Body Language of AB's interview 2010.11.16 - 11:00 PM EST WBTV

[tehcloser]

Kat, I vote an act. We came really close to seeing the flash of his personality in the 2 pictures of him when he was arrested. Compare them side by side and look at his eyes. It's there and it almost came out then.

 

[bellyup]

I really am back up on my fence again.

I disagree that he isn't looking at the interviewer and that he hesitates. I didn't see it at all.

Interviewer : Calling you "murderer" ?
Adam (looking directly at him nods) Yeah.

Next clip ... (looking directly at him....slightly raised eyebrow)
AB "No way in the world I would ever hurt my daughter."

(question off camera in news clip apparently about dismembering)
"No (shakes head closes eyes) There is no way I'd do that to my baby."
(I happened to pause here for the purpose of transcribing and he LOOKS right at the camera and his face is drawn, taught, his eyes are wet as if he's going to burst into tears. Screen cap below.)
Interviewer : You didn't dismember her ?
AB: (still looking right at him makes a noise...looks distressed) No ... (and then more forcefully) NO.

Again interviewer makes comments off camera
AB : There is no possible way ...... (strained emotion) ... to ever fill the hole left by my daughter.

Comments about having a "normal life again and doubting it will ever be possible." are made by the interviewer and then strung with "when it's all over he'd like to go back to Oz and take Zahra with him."

I totally take this with a grain of salt. AB could have made a comment about it never being possible to have a normal life without Zahra and the interviewer just strung that closing sentence together. I won't read much into that without seeing it out of AB's mouth and in context.

As far as that list of "detecting lies" I say it's complete HOGWASH. According to that list you could make no facial expressions at all that wouldn't be determined as a lie and if you did that ... then people would say you were cold and emotionless.

 

[Kamille]

Just finished watching.

Ahmmm, well let me say this since I've edited this type of news story and it's components before. In the news world this is known as a package. The reporter was held to a 2:33 min timeline from start to finish. It's actually one minute longer than generally allowed for time slots.

It's nothing but sound bytes from AB and a reporter telling his story. Because of this it's very possible everything AB said could be taken out of context. It's already reported the interview lasted 90 minutes. Most of that should be raw footage unless the video-journalist ran out of batteries for the camera.

LE needs to subpoena the raw footage ASAP as it maybe destroyed 3-7 days from now depending on the news stations policy. So far everything else has hit the cutting room floor. I do tend to expect to see more at some point because in my view the package shown was weak. It was all the reporters take on things, it wasn't even a good tease. JMO

Think about it a second if it was you trying to convey your story and some reporter only took 20 seconds of snippets of what you said and the context to which that sound byte was taken.

BTW: I know we would all like to see the raw footage but don't count on it. Lawyers are at work from different angles.

Word for me tonight is subpoena

This is an excellent synopsis of that "interview". How can anyone analyse his response to questions that we aren't being shown asked? This was not an interview but just a reporter's story with a few soundbites from AB and his mother. I so agree with you that it wasn't even a good tease.

I do hope that the raw footage is hanging around and is forwarded to LE.

MOO

 

[epiphany]

Personally, his mother came across on screen as an empathetic figure to me when she spoke. She appeared sincere to me. That doesn't mean that I consider her opinion of her son relevant to this situation. She's his mother.

 

[NancyA]

HICKORY, N.C. — Adam Baker cried Tuesday night while watching a vigil for his daughter, Zahra Baker, and denied killing the 10-year-old, according to WBTV.

Baker decided to watch the vigil online instead of attending it, he said, because he thought people would make a scene and call him names.

"I didn’t want everybody to take their focus off Zahra," he said.

WBTV reporter Steve Ohnesorge interviewed Baker and his mother, who was at his side for support, as they watched the vigil online and asked Baker if he killed and dismembered his daughter.

"There’s no way in the world that I would ever hurt my daughter," Baker said. "No, there’s no way I could do that to my baby.”

more
http://www.wral.com/news/national_world/national/story/8637299/

I'm torn, again...I don't know what to think with AB..I don't know if this was all EB and someone she enlisted..AB did shed tears but remember men are the stronger sex and don't often cry.

My heart aches for Zahra and don't want an innocent person in prison. I do get a sense of his not hurting Zahra but how could he look the other way for so long. Which is where I'm torn...he'd have to have been deaf, dumb and blind not to see the abuse precious Zahra received via EB...JMHO

Justice for Zahra

BBM. This is exactly where I have issues with his mother, she can be completely convinced of his innocence in all the rest but this I could never accept, reason away or be willing to justify in a child of mine.

 

[Peliman]

BBM--

..the interview was not 90 minutes.

"Our reporter spent the past 90 minutes with Adam Baker and his attorney. They watched the vigil for the girl together ... then Adam Baker answered the questions everyone has been asking."

...although i do agree that when a reporter "puts together" a piece using both the original interview and his own voice over-----it tends to question the statements ----were they whole ? snippets ?

Morning laurie, thanks for the context. I thought 90 minutes sheesh. That's long enough to do the whole morning show on ABC. I can remember a few stories I've done video for over 30 minutes but they became series. Packages only need a couple soundbites and a couple reporter standups.

I suppose I'm in angst over this because I saw no follow up questions/details. I heard AB say I didn't do this to my daughter. (Paraphrased) I wanted to hear why he didn't check on Zahra after the fire call. Where was he and what was he doing from the 5AM fire until 2:30 that afternoon. When was the last time he ate that day, what he had to eat. Was he missing any tools? I would love to hear any lawyer objections to any questions posed. ect...

There's got to be 10 minutes or more video not seen, maybe 20. I want LE to have it.

BTW: I'm not on to AB's innocence or guilt, I have many questions without answers, right now I'm real curious about timelines.

 

[bellyup]

I just have to add ..... until you've been through something like this you really cannot imagine the toll it takes. It's a very long story, but, my husband was accused of luring a girl off the internet and kidnapping her. He was completely and totally innocent. We cooperated with authorities and he was completely cleared (a disgruntled employee had set up an account in his name and was talking to teens online so when the teen actually ran away ... they looked at my hubby first because the account was in his name. Employee was charged and convicted. Girl was found over 900 miles in the other direction from us nearly a week after my husband was cleared.) ETA: she was found safe (thank god!)

But the week of interviews... being followed by the police and the girls dad knocking on my door and following us everywhere. The anger, the fear (we were so scared she was going to turn up deceased), the pit of you stomach feeling for days and days, not sleeping, not eating. Seeing your name in print as a POI (thankfully for us, the girl was from another state so we weren't humiliated in our home town) Having your house searched, your computers taken....... It's unimaginable.

And AB has been going through this for a MONTH on top of the fact that his own daughter is the missing and now he's been told she's been cut up and tossed like trash.

If he IS innocent ... he's a flipping basket case right now. And I know from experience that the anger and frustration come out in the wee hours of the morning when you are dead exhausted. You rant, you rave, you scream, you hit things, you cry until you passout for a short time until you have to pull it together for what little bit you can to try and help investigators. If you are a raving basket case .... you can't help so you do that part when no one else or just family is around.

The face you present to the public is tired, emotionally drained, and lifeless. You are so exhausted you can't even think. You keep thinking you are going to wake up to a bad dream. I don't know how many times my husband and I said "This just doesn't happen. Are we on TV ? " You can't wrap your head around what's happening even though you know what's happening.

 

[Kamille]

BBM

Can YOU imagine the meek and mild AB we heard last night trying to run BB and her husband off the road with his car? I can't. True, he hasn't been convicted of that crime...and I'll wait to see how that plays out in court...but it does make me wonder if this docile little doormouse thing is all an act.

JMO

We really do need a lawyer to weigh in on that charge because from what I understand, although he did not appear in court, those charges were dismissed at that time for him...not her. He is only currently charged with failure to appear on that charge.

Someone please correct me if I'm wrong on that.

MOO

 

[Kamille]

I just have to add ..... until you've been through something like this you really cannot imagine the toll it takes. It's a very long story, but, my husband was accused of luring a girl off the internet and kidnapping her. He was completely and totally innocent. We cooperated with authorities and he was completely cleared (a disgruntled employee had set up an account in his name and was talking to teens online so when the teen actually ran away ... they looked at my hubby first because the account was in his name. Employee was charged and convicted. Girl was found over 900 miles in the other direction from us nearly a week after my husband was cleared.)

But the week of interviews... being followed by the police and the girls dad knocking on my door and following us everywhere. The anger, the fear (we were so scared she was going to turn up deceased), the pit of you stomach feeling for days and days, not sleeping, not eating. Seeing your name in print as a POI (thankfully for us, the girl was from another state so we weren't humiliated in our home town) Having your house searched, your computers taken....... It's unimaginable.

And AB has been going through this for a MONTH on top of the fact that his own daughter is the missing and now he's been told she's been cut up and tossed like trash.

If he IS innocent ... he's a flipping basket case right now. And I know from experience that the anger and frustration come out in the wee hours of the morning when you are dead exhausted. You rant, you rave, you scream, you hit things, you cry until you passout for a short time until you have to pull it together for what little bit you can to try and help investigators. If you are a raving basket case .... you can't help so you do that part when no one else or just family is around.

The face you present to the public is tired, emotionally drained, and lifeless. You are so exhausted you can't even think. You keep thinking you are going to wake up to a bad dream. I don't know how many times my husband and I said "This just doesn't happen. Are we on TV ? " You can't wrap your head around what's happening even though you know what's happening.

What a horrible situation that you and your DH found yourselves in bellyup! Just goes to show that anything can happen at anytime. How do you prepare yourself for that? Glad that it was cleared up and that you were able to move on but that has to leave a scar. {{{hugs}}}

 

[tlcya]

I have only this to say about KB's presence while AB was being interviewed. I may have my own opinions about the family dynamic and the history between the Baker family and bio mum ED, but I saw nothing wrong or nefarious in KB's demeanor, her presence or her statements.

I am a mother. Were my child in AB's position, I would be supportive as well. I would encourage my child to cooperate, be there standing by his side, I would want to give my child the benefit of the doubt, etc. Just like this mother.

I believe her heart is breaking and I feel sympathy for her. I won't pick apart a grieving gramma despite my personal opinions about how things may or may not have gone down as relates to Zahra's custody arrangements back in Aus.

 

[passionflower]

OMG ... "ever fill the hole left by my daughter ..."

That phrase, surely unintentional and subconscious in it's double meaning, absolutely gives me the shudders.

this made me ill..............

 

[passionflower]

With mom and lawyer there, AB probably was 'guided' through interview........
I noticed he was dressed in plain dark clothe also................sign of 'mourning'
dressed by lawyer???

 

[Mountain_Kat]

We really do need a lawyer to weigh in on that charge because from what I understand, although he did not appear in court, those charges were dismissed at that time for him...not her. He is only currently charged with failure to appear on that charge.

Someone please correct me if I'm wrong on that.

MOO

Isn't he set to appear on the charges of assault with a deadly weapon and communicating threats on the 18th? That was my understanding.

 

[bellyup]

Isn't he set to appear on the charges of assault with a deadly weapon and communicating threats on the 18th? That was my understanding.

The charges were dismissed with leave on the original counts. Which means they can revisit / recharge him at a later time. I think they threw those back out there as a means to have something more on him than a worthless check so that if they had the need to hold him on a higher bond ... they could have.

 

[LiveLaughLuv]

BBM

Can YOU imagine the meek and mild AB we heard last night trying to run BB and her husband off the road with his car? I can't. True, he hasn't been convicted of that crime...and I'll wait to see how that plays out in court...but it does make me wonder if this docile little doormouse thing is all an act.

JMO

It could be that AB was defending his wifes honor??? I'm very laid back but if someone does something to a child/grandchild of mine, I am like a lion protecting their cubs. It takes alot for me to "lash" out at someone and that's after I've stuffed it for a while..but I can get very upset and angry...JMHO

What could EB have told him about BB that he would be that angry to defend his wife. I'd like to know more. Was this after she allegedly called child services on EB? Did AB know?

Justice for Zahra

 

[kileyizzle]

My 2 cents worth - Here we go.

Note the "clean cut" image that is being brought to light - why? Simply put; In cases as tragic as this the people who cop the limelight guilty or not guilty will be thrown to the public for them to observer. The clean shaven baby face and respective attire are to ensure that based on "face value" he looks like a normal citzen. A neighbour a freind, which appeals to the public. Now for the life of me i can't remember where i read it. However the men with the baby faces are more likely to commit crimes and get away with it. Once again pure speculation.

Secondly - i did note the tight control he had on his tears. This JIMHO is something that happens often around here < Yeah i'm pulling the culture angle > The thing is here - If a man crys, it's weak. I've witnessed this behaviour at funerals, kids graduations, wedding. He is holding back emotion. We don't know why - we aren't in his head, but there is definite tight control there. The way he grimaces, and wipes the tissue at his eyes, all controlled, no shaking of the hands - very stoic.

A mask if you will that he's put in place. Also he is aware he is on camera - Meaning he would refrain from his usual behaviours being in that he is being acutely monitored.

Side note - The soft voice is also strained, when approached about dismemberment he seems to shift ever so slightly.

Point is - Particulary with his mother there that he is keenly aware of the suspicion surrounding him and is behaving accordingly. IE - like a child who has done nothing wrong

IMO

 

[Fyrecat]

This interview was obviously arrainged by his attorney, to put some 'good press' about Adam out there. He was most likely told how to dress, how to behave, and attorney was there to advise what could and could not be spoken of.

That said: I didn't see anything that showed Adam as either a killer or a saint.

He reminded me of a couple clients I had. Stoic, fairly unemotional, and passive.

Some men are trained not to show emotion, and he probably is one of them. He may well be under mom's thumb. Tht may be the sort of person he is, a man who lets women run the show.

Of course mom would take up for him. Nothing he does or says will bring Zhara back. I think it's very unreasonable for anyone to expect a mother who's already lost one person in her life she loved to give up another. Whether or not he's responsible in some way, she can't see it that way, and thats the way many people would be, I think. It's normal. How can you believe that your son could do something like that? You can't!

I didn't see anything either way that would indicate what he did, or didn't. I saw a man who's frightened, in shock, and perhaps not too sure of what happened, or how.

 

[tehcloser]

I don't care who's honor you are defending, running someone off the road is not acceptable. I get what you are saying but we really have to stop finding excuses for all this bad behavior in society. People have to take on the responsibility to control themselves!

 

[bellyup]

Another thought I just had ... since we now see that the defense is going with the "no involvement by AB" angle.

His attny's have to know if he was really involved or not. If he WAS there is BOUND to be evidence to link him to the crime(s) committed. Going with the completely innocent this was all done by EB angle is not going to benefit him at all. As we see, EB's very competent attorney is having her admit involvement (in at least part) because they KNOW there is going to be evidence that points to her being there in some regard.

Wouldn't AB's attorney be doing the same? Trying to grab a deal before EB did ? If he had ANY involvement ? Surely his attorney knows that the clock is just ticking before LE releases charges and evidence. It would be smart to be truthful at this point with EB singing like a canary.

 

[Meagain]

The reporter said he was talking with AB for 90 minutes. All we get is less than 2 minutes? Where's the rest of the darned interview?

DISSAPOINTED!