Madeleine: Give her the justice she deserves

The McCanns walk past the spot where they buried Madeleine...


Madeleine: Give her the justice she deserves

First, Gerry and Kate McCann said that they intended to stay in Portugal for the sake of Madeleine. That was irrational thinking. Now, they have said that they have returned to Britain for the sake of the twins. This is rational thinking, but not for the reason they have stated. It would appear that they are hoping that the government will intervene on their behalf against the state of Portugal. We already know that they are suspects in the disappearance and death of their 3 year old daughter Madeleine.

Make your own mind up whether you should take this press release with a pinch of salt. For as little as $6 a month anyone can publish their press releases. This is an interesting piece of before and after in relation to the McCanns and the changing moods of the people.

Of course the McCanns as suspects have the right to remain silent and not incriminate themselves. "Gerry McCann refused to answer 40 key questions about the disappearance of his daughter during a key interview by detectives after he was made an official suspect, it was reported today". And, the Kate McCann version of events that the police offered her a 2 year sentence for a confession to accidentally killing Madeleine displays an ignorance of the Portuguese legal system which differs markedly from our own or that in the US. Could she have sought to cut herself a deal and then become upset when the police refused to play ball? She would not have known that: "PJ HAS NO LEGAL POWERS TO SETTLE OR OFFER DEALS WITH CRIME SUSPECTS. IN FACT, NOR EVEN THE PUBLIC PROSECUTOR HAS SUCH POWERS. ONLY THE MAGISTRATE THAT JUDGES THE CASE IN A COURT OF LAW CAN DETERMINE THE PUNISHMENT /PENALTY APPLICABLE. I UNDERSTAND THIS TO BE QUITE DIFFERENT TO THE COMMON LAW JURISDICTIONS, NAMELY THE UK AND THE US".

It is understood that the McCanns were advised by their Portuguese lawyer to leave Portugal as they were likely to be arrested and charged in the near future, and that "Mr and Mrs McCann yesterday consulted Michael Caplan, QC, an expert in international criminal law who prevented the extradition of General Pinochet, the former President of Chile, to Spain. They also spoke to Angus McBride, a partner in the international law firm Kingsley Napley".

I note that the Times lawyers have covered the newspaper's arse from libel lawyers by ending its Q&A article with this statement: "All parties have strenuously denied any wrongdoing". I remember Tony Blair saying the same thing about going into an illegal war with Iraq. I am a firm believer of innocent until proven guilty. The sooner this is proven in the McCann case the sooner Madeleine will receive the justice she deserves.