The headline of his story is pure spin.
Coroner: police tried to keep body to force an interview.
Reading that, one would assume that
the Coronor actually said that. (That is NOT what he said.)
and
that the request to hold the body was EXCLUSIVELY for the purpose of forcing an interview.
Evans is a known and self-confessed Ramsey shill, in the same category as Paula Woodward.
John and Patsy Ramsey turned to Evans as their contact at the paper to discuss their daughter JonBenet's 1996 murder.
http://www.dailycamera.com/archivesearch/ci_13076177
My personal impression from a careful reading of all the accounts is that Eller wanted to hold the body as long as possible to ensure that all possible testing could be completed.
The autopsy had radically changed the case. There were now a number of issues that demanded answers.
What had caused an extensive skull fracture?
Who had been responsible for the chronic sexual abuse of JonBenet?
Who had fed JonBenet the pineapple?
Who had been responsible for cleaning up JonBenet?
The liquid that was found on one area of JonBenet, was it semen?
The autopsy of JonBenet was performed on December, 27th 1996. It is NOT in any way unusual for investigators to withhold the body for 2 or 3 days, the body has become evidence. Theoretically the body can be exhumed for further investigation, but exhumation is costly and usually unnecessary if all appropriate examination is completed at or just after the autopsy is performed.
The body was released within 24 hours of the autopsy on the 28th.
How can this be construed as holding the body for ransom?
Why was there pressure to release the body on the day that the autopsy was performed?
Why the hurry to bury the body?
The parents should have welcomed the idea that every possible avenue was being pursued.
They should have also been available to answer the questions that the autopsy had raised.
The police version:
Police on Wednesday said they were "reluctant to release JonBenet's body because they were not sure all the necessary forensic work had been completed, nor had they had an opportunity to discuss the circumstances of JonBenet's death with the parents."
The DAs version:
District Attorney Alex Hunter said Thursday there may have been other considerations that led police to ask the body be withheld for additional time.
"For example, was there everything that the CBI (Colorado Bureau of Investigation) needed? Had a pediatrician been involved? A child abuse expert involved?" Hunter said. He said that, all told, the body underwent about 12 hours of examination.
The Coroners version:
The request from investigators came through Tom Faure, chief medical examiner for the coroner's office, on Dec. 28, Meyer said.
"My impression at the time was it was sort of a trial balloon, wondering if we could do that," Meyer said. "It was, could we do this ... not necessarily to force the family, but could we put a hold on the body until they do come to an interview."
Steve Thomas account:
By midafternoon (December 27th,) after studying the autopsy results, Eller still had unanswered questions about the body. What about the massive skull fracture? What and where was the murder weapon? What about the vaginal trauma? A lot of points needed to be covered.
Chief Koby pointed out to him that the body itself had become evidence, and to release it at this point could affect the investigation. Eller and the coroner agreed.
But only a few minutes passed before Deputy District Attorney Pete Hofstrom called to say that the Ramseys were asking about burial. His appearance raised an important question that was not addressed: Why were the Ramseys already communicating through the DAs people rather than directly to the investigating detectives? That indicated they were talking through a private lawyer, and with the strong links between the DAs office and the defense attorneys in Boulder, that could only mean trouble for the police.
Eller told Hofstrom that Koby, the coroner, and he had decided to hold the body for further evidentiary tests, and thought no more of it.
His attention at the moment was focused on setting up formal Q-and-A sessions with the Ramseys. The police expected that both the Ramseys would want to cooperate as soon as possible in the hunt for the killer of their child. We had hundreds of questions, questions only they could answer, because the situation had changed so dramatically from the time police first arrived on the scene of what had been thought to be a kidnapping. Eller assigned Detective Arndt to arrange a formal interview.
A short time later an agitated Pete Hofstrom came into Ellers office.
Pete, we need to talk to the Ramseys, the commander told the prosecutor.
You cant ransom the body for an interview, Hofstrom shot back.
We are not ransoming the body. Its just premature to release it.
You cant ransom the body, Hofstrom repeated, as if he had not heard Ellers words.
Im not suggesting that, the commander said, laying out the forensic and evidentiary concerns.
You cant ransom the body, Hofstrom insisted for a third time.
Eller grew irritable. Pete, they are unrelated issues. Go make your deal with them, thats what you do. We need an interview.
We would later learn that Hofstrom went to see Mike Bynum, who was already representing the Ramseys behind the scenes, and announced, Weve got a problem. We was the word that shook us.
JonBenet: Inside the Ramsey Murder Investigation, Steve Thomas, pages 51 52
Jim Kolars account:
Investigative files revealed that Eller had not even considered this option until Saturday, December 28th, around the time that non-testimonial evidence was being collected from the immediate family. Even then, it was reported that his thoughts of holding on to the body of JonBenét was not for the intention of holding her for ransom in exchange for a family interview, but to determine if there were any other forensic examinations that could have
been conducted that would help shed light on the mechanics of her murder.
Foreign Faction, Who Really Kidnapped JonBenet, James Kolar, page 319
