MN - Jacob Wetterling, 11, St. Joseph, 22 Oct 1989 - #3

[shergal]

Short article in the St. Cloud Times today on St. Boniface school adding an "assistant" to DR's classes. Not really any new information, but some of the locals have comments and DR himself says he understands parent's concerns.

http://www.sctimes.com/article/2010...t-to-class-of-Wetterling--person-of-interest-

 

[Trino]

Short article in the St. Cloud Times today on St. Boniface school adding an "assistant" to DR's classes. Not really any new information, but some of the locals have comments and DR himself says he understands parent's concerns.

http://www.sctimes.com/article/2010...t-to-class-of-Wetterling--person-of-interest-

The story states that Rocori will NOT have anyone in the classroom, while St. Boniface will do so. Apparently, DR will be at both schools.

Most of the comments are favorable to DR.

 

[shergal]

The story states that Rocori will NOT have anyone in the classroom, while St. Boniface will do so. Apparently, DR will be at both schools.

Most of the comments are favorable to DR.

There was also a letter to the editor in today's paper by a running friend of DR's named Ron Stock.

Here's a link to the letter and comments:
Show your evidence or let Rassier live his life
“Innocent until proven guilty.” This is the law.

My friend Dan Rassier has been getting unfairly bashed in the news lately. Instead of getting better, it has been getting worse. It is time for it to stop.
Dan is connected to the Jacob Wetterling case because more than 50 years ago he was born into a family who lives on a farm in St. Joseph. That farm is near the place where Wetterling was abducted. That is the only reason Dan is connected to this case.

If anyone has more information connecting Dan, or anyone, to this case, they should give it to the sheriff’s department. If they only have unfounded, wild accusations, keep it to themselves.

I have run side by side with Dan on nine-mile training runs. I have visited with him at local races. I have eaten meals with him. I have seen him volunteer to play his trumpet at local races as a way of encouraging the runners, and I have seen him play at Christmas time to help with the celebrations. Every time I have seen Dan, I have enjoyed talking with him. Never once did he give me the feeling that he is anything other than a decent, good- hearted, honest human being.

Dan is a good man. I don’t just say that he is a good man because he is my friend, but rather, he is my friend because he is a good man. Please allow him his right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

Here's the link to this letter - and all the comments (some favorable / some not so much):

http://www.sctimes.com/article/2010...ow-your-evidence-or-let-Rassier-live-his-life

If you click on "Last" under the comments, then you can read them in the order they were sent in.

 

[kemo]

Interesting letter and comments. DR has plenty of supporter but many doubters as well. The one thing that I was looking for, and didn't find was some "suggestion" that LE had some "additional" information that had not been made public. Under the circumstances, if what we know is all they have, LE and the local paper seemed to be way out of line in naming him the way they did. I have no idea what his legal rights are in the matter.

 

[Donjeta]

Stearns County Sheriff John Sanner said he couldn’t comment on whether Rassier poses a threat to students and it would be inappropriate to speculate. He said it’s a decision that each individual must make.

Hmm, that's rather useless IMO. Both for Mr. Rassier and for the parents. He's leaving them both in the lurch. If even the sheriff who knows what evidence, if any, there is against him can't speculate how the heck is "each individual" going to make the decision in any kind of rational manner?

http://www.sctimes.com/article/2010...t-to-class-of-Wetterling--person-of-interest-

 

[human]

Interesting letter and comments. DR has plenty of supporter but many doubters as well. The one thing that I was looking for, and didn't find was some "suggestion" that LE had some "additional" information that had not been made public. Under the circumstances, if what we know is all they have, LE and the local paper seemed to be way out of line in naming him the way they did. I have no idea what his legal rights are in the matter.

wouldn't he have to show some monetary loss? He has retained his position in the schools. So where is any financial loss that he would have?

 

[MCDRAW]

There was also a letter to the editor in today's paper by a running friend of DR's named Ron Stock.

Here's a link to the letter and comments:
Show your evidence or let Rassier live his life
“Innocent until proven guilty.” This is the law.

My friend Dan Rassier has been getting unfairly bashed in the news lately. Instead of getting better, it has been getting worse. It is time for it to stop.
Dan is connected to the Jacob Wetterling case because more than 50 years ago he was born into a family who lives on a farm in St. Joseph. That farm is near the place where Wetterling was abducted. That is the only reason Dan is connected to this case.

If anyone has more information connecting Dan, or anyone, to this case, they should give it to the sheriff’s department. If they only have unfounded, wild accusations, keep it to themselves.

I have run side by side with Dan on nine-mile training runs. I have visited with him at local races. I have eaten meals with him. I have seen him volunteer to play his trumpet at local races as a way of encouraging the runners, and I have seen him play at Christmas time to help with the celebrations. Every time I have seen Dan, I have enjoyed talking with him. Never once did he give me the feeling that he is anything other than a decent, good- hearted, honest human being.

Dan is a good man. I don’t just say that he is a good man because he is my friend, but rather, he is my friend because he is a good man. Please allow him his right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

Here's the link to this letter - and all the comments (some favorable / some not so much):

http://www.sctimes.com/article/2010...ow-your-evidence-or-let-Rassier-live-his-life

If you click on "Last" under the comments, then you can read them in the order they were sent in.

