The ransom note

[UKGuy]

Hi UKGuy,
I agree with you about the family clearly having a "thing" for films and movies. They had a giant drop down screen in their master bedroom, and as you pointed out several movie posters in the basement. Interviews regarding CS photos, lots of discussion about various VCR tapes noted in each of the bedrooms etc. One small item that is often overlooked is when JR in one of his interviews with LE tells about the extramarital affair he had during his first marriage - comparing it to the move Fatal Attraction and going so far as to boast that he "could have written the screen play for that film. Plus many other examples of a family that loves films.

Not that loving films is anything nefarious by any means, but many seem to agree that the ransom note clearly contains almost verbatim quotes from well known films.

I do believe that PR authored the note and perhaps with JR input. So my next question is: why would either or both of them be so stupid to toss in those types of old tired quotes? Was it because in their own mind(s) the drama unfolding in their own home was far bigger and greater than any blockbuster film they had ever seen? it sure makes me wonder what they were thinking.

CorallaroC,
I reckon since the R's were not career criminals, their experience of crime would be limited the the silver screen, so would likely channel their thoughts through whatever movie genre they thought relevant?

I tend to view the RN as a post-mortem narrative so that those outside the family can imagine how JonBenet ended up dead. Otherwise its definitely RDI.

I think you are right, JR and PR probably bounced off each other in terms of input, but I have no doubt that it was Patsy who authored the RN. She had the skills to structure the paragraphs and the knowledge of grammar to use those movie phrases, as she did, it was no accident.

A real abduction would have criminals using short, terse phrases, sprinkled with criminal street slang. Whereas the the Ransom Note is structured, uses proper grammar, and references movie quotes, all because Patsy is thinking like a Literature Grad' and how to convey the narrative. In other words its the product of an elite, urbanite, educated mind.

I think the movie quotes are in there to inform the reader about the abduction narrative, its the R's way of saying this is for real, except a real criminal would likely not use movie quotes?

Its how we know, although cannot prove, Patsy wrote the RN, it has all the features of an urban perspective on kidnapping, especially one informed by bedside books, and the crime/adventure genre of movies.

.

 

[Sparko96]

I believe the tone of the note-deferential to John in the most ridiculous extreme, must be the work of both parents. It is the definitive acknowledgment of guilt. At this stage, the whole family bears the same stain. No amount of sock puppets, trolls, or legal actions can expunge the permanent laser-like beacon of the fake ransom note.


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[icedtea4me]

People tend to neglect the cancer references in the note:

- being scanned [CT scan] and if any [cancer cells] are found, she dies
- under constant scrutiny
- survival in %s

 

[archieil]

I found your arguments interesting.

Especially the argument regarding cancer coincidence.

 

[deoneta]

There are so many problems with the RN being genuine, written on materials at the scene, practice drafts, etc. but the main problem remains that there was no abduction, only a cruel murder. I think if this had been anybody but the Ramseys or any place other than Boulder, the RN would have been the evidence that sealed the deal for a prosecution. All MOO.

 

[archieil]

Maybe, people are eager to jail innocents and be frightened of evil monsters.

 

[Cottonstar]

The ransom note, even more specifically, the details they included in the note, was the worst mistake the Rams made.

The ransom note was also, the best thing the Rams did.

It was their Deus Ex Machina, and it worked.




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[FairM1]

Just look at Patsy's left handed sample of her writing , how can anyone explain the fact that that looks so very similar to the actual ransom note? when you look at Patsy's right handed sample , not so much. But wow that sure does look like she wrote it .

 

[BBB167893]

Just look at Patsy's left handed sample of her writing , how can anyone explain the fact that that looks so very similar to the actual ransom note?

To my knowledge, the people who should have to explain it never had to.

 

[Tadpole12]

http://solvingjonbenet.blogspot.ca/2017/11/john-and-patsy-opposite-hand-samples.html#comment-form


from solvingjonbenet

[h=2]Friday, November 10, 2017[/h] [h=3]John and Patsy Opposite Hand Samples[/h]

 

[Tadpole12]

wrt PR's left handed exemplars
adjust the scale of individual words, from the sample
and superimpose them upon the rn
and it is uncanny how many points of intersection exist between
the two.

 

[Cottonstar]

This is Patsy’s handwriting from her “London” letter. The bottom portion is from the ransom note. Just by doing an “eye-ball” test you can see the stark similarities in the style.

Even more damning then the handwriting evidence is the linguistic profile of Patsy Ramsey. You can’t get out of the way from your own idiolect.

Donald Foster, who is probably the most established and profound forensic linguist, was brought in early by the DA to look at the ransom note. This is a guy who discovered old writings to have been the work of Shakespeare-all by textual analysis. He was also brought in by the defense, in the Unabomber case to rebut FBI analysis, that the manifesto was written by Ted Kaczynski. After studying the manifesto, he did the exact opposite, and said the authorship was definitely by Ted Kaczynski, the Unabomber. Donald Foster, said, without a doubt that Patsy Ramsey wrote the ransom note.

Jim “Fitz” Fitzgerald, was the FBI forensic linguist, that caught the Unabomber, by using only textual analysis and forensic linguistics.
Fitz believes without a doubt Patsy Ramsey wrote the ransom note.


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[Cottonstar]

From Steve Thomas:

“I finally heard the magic words while seated in the book-lined office of Don Foster, an Elizabethan scholar and professor at Vassar College in upstate New York, who just happened to be a hell of a linguistic detective. 'Steve,' said Foster, 'I believe I am going to conclude the ransom note was the work of a single individual: Patsy Ramsey.”

On page 281 Thomas described Foster's presentation to the Boulder authorities in March of 1998:
“In my opinion, it is not possible that any individual except Patsy Ramsey wrote the ransom note,' he told a special briefing in Boulder, adding that she had been unassisted in writing it. With his sterling academic reputation and a track record of 152-0 in deciphering anonymous writings, this should have been a thunderbolt of evidence, but the DA's office, without telling us, had already discredited and discarded the professor. His coming to Boulder was a big waste of time."


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[archieil]

There are people who can imitate handwriting of someone else after looking at a few documents.

I would rather expect no such skill in this situation because of time pressure and amount of text written.

I am not an expert regarding such savants/possibility of learning such skill by someone more typical.

 

[elendast]

WOW, iced tea. I am speechless. All these years and I never made the cancer connection.

 

[InstantProof]

People tend to neglect the cancer references in the note:

- being scanned [CT scan] and if any [cancer cells] are found, she dies
- under constant scrutiny
- survival in %s

And I've read speculation that SBTC = Saved By The Cross, a reference to surviving Cancer ("Victory"). So it appears to be a little more than subconsciously on her mind.

 

[Userid]

I just had a thought that I'm sure has been asked before, but nonetheless: do you believe the R's (specifically, PR) when they say the ransom note was found on one of the bottom rungs of the spiral staircase? I ask because, 99% of us believe they were involved. So why then would they (PR) be telling the truth (or lying), and why (assuming they were involved) would they need to say that the letter was found on the bottom rungs of the spiral staircase? What was their purpose in saying that?

It seems like many people here do believe the note was laid down on the bottom rung, as many use it as proof of PR's inconsistency of having to "step over" it while walking down the stairs and then reading it (which would have been all but impossible).

 

[Cottonstar]

I just had a thought that I'm sure has been asked before, but nonetheless: do you believe the R's (specifically, PR) when they say the ransom note was found on one of the bottom rungs of the spiral staircase? I ask because, 99% of us believe they were involved. So why then would they (PR) be telling the truth (or lying), and why (assuming they were involved) would they need to say that the letter was found on the bottom rungs of the spiral staircase? What was their purpose in saying that?

It seems like many people here do believe the note was laid down on the bottom rung, as many use it as proof of PR's inconsistency of having to "step over" it while walking down the stairs and then reading it (which would have been all but impossible).

In reality, or in real time, there was never a need to, for real, have the ransom note physically on the stairs. I believe it was laid down on the floor in the hallway near the kitchen nook phone, where Officer French observed it.

As for the reasons why they felt the need to say it was found on the spiral staircase, I believe there are a few key reasons for this.

1. It gave them a “starting point” to the whole thing. If the note was on the kitchen counter, in the basement, or anywhere else, then there would be time spent awake that they would have to explain and account for before they found the note. This way it’s clean. Patsy always came down those stairs to make coffee, so it’s a natural path she would take in the morning. It’s so Patsy “finds it right away”.

2. They heavily pointed the finger at LHP. They staged the scene as an inside job. Patsy knew that LHP sometimes left her notes on that same staircase regarding chores, schedules etc..so this points to LHP

3. It also gives them the convenient excuse to why they didn’t have to pick-up the note. Because it was “spread out” so they could read it without having to grab it.

I have a question though? How did you know that there wasn’t anything written on the back of the 3 pieces of paper? Why didn’t you pick it up and look?




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[Userid]

In reality, or in real time, there was never a need to, for real, have the ransom note physically on the stairs. I believe it was laid down on the floor in the hallway near the kitchen nook phone, where Officer French observed it.

As for the reasons why they felt the need to say it was found on the spiral staircase, I believe there are a few key reasons for this.

1. It gave them a “starting point” to the whole thing. If the note was on the kitchen counter, in the basement, or anywhere else, then there would be time spent awake that they would have to explain and account for before they found the note. This way it’s clean. Patsy always came down those stairs to make coffee, so it’s a natural path she would take in the morning. It’s so Patsy “finds it right away”.

2. They heavily pointed the finger at LHP. They staged the scene as an inside job. Patsy knew that LHP sometimes left her notes on that same staircase regarding chores, schedules etc..so this points to LHP

3. It also gives them the convenient excuse to why they didn’t have to pick-up the note. Because it was “spread out” so they could read it without having to grab it.

I have a question though? How did you know that there wasn’t anything written on the back of the 3 pieces of paper? Why didn’t you pick it up and look?




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Good answers. I know we disagree a lot of the time, but I agree with you here, although JR did admit to picking up and handling the letter, and moving it closer to the door where French was able to observe it (opposite the spiral stairs). Number 2 I especially agree with.

I wonder if there was some confusion between PR and JR with regard to the staging of the letter. Maybe one of them wanted it staged where French saw it, but the other changed it to the spiral staircase. It would make sense to stage it in either area, if you think about it. Because that would be the logical exit if someone had abducted JBR, and it would make sense to leave it close to the exit on the floor. Maybe it was a last-minute change to say it was found on the staircase, before PR and JR could actually move it there and before French discovered it.

 

[887sMtreme]

It has always puzzled me why PR never said anything about maneuvering around that last step/"rung" with the papers spread out across it. It was an awkward staircase to begin with. How would she have stepped over the papers or crouched down to pick them up before completing her descent to the floor? She always made a big deal out of anything that inconvenienced her, so her commission here is perhaps telling.