Perfect Murder, Perfect Town - Lawrence Schiller [154]
It is apparent that the leadership of the Boulder Police Department lacks the objectivity and judgment necessary to find the killer of JonBenét Ramsey. Mr. Hofstrom told John and Patsy that he wanted their help to solve this crime. They remain willing to meet with Mr. Smit, Mr. Ainsworth or any other member of your office to that end.
Sincerely,
[signed]
Harold A. Haddon
[signed]
Patrick Burke
This letter became the number-one story in Colorado and was publicized nationally as well. For the next several days, even mainstream media headlines had a sensational tone:
INTERVIEW PLAN BLOWS UP
SNARLING STARTED BEFORE
FBI SAVES PROBE FROM DISASTER
RAMSEYS DENOUNCE POLICE
WAR OF WORDS ESCALATES RAMSEY STANDOFF
COPS, DA RESPOND TO RAMSEYS
BOULDER AUTHORITIES, RAMSEYS NEGOTIATING
Every TV outlet scrambled for any scrap it could get about the battle between the police and the Ramseys. Phil LeBeau, of Denver’s KCNC, Channel 4 TV, snagged an interview with Patrick Burke and Hal Haddon at their respective law offices in Denver. He wanted to know: What kind of police department would withhold the body of a child and delay her burial?
When LeBeau concluded his live report at 4:15 P.M., the newsroom staff told him that Patsy Ramsey had called the station and asked to talk to him. They’d given her the news van’s direct phone number.
A minute later, the phone rang.
“I’m glad that our side of the story is finally getting out,” Patsy said. “We’ve been sitting here taking it for three months, keeping our mouths shut while the cops are basically portraying us to be a couple of killers—uncaring parents, uncooperative.”
LeBeau asked to call back since he was about to do another broadcast.
“You call [a third party], and they’ll get to me,” Patsy replied.
LeBeau broadcast his 5:00 P.M. report, in which he didn’t mention Patsy’s call, and then called the person Patsy had named.
“Thank you again for your report,” Patsy told him when she came to the phone. “John is here, and he appreciates the fact that you’re being honest about what’s happening.” LeBeau made a pitch for an on-the-record interview the next morning.
Patsy called early the following day.
“Are the Boulder police framing you and your husband?” LeBeau asked her.
“I can’t talk about that. I pray we can still work this out, that the killer of JonBenét be found.”
“Why won’t you cooperate with the police?”
“We’ll sit and talk with them for twenty-four hours a day,” Patsy replied, “if that’s what they want.” The police had just called off the interviews, she added. “You’d think if they think we’re guilty, they’d want to talk to us.”
Finally LeBeau told Patsy he was going to put together a report based on their on-the-record conversation. The station started promoting “A Conversation with Patsy Ramsey” the same day.
Meanwhile, Pete Hofstrom, Alex Hunter, John Eller, Tom Wickman and Tom Koby worked all night and into the next day to save what was left of their relationship with the Ramseys’ lawyers. “We acknowledge the unfortunate miscommunication,” Hunter and Koby said in an open letter to the attorneys, “and we’re encouraged to hear you indicate a continued willingness to accomplish the critical interviews with Mr. and Mrs. Ramsey.”
The police listed their requirements and released them to the media so as to preempt a charge of Hofstrom’s so-called “chummy” negotiations with the Ramseys’ attorneys. Eller, who had never liked Hofstrom’s style, was now dealing directly with the Ramseys’ attorneys by way of the media. It was Eller’s way of reminding everyone that this was his case.
On Friday, April 25, The Denver Post published a list of police demands:
John and Patsy Ramsey will be interviewed separately.
Patsy Ramsey will be interviewed first.
There will be an open-ended time frame for the interview.
The interviews will be tape-recorded.
The interviews will be conducted by two Boulder police