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The Today Show, 12/29/03
Ann Curry: It's been seven years since JonBenet Ramsey was found murdered in her family's home in Boulder, Colorado. No one has ever been arrested for the crime, but now a DNA sample in two pieces of blood found on JonBenet are being tested in the hopes the killer will finally be found. Lin Wood represents JonBenet, rather, John and, and Patsy Ramsey. Lin, good morning to you.
Lin Wood: Good morning, Ann.
Ann Curry: This is DNA from blood found in JonBenet's underwear. And the question that is now being tested. The question arises, why after seven years is this only now being done? Could it have been done sooner?
Lin Wood: It could have been done sooner, Ann. Let me give you just a brief historical perspective. Just before JonBenet was brutally murdered by strangulation, she was sexually assaulted with vaginal bleeding. Two spots of blood were found on her underwear. One was tested in 1997 and DNA was found intermingled in her blood that was male DNA not Ramsey. And then two years later the second spot was tested and, again, consistent male DNA was found intermingled in her blood, not the Ramsey DNA. The, the fact of the matter is the Boulder Police Department took that DNA and, and put it on the shelf and didn't pursue it. One year ago when Mary Keenan, the Boulder District Attorney, took the case away from the Boulder Police Department, she made her number one priority to get the DNA into state and national DNA databases so there could be a comparison with other profiles of known violent offenders and violent unsolved crimes. And that was finally done in November of this year.
Ann Curry: Why is the testing of this DNA though, Lin, so significant, given that there has never been a killer arrested who could pro, possibly provide a match?
Lin Wood: Well, it's significant because, number one, DNA is going to solve this crime. DNA will ultimately find the killer and identify the killer of JonBenet Ramsey. The DNA sample now taken from the crime scene can be compared with DNA profiles of violent offenders, violent criminals, in databases on the local, state and federal level. That comparison over time will one day result in a hit, a match. And that will identify the killer of JonBenet.
There is a second reason why it's significant, too, Ann. For many years, the, the Ramsey accusers, the, the critics of the Ramsey family, have said the DNA is insignificant. The sample is not good quality, it's probably contaminated. Those people were wrong. This sample, this evidence, is strong, strong enough to meet the criteria to go into the FBI CODIS databank system. And that's significant because it is strong evidence, if not conclusive evidence, that the killer of this child was an intruder and not a member of the Ramsey family.
Ann Curry: If that is true, then what would stop the district attorney from clearing the Ramsey family, spec, specifically John Ramsey for this crime?
Lin Wood: Well, let me tall you, as a practical matter, Ann, I, I think Mary Keenan, the Boulder District Attorney, did clear this family earlier this year. If you'll recall, there was a federal court ruling here in Atlanta in the case that I handled for the Ramseys, a 93 page ordered entered by Federal Judge Julie Carnes, which stated very clearly that the evidence she had reviewed on the question of who had murdered JonBenet indicated that she was murdered by an intruder with little or no evidence of family involvement, other than the fact that they were in the house the night of the murder. Within a month of that ruling, District Attorney Mary Keenan issued a public statement agreeing with the conclusion of Judge Carnes that the weight of the evidence in this case indicated that an intruder killed JonBenet. Now that's as, as a practical matter, that's as good as you're gong to get from a DA, I think, in a case that remains open without having a suspect identified at this point in time. But I believe that the days of--of accusing this family are over. Without any question, they're over, I think, in the minds of the district attorney, and she's in charge of the investigation.
Ann Curry: You, what is your level opt, of optimism now that this test is being done on these two drops of blood that 2004 we will hear who the killer was, a killer will be identified? And how long does it take for this databank processing to take place?
Lin Wood: Well, I can tell you that I am extremely optimistic that one day this case will be solved, but that optimism has only existed since last year when Mary Keenan took the case over from the Boulder Police Department. Before that I had little or no hope that they would solve the crime. In terms of how long, can I say 2004 will be the year? No, I cannot. It may take years to get a hit. But DNA solves cases that are years old, what we call cold cases. DNA gets innocent folks out of prison years after they've been falsely imprisoned. It may take time, particularly now because this database has a backlog of some say up to two years of state and local officials getting DNA profiles into the system. But with time, with time, DNA will solve this crime.
Ann Curry: Meantime, Friday marked the seventh anniversary of JonBenet's death.
Lin Wood: Yes.
Ann Curry: How did her parents mark that anniversary, Lin?
Lin Wood: They were here in Atlanta with their relatives and with close friends. In fact, I had the, the pleasure of having dinner with them Friday evening. They always view this as a time of sadness, but also as a time of, of hope, particularly this year because they know that there are legitimate efforts under way to find the killer of JonBenet.
Ann Curry: Lin Wood, thank you for joining us this morning.
Lin Wood: Thank you, Ann.
END OF SEGMENT
Ann Curry: It's been seven years since JonBenet Ramsey was found murdered in her family's home in Boulder, Colorado. No one has ever been arrested for the crime, but now a DNA sample in two pieces of blood found on JonBenet are being tested in the hopes the killer will finally be found. Lin Wood represents JonBenet, rather, John and, and Patsy Ramsey. Lin, good morning to you.
Lin Wood: Good morning, Ann.
Ann Curry: This is DNA from blood found in JonBenet's underwear. And the question that is now being tested. The question arises, why after seven years is this only now being done? Could it have been done sooner?
Lin Wood: It could have been done sooner, Ann. Let me give you just a brief historical perspective. Just before JonBenet was brutally murdered by strangulation, she was sexually assaulted with vaginal bleeding. Two spots of blood were found on her underwear. One was tested in 1997 and DNA was found intermingled in her blood that was male DNA not Ramsey. And then two years later the second spot was tested and, again, consistent male DNA was found intermingled in her blood, not the Ramsey DNA. The, the fact of the matter is the Boulder Police Department took that DNA and, and put it on the shelf and didn't pursue it. One year ago when Mary Keenan, the Boulder District Attorney, took the case away from the Boulder Police Department, she made her number one priority to get the DNA into state and national DNA databases so there could be a comparison with other profiles of known violent offenders and violent unsolved crimes. And that was finally done in November of this year.
Ann Curry: Why is the testing of this DNA though, Lin, so significant, given that there has never been a killer arrested who could pro, possibly provide a match?
Lin Wood: Well, it's significant because, number one, DNA is going to solve this crime. DNA will ultimately find the killer and identify the killer of JonBenet Ramsey. The DNA sample now taken from the crime scene can be compared with DNA profiles of violent offenders, violent criminals, in databases on the local, state and federal level. That comparison over time will one day result in a hit, a match. And that will identify the killer of JonBenet.
There is a second reason why it's significant, too, Ann. For many years, the, the Ramsey accusers, the, the critics of the Ramsey family, have said the DNA is insignificant. The sample is not good quality, it's probably contaminated. Those people were wrong. This sample, this evidence, is strong, strong enough to meet the criteria to go into the FBI CODIS databank system. And that's significant because it is strong evidence, if not conclusive evidence, that the killer of this child was an intruder and not a member of the Ramsey family.
Ann Curry: If that is true, then what would stop the district attorney from clearing the Ramsey family, spec, specifically John Ramsey for this crime?
Lin Wood: Well, let me tall you, as a practical matter, Ann, I, I think Mary Keenan, the Boulder District Attorney, did clear this family earlier this year. If you'll recall, there was a federal court ruling here in Atlanta in the case that I handled for the Ramseys, a 93 page ordered entered by Federal Judge Julie Carnes, which stated very clearly that the evidence she had reviewed on the question of who had murdered JonBenet indicated that she was murdered by an intruder with little or no evidence of family involvement, other than the fact that they were in the house the night of the murder. Within a month of that ruling, District Attorney Mary Keenan issued a public statement agreeing with the conclusion of Judge Carnes that the weight of the evidence in this case indicated that an intruder killed JonBenet. Now that's as, as a practical matter, that's as good as you're gong to get from a DA, I think, in a case that remains open without having a suspect identified at this point in time. But I believe that the days of--of accusing this family are over. Without any question, they're over, I think, in the minds of the district attorney, and she's in charge of the investigation.
Ann Curry: You, what is your level opt, of optimism now that this test is being done on these two drops of blood that 2004 we will hear who the killer was, a killer will be identified? And how long does it take for this databank processing to take place?
Lin Wood: Well, I can tell you that I am extremely optimistic that one day this case will be solved, but that optimism has only existed since last year when Mary Keenan took the case over from the Boulder Police Department. Before that I had little or no hope that they would solve the crime. In terms of how long, can I say 2004 will be the year? No, I cannot. It may take years to get a hit. But DNA solves cases that are years old, what we call cold cases. DNA gets innocent folks out of prison years after they've been falsely imprisoned. It may take time, particularly now because this database has a backlog of some say up to two years of state and local officials getting DNA profiles into the system. But with time, with time, DNA will solve this crime.
Ann Curry: Meantime, Friday marked the seventh anniversary of JonBenet's death.
Lin Wood: Yes.
Ann Curry: How did her parents mark that anniversary, Lin?
Lin Wood: They were here in Atlanta with their relatives and with close friends. In fact, I had the, the pleasure of having dinner with them Friday evening. They always view this as a time of sadness, but also as a time of, of hope, particularly this year because they know that there are legitimate efforts under way to find the killer of JonBenet.
Ann Curry: Lin Wood, thank you for joining us this morning.
Lin Wood: Thank you, Ann.
END OF SEGMENT