My take on the ransom note...

JMO8778

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..something I noticed from day one when I first read the note is that it appears to be the work of one person writing it,with the undertones of another person behind it.(Which I suspect is JR,of course).It's not something I can put into words...but from being familiar with dictation and transcription,IMO it appears to me that parts of it were dictated to Patsy,and/or she was given the gist of what to put in the note,and she wrote a story from it,or transcribed it from being given the basis of what to write.It's also written rather passively,as if someone is telling a story,(of course),example being the 'she dies' rather than 'SHE WILL DIE' comments.
Ok,that said...many ppl think the part that starts with 'Don't try to grow a brain,John',is Patsy talking to JR.NO,I don't think so.Think about that...that would be far too risky for her to do.If John hadn't already known what was going on,then Patsy couldn't have possibly **predicted** what he *would do.IMO,if he hadn't already been in on the plan prior to the 911 call,and if he'd thought for one single second (remember,he'd already lost one daughter) that Patsy had written the note,I think he'd have had both hands around her neck yelling, 'Where's JonBenet??? I KNOW YOU WROTE THAT NOTE !!!!!!' Forget calling 911...I think he'd have dealt with her one on one,without assistance,and I bet Patsy knew that !! ..that's why she confessed to him,IMO.(and,I think she did,just as she said the 'killer' did).She couldn't have counted on him to just dismiss her possibly writing the note,getting outside help and not mentioning to LE that he thought she'd written the note..that's why that makes no sense,no sense at all,IMO.
I also don't think the note was intended to set up the housekeeper...if so,then who would the '2 gentlemen' be? I think,just as with her 'going to make coffee' excuse,saying she thought it was from the housekeeper was just an excuse for her to pick it up and read it.But blaming the housekeeper..as they did with many others...was just another 'let's see what'll stick if we put it out there' tactic.
In red are my comments,and in bold are the comments in the note I'm referring to.


Mr. Ramsey.
Listen carefully! (sounds like dictation).We are a group of individuals that represent a small foreign faction.(the 3 JR is trying to frame at AG;the former disgruntled employees). We respect your bussiness but not the country that it serves. At this time we have your daughter in our posession. She is safe and unharmed (not) and if you want her to see 1997,you must follow our instructions to the letter.You will withdraw $118,000.00 (JR's bonus amt..this amt was chosen to set up the former AG employees,as well as to not arouse suspicion by bank employees..read further) from your account. $100,000 will be in $100 bills and the remaining $18,000 in $20 bills. Make sure that you bring an adequate size attache to the bank. When you get home you will put the money in a brown paper bag. I will call you between 8 and 10 am tomorrow (keyword here is TOMORROW,which means the 27th.this buys them 24+ hrs.) to instruct you on delivery. The delivery will be exhausting so I advise you to be rested.(I.E.-STAY HOME ! ..an excuse to not go anywhere that day) If we monitor you getting the money early (an excuse for being seen outside the home early! to rid of evidence and/or the body? 'deny her remains' ? read further), we might (keyword: might,just in case 'they' don't (and won't,of course,call) call you early to arrange an earlier delivery of the money and hence a earlier delivery pickup of your daughter.Any deviation of my instructions will result in the immediate execution of your daughter. (IOW-call the cops and 'she dies'.which is just what they did).You will also be denied her remains ( ..planning on getting the body out of the house?) for proper burial. The two gentlemen (the 2 other AG employees,remember,the 3rd one is writing the note !) watching over your daughter do not particularly like you (just another hint for JR to 'know' who they are) so I advise you not to provoke them. (OK..JR is supposed to be able to figure out by now who these guys are,BUT,he is NOT to call them ! and of course he wouldn't want to do that since he's trying to set them up! ) Speaking to anyone about your situation, such as Police, F.B.I. (interesting the FBI is mentioned,too..they sure didn't want them involved..) etc., will result in your daughter being beheaded. (reference to the garrote,of course). If we catch you talking to a stray dog, she dies. If you alert bank authorities, she dies.(asking for JR's bonus amount gives JR a reason to go to the bank,i.e.-get out of the house w. potential evidence,(perhaps even the body?),and, without arousing suspicion at the bank, using his bonus amount was a good trick for not 'alerting' them.It could be easily asked for as a convenient amount.i.e.-he could say 'just give me the amount of my bonus check). If the money is in any way marked or tampered with, she dies.You will be scanned for electronic devices and if any are found, she dies. You can try to deceive us but be warned that we are familiar with Law enforcement countermeasures and tactics. You stand a 99% chance of killing your daughter if you try to out smart us. Follow our instructions and you stand a 100% chance of getting her back. (but,they didn't !) You and your family are under constant scrutiny as well as the authorities. (IOW-we are watching you.so call the cops and 'she dies!' again,which is just what they did-called LE). Don't try to grow a brain John. You are not the only fat cat around (this is JR pretending Merrick is talking,IMO,and that he is 'just as big' as JR is..a threat to him) so don't think that killing will be difficult. Don't underestimate us John.(another pretend threat from Merrick and the 2 others). Use that good southern common sense of yours. (I think this is a reference to Merrick knowing JR prior to CO.,when they were both in the south.JR used this to specifically point to him.).It is up to you now John! Victory! S.B.T.C.
(these 2 are Patsy's lines,IMO.'Victory' that she has prayed to God for forgiveness,and she will be 'saved by the cross'-SBTC).Remember her 'help me Jesus!' lines she thought no one heard on the 911 tape.


..so here we have a former plan that was abandoned,for whatever reason.the excuses in the note are for 1- not going anywhere that day,(i.e.-cancel the trip to MI (of course),and stay in the house all day..excuses for not answering the door or phone...it wouldn't work try to pretend it was just another day to the outside world), 2- being seen outside the house EARLY (to rid of evidence),3-buying 24+ hours of time with the reference to 'tomorrow' (TIME to carry the plan out),4-setting up Merrick (and the other 2 former upset AG employees) with the $118,000 amount for ransom,as well as that works for no. 5-using bonus amount to not arouse bank suspicion, 6-hints that JR is supposed to know who these guys are,via the 'do not particularly like you', and 'you are advised not to provoke them' lines, (of course JR is not to call them! that is important in setting them up),6-further hints as to who the perps are, i.e.-talking to John on a first name basis,mentioning the South (remember,Merrick had worked there with JR prior to CO),and a further threat, the 'you're not the only fat cat around',remember JR says Merrick had made threats to him prior to this.

And finally,no. 7-ALL the death threats throughout the whole note..'alert anyone and she dies'...'talk to a stray dog and she dies',etc.Which of course are all excuses for the murder,and that's why it was repeated so many times.THAT was the ultimate goal of course..an excuse for JB being killed.(And to set up the former AG employees).I think Merrick came to mind as an easy target,since he'd been upset with JR,had made threats,and others knew about it.It was also said he settled for the same amount of JR's bonus..$118,000.I think that worked out as a nice coincidence for JR.

I would really like to know Merrick's full take on the note.I imagine it's all crystal clear to him,as far as JR trying to set him up.It sure sounds that way.It sounds like when he read it,it just all clicked for him.He would know,right? It reminds me of Carly Simon's 'You're So Vain' song,and Warren Beaty thanking her for writing a song about him...he would know,right?? Even though Carly hadn't revealed who the song was about.It's kind of like that,IMO.(that's the best analogy I can think of,LOL).
I realize some may disagree,thinking JR had nothing to do with the note,and that's ok...like I said,this is just my take on it.Just something to think about.
One more thing,I think JR trying to account for his prints on the walk-in fridge in DOI is indicative of prior plans to hide the body,i.e.-'deny her remains',just as the note said.I think they'd thought about keeping her body there until they could further figure out what to do.I guess the key to the whole thing is in the missing phone records...whom did they call prior to 911? For whatever reason,those plans fell through,and they were left with her body being found in the WC and calling 911.I'm not implying they would have dumped her outside somewhere...IMO,it appears they were possibly trying to get someone to hide her body for them (?).
Also keep in mind that the Ramsey's don't just arbitrarily do anything..everything they do has a specific reason behind it,and so it is with all the specific details in the note,not to mention,the note itself.
Keep in mind,if they'd followed through with this prior plan,LE wouldn't have read the note until the 27th..after all was said and done with whatever plans they'd set up and carried out.So then the note would have been an excuse for everything I just outlined ..being seen outside the house early,etc..
...if some of the IDI's kick up much of a fuss about the analysis,then that might be indicative of how close it is to the truth? (I hope I can say that !)
THIS IS ALL JUST MY OPINION !!
 
This was excellent...and well thought out Thank you for taking the time to post it. It all makes perfect sense to me.
 
From what I read, Merrick was surprised JR pointed a finger at him. Though he had been let go, he didn't think that he was viewed as an enemy by the Rs. They had been friends at one point.
I think most of us agree that the note is all over the place. It starts out implicating a SFF, then veers towards someone who is a business adversary of JR. They were really throwing the sh** to see where it stuck.
 
From what I read, Merrick was surprised JR pointed a finger at him. Though he had been let go, he didn't think that he was viewed as an enemy by the Rs. They had been friends at one point.
yes,they did that w/ so many of their former friends,it's just amazing.It sounds like pure desperation.Interesting that they dismissed the 'SFF' right away.
I recall Merrick saying Thomas kept asking him why JR kept bringing up his name.I imagine once he was able to read the note (I don't recall how long after the murder the note was released),that made sense to him.
 
Boy, the Rs were desperate for someone, anyone, that they had thrown under the bus to stay there. LHP, FW, Merrick...just to name a few. For one of these people to have been railroaded into being found guilty- it just wouldn't get any better than that for the Rs.
 
Boy, the Rs were desperate for someone, anyone, that they had thrown under the bus to stay there. LHP, FW, Merrick...just to name a few. For one of these people to have been railroaded into being found guilty- it just wouldn't get any better than that for the Rs.
I really think they would have let an innocent person,even one of their former close friends,get life in prison or even the death penalty for it,just as long as it cleared their 'good name'.:rolleyes: They all sound like really nice ppl,too,that is such a shame for them to have been run over by the R bus like that,esp. ppl like Santa Bill.They couldn't even let a sickly person live in peace.
I can only imagine what immoral (I think he put it as 'unethical',rather) business tactics JR was using;Merrick sounds like a nice guy;I don't believe his threats were literal;he was obviously figuratively speaking when he said he was going to 'bring JR down to his knees'.It sounds like he'd already moved on after that.
 
IMO,if he hadn't already been in on the plan prior to the 911 call,and if he'd thought for one single second (remember,he'd already lost one daughter) that Patsy had written the note,I think he'd have had both hands around her neck yelling, 'Where's JonBenet??? I KNOW YOU WROTE THAT NOTE !!!!!!'

Excellent point. The fiber evidence links both John and Patsy to the crime, and their sending Burke back to bed after the 911 call and telling him to pretend he is sleeping also supports their dual involvement.
 
Excellent point. The fiber evidence links both John and Patsy to the crime, and their sending Burke back to bed after the 911 call and telling him to pretend he is sleeping also supports their dual involvement.

Yeah, they so TOTALLY were both involved. There is NO WAY...imo...that Patsy could have pulled all of that off by her "little ole self". There was way to much involved. The writing of the RN, (after numerous practice notes...which I believe were on the missing pages of the writing tablet), and the staging. I believe that John reluctantly helped Patsy...and I also believe that this is why they didn't speak to one another when their friends had all gathered at their house...after being called over. They were not even in the same room together. This hardly sounds like the parents of a "missing" (at the time) child. I believe that John was just a "tad bit" po'd at Patsy. Otherwise, they would have been clinging to one another, and leaning on each other for emotional help.
 
Yeah, they so TOTALLY were both involved. There is NO WAY...imo...that Patsy could have pulled all of that off by her "little ole self". There was way to much involved. The writing of the RN, (after numerous practice notes...which I believe were on the missing pages of the writing tablet), and the staging. I believe that John reluctantly helped Patsy...and I also believe that this is why they didn't speak to one another when their friends had all gathered at their house...after being called over. They were not even in the same room together. This hardly sounds like the parents of a "missing" (at the time) child. I believe that John was just a "tad bit" po'd at Patsy. Otherwise, they would have been clinging to one another, and leaning on each other for emotional help.

right,one was blaming the other,so they had nothing to offer each other.
 
to add..I think it was said Tom Carson was the third person the note was supposed to refer to;I realize the bonus amount of 118,000 was referring to Merrick only,but I think it was said,the other two,(and I think the other person JR was trying to lay it on was Mike Glynn),had been upset with AG and or JR both,as well.So the 'SFF' in the note refers to these three;I think that's been said before though.
I don't recall if it's in Merrick's interview or not,but the set-up was that the 3 of them had all had dinner together at Pasta Jay's a few days before the murder,and at that dinner,they were planning JB's death.(Most ridiculous thing I've ever heard).
I got that a bit wrong;it was Jim Marino;later TC was added to that list.here's an interesting link:

http://www.acandyrose.com/s-mike-glynn.htm
 
right,one was blaming the other,so they had nothing to offer each other.


Oh, But indeed they did have each one of them had something to offer the other. As married spouses John could not be forced to testify against Patsy and the very reverse was true as well. That being said is the very reason in my mind this case was never prosecuted. They NEEDED one to testify against the other as to what Patsy and Johns specific involvements exactly were to have a sure bet as that was the only thing that would have forced Alex Hunters hand. And as long as they are willing one by one to take it to the grave .......
 
Oh, But indeed they did have each one of them had something to offer the other. As married spouses John could not be forced to testify against Patsy and the very reverse was true as well. That being said is the very reason in my mind this case was never prosecuted. They NEEDED one to testify against the other as to what Patsy and Johns specific involvements exactly were to have a sure bet as that was the only thing that would have forced Alex Hunters hand. And as long as they are willing one by one to take it to the grave .......

that's true,in the other context,though,I meant emotionally,they had nothing to offer the other.
 
That was an excellent analysis of the RN.

One of the most aggravating aspects of this case, or ANY murder case with multiple suspects, is that I do not understand WHY it has to be proven WHO did WHAT in order to prosecute. A murder victim is an eyewitness (as it were) who cannot speak because they are in fact, DEAD. So I can't understand why a husband and wife cannot be compelled to testify against each other when it is a murder, especially of their child. Why is is that when police stop a car with three teenagers and they find beer in the car they can all be charged, even if you can't prove whose beer it is. OR when you have four thugs caught for killing someone in a robbery attempt they can all be charged, even if only one actually killed the victim. But when you have a child murdered in their own home, you can't even arrest unless you can prove who did what. Is this the case in every state? Or is another Colorado law like not being able to prosecute ANYONE regardless of their age, if someone under 10 is involved.
 
Good points,Deedee.It appears that victims have no rights.The dead ones,anyway.They can't speak for themselves..and no one else will either (in general).
 
that's true,in the other context,though,I meant emotionally,they had nothing to offer the other.

OK I just had to reread to catch the net. DUH Sorry sometimes my mind is either too slow or to fast one the other
 
That was an excellent analysis of the RN.

One of the most aggravating aspects of this case, or ANY murder case with multiple suspects, is that I do not understand WHY it has to be proven WHO did WHAT in order to prosecute. A murder victim is an eyewitness (as it were) who cannot speak because they are in fact, DEAD. So I can't understand why a husband and wife cannot be compelled to testify against each other when it is a murder, especially of their child. Why is is that when police stop a car with three teenagers and they find beer in the car they can all be charged, even if you can't prove whose beer it is. OR when you have four thugs caught for killing someone in a robbery attempt they can all be charged, even if only one actually killed the victim. But when you have a child murdered in their own home, you can't even arrest unless you can prove who did what. Is this the case in every state? Or is another Colorado law like not being able to prosecute ANYONE regardless of their age, if someone under 10 is involved.

I am not a lawyer but I beleive that is not just in Colorado. No it is not right. How that functions as a law would take someone smarter than me so see how that serves justice. I believe that one spouse "may" be able to testify against the other if it is their desire to do so. However they cannot be compelled or forced to do so against their own will. I believe it is much like the right to plead the fifth you cannot be forced to answer if it might incriminate yourself?!?
 
[it appears to me that parts of it were dictated to Patsy,and/or she was given the gist of what to put in the note,]

If that is the case they why would John "tell" Patsy to write" Use that good southern common sense of yours." if she knows and he knows that John is not from the south?
 
The word Attache: Attaché is a French word, meaning a person who is assigned ('attached') to the administrative staff of a higher placed person or another service or agency.

Patsy Ramsey wanted her daughter to have a French name and be named for her husband, John Bennett -- thus, JonBenet.
 

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