I don't find him suspect because he lived near where Jacob was taken. I find it highly suspicious that a teacher would not try and help look for Jacob when he found out he was missing instead he has to go back in and get some sleep. I would hope any good person would want to help look for a missing child. The fact that he couldn't be bothered doesn't make him look like a good hearted man, IMO. Then you have his comments. So I believe that DR has made himself look guilty. Whether he is or not remains to be seen.

 

[margaret_diane]

There was also a letter to the editor in today's paper by a running friend of DR's named Ron Stock.

Here's a link to the letter and comments:
Show your evidence or let Rassier live his life
“Innocent until proven guilty.” This is the law.

My friend Dan Rassier has been getting unfairly bashed in the news lately. Instead of getting better, it has been getting worse. It is time for it to stop.
Dan is connected to the Jacob Wetterling case because more than 50 years ago he was born into a family who lives on a farm in St. Joseph. That farm is near the place where Wetterling was abducted. That is the only reason Dan is connected to this case.

If anyone has more information connecting Dan, or anyone, to this case, they should give it to the sheriff’s department. If they only have unfounded, wild accusations, keep it to themselves.

I have run side by side with Dan on nine-mile training runs. I have visited with him at local races. I have eaten meals with him. I have seen him volunteer to play his trumpet at local races as a way of encouraging the runners, and I have seen him play at Christmas time to help with the celebrations. Every time I have seen Dan, I have enjoyed talking with him. Never once did he give me the feeling that he is anything other than a decent, good- hearted, honest human being.

Dan is a good man. I don’t just say that he is a good man because he is my friend, but rather, he is my friend because he is a good man. Please allow him his right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

Here's the link to this letter - and all the comments (some favorable / some not so much):

http://www.sctimes.com/article/2010...ow-your-evidence-or-let-Rassier-live-his-life

If you click on "Last" under the comments, then you can read them in the order they were sent in.

I AM NOT SAYING DR IS GUILTY JUST POINTING OUT THE PAINFULLY OBVIOUS:
- How many people do you think ate, talked with, worked with Paul Bernardo, and never had a gut feeling from him that something was amiss?

- How many people worked with and admired Col. Russ Williams (accused of murder in Ontario at present). He was an upstanding citizen by all accounts, and even his WIFE appears shocked at the allegations against him!

Sure, both people in my examples are charged (PB convicted) with crimes. BUT at some point, before they were suspects, they were ordinary citizens, admired and loved by those around them. Its nice that DR has supporters - and I hope they will never find out that their friend / loved one was involved!! But the reality is, no matter who we're discussing, you just never really KNOW who your neighbor / friend / loved one is.

 

[concentric]

I agree with you margaret diane.

I mentioned this early on this thread. Here's another seemingly normal, nice, good citizen: Altemio Sanchez, the Bike Path Rapist/Murderer who went undetected for I think almost 20 years.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/18/n...em&ex=1169269200&en=2547974d37c3b027&ei=5087

Some quotes from the above-listed article:

For decades, Mr. Sanchez had led an outwardly ordinary life, raising children he bragged about, playing golf and working steadily as a machinist at a factory on the outskirts of town.

Mr. Sanchez was friendly and thoughtful, offering his generator after a storm, or help installing heated gutters. He worked at the same job for 23 years, and seemed obsessive only about his gardening. As ordinary as they come.

Prosecutors are expected to bring charges to a grand jury on Thursday in the 1990 rape and strangulation of Linda Yalem, a sophomore at the State University at Buffalo, who was jogging on a bike path just off campus. In 1996, Mr. Sanchez was among the 1,548 people who entered the Linda Yalem Memorial Run, an annual 3.1-mile race that the police regularly videotaped for clues.
--------
more in article

 

[Trino]

DR has definitely had his reputation harmed. If LE finds nothing to implicate DR, I think they owe him an apology, but I'm guessing they will not apologize.

 

[human]

I think DR owes people an apology for not caring about Jacob. He couldn't be bothered to not go to bed when a child was missing.

He's an athlete and there was no school the next day. He is a teacher, for goodness sake. Someone who is supposed to care about kids. It boggles the mind. It truly does.

 

[shergal]

I have to agree with Mcdraw in post #147, DR has made himself look guilty by all his odd comments to media and his statement of "why waste my time" looking for a missing child. Now it seems DR is trying to blame media for making him look guilty.

 

[kemo]

This case reminds me of the Timothy Binder/"stalemate" case from the SF East Bay in the 1980's (worth googling if you're interested). LE made a highly publicized search of his home and named him as the Principle/only POI in the disappearances of four girls. He ended up with a 100K settlement and the case was never solved (and he was neither charged nor vindicated).

While the "circumstancia"l case against Binder was probably "stronger" than the case against DR, in both cases, it was down to the fact that they were the only suspects. Ironically, Bindner became a suspect due to his "excessive" efforts to find the missing children. I believe the plan was the same in both cases. Rattle his cage; make him think we are closing in; maybe he'll panic, make a mistake, rabbit, whatever.

