The 1997 CNN Interview

[cynic]

Thank you so much Cynic. I hate to say this, but I have never read any of the books on this case...lol. They are on my list for Santa, and he assures me that I have been a very good girl this year.

The “big three” are certainly important to read. I’m sure you will enjoy PMPT and IRMI.
DOI, well… you may have to stop a number of times due to intense waves of nausea, but it does serve to give some insight into the Ramseys.

Again thank you, I begin to wonder if you just have well kept records or if you're really a computer (LOL) Just kidding.

You're welcome and, BTW, I prefer to be regarded as a well organized hoarder :biggrin:

 

[RTC]

I read something on another thread and now I cant find it. It is regarding the Ramseys going on tv and the comparisons to other murdered children's parents reactions. The thing that sits odd for me, is most parents on tv are pleading for the return of their children,these children are MISSING, these parents are hoping to engage the public in finding and saving their childs life. Immediate action and public assistance is necessary. Is there another case where the parents find their murdered child and go on tv within days and before talking with the police? What was the purpose? To scare the community? couldnt the police and media do this for them? How was this interview by them going to help find the killer? Why did they feel the need to go on national tv when they already knew the fate of their daughter?

 

[eileenhawkeye]

I read something on another thread and now I cant find it. It is regarding the Ramseys going on tv and the comparisons to other murdered children's parents reactions. The thing that sits odd for me, is most parents on tv are pleading for the return of their children,these children are MISSING, these parents are hoping to engage the public in finding and saving their childs life. Immediate action and public assistance is necessary. Is there another case where the parents find their murdered child and go on tv within days and before talking with the police? What was the purpose? To scare the community? couldnt the police and media do this for them? How was this interview by them going to help find the killer? Why did they feel the need to go on national tv when they already knew the fate of their daughter?

Erin Runnion went on Larry King Live eleven days after Samantha was found murdered and six days after her killer was arrested. She did speak to LE before going on LKL however but I'm just putting her name out there because she's also someone who went on national TV when I guess you could say there was no reason for it. Both her and the Ramseys were criticized for being on television "too soon" after their children were murdered.

Personally, I don't see the problem with Erin or John and Patsy going on CNN. I don't like that John and Patsy didn't speak to LE first but if I'm just judging their CNN interview, it doesn't seem like that big of a deal to me. Their story was that an unknown intruder had killed JonBenet so going on TV to tell people that they are offering a reward and telling people what exactly happened makes sense to me. You say that there's no point in the Ramseys being on TV because JonBenet was dead but then what's the point of having shows like AMW or Unsolved Mysteries?

I am RDI so I do believe that the Ramseys going on CNN was just part of their intruder story. It makes sense to me why someone whose child was murdered by some unknown intruder would want to get the word out about their child. Since the Ramseys wanted people to think that they were one of those people, then I can see why they accepted CNN's invitation to go on the show.

I think the interview really was intended to get the public to side with the Ramseys by believing that JonBenet was killed by an intruder in the basement. I think it backfired on them.

 

[SunnieRN]

The R's also stated they were encouraged by their friends to go on tv/CNN. They said their riends pressured them, as they were being ocused upon by the BPD.

 

[RTC]

Hmm thanks for the info. I live near where S Runnion is from. I think her Mom went on tv to thank all those that helped in this tragedy and bring praise to the truly amazing child witness and police work. It was not self serving. It was after resolution. I can not mentally compare the two.

 

[joeskidbeck]

If you've ever stopped and thought about it, everything the Ramseys did, they claim was because their friends or their legal defense told them to. They do not take credit for any of their actions.

 

[eileenhawkeye]

I have heard criticism of the Ramseys's CNN interview since it was the day after JonBenet's funeral. Many people found it strange that they would go on national TV so soon after such a traumatic event. I brought up Erin Runnion because she also went on national TV the day after Samantha's funeral. Their motives were different but they both received the same criticism for appearing on TV "too soon" after their daughters had been murdered.

 

[joeskidbeck]

Why is it that I can still feel Erin Runnion's pain from that interview and I have never felt if from the Ramseys? Maybe if it had been Patsy alone I could have felt her pain, but with John sitting there, for me, it was impossible to ignore him. I never felt he was in pain unless he was talking about Beth and she had been dead, what, 4 years? Where was his pain for JonBenet? I know he was not such a hard man that he didn't feel pain. It was evident when he spoke of Beth.

 

[Agatha_C]

Why is it that I can still feel Erin Runnion's pain from that interview and I have never felt if from the Ramseys? Maybe if it had been Patsy alone I could have felt her pain, but with John sitting there, for me, it was impossible to ignore him. I never felt he was in pain unless he was talking about Beth and she had been dead, what, 4 years? Where was his pain for JonBenet? I know he was not such a hard man that he didn't feel pain. It was evident when he spoke of Beth.

Beck, you are so right, Erin Runnion and the Rs are apples and oranges. When Runnion spoke/speaks about her baby, she tells happy stories and shares loving memories; she even says her name and every time she does, you see the pain.

The two stories do however have some similarities, but not many. One child was actually abducted without ransom note and with witness. She was found away from her home, by a stranger, on the side of the rode, naked. There was clear cut DNA that led to the arrest and conviction of a killer. There is a foundation in honor of her life, started by her family (PSA_Samantha Runnion_The Joyful Child Foundation.... Youtube) or http://www.thejoyfulchild.org/

When the Rs were asked about Jonbenet she was either a handful or a spark plug, usually JR turned the topic to Beth and how hard her death was for him. Their stories were always about their treatment by the press or LE and not the treatment of their dead child, by some unknown child murdering pedophile. Like Tricia, I wonder where JBs foundation is now and what its done lately to make a difference? Another question I would ask JR, how is it Mr. R, that you had to withdraw the reward money for your childs killer, but you had 80,000.00 for your failed political campaign.

Yeah Beck, I'm with you. Two very different CNN interviews for two very different cases, given by vastly different parents.. IMO, and Eileen, I understand what you're saying and I respect it, but I read it differently...:crazy:

 

[eileenhawkeye]

The only comparison I was making between Erin Runnion and John and Patsy Ramsey were they were all parents who went on national TV very shortly after their daughters were found murdered. I am not comparing the murders of Samantha and JonBenet or the reactions by Erin and John and Patsy. I'm not analyzing the motives or the emotions in the interviews. Erin, John, and Patsy may have had different motives but that does not change the fact that they all appeared on CNN shortly after losing their daughters.

I don't see how the situations are different just because one parent showed more emotion and pain than the others. Both went on CNN the day after the funerals for their daughters. That's where the similarities end but you can't deny that statement. To say that it's okay that Erin went on CNN right after Samantha was murdered because she showed raw emotion but it's not okay that the Ramseys went on CNN right after JonBenet was murdered because of her distant they acted isn't really fair. Criticizing how the Ramseys acted during the CNN interview and criticizing the actual act of going on CNN is very different.

Anyway, I never understood why the Ramseys never showed the emotions that other murdered children's parents do. If JonBenet was killed accidentally, wouldn't that still cause them unimaginable pain? I just don't understand their reaction to her death.

 

[Agatha_C]

Eileen, I was not trying to make argument with my comparison of the two families and cases, I was in fact addressing Beck and sharing my thoughts.

However, I do see the two interviews as vastly different from each other. With the Runnion case, the parents were ruled out as suspect early on. Le on that case had put out a warning to parents about strangers and watching their children closer. There was a man hunt for a now known child predator/killer. The Rs were too traumatized to talk to LE, yet had no problem talking to CNN. The Rs being under the umbrella of suspicion at the time, looked far more desperate then sad IMO. It made them look guilty, he looked like he needed another drink and she needed to sleep or back off the skittles...

Again Eileen, I really didnt mean for it too seem like I was being aggressive, I was just sharing some thoughts. I do respect your opinion about this and I can understand what you're saying. In fact, it wasn't all that long ago, that I would have said exactly the same thing. So peace friend, I get you....

 

[MurriFlower]

The only comparison I was making between Erin Runnion and John and Patsy Ramsey were they were all parents who went on national TV very shortly after their daughters were found murdered. I am not comparing the murders of Samantha and JonBenet or the reactions by Erin and John and Patsy. I'm not analyzing the motives or the emotions in the interviews. Erin, John, and Patsy may have had different motives but that does not change the fact that they all appeared on CNN shortly after losing their daughters.

I don't see how the situations are different just because one parent showed more emotion and pain than the others. Both went on CNN the day after the funerals for their daughters. That's where the similarities end but you can't deny that statement. To say that it's okay that Erin went on CNN right after Samantha was murdered because she showed raw emotion but it's not okay that the Ramseys went on CNN right after JonBenet was murdered because of her distant they acted isn't really fair. Criticizing how the Ramseys acted during the CNN interview and criticizing the actual act of going on CNN is very different.

Anyway, I never understood why the Ramseys never showed the emotions that other murdered children's parents do. If JonBenet was killed accidentally, wouldn't that still cause them unimaginable pain? I just don't understand their reaction to her death.

Eileen I'm usually the first to say that I don't want to discuss other murders (mostly because I'm not familiar with them), but when comparing lack of emotion, the parents of Azaria Chamberlain (especially her mother) