Perfect Murder, Perfect Town - Lawrence Schiller [221]
After reading his prepared statement, Koby took questions.
Would the investigators look into local pedophiles or sex offenders, as reported in that morning’s newspaper? “That’s the problem with reading the papers,” the chief replied. “Next question.”
Could you tell us specifically what work needs to be done before the case is ready for prosecution? “I don’t choose to,” Koby said. “I could, but I don’t choose to.”
Could you give more details about why you decided to pull your team from the war room? “One of the things that has happened to us is you guys,” Koby responded. He and Hunter would continue to do whatever was necessary to complete the investigation, he said, “in spite of what you are doing to us.”
“Why is the media being blamed for your not completing this case?” a CBS reporter asked. “I mean, you keep throwing barbs at us, but does that change the evidence that you’ve gathered and the investigation that you’re doing?”
“Have you read this?” Koby said, pulling out a pamphlet and holding it up. “It’s the Constitution. How many of you in here have read the Constitution? Let me see a show of hands.” He told the press their role was protected and their rights preserved by the First Amendment.
“With that awesome freedom comes an awesome responsibility,” Koby lectured. “I think the responsibility is lacking in this case. I see a significant lack of leadership. I think that what’s missing is the recognition that the reason you have so much freedom is [the duty] to uphold the rest of the parts of that Constitution.”
“I heard you didn’t like it,” Koby said later to Kevin McCullen of the Rocky Mountain News, referring to his mentioning the Constitution.
“This wasn’t the forum for those feelings,” the reporter replied. Koby laughed.
Mark Beckner would no longer allow the detectives to be in limbo as they had been under Eller. For too long they had been unfocused, changing tack in the middle of something and never following up. Overnight, it seemed, Beckner gave them a sense of direction and forward momentum. He quickly instilled in the detectives a feeling that neither the media nor the DA would destroy them. With Beckner in the lead, they saw the opportunity to complete their investigation. One detective told Carol McKinley that it was as if Beckner had grabbed an unraveling ball of yarn and started to wind it back up.
On October 13, Beckner called Hofstrom and requested a meeting. During their conversation, Beckner casually asked whether it would help sway jurors if they knew that the Ramseys had “lawyered up” within days of the murder and had given official statements only after a long delay. Hofstrom was alarmed by the question, which was exactly the kind of prejudicial information that would not be admissible in court, he thought. He hoped it was not an indication of Beckner’s understanding of fundamental legal procedure, because if it was, Hofstrom saw a rough road ahead for them.* But he decided to give the new commander some time. Beckner also told Hofstrom that the police needed some of the Ramseys’ records. And there was the issue of reinterviewing them. Since April, a lot of information had been developed, and the police wanted John and Patsy to answer some new questions. Hofstrom suggested that Beckner call Bryan Morgan directly, which the commander did. The lawyer sent him some of the documentation he had requested. Morgan also told Beckner he’d get back to him about another interview with the Ramseys. Hofstrom was encouraged that Beckner had taken matters into his own hands. He told Hunter that his relationship with Beckner looked promising.
Hofstrom