Madeline McCann's parents see closing of case as a "positive step"

[Novice]

scooter, not doubting you, as I said I haven't studied the case that much, but-If they accidentally overdosed her why wouldn't they just ring up the police and admit a tragic accident had occured?

They are both doctors and dispensing meds to their child is perfectly fine. The fact that they had a tragic miscommunication would assure they would get away with it, just like they are now and without all the suspicion they are now under. It would also assure their child had a proper burial.

For some reason it was imperative that the body not be found. Could the inordinate amount of doctor visits have something to do with it? Shades of poor little chronically abused JonBenet.

Actually in the UK Doctors are not allowed to treat their families and Spouses. Also dispensing drugs to family members is a no-no.

The repercussion of this? Being struck off to spending time in jail (depending on what happened to the patient).

And for this reason alone, if the child was overdosed, it would be imperitive for the body not to be found.

[Sasha]

Actually in the UK Doctors are not allowed to treat their families and Spouses. Also dispensing drugs to family members is a no-no.

The repercussion of this? Being struck off to spending time in jail (depending on what happened to the patient).

And for this reason alone, if the child was overdosed, it would be imperitive for the body not to be found.

They were in Portugal-what are the laws there concerning docs dispensing to their family members? It may not matter if the McCanns thought it was the same as in the UK.

[Novice]

They were in Portugal-what are the laws there concerning docs dispensing to their family members? It may not matter if the McCanns thought it was the same as in the UK.

but.... they (in all likelihood) perscribed and dispensed the drugs in the UK but only administered them in Portugal....

And if they were doing that in Portugal, how long has they been doing it in the UK.

So, even if they were found innocent of murder/manslaughter in Portugal they would still face charges upon their return the the UK.

And just to clarify. Only UK Licenced Drs (and other licenced medical practisioners e.g. dentists) can dispense in the UK, so I am thinking that it's the same in other EU countries. And anyway, where would they get the dispensing pad from in Portugal?

[Sasha]

Novice, I understand what you are saying, but I have severe doubts the McCann's would have faced any kind of jail time. Look at the people they have surrounded themselves with-I think two of their PR people-YES, PR people-left jobs in the Blair government to work for the McCanns. Despite being named suspects in their childs' murder, they were allowed to leave Portugal on the "promise" that they would return if needed.

And what kind of bizarre, abnormal, sinister person would you have to be in order to callously dispose of your child's body just to avoid a little (questionable) jail time? Putting myself in their shoes, and I really, really hate to do that, but if I had accidentally killed one of my children through negligence, carelessness, or some kind of oversight with medication, I would have called the police immediately and taken my lumps. Even if it meant time in prison. I would have thought to myself: "I deserve this". But then, I am a normal person with a conscience and normal human emotions. These people clearly cannot be described that way.

[Novice]

I wasn't commenting on that just the legalities of what they might have done.

We have extradition with Portugal and gave up 3 Brits last year to face charges there. More info here. Extradition Treaties: 19 Jul 2006: Written answers (TheyWorkForYou.com)

I have no doubt that they were very clever and pheasible, but at the end of the day, people are people. No doubt if they were caught she'd blame him and he'd blame the fairies at the bottom of the garden or something. No-one takes responsibility for their actions these days.

However; if it was found that they'd killed their own child via perscription drugs (no matter who got them or where they were perscribed) as doctors I think that they would have faced sever charges if it had happened here.

And I highly doubt that they are "normal" people.... but jmo.

[Sasha]

I wasn't commenting on that just the legalities of what they might have done.

We have extradition with Portugal and gave up 3 Brits last year to face charges there. More info here. Extradition Treaties: 19 Jul 2006: Written answers (TheyWorkForYou.com)

I have no doubt that they were very clever and pheasible, but at the end of the day, people are people. No doubt if they were caught she'd blame him and he'd blame the fairies at the bottom of the garden or something. No-one takes responsibility for their actions these days.

However; if it was found that they'd killed their own child via perscription drugs (no matter who got them or where they were perscribed) as doctors I think that they would have faced sever charges if it had happened here.

And I highly doubt that they are "normal" people.... but jmo.

Were those Brits who were extradicted to Portugal as well connected as the McCanns?

Former BBC man to speak for McCanns


Profile: Clarence Mitchell

James Sturcke
Tuesday September 18, 2007
Guardian Unlimited



The McCanns and their new spokesman, Clarence Mitchell. Photograph: David Jones/PA


The parents of Madeleine McCann today stepped up their campaign to maintain their innocence with the appointment of a media expert to act as their spokesman.

Clarence Mitchell, speaking outside Gerry and Kate McCann's home in Rothley, Leicestershire, confirmed he had resigned from a senior post in the civil service to handle the intense international press interest in the case of Madeleine, who vanished while on holiday with her family in Portugal.

Mr Mitchell, a former BBC reporter, spent a month with the family as the representative of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, during the summer.

Speaking with the couple at his side, Mr Mitchell said he had spent up to 14 hours a day with the couple and had never seen anything to suggest they had had anything to do with the four-year-old's disappearance.

"All I saw was a loving family that has been plunged into a dreadful situation - two parents trying to cope amidst their loss. To suggest that they somehow harmed Madeleine accidentally or otherwise is as ludicrous as it is nonsensical. Indeed, it would be laughable if it was not so serious," he said.

Mr Mitchell said he was "proud" to be able to help the McCanns deal with the pressure of the media interest.

The McCanns have been named by Portuguese detectives as official suspects.

Mr Mitchell said his job in the Cabinet Office as head of the media monitoring unit was "untenable" from the moment he accepted an invitation from the family, supported by their legal team and financial backers, to represent them.

"More importantly, I have [resigned] because I feel so strongly that they are innocent victims of a heinous crime that I am prepared to forego my career in government service to assist them."

He said the McCanns were happy to continue cooperating with the Portuguese authorities and that attention must return to finding Madeleine, who disappeared on May 3 from the family's holiday home in the Algarve resort of Praia de Luz while the parents dined nearby.

"The focus must now move away from the rampant, unfounded and inaccurate speculation of recent days, to return to the child at the very centre of this: Madeleine," he said.

Mr Mitchell said the family would like to appeal to the media to stop taking photographs of, or filming, the McCanns' younger children, two-year-old twins Sean and Amelie.

Mr Mitchell was reported to have been earning around £70,000 in his post at the Central Office of Information.

Later he told Sky News that his new job was being paid for by a "generous financial backer who wishes to remain anonymous". He was not receiving money from Mr or Mrs McCann or the Find Madeleine appeal.

As for accusations about DNA evidence against the McCanns, Mr Mitchell said that there "were wholly innocent explanations and Gerry and Kate will be able to explain everything if it gets to that stage. To suggest they harmed Madeleine is just plain daft."

During his time with the McCanns in the summer, Mr Mitchell spent most of the day with the family accompanying them on trips around the Algarve and to a number of countries to publicise the case.

Earlier, the Correio da Manha newspaper reported that Judge Pedro Daniel dos Anjos Frias had rejected a police request to have the McCanns brought back to Portugal for further questioning.

Instead Mrs McCann could be re-interviewed this week by British police acting on behalf of Portuguese authorities.

A UK police source said it would be "unusual" for British officers to carry out interviews on behalf of a foreign police force but stressed that "anything is possible" in a major inquiry. It is more common for officers from other countries to visit Britain to question witnesses or suspects in person with the assistance of the local force.

Sir Richard Branson has donated £100,000 towards the couple's legal costs, stating he "trusted them implicitly" and wanted them to have a fair trial if they were brought before a Portuguese court.

The Virgin boss confirmed that he had been in talks with other wealthy people to encourage them to contribute to a legal fund, and said at least one other anonymous donor had already been signed up.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/crime/article/0,,2171683,00.html

McCanns' use of famous people angers police

By Caroline Gammell in Praia da Luz
Last Updated: 3:55pm BST 18/09/2007

Portuguese police are “fed up” with Kate and Gerry McCann’s attempts to involve high profile figures in their daughter’s disappearance and believe it may jeopardize their investigation.

The four-year-old’s parents have enlisted the aid of celebrities and senior politicians to publicise missing Madeleine and protest their innocence.

On Tuesday the couple said they would make a direct approach to prime minister Gordon Brown to lay out their defence.

But a senior Portuguese officer, who refused to be named, said their actions were nothing more than “constant interruptions and distractions”.

“It is amazing to me that people in high positions are getting involved. I can’t think of any case in Portugal where this has happened.

“Doesn’t Gordon Brown have a job to do? Why is he getting involved in a police investigation? We have a job to do and need space in which to do it. This pressure from politicians is not helping the case.”

The officer said the McCanns were innocent until proven guilty and did not need to involve so many well known figures.

“The investigation should be based on the facts in the case not on who can influence who,” he added.



http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/09/18/nmaddy318.xml

[A*O]

The Portuguese detective who originally investigated the case and was subsequently taken off it (no reason given) has said he believes the Madelaine was killed in the apartment on the night in question. He doesn't say by whom.

I still believe she died from an accidental overdose of some kind of sedative given by her parents to make her sleep while they partied. They then disposed of her body to avoid an autopsy/toxicology that would implicate them. The police investigation has been a bit of a farce from start to finish, but then again if they believed that the parents were involved in this (but can't prove it) then why would they make a huge effort to find anyone else who might have done it.

I doubt we'll ever get to the truth now, but I'm still absolutely convinced the parents know more about what happened than they admit.

[KD]

OMGoodness, good theory, makes sense. What would they have done to her body, though for it not to be found all this time, in your opinion?

[Sasha]

OMGoodness, good theory, makes sense. What would they have done to her body, though for it not to be found all this time, in your opinion?

Sorry to interject, but I liked what scooter had to say about that:

~snip~I have always thought that they hid the body at that church they were given the keys to, and then moved it a few weeks later (maybe put her in the ocean), on that first night they were left unwatched. If the body was hidden in/near the cemetary, the cadaver dogs smelling it would be written off as normal cemetary 'hit'.~snip~

[A*O]

Who knows. Carefully concealed it during the initial bungling police investigation and then moved it. Probably buried in a remote spot somewhere.

[Sarzy]

I do wonder how they would have got rid of her body. They were almost constantly being watched. That's just the one thing that might give me doubts about them doing it.

[Novice]

The Portuguese detective who originally investigated the case and was subsequently taken off it (no reason given) has said he believes the Madelaine was killed in the apartment on the night in question. He doesn't say by whom.

I still believe she died from an accidental overdose of some kind of sedative given by her parents to make her sleep while they partied. They then disposed of her body to avoid an autopsy/toxicology that would implicate them. The police investigation has been a bit of a farce from start to finish, but then again if they believed that the parents were involved in this (but can't prove it) then why would they make a huge effort to find anyone else who might have done it.

I doubt we'll ever get to the truth now, but I'm still absolutely convinced the parents know more about what happened than they admit.

You know they were on the news last night and I swear she's preggers again. She had this loose top on that rested on her stomach. I just looked at the Mr & said "she's pregnant again isn't she" - he, bless him, just looked at me.

The other thing is that she's totally skinny everywhere else except her stomach.....

Ooh! Sasha - I thought that you mentioned you can't understand why they don't just take their lumps? Well, I have a theory on that. Kate McCann has talked publically a lot about wanting a big family, she has only got pregnant via IVF, and in the UK you have to sign to submit to a police record search so that any prospective children are not in a dangerous enviroment. So basically, if she admitted to manslaughter she'd not ba allowed any more IVF (in the UK).

[Sasha]

^^Makes sense, Novice.

[suede]

Hey McCanns! We know what you did last summer.

I know it's wrong, but it's so right

[scooter]

What to me was the height of incompetance by the police is that they did not drug test the other 2 children, who both slept through the police banging around in the room for sedatives. Even if they did it only to see if 'The Intruder' had drugged them. If 'Mama' McCann is pregnant, I may well throw up.