You've got my interest up sorrell - what kind of "tells" do you see?
Hey Chee - thanks for the question! I wish I could link to specific videos that could illustrate what I have personally perceived. I should have kept better records of links! If others are willing to take on that task, a BIG TY!!!
One of the 1st things that stood out to me, in terms of a "tell", was in the videos that were available immediately after the victim was ID'ed. The mother's speech was very
rapid,
verbose, rattling on in a nervous manner, as if trying to "fill in the blanks". There were times when media asked a question, and the mother started to answer the question, but stopped mid-sentence, and motioned with her hands toward the bystanders behind her. One of the questions I remember that was asked was regarding how her children were dealing with the death of their sister (this is not verbatim). I know you all remember how she started to answer the question "They're a mess..." and then she interrupted herself and talked about her oldest son punching things, and how a child, a boy, a son ( this is not an exact quote!) doesn't express "re..."
How many words begin with
"re" in that context? Not many.
That was a tell. She stopped herself from finishing her sentence. And immediately, she began to gesture toward the bystanders and talked about the grief of the community, and her speech pattern became rapid as her arm and hand movements drew attention
away from herself, and drew the
eye of the viewers to others nearby (and the media camera followed her gestures!).
But she never finished her original sentence, when talking about her oldest and his response, and his expression of some emotion that began with "re...".
In my experience (regarding crimes), when someone tries to draw attention away from themselves, they do it on purpose. One of the reasons is that they have something to hide. The natural question to ask at that point is:
what do they have to hide?
When a witness answers questions that weren't asked, or gives more information than was asked for, they're attempting to conceal something, and are hoping not only that the verbosity of their words will satisfy those asking the questions, but, more importantly, that the original question is forgotten altogether.
I would like to address additional "tells" in future posts.
I am hesitant to post my own perceptions, since I have been in Diena's position to a certain extent (with my own daughter). But if what I have to say might help, which is why I originally joined WS, then I am willing to take that risk, in order to help solve this horrific crime.
So please, ask away!
I will try my best to answer.