wm, here are some of the articles or videos that were after the SBI and the DA refused to reopen Dee's case. The latest one is from the new DA where he asked for information from the public. The reporter from Channel 11 in Durham was a very young reporter for WECT in 1999. When she saw where the case was being reopened, she sought to do the story several weeks ago. She did an excellent job interviewing Dad and she surprised the former DA and he comes across looking and sounding like the 'person' he is.
Yes, the DA does have the names of the three Hispanics. They went over on the 6:00 ferry that night and left on the first ferry in the morning after they had filled out that sorry excuse for an investigative sheet for the police. They were working at the time in Charlotte, NC for a company that does lawns and such. What they were supposed to be working on all night is anybody's guess. And, nobody knows where they spent the night. At the time I came across the rap sheets on them, it was over 75 pages. Five years, at least, after the Bald Head Island chief tried to get someone to question them and was refused by the BHI officials, the SBI came and told us that the men had been cleared. But then, later, we found out that the SBI agent here had called an SBI agent in Charlotte who called the employer of these men. He declared that they were all church-going, tax paying good citizens. One of the men got a DWI in Raleigh the next week, so my definition and his do not agree. As a matter of fact, the new DA has an identical twin brother who is DA in neighboring New Hanover County. Jon David has a photographic memory. The two brothers worked in Dade County, Florida before they came here. When Jon read the info about these three Hispanics, (one of which was supposed to have been deported), he remembered them from court down there. I hope the info I've seen along is helpful.
One thing I can add, as much as I find it repugnant. There is a young man interested in writing a book about this case. He and his family used to vacation on BHI. When he approached the family, we decided to decline his invitation to work with him. We believe the story is told. He informed me it was poorly written and needed his skills (he is a tv reporter in Va.) to tell it better. He has nagged me wanting me to send him all the information from my book. (Apparently he has no idea of how much he was talking about me copying to send him). Further, I don't like doing his leg work for him. Any penny we get from the sale of the book goes into the fund to help others later. He certainly hasn't mention any donations from his book. I have had him get others to approach me through email to ask questions, too. The last time, I told this person to go to the new DA if he wanted new info. The reporter told me he had connections on the island. If he finds new info, somebody will be in trouble for not coming forward, is all I can say. Plus, he'll be hard pressed to find more than we have. We just need to get some people on the stand in a courtroom. So if he should stumble across this discussion and I realize it's him, I will get really quiet. My sister doesn't deserve his self centered, career climbing goals. On the other hand, the girl from Channel 11 contacted the DA first before talking to any of us. She didn't have to do that, but it shows to me that she is a professional, interested in helping the case, just like she said.
