Hello CricketFern, I am just now answering your long list of questions because I have been in beautiful Maui for a quick trip - not because I cannot or will not (even though all of this had been answered several times by me in these threads).
1) I think it is a common reaction among families of suicide victims to initially reject suicide as the cause of death of their loved one, so MZ-L's comment doesn't surprise me in the least. Furthermore, given just the barest facts - her sister was found naked, hanging from a balcony, with her hands tied behind her back and her feet tied together, I think her reaction was absolutely natural. Also, IIRC didn't Mary speak to Rebecca by phone earlier in the evening - and there was no hint of desperation or depression? I can certainly see how she would not be accepting of a suicide claim. I would certainly not call this a "Rush to Judgement" by any stretch.
Yes, it is very common for families of suicide victims to not want to believe that their loved one could hurt them so much. Many people who plan to commit suicide talk about the future, make plans, and do not seem depressed or desperate. When someone really wants to die, they do not give hints. They also make sure they will make no mistakes - thus, Rebecca binding her ankles and wrists so that she couldn't try to save herself at the last minute.
Mary Loehner-Zahau came out in the media saying she would
never believe it was suicide just
eight days into the investigation. Was she trying to influence LE? Influence the public? No matter how much
evidence LE had to prove Rebecca did it, she would not believe it. That is indeed a rush to judgement.
2) How exactly have Mary and her family "tortured and tormented" the Shacknai and Romano families. I was under the impression - perhaps erroneously - that contact between the parties was limited. I also remember reading, though it may have been inaccurate, that JS said at Rebecca's funeral that he didn't believe Rebecca had killed herself.
This is what Jonah said at Rebecca's funeral:
Jennifer Jasionowski, who was friends with Rebecca for years before her death, said she was mourning her friend when Jonah Shacknai approached her at the funeral and struck-up a conversation.
When we said we didnt think that she would have committed suicide, Jonah agreed with us
and said, Yeah, I wouldnt think that either. I guess you never know,' Jasionowski told RadarOnline.com.
Jasionowski says she asked Shacknai if he knew of anyone that wanted to hurt him and he replied no
and he told her they were unsure what had even happened with his 6-year-old son Max, who suffered a terrible accident while under Rebeccas care, and subsequently died just days later.
http://radaronline.com/exclusives/2...-friend-didnt-think-she-would-commit-suicide/
Jonah, the person who had spoken to Rebecca the most in those 40 hours in-between Max's accident and her death, did not seem to believe any of her various stories about the accident.
The Zahaus could have asked their followers to quit spreading lies, the Zahaus could have not gone to the media thousands of times to accuse grieving parents and relatives of a dead little boy of murder. If they truly did not believe the results, spreading lies in the press is not the way you go about it. But these things - all these lies - are what they want out there - and in my opinion, they have done it to try get a payout to stop it, or if that failed, to influence anyone that might be on the jury in a Civil case. And they have done this when their accused are in the middle of a horrible tragedy - Rebecca's suicide, and the death of Max because of Rebecca's negligence or worse.
3) I would disagree, as do most of the others who have followed the case and reviewed the evidence, that the "evidence is clear" that Rebecca committed suicide - I believe the EVIDENCE supports just the opposite. The jury (so to speak) is still out on this one.
Just because there are more people on this forum that say it was murder, that isn't so in the general population. Most people trust investigators and know that 7 weeks is a long investigation. Most people know a conspiracy to let Jonah off because he is wealthy is ludicris. The jury selection will make sure there are people that believe in science on the panel that are capable of understanding the
physical evidence that proves Rebecca did indeed commit suicide.
4) I do agree that it is quite possible that Mary knows more about Max's accident. I would expect XZ to have told her sister details about that day that have never been made public - like who exactly was in the house at the time, what the timeline of the day was, when it was decided that she and the other kids would leave. There are many questions which I still have about the incident and in my own mind it is not clear how it happened or who was responsible. I do think the two deaths are linked. But I will ask this - if M thought Rebecca or XZ were responsible do you really think she and her family would be so insistent that the entire case be re-examined?
Only Rebecca and XZ were in the house that day. That is what Rebecca, the adult in charge told LE. That is on the reports of the Coronado Police that came to the scene.
Mary began her smoke-screen campaign just 8 days into the investigation. She wanted the story
away from what really happened to Max, and wanted to make $ from the tragedy. XZ has nothing to worry about - the only other witness that was there that day is dead. Only XZ knows what really happened and I suppose, she will take it to the grave with her.
5) Are there any letters or public comments that state that Mary ever expected to benefit from the Shacknai fortune? I am not aware of any such statements but apparently you are so please share how you know this.
When she came out 8 days into the investigation to say she would
never believe it was suicide, that was clue #1. Retaining Celebrity Lawyer Anne Bremner is #2. Digging up Rebecca and going on a sensational, Sweeps Week show, and having her sister's autopsy done in a way that could
not be used in a criminal court is #3.
6) How exactly is the Zahau family trying to "frame" anyone? Surely, an accusation is not the same as framing anyone. Are you suggested that the Zahau's tampered with the evidence somehow? Or that some one tampered with the evidence or the scene on the Zahah's behalf. I guess I don't know what you mean by this comment.
Read the "Ask a Lawyer" thread. One of the posters seems to be Mary, or someone posting for Mary and is asking about scenerio after scenerio and what story will work in Civil court. They even ask, "If it
was suicide, how can we
still GET THEM and make $$$?" (my paraphrasing)
The Zahaus
have tampered with evidence as we learned from their deposition questions - it is not just an accusation. Mary took the phone - key evidence - to Germany, and XZ has been studying her 911 call with the help of her sleazy lawyer.
7) Lastly, I agree with you that the loss of Max was a "sudden, tragic loss". However, that occurred AFTER Rebecca's death, not before. When Rebecca died Max was still alive, albeit gravely ill. If you don't feel that those who support the Zahau's cause have sympathy for the loss of that child then you clearly have not read the posts very carefully and on this point I can assure you that you are unequivocally wrong.
If these posters had any empathy for Max's death, they would not say the vicious, unscrupulous, untrue, and vile things they have about his parents. Period.
it is helpful and fun.
