I said the very same thing from the start even before the interview was aired. For many there isn't anyway possible under the sun for any of the Ramseys to ever do or say anything right. It hasn't happened in almost 20 years and Burke's interview wasn't going to change that steadfast view, imo, which is why I wish he had never done this interview.
I have seen the same in other unsolved cases where the family member/s just couldn't win the approval of the masses. They were also criticized if they smiled, criticized if they didn't cry, criticized if they cried too much which had to mean they were crocodile tears. A lot of times they are criticized for the way they looked or dressed or if they looked up or down while answering a question or how they spoke or how they answered the questions.
This actually isn't anything new. The only thing really different is in this particular unsolved case it has gone on for almost 20 years while other cases where family members/parents were eyed with great criticism and accusations of guilt ...when appearing on television or when their child was found murdered...... they only had to endure it for a much shorter period of time when the real murderer was finally arrested removing the boulder off of their shoulders. Some of those parents endured the same thing for many months or even two or three years.
Imo, there isn't anything worse for parents than their child's murder going unsolved with no one arrested. It even works that way for other family members as well. I remember there was a husband of one of the BTK victims who had to go through being accused as the one who murdered his wife. It took 22 years before BTK finally admitted he was the one who had murdered the man's wife. Until then he had remained the suspect. He said those 22 years of false allegations against him ruined his life.
I cant think of a worse accusation than others believing someone has killed their family member when they did not. How do they prove a negative? The truth is they cant.
Nor should they have to prove their innocence either. That is not the way our country works.
I felt Burke has been sheltered most of his life trying to protect him from all that was being said about him and his parents which has left him socially awkward and a shy introvert. The smile IMO, is the way he copes in uncomfortable situations when he is around others he doesn't know well. I don't think he even realizes he smiles so much. I certainly found nothing sinister about it knowing what he has gone through and how much loss he has endured in his short life.
I would suspect when he is around his girlfriend or others he knows very well he is much more at ease. I would be nervous as heck too if I was in front of DP who is prone to be a bully and overbearing at times. DP probably had to meet with Burke for months to get him to feel somewhat at ease with him. DP probably went very slow at first with Burke seeing that he was very awkward talking to him and even opening up as much as he finally did. I think it took DP that long to get Burke this far so the interviews could be done.
IMO