IN - Lauren Spierer, 20, Bloomington, 03 June 2011 - #24

[Skigirl]

I do not trust things said by HT, I know there are many who take all her statements as fact and others who take the parts they want to believe as facts and the rest as hearsay. To me she has come across as someone who was less than a true friend to LS and that is just my own opinion concerning her. To me her interviews do not seem genuine, for whatever reason. I also believe she knows more than she is saying. In forming this opinion I have looked at her body language, tone of voice and the way she says things both in video interviews and from quotes in print. I have 4 girls (ages 3 to 23) and have had many of their friends at our home over the last 20 years of raising girls and have never seen one true friend of my children express theirself in the way she does. Now I could be all wrong in my assumptions and I hope I am, but I just can't get over my nagging doubt when I hear what she has to say.

My take on HT is a little different. I'm trying to put myself in her shoes, thinking that some people I like and trust are suspected of hurting someone else I like and care about. I think she gathered a bunch of information from POIs early on, some of which may not be true, and took it rather unquestioningly because she doesn't want to believe that any of them have anything to do with it. I read her as someone who cares about LS, but who also doesn't want to believe that people in her extended circle of friends have anything to do with it, and so is trying to steer other peoples' perceptions in another direction -- one that she believes to be the truth. At the end of the day, both perceptions would have same end result; only the motive would differ.

 

[cluciano63]

Yet while defending the men, HT managed to slander Lauren...almost as though she chose sides against the victim...JMO of course.

 

[obody]

Yet while defending the men, HT managed to slander Lauren...almost as though she chose sides against the victim...JMO of course.

That's also a way to feel safe, when something terrifying happens: "that would never happen to me; I wouldn't take things that far", "that wouldn't happen to my toddler, I never let him out of my sight", etc.

It's not good to blame victims, obviously, but it's understandable why some do.

 

[bessie]

My take on HT is a little different. I'm trying to put myself in her shoes, thinking that some people I like and trust are suspected of hurting someone else I like and care about. I think she gathered a bunch of information from POIs early on, some of which may not be true, and took it rather unquestioningly because she doesn't want to believe that any of them have anything to do with it. I read her as someone who cares about LS, but who also doesn't want to believe that people in her extended circle of friends have anything to do with it, and so is trying to steer other peoples' perceptions in another direction -- one that she believes to be the truth. At the end of the day, both perceptions would have same end result; only the motive would differ.

I agree with you to a point, skigirl. HT's a young person in the middle of a terrible tragedy. Like you, I believe she's reluctant to acknowledge wrongdoing among her friends, and her loyalty has been tested. Lauren's gone, but the others aren't. In the course of processing and working through the situation, she's received input from various perspectives causing her opinion to waver. My opinion differs from yours in that I don't think HT has formed one solid belief yet. Unless the facts are made known, it will likely be years before she reaches a resolution. In the meantime, she's in a state of flux, and you're probably right that whatever is her belief du jour, she wants others to see it the same way.

 

[Invisible]

Elevator stumbling cite (mainstream media report) - http://www.lohud.com/article/201107...lding-video-no-condition-help-friend-get-home

I believed that there similarly was a MSM report re the foaming at the mouth, but I may be wrong on that score - one assertion of same comes from (anonymous) "northsider" on this site, whose statements went largely unchallenged by most here. It's unnecessary, however, to establish that she was very messed up, which is suggested in less graphic terms by MSM reports, and widely accepted by posters here.

There are other more specific reports regarding her drug use from a PT poster who I have been told it is against forum policy to quote or identify.

In all my years of hanging out, partying, having fun, going to bars, I have NEVER seen anyone foam at the mouth. What would cause that? How could she keep on going? (I'm a light-weight). Also, I have been prescribed Xanax for anxiety and it puts me to sleep immediately, even at the lowest doses. I can't imagine going out drinking and taking Xanax. I would just go home and go to bed, I wouldn't be awake.

Please let Lauren be found soon.

 

[Walker]

Why would she say that unless she knows something?

HT may just feel that her friends and associates could not possibly have perpetrated such an awful crime as improperly disposing of LS's body.

 

[Walker]

I took HT's comments as kind of a slight toward Lauren...as though Lauren partied her butt off and could not take care of herself and that as a result, she was (probably) abducted, due to not being aware of her surroundings. Part of HT's goal, at the time, seemed to be to remove suspicion from JR and therefore she seemed to place it on Lauren. I think she was so busy trying to defend JR and company that she did not really care how her words sounded about Lauren.

But in this case, implying that LS tended towards being less than responsible, would only make the case against JR stronger; that is, if LS's body was dumped somewhere, and the motive was to cover up an OD, then JR would be the most likely perp.

HT was also potentially incriminating herself, since she had spent most of June 2 with LS. She didn't seem to understand the legal aspects of the case. If she had been told that JR (or someone else) had hidden LS's body, or if she were actually present when some person or group decided to hide her body, wouldn't she at least ask why they they needed to hide it? She would have made no public comments (except perhaps expressions of sympathy to the family) if she understood the implications with regard to culpability.

Who would want that job? Go to the media, tell a fabricated version of criminal activities for which you were not present, and if you make the slightest slip, your closest friends and associates, and possibly even you yourself may do 20 years in prison? Most people would just get an attorney.



Also, her comment seems to imply that LS actually was not in the habit of getting extremely intoxicated: "this time it went too far" rather than "often she would let things go too far." The statement that she "loved to party" could be taken to mean that LS possibly used substances (including alcohol) in an occasional social context; but does not indicate that she necessarily had serious substance abuse or addiction issues. HT could have made much grimmer statements like "we were always worried about her."

 

[bloom54]

whatever is her belief du jour, she wants others to see it the same way.

don't we all!! :floorlaugh:

 

[imkeylime]

While a lot of kids "party" at college, the term means different things in different circles, IMO. HT defined the term in relation to her group's behavior. We've seen a photo of her in a group with alcohol, so we know that's one way they party. I tend to think HT said what she thought/felt at the time, which might be different now, even. I doubt she's been in this circumstance before. I don't think how she acted on camera should be taken as how she acts under different circumstances. There are people who can put on a good public face but cry in the shower before or after.

But the night LS disappeared ... I do think there are clues that something was different. CS seems to be making a point about LS not using her phone after 12:16 am. She expounded in one communication how LS advised her to put an "In Emergency" contact on her phone. That suggests to me that LS cared about such things. Although she didn't tell a lot of friends about having long QT syndrome, it's something she knew about herself, and perhaps having an emergency contact was like backup protection. So not having her phone meant not having that protection. That may be what CS was trying to say ... that it wasn't like LS, just like not telling JW she was going out might not have been.

That said, there may be a number of reasons LS was acting differently. Maybe she was stressed about something, hence out partying instead of staying home, etc., or was throwing caution to the wind for some reason. There's so much info about this case, some of which seems contradictory. It's getting hard to wade through!

 

[Skigirl]

In all my years of hanging out, partying, having fun, going to bars, I have NEVER seen anyone foam at the mouth. What would cause that? How could she keep on going? (I'm a light-weight). Also, I have been prescribed Xanax for anxiety and it puts me to sleep immediately, even at the lowest doses. I can't imagine going out drinking and taking Xanax. I would just go home and go to bed, I wouldn't be awake.

Please let Lauren be found soon.

I'm with you, invisible. I don't think it's been widely reported that she was foaming at the mouth, and I haven't been able to find anything in the MSM to suggest she was. I would think foaming at the mouth would draw a lot of attention from people.

 

[Skigirl]

I agree with you to a point, skigirl. HT's a young person in the middle of a terrible tragedy. Like you, I believe she's reluctant to acknowledge wrongdoing among her friends, and her loyalty has been tested. Lauren's gone, but the others aren't. In the course of processing and working through the situation, she's received input from various perspectives causing her opinion to waver. My opinion differs from yours in that I don't think HT has formed one solid belief yet. Unless the facts are made known, it will likely be years before she reaches a resolution. In the meantime, she's in a state of flux, and you're probably right that whatever is her belief du jour, she wants others to see it the same way.

This actually strikes me as closer to the truth than what I posted. I think you're right. I think she's back and forth about what she believes, too. I experienced that exact thing when my sister was a victim of a (still unsolved) crime, and the list of suspects included people she was close to and strangers and everyone in between. My parents and I went around in circles about who we suspected...convincing each other of one person, and then convincing each other of another. Almost fifteen years later, I *still* have moments when I feel like I've just had an epiphany that this person or that person is guilty and I could probably make a convincing case for any one them. It's a serious mind-bender when nobody knows what really happened and the suspects could be anyone from a crazed stalker to a person closest to the victim.

Edit: For the sake of clarity, I should add that here, unlike in my family, I do not think LS's parents are at all uncertain in what they believe. But I think LS's friends probably are.

 

[cspring]

I read somewhere else(LSCD) that the fbi is supposed to conduct a new round of interviews-does anyone know if this is true?

 

[PlainJaneDoe]

In all my years of hanging out, partying, having fun, going to bars, I have NEVER seen anyone foam at the mouth. What would cause that? How could she keep on going? (I'm a light-weight). Also, I have been prescribed Xanax for anxiety and it puts me to sleep immediately, even at the lowest doses. I can't imagine going out drinking and taking Xanax. I would just go home and go to bed, I wouldn't be awake.

Please let Lauren be found soon.

Well, using cocaine would probably help you stay awake. I have to say that benzos don't make me fall asleep; they may relax me enough that I can sleep, but certainly not right away.

 

[cspring]

Well, using cocaine would probably help you stay awake. I have to say that benzos don't make me fall asleep; they may relax me enough that I can sleep, but certainly not right away.

Lol-if i was to take a xanax and SIT DOWN-id be out like a light!

 

[imkeylime]

don't we all!! :floorlaugh:

I read somewhere else(LSCD) that the fbi is supposed to conduct a new round of interviews-does anyone know if this is true?

IDK but really hope so. I'm kind of running out of things to think/say ... which may say more about me than the case, but ... even a tidbit would help!

 

[cspring]

Yea me to! Glad im not the only 1!

 

[OldSteve]

Still can't figure why her "friends" if they thought she had succumbed to an OD wouldn't have simply left her. Why take any chance with hiding/disposing her.
A strange twist would be if they had in fact left her, and then someone out of the picture took her...

 

[mamamia54]

Still can't figure why her "friends" if they thought she had succumbed to an OD wouldn't have simply left her. Why take any chance with hiding/disposing her.
A strange twist would be if they had in fact left her, and then someone out of the picture took her...

So, let's talk about the pros and cons of either. Had they left her, with the POI's that had been with her, would still have been suspect, but not quite as suspect as they are now that she can't be located?

 

[Skigirl]

So, let's talk about the pros and cons of either. Had they left her, with the POI's that had been with her, would still have been suspect, but not quite as suspect as they are now that she can't be located?

Unless one of them had sex with her - I would think that would raise suspicion or at least eyebrows if she was found dead on the sidewalk?

 

[PlainJaneDoe]

Lol-if i was to take a xanax and SIT DOWN-id be out like a light!

Wow, I feel kind of weird now, lol. :crazy: