MO - Lisa Irwin, 10 months, Kansas City, 4 Oct 2011 - #4

[Just-a-Guy]

Would someone from Texas be licensed to take a case in Missouri?

I see a lot of this kind of question on this board. Any attorney anywhere can be retained by any client anywhere. I advise and work for clients all the time in states and countries where I am not admitted. What I can't do is appear in court in most of those jurisdictions without a local attorney to basically stand next to me or move to have me admitted pro hac vice (for this case). There really isn't any limitation on who can hire any attorney to advise them. We can all review the law of any jurisdiction and act accordingly.

That said, I have no idea whether this "person from Texas" is an attorney, or even whether there is any such person...

 

[nursebeeme]

I am not equating what I have seen so far of the parents (upset, distraught, cooperating, pleas for the baby) with all of a sudden cutting off cooperation

the "intimate knowledge" piece that young said sure makes me think that investigators have hit a nerve/sore spot in the last few hours.

but still..

it makes absolutely no sense to me that, if this was a stranger abduction, that they do this to their daughter... not help the 300 people trying to find her.

no sense whatsoever

 

[Forensic fan]

IMO somebody knew where the dammed light switches were in the house to get the lights on - this was not a total stranger abduction. I for one could not go into a strange house, turn on lights, take a baby out of a crib, grab 3 cell phones, go out and leave the door unlocked unless I knew the layout of the house, where the light switches were and maybe ... possibly had a key to the house or knew where a key would be hidden outside the house. Nigh to impossible to do all of this in a house that one did not know w/o waking somebody up. All moo.

IMO there had to be familiarity with the surroundings to do all this ... moo.

Maybe a former tenant who still had a key?

 

[norest4thewicked]

OK...I'm upset and have to get this off my chest. I haven't made a judgment on whether the parents are or are not involved in this, but it really makes me mad that people are insinuating that something is "wrong" with the dad because he isn't acting "right?" Tell me please how a person who has just been involved with causing their child to be missing "act?" And, how should a person "act" if they are innocent? This is ridiculous to think that any of us can know how a person should act! Maybe his mother or father or close friend would be able to read him, but I would propose that not one person on this board can do that!

This is a victim friendly site and I'm just tired of reading it.

 

[illinialum]

This explanation makes total logical sense. This type of argument would produce the same reactions we see here on both sides.

It does not explain to me the WHY in the LE calling an immediate emergency type press conference. As another poster noted earlier, this kind of squabble usually is kept close by LE. They usually do not like differences like these to be batted around by press. HMMMMMMMMM

I don't want to give my job away, but I'm familiar with the workings of the KCPD communications/media unit. I know that they would not send this message to the public unless there was a very specific purpose for doing so. I personally do not know Officer Young, but I know others close to the case, and I trust that they know what they're doing, media-wise.

** I haven't discussed this case with anyone on KCPD yet. I'd like to, but it's not really my position to discuss confidential investigations.

 

[Jacie Estes]

Good way to put it ..... a pissing match.

I do not agree; having lived in KCMO I will say the police are excellent there. We had a terminal family member that required rushed trips to the hospital at times. We were 12 miles from the nearest hospital and the police were very helpful and very compassionate every time. There was one incident where we were going to the hospital for what was a minor problem that escalated into a serious problem very quickly. The policemen didn't even wait for an ambulance but transported immediately and that saved our family member's life at that time. I have nothing but respect for KCMO LE.

ETA: I meant to post that the police met us on the road, actually across the street from the Harley plant for those familiar with KC, and transported from there in the police car.

 

[SurfieTX]

I feel duped, and mad. I'm going to have to step away from this for a little bit.

 

[elepher50]

Maybe a former tenant who still had a key?

Or a former ex who still had a key? Or somebody who knew where a key was hidden outside and who knew the layout of the house/where the lights were. MOO

 

[CatFancier]

I don't want to give my job away, but I'm familiar with the workings of the KCPD communications/media unit. I know that they would not send this message to the public unless there was a very specific purpose for doing so. I personally do not know Officer Young, but I know others close to the case, and I trust that they know what they're doing, media-wise.

** I haven't discussed this case with anyone on KCPD yet. I'd like to, but it's not really my position to discuss confidential investigations.

Without giving anything about yourself away, could you give an example of a very specific purpose?

 

[~n/t~]

OK so what happened in a span of a couple of hours?

LE says parents are cooperating.

Parents have that presser and give the public details about the cellphones and other information we didn't know.

LE searches the back of the house again.

We find out there was some "misunderstanding"

Parents no longer cooperating.

Parents allegedly have an attorney.

 

[davehead21]

I remember after Elizabeth Smart was found... her dad talked about how the police were certain he was the one who did it, and how it wore on him emotionally, and how the accusations were constant and continuous, and how they didn't pay much attention to his other daughter who gave the description etc. He said it was a horrifying, brutal, unbelievable time in his life. And as we know, Mr. Smart is an educated, refined man.

And now, I see this young couple and I have to wonder if this same thing isn't happening to them, but unlike Mr. Smart, they probably do not have college degrees and don't know where to turn under this extreme pressure, other than to say "STOP!" I am not being critical of their education (dh is an electrician!) but I'm just saying...

And, I suspect the press conference was to put pressure on the parents to change their mind and decide to cooperate again. Public pressure can be HUGE!

BBM-- I wanted to say something like this but didn't know how to word it without sounding like I was putting down the parents. Thank you for saying what I couldn't in such a nice manner.

 

[deelytful1]

WORD. I'm a clerk at a criminal defense firm - and the innocent really do need a lawyer. The cases in which our clients are actually innocent, but the police suspect them are so much harder, time intensive, draining, and have the potentially for ruining a person's life. LE is only human, which means that some are great and some are not. Some follow the law and some do not. If you're in this situation, consult an attorney ASAP.

I was gonna say something similar from a layperson's perspective. We know statistics say people closest to the child are the guilty in these cases, but what if they're not? With LE questioning every aspect of your life and not believing you (and you're innocent) I'd definitely get a lawyer. Its a sad state of affairs though...
Sometimes LE MAY just concentrate on the parents and not enough on an outsider and in other cases, they don't lean on the parents ENOUGH! Frustrating, but yes, LE is only human.

 

[pferrin]

I don't want to give my job away, but I'm familiar with the workings of the KCPD communications/media unit. I know that they would not send this message to the public unless there was a very specific purpose for doing so. I personally do not know Officer Young, but I know others close to the case, and I trust that they know what they're doing, media-wise.

** I haven't discussed this case with anyone on KCPD yet. I'd like to, but it's not really my position to discuss confidential investigations.

Thanks illini..

 

[cluciano63]

Getting an attorney and refusing to cooperate are two different things. LE did not say they got a lawyer, they said they no longer wish to cooperate.

 

[elepher50]

I am not equating what I have seen so far of the parents (upset, distraught, cooperating, pleas for the baby) with all of a sudden cutting off cooperation

the "intimate knowledge" piece that young said sure makes me think that investigators have hit a nerve/sore spot in the last few hours.

but still..

it makes absolutely no sense to me that, if this was a stranger abduction, that they do this to their daughter... not help the 300 people trying to find her.

no sense whatsoever

Hi Beemer,

LE shut it down for a good reason. I truly think they were asked to back away by the parents and after investing multiple man hours frustration may have showed a bit. The "intimate knowledge" bit sort of sounds like the family may have a very good idea of who took her imo. Meaning it wasn't/isn't a stranger abduction.

 

[Coldpizza]

This won't be popular but I'll say it anyway - if anything like this ever happens to you, get a lawyer immediately; THIS DOES NOT MEAN you can't cooperate fully with the police, and I know you would. What it means is that your rights are protected. But I'm guilty of nothing! you say. Fine - then you really need a lawyer. I've read of too many cases - one would be too many - where LE put the screws to parents who were guilty of nothing and fell into a trap. It happens. Forget the "Oh, they lawyered up!" crowd. Know your rights.

I so agree with you

Bump

 

[tlcya]

thank you Illini, I respect that you have given what info you can give and will not put you in an awkward position by asking you to elaborate in any way.

 

[Just-a-Guy]

I don't have children...can anyone with kids think of a valid reason to stop working with police to find yours? Even if they suspect you? I would guess LE is watching any calls they are taking or making, so it is unlikely a threat of any kind got through to the parents, IMO...

I had a situation once where one of my children was endangered by someone locally, and I didn't think the police reacted properly. Not only did I "not cooperate", I went to the police department and I read them the f'in riot act, big time, as loud as I could, for quite a while. I'm lucky they didn't arrest me. Although I would have sued the piss out of them if they did. A couple of plain clothes detectives came to my house the next day and were very cool, and promised to do what they could, and we all sort of kissed and made up. But I can tell you, mess with my kids, and I don't care if you're a RSO or a cop, you better get out of my way. I can imagine more than one scenario here. I'm withholding judgment.

 

[lynnb]

Without pointing fingers.....I'm wondering if it is possible that the phone records have been obtained today and something isn't matching up. Could explain the "heated" disagreement earlier, the stopping of cooperation and the shutdown of the command center.All JMO.

 

[Coldpizza]

Getting an attorney and refusing to cooperate are two different things. LE did not say they got a lawyer, they said they no longer wish to cooperate.

Did I read wrong that a relative was a Lawyer?