I find it hard to imagine either parent would have willingly cooperated with the other to cover up JonBenet's murder to begin with for the sake of the other parent. (You are not talking about two people who had a history of amoral behavior.) But, even if they did decide to take part in the coverup, what made them continue on with the lie? If Patsy did it, why wouldn't someone now tell the truth and free the rest of them from suspicion? Or, on her deathbed, why not finally clear her name? The only person I could see them working together and staying united to continue to protect is BR. And I do not think sticking him in a facility or allowing his reputation to be tarnished in any way, was ever an option.
Admitting Patsy did this would not absolve John and Burke from anything. Their silence over 20 years would have allowed a murderer to escape punishment for her crime. Nobody in that family was innocent. They were all complicit in maintaining the lie. They have all spent the last 20 years denying, suing anybody that suggested otherwise, and ruining lives and careers as the went. Pinning this on a dead Patsy would do nothing for them but lose the respect of the few uninformed supporters the still have.
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