Bronco_Beerslug
07-09-2008, 07:00 PM
Wow, what a grinder they had been put through for years by Boulder's DA's.
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DA: New DNA evidence clears Ramseys in JonBenet murder (http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2008/jul/09/new-dna-evidence-reportedly-clears-ramsey-family/)
The Rocky
Originally published 12:50 p.m., July 9, 2008
Boulder's district attorney apologized to the Ramsey family today, saying new DNA evidence convinces her that no member of the family is under suspicion for the 1996 death of 6-year-old JonBenet Ramsey.
http://media.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/content/img/photos/2008/07/09/ramsey4_t600.jpg
Photo by Courtesy Ramsey Family
Family photos of Jon Benet Ramsey, her mother Patsey, father John and brother Burke. Authorities announced Wednesday, Aug. 16, 2006, the arrest of a suspect in the murder of Jon Benet Ramsey, who was found dead in her Boulder home the day after Christmas 1996.
In a letter to John Ramsey, DA Mary Lacy said her office recently got results back on a new "touch DNA" process in which technicians can scrape places where there are no stains or other signs that DNA may be present.
The samples from JonBenet's long johns — "probably handled by the perpetrator during the course of this crime" — revealed male DNA, but none of it matched anyone in the Ramsey family, she said.
The unexplained DNA from both the long johns and the underwear is "very significant and powerful evidence," Lacy said today.
"To the extent that we may have contributed in any way to the public perception that you might have been involved in the crime, I am deeply sorry," Lacy wrote in the letter to the family.
Pam Paugh, sister of Patsy Ramsey, said: "Patsy didn't get to hear anyone apologize to her, and there were so many that were cruel. But she and John knew in their hearts what the truth was."
Patsy, JonBenet's mother, died in 2006 of ovarian cancer.
http://media.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/content/img/photos/2008/07/09/ramsey3_t613.jpg
John Ramsey looks on as his wife, Patsy, holds an advertisement promising a reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the murderer of their 6-year-old daughter, JonBenet, during an interview Thursday, May 1, 1997, in Boulder, Colo. It was the Ramsey's first meeting with reporters since the days after their daughter was found slain in the basement of their family's home in Boulder, Colo., on Dec. 26, 1996. No arrests have been made in the girl's death.
"It's not for our family but for everyone else, so they can say we're so sorry, the Ramseys didn't have anything to do with this, and we spent years crucifying them," Paugh said. "Patsy died knowing she absolutely did nothing to her child but give her life and give her love."
"I'm glad the world now knows what we always knew," Paugh said. "It's just 12 years too late."
In the letter, DA Lacy said, "No innocent person should have to endure such an extensive trial in the court of public opinion."
She added: "I am very comfortable that our conclusion that this evidence has vindicated your family is based firmly on all the evidence."
The DNA match on JonBenet's long johns "makes it clear to us that an unknown male handled these items," Lacy said.
The DNA also matched the DNA found on the underwear JonBenet was wearing at the time of the murder, she said. Earlier, there was speculation that the DNA on JonBenet's underwear could have been left innocently by a garment worker who made the panties.
But with the same DNA found on two different articles of clothing JonBenet was wearing on the night of her murder, that speculation no longer makes sense.
Lacy added that after 11-plus years of investigation "there is no innocent explanation for its incriminating presence in three sites on these two different items of clothing that JonBenet was wearing at the time of the murder."
She told Ramsey that it is important to give him the DA office's opinion that "your family was not responsible for this crime."
And she added that her office is "comfortable" that the profile now in the DNA national database "is the profile of the perpetrator of this murder."
John Ramsey and his wife, Patsy, were considered prime suspects after JonBenet's garroted body was found in the basement of their large home in Boulder on Dec. 26, 1996. The Ramseys were the butt of jokes by Jay Leno, David Letterman and other comedians. Patsy Ramsey died from cancer two years ago.
CONT.
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DA: New DNA evidence clears Ramseys in JonBenet murder (http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2008/jul/09/new-dna-evidence-reportedly-clears-ramsey-family/)
The Rocky
Originally published 12:50 p.m., July 9, 2008
Boulder's district attorney apologized to the Ramsey family today, saying new DNA evidence convinces her that no member of the family is under suspicion for the 1996 death of 6-year-old JonBenet Ramsey.
http://media.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/content/img/photos/2008/07/09/ramsey4_t600.jpg
Photo by Courtesy Ramsey Family
Family photos of Jon Benet Ramsey, her mother Patsey, father John and brother Burke. Authorities announced Wednesday, Aug. 16, 2006, the arrest of a suspect in the murder of Jon Benet Ramsey, who was found dead in her Boulder home the day after Christmas 1996.
In a letter to John Ramsey, DA Mary Lacy said her office recently got results back on a new "touch DNA" process in which technicians can scrape places where there are no stains or other signs that DNA may be present.
The samples from JonBenet's long johns — "probably handled by the perpetrator during the course of this crime" — revealed male DNA, but none of it matched anyone in the Ramsey family, she said.
The unexplained DNA from both the long johns and the underwear is "very significant and powerful evidence," Lacy said today.
"To the extent that we may have contributed in any way to the public perception that you might have been involved in the crime, I am deeply sorry," Lacy wrote in the letter to the family.
Pam Paugh, sister of Patsy Ramsey, said: "Patsy didn't get to hear anyone apologize to her, and there were so many that were cruel. But she and John knew in their hearts what the truth was."
Patsy, JonBenet's mother, died in 2006 of ovarian cancer.
http://media.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/content/img/photos/2008/07/09/ramsey3_t613.jpg
John Ramsey looks on as his wife, Patsy, holds an advertisement promising a reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the murderer of their 6-year-old daughter, JonBenet, during an interview Thursday, May 1, 1997, in Boulder, Colo. It was the Ramsey's first meeting with reporters since the days after their daughter was found slain in the basement of their family's home in Boulder, Colo., on Dec. 26, 1996. No arrests have been made in the girl's death.
"It's not for our family but for everyone else, so they can say we're so sorry, the Ramseys didn't have anything to do with this, and we spent years crucifying them," Paugh said. "Patsy died knowing she absolutely did nothing to her child but give her life and give her love."
"I'm glad the world now knows what we always knew," Paugh said. "It's just 12 years too late."
In the letter, DA Lacy said, "No innocent person should have to endure such an extensive trial in the court of public opinion."
She added: "I am very comfortable that our conclusion that this evidence has vindicated your family is based firmly on all the evidence."
The DNA match on JonBenet's long johns "makes it clear to us that an unknown male handled these items," Lacy said.
The DNA also matched the DNA found on the underwear JonBenet was wearing at the time of the murder, she said. Earlier, there was speculation that the DNA on JonBenet's underwear could have been left innocently by a garment worker who made the panties.
But with the same DNA found on two different articles of clothing JonBenet was wearing on the night of her murder, that speculation no longer makes sense.
Lacy added that after 11-plus years of investigation "there is no innocent explanation for its incriminating presence in three sites on these two different items of clothing that JonBenet was wearing at the time of the murder."
She told Ramsey that it is important to give him the DA office's opinion that "your family was not responsible for this crime."
And she added that her office is "comfortable" that the profile now in the DNA national database "is the profile of the perpetrator of this murder."
John Ramsey and his wife, Patsy, were considered prime suspects after JonBenet's garroted body was found in the basement of their large home in Boulder on Dec. 26, 1996. The Ramseys were the butt of jokes by Jay Leno, David Letterman and other comedians. Patsy Ramsey died from cancer two years ago.
CONT.