Perfect Murder, Perfect Town - Lawrence Schiller [47]
Steve Thomas, a former SWAT team officer and a by-the-book detective who was conducting his first murder investigation, was furious when he saw Mason and the CNN reporter together. That evening, in his phone report to Eller, Thomas mentioned Mason’s meeting with the CNN reporter.
Thomas and Mason had already been quarreling. Soon after they arrived in Atlanta, Thomas needed some colored pens and paper and asked Mason to get them. Mason refused. “Look, I’m the supervisor,” Mason said. “If you don’t like it, I’m sorry, but that’s just the way it is.” The case was nearly a week old, and with the pace and pressure, tensions were getting to both officers. They had known happier times together. When Thomas was involved in a shooting as a member of the SWAT team, it was Mason who signed the recommendation for Thomas to receive a medal of valor.
During the three days that the Boulder detectives were in Atlanta, they interviewed John Andrew and Melinda Ramsey. Then they visited Lucinda Johnson, John Ramsey’s first wife and Melinda and John Andrew’s mother; Lloyd Sandy, a friend of Nedra’s; Rod Westmoreland; and several former neighbors of John and Patsy Ramsey. Before they went back to Boulder, they also spoke with Nedra and Don Paugh and with Rev. Harrington at the Peachtree Presbyterian Church and visited the funeral home in Marietta and JonBenét’s grave.
On Saturday, January 4, when the detectives’ work was almost completed, Mason, with Eller’s approval, gave an interview to a local reporter and issued a press release provided to him by the Boulder PD.
January 4, 1997
Press Release
[Boulder Police Department in Atlanta]
During our investigation the news media and local press have also researched the Ramsey family and their ties to the Atlanta area. If any of you have uncovered information that may be of value in this case, we would appreciate your forwarding the information to the investigators at the Boulder Police Department. We are asking that if any citizen has information that could be of assistance in this case, that they call 1–800–444–3776.
When Mason returned to his hotel room that night, he found a fax from Eller telling him to cancel the interview. Eller gave no explanation. Mason phoned his boss and said he’d already done the interview. He had received the fax after the fact, he said. Eller said he didn’t believe him. Meanwhile, unknown to Mason, CNN, citing an unnamed source, had reported that the Ramseys had agreed to an interview with the Boulder police.
When the Boulder detectives returned home and reported to headquarters the next evening, Eller called Mason upstairs to Chief Tom Koby’s office. As soon as Mason saw Sgt. Robert Thomas, Jr., of internal affairs, he knew he was in trouble. When Greg Perry, the police union president, walked in a few minutes later, his fears deepened.
Eller told Mason to sit down. “I’m fine standing up,” Mason replied. Eller again ordered Mason to sit down. This time he did.
Eller accused Mason of leaking to CNN the fact that the Ramseys had agreed to an interview with the Boulder police. This was information Eller said he had personally given to Mason on the phone when Mason was at the Roswell, Georgia, police department the night before. It was, said Eller, information that nobody else knew. Mason denied the charge. He said he had not released any unauthorized information.
“You’re lying,” Eller said. “I know for a fact you did.”
“I’m not lying,” Mason shot back. “You’re absolutely wrong.”
At this point, Koby had to calm him down. And then the chief suspended Mason. A few weeks later, he would be