This is my logic.
There is simply no way that Asa is not a witness.
If she is not guilty of any crimes at all, the downside for her testifying to what she knows for her is she is testifying against her own husband and the father of her daughter-not pleasant but better than...
If she is a culpable witness, she very likely is a whole lot less culpable than Rex. Therefore, the risk for her being charged with crimes, but that risk goes down dramatically if the prosecutors think you can help them, and are partially victimized into committing crimes. The risk is testifying against yourself with all its shame, plus the same problems above.
What does Rex want? To be acquitted. One witness he has some control over is his wife. How would he exercise that control? 1) Scare her into thinking she is going to jail if she testifies, if she could be led to believe that. 2) appeal to her love to her husband and daughter. 3) Remind her that you won't be earning money in jail, but if she is the right kind of witness, my lawyers friend can get you a cool million 4) tell everyone she's crazy, sick, checked out, and otherwise discredit her testimony.
What did the pre-task force power structure want more than anything? To avoid solving crimes such as LISK. Are those pre-task force people gone? No, but they are weakened. How are they exerting their influence? By trying to slow the roll against Rex Heuermann.
As Betty pointed out, nobody is claiming that Shannan's murder was by Rex Heuermann. But it is very clear that for whatever reason, the people who do not want LISK solved also do not want Shannan's murder solved. John Ray is doggedly on the side of justice. And, BTW, the purpose of civil suits is not just money. It is a way an ordinary citizen has access to courts and judges and taking depositions. This, IMO, was the main reason behind John Ray's wrongful death action. Because of that action, we have depositions from Oak Beach residents and, most importantly, Shannan's 911 call. The civil action was John Ray's access to those things. As he pointed out, the guy he's suing does not have money; he's not after the money. He's after information about murder in a county where there is a well-documented history of actively avoiding solving murders.
Enter Macedonio, the transactional man who owes his ability to practice to the exact people who obstructed justice so explicitly that they were (or are) incarcerated.
What can he do to help his felon friends? He can do damage control. He can interfere with a very important witness, Asa Ellerup. He can discredit her testimony by saying she's crazy. He can fail to mention negotiating mercy or clemency, if she even needed it, and instead just threaten her with prosecution.
And he can discredit John Ray, the person who doggedly and without financial gain has fought the power structure of Suffolk County in an effort to solve murders.
Don't believe it when you hear anything discrediting Asa's ability to see, hear, and think about the things around her. And ask yourself if in fact John Ray has been wrong about anything before believing those who dismiss him.
May the task force remain strong. Thank you, Rodney Harrison. And justice for Shannan; may her murderer be identified. Justice for Maureen, Melissa, Megan, Amber, Sandra, and Jessica.
MOO