 

[Trino]

I have to agree with Mcdraw in post #147, DR has made himself look guilty by all his odd comments to media and his statement of "why waste my time" looking for a missing child. Now it seems DR is trying to blame media for making him look guilty.

I have never heard DR blame the media. His brother did so, but I don't believe DR has.

 

[human]

This case reminds me of the Timothy Binder/"stalemate" case from the SF East Bay in the 1980's (worth googling if you're interested). LE made a highly publicized search of his home and named him as the Principle/only POI in the disappearances of four girls. He ended up with a 100K settlement and the case was never solved (and he was neither charged nor vindicated).

While the "circumstancia"l case against Binder was probably "stronger" than the case against DR, in both cases, it was down to the fact that they were the only suspects. Ironically, Bindner became a suspect due to his "excessive" efforts to find the missing children. I believe the plan was the same in both cases. Rattle his cage; make him think we are closing in; maybe he'll panic, make a mistake, rabbit, whatever.

1. The search at DR's was a little bit different as they hauled in digging equipment and ran the dirt through a lab. The cost of that is quite a bit different than searching a home.

If LE wanted to "harass" DR, which by the way is illegal, they could do it much more cheaply than that.

2. What would be a grounds for a lawsuit? DR is still employed so he is not suffering monetarily. Is he going to therapy? that would show mental distress.

I wonder if he could just go to therapy? I don't think so. I think that there would have to be shown a pattern of it affecting hie life, like staying in bed for days.

So what would be the basis for a law suit?

 

[kemo]

Binder didn't loose his job or otherwise suffer any monetary lose. He did not have the standing in the community that DR has and he had a history of "problems"with young girls. What got him his settlement was the fact that the Fairfield Police notified the media that they were doing a search of Tim's house relating to a high profile missing child case. Had they told no one, just done the search, Tims name would not have come up in the news.

The St. Cloud Times has run several articles that have covered DR's status as a POI. While I can't say they have said anything that was "untrue" or that would exagerate his status as a POI, they certainly made sure that everyone in the community knew about his status as a suspect.

In cases I am familiar with, the newspaper/TV news might report: "a search was executed at a local home. when asked if this was related to a missing child case, a Police spokesman said 'no comment' ". Only if some real "evidence" linking the POI to the crime was found would the name of the POI be given. From articles of the SC Times that I have found, this is how the 2005 search of DR's property was handled.

Does LE new "information" they are "holding back" or are they just "tightening the screws" on DR?

 

[margaret_diane]

I have never heard DR blame the media. His brother did so, but I don't believe DR has.

Have you a link to when his brother blamed the media (please and thank you?). I think I missed it. I read several articles where a man claiming to be DR's brother spoke out and noted the family's frustration with the on going searches of their property, and of DR, however, the person who spoke with the media refused to provide his name, and only claimed to be DR's brother. In my view, that could have been anybody at all who made those comments! If it truly were DR's brother, then why would he refuse to provide his name to media? What if it were DR himself?? Or a complete stranger? If you have a link to any media where a verified brother of DR's blamed the media, I sure would like to see it (no sarcasm intended, if its out there, i really would like to see it!).

Thanks.

 

[human]

Binder didn't loose his job or otherwise suffer any monetary lose. He did not have the standing in the community that DR has and he had a history of "problems"with young girls. What got him his settlement was the fact that the Fairfield Police notified the media that they were doing a search of Tim's house relating to a high profile missing child case. Had they told no one, just done the search, Tims name would not have come up in the news.

The St. Cloud Times has run several articles that have covered DR's status as a POI. While I can't say they have said anything that was "untrue" or that would exagerate his status as a POI, they certainly made sure that everyone in the community knew about his status as a suspect.

In cases I am familiar with, the newspaper/TV news might report: "a search was executed at a local home. when asked if this was related to a missing child case, a Police spokesman said 'no comment' ". Only if some real "evidence" linking the POI to the crime was found would the name of the POI be given. From articles of the SC Times that I have found, this is how the 2005 search of DR's property was handled.

Does LE new "information" they are "holding back" or are they just "tightening the screws" on DR?

I truly don't understand this.

Why would LE "tighten the screws" on someone? Why not pick some other person who has the history of abusing children then?

What would be the point of harassing Dr to the tune of huge sums of money?

 

[kemo]

"Tighten the screws" is a time worn LE method. It is based on the assumption that once a perp knows that LE knows he did it and will persue him relentlessly, he will panic and do something foolish that will give himself away. Obviously, they think he did it, or at least there is a good chance he did.

 

[shergal]

I have never heard DR blame the media. His brother did so, but I don't believe DR has.

He mentions the paper/media twice here:

Raasier said media attention has focused on him and put him in a negative light. He has received death threats and threatening e-mails, which he has reported to authorities, he said.

“What can you expect parents to do after law enforcement and the St. Cloud Times, after they have presented a lopsided, one-sided, incredibly impossible picture? What do you expect parents to do?” Rassier said Friday.