haut responsable de la police britannique à Enderby, avait révélé que "Kate et Gerry McCann ont établie un accord avec leurs sept amis visant empêcher la réalisation de la reconstitution demande par les autorités portugaises," soulignant "qu’ils savent que cette reconstitution n’aura pas lieu si le groupe n’y est pas au complet."

Last Friday, a senior officer of the British police at Enderby, had revealed that, "Kate and Gerry have established an agreement with their seven friends to prevent the setting up of the reconstruction requested by the Portuguese authorities," stressing that, "they know that this reconstruction will not take place if the whole group is not there."

Selon le même officier, le couple McCann ne voulait pas "refuser directement et en public leur participation, sous peine de voir l’opinion publique au Royaume-Uni se retourner contre eux. "

"Si leur présence est exigé, ils iront, ils doivent y aller," avait dit Clarence Mitchell à propos de Kate et Gerry McCann soulignant que le couple avait toujours le statut d’arguidos, ce que n’était pas le cas des amis.

According to the same police officer, the McCann couple would not want to, "directly and publicly refuse their participation, at the risk of seeing public opinion in the United Kingdom turn against them."

"If their presence is necessary, they must go," Clarence Mitchell said about Kate and Gerry McCann, stressing that the couple still had arguido status, which was not the case with the friends.

Les sept amis - Jane Tanner et Russell O’Brien, Matthew et Rachael Oldfield, David et Fiona Payne, et la mère de celle-ci, Diane Webster – ont été interrogés comme témoins au Portugal et au Royaume-Uni affirmant vouloir aider l’enquête à la disparition de Madeleine, une position que la PJ avait déjà remise en cause par le passé et que le refus annoncé aujourd’hui semble confirmer.

The seven friends - Jane Tanner and Russell O'Brien, Matthew and Rachael Oldfield, David and Fiona Payne, and her mother Diane Webster - were questioned as witnesses in Portugal and in the United Kingdom, stating being willing to help the enquiry into Madeleine's disappearance, a position which the PJ had already questioned in the past and which their refusal announced today seems to confirm.

**********Transcript ends**********

On Friday May 2nd, Enfants Kidnappés reported that a reconstruction had already taken place last year in October, without the principal, "players," in the case.

http://www.kidnapping.be/maddie/maddie.html

"Une reconstitution a déjà été faite.

C'est dans un certain silence, voire une certaine indifférence qu'une première reconstitution a déjà été faite en octobre 2007. Une reconstitution, en langage criminel, signifie rassembler tous les éléments et intervenants d'une même affaire et les replacer dans les circonstances du crime ou du délit. Permettant d'avoir une vue complète sur les évènements. Ce qui n'est pas possible sur papier ou bien des éléments peuvent ne pas paraître aussi évident. Ainsi, une reconstitution permet de révéler bien des éléments. Or une première reconstitution a déjà été faite en octobre dernier avec tous les éléments et figurants présent à Praia de Luz le 03 mai entre 18h30 et 22h40. Seuls, les intervenants principaux n'étaient pas présents. C'était voulu! En effet, maintenant la PJ dispose d'une vue précise de ce qui s'est passé ou plutôt de "qui faisait quoi" et surtout "où et à quel moment" précis

A reconstruction has already been done.

It was in a certain silence, even a certain indifference that the first reconstruction was done in October 2007. A reconstruction, in criminal language, means bringing back together all the elements and players in the case and putting them back into the circumstances of the crime or offence, allowing a complete view of the events. This is not possible on paper, where many of the details would not be clear enough. Thus a reconstruction allows the details to be revealed more clearly. Now, a first reconstruction has already been done last October with all the elements and the people present in Praia da Luz on May 3rd between 18.30 and 22.40. Only the principal players were not present. It was valuable. In fact, now the PJ has a clear view of what happened or rather of, "who did what," and above all, "where and at what time," precisely."

"Praia da Luz one year in the past."

Perhaps the Public Prosecutor will be willing to allow the PJ to proceed with the case based on what was discovered during this previous reconstruction in October 2007. When the PJ state that the planned reconstruction with the principal, "players," Kate and Gerry and friends, would allow them to compare the points of view of witnesses and suspect, perhaps this is where the comparison would be made, between details gleaned from witnesses in the previous re-enactment, and that including the Tapas Nine.

So, what now? The McCanns are still official suspects in the enquiry and the PJ consider the reconstruction to be necessary. Four of those who were present on the evening of Madeleine's disappearance are unable to attend and participate in a reconstruction. You'd think the McCanns, who vowed to, "leave no stone unturned," in the search for their child, would be begging their friends to participate in anything which might have the remotest chance of helping to discover what had happened to that child. I don't think I'd be ready to accept, "Sorry, I can't make it," if this had been my child.

The McCanns were made arguidos and departed pretty sharpish on the next available plane, promising to returns when requested to do so by the PJ, the Tapas seven have stated that they would be willing to help in any way, yet none of them look as though they making any great shakes to get their asses over there to the Algarve. Public opinion turning against the McCanns? That seems to have happened quite some time ago and, in my opinion, the only way to restore some of that would be to book a flight to Portugal and to do their best to persuade their friends to accompany them. What could possibly be more important than participating in something which may help to resolve the disappearance of a very young child, however useless they might think it is?








Enfants Kidnappés 26/05/08 - Fourniret trial: oral arguments for the defence and verdict expected this week.

(Francis Nachbar)


Enfants Kidnappés reports that the defence for Michel Fourniret and Monique Oliver will sum up this week and a verdict can be expected on Wednesday or Thursday.

http://www.kidnapping.be/fourniret/index.html

Place aux plaidoiries de la défense.*

Après le sévère réquisitoire de l'avocat général, les avocats de la défense s'expriment aujourd'hui et demain. Ils devraient notamment tenter de minimiser la culpabilité de Monique Olivier, qui se présente comme une femme soumise par la peur à l'emprise de son mari.

"Un couple assassin", un "diable à deux faces", "d'une cruauté et d'une inhumanité que jamais notre pays n'avait imaginé connaître". La semaine dernière, l'avocat général a prononcé un réquisitoire très dur. Dans lequel il accable tant Michel Fourniret que Monique Olivier, qui lui a "délivré son permis de tuer". Me Nachbar réclame ainsi la prison à perpétuité tant pour l'un que pour l'autre.

Hearing the oral arguments for the defence.

After the severe arraignment of the Attorney General, the lawyers for the defence speak today and tomorrow, they must notably try to minimise the guilt of Monique Olivier, who presents as a woman made submissive by fear to the control of her husband.

"A killer couple, " a , "devil with two faces," "of a cruelty and inhumanity that our country never imagined to know." Last week, the Attorney General presented a very hard arraignment, in which he overwhelmed Michel Fourniret as much as Monique Olivier, who had, "given him premission to kill." Me Nachbar thus called for a whole life sentence for both of them.

Un portrait que les avocats de Monique Olivier vont tenter aujourd'hui de redessiner. Non, vont-ils dire, l'accusée n'est pas une criminelle, mais une autre victime de son mari, qui l'a terrorisée et soumise à son mode de vie assassin. Les avocats de Monique Olivier vont notamment s'appuyer sur les déclarations de Fourniret, qui minimise le rôle de sa femme. Et qui la dédouane de l'accusation la plus grave, celle d'avoir participé au meurtre de Jeanne-Marie Desramault, en 1989. Monique Olivier nie ainsi avoir étouffé la jeune fille en la bâillonnant, parce que Fourniret peinait à l'étrangler.

A portrait which Monique Olivier's lawyers today are going to attempt to redraw. No, they are going to say, the accused is not a criminal, but another victim of her husband, who terrorised her and subjected her to his killer way of life. Monique Olivier's lawyers are going to notably rely on Fourniret's statements, which minimise his wife's role and which clear her of the most serious charge, that of having participated in the murder of Jeanne-Marie Desramault, in 1989. Monique Olivier thus denies having suffocated the young girl by gagging her, because Fourniret was having trouble strangling her.

Rappel du 22mai:

La réclusion criminelle à perpétuité a été requise par l'accusation contre Michel Fourniret et son épouse Monique Olivier. Le couple est jugé depuis deux mois pour sept meurtres de jeunes filles entre 1987 et 2001. L'avocat général a demandé que la peine de Michel Fourniret s'effectue sans aucune possibilité d'aménagement. Il a requis une peine de sûreté incompressible de trente ans à l'encontre de son épouse. La défense doit plaider la semaine prochaine et le verdict de la cour d'assises des Ardennes est attendu mercredi ou jeudi. Les deux accusés ont reconnu les faits à l'audience.

Fourniret, 66 ans, encourt une peine de perpétuité « incompressible » en raison du dernier des sept homicides aggravés dont il est accusé, un assassinat précédé de viol sur mineur de moins de 15 ans en l'occurrence celui de Mananya Thumpong, 13 ans, tuée en 2001 dans les Ardennes. Cette période de sûreté de trente ans a également été requise contre Monique Olivier, 59 ans l'autre tête de ce « diable à deux faces » ; elle est accusée d'un meurtre et de complicité dans plusieurs autres crimes, tous antérieurs à 1994.

Reminder about May 22nd.

A whole life sentence was requested by the prosecution for Michel Fourniret and his wife Monique Olivier. The couple have been on trial for two months for seven murders of young girls between 1987 and 2001. The Attorney General requested that Michel Fourniret's sentence is carried out with no possibility of adjustment. he requested a custodial sentence of thirty years without parole for his wife. The defence must plead next week and the verdict of the Ardennes court of Assizes is expected on Wednesday or Thursday. The two accused have admitted the facts at the hearing. Fourniret, aged 66, faces a whole life sentence, "non-adjustable," for reason of the last of the seven aggravated murders of which he is accused, murder preceded by rape of a minor under 15 years of age, in this instance that of Mananya Thumpong, aged 13, killed in 2001 in the Ardennes. This sentence of thirty years was also requested for Monique Olivier, aged 59, the other head of this, "devil with two faces." ; she is accused of one murder and of complicity in several other crimes, all before 1994.


Permis de tuer

En début de semaine, la « complémentarité criminelle » des époux a été soulignée par des experts témoignant à la barre, un psychologue estimant qu'Olivier avait « délivré son permis de tuer » à son mari. Pendant les premières plaidoiries de la défense aujourd'hui, les avocats de Monique Olivier devraient rebondir sur des propos tenus à l'audience par Fourniret, qui a clairement dédouané son épouse de toute participation dans le meurtre de Jeanne-Marie Desramault en 1989. Alors qu'elle-même a nié lors du procès, Olivier est considéré par l'accusation comme coauteure du meurtre. Pendant que son mari peinait à étrangler la jeune étudiante qui se débattait, elle l'aurait étouffée en la baillonnant. Mardi, les avocats de Fourniret, jusque-là réduits au silence par son souhait de se défendre lui-même, devraient revenir sur le cas Thumpong qui fait encourir à leur client la peine incompressible. À l'audience le 29 avril, l'accusé a reconnu l'enlèvement et le meurtre mais a nié la circonstance aggravante du viol.

Le verdict est attendu mercredi après des délibérations dans une caserne de CRS à Charleville.

Permission to kill. At the start of the week, the, "criminal complementarity," of the couple was stressed by the expert witnesses at the bar, a psychologist suggesting that Olivier had, "given her permission to kill," to her husband. Today, during the first oral arguments of the defence, Monique Olivier's lawyers will have to pick up again on Fourniret's words to the hearing, which apparently clear his wife of all aprticipation in the murder of Jeanne-Marie Desramault in 1989. While she herself has denied during the trial, Olivier is considered by the prosecution as co-perpetrator of the murder. While her husband was having trouble strangling the young student who was struggling, she would have suffocated her by gagging her. On Tuesday, Fourniret's lawyers, hitherto reduced to slience by his wish to defend himself, must go back to the Thumpong case, which incurs the sentence without parole for their client. At the hearing on April 29th, the accused admitted the abduction and murder but denied the aggravating circumstances of rape.

The verdict is expected on Wednesday after deliberation in the CRS barracks in Charleville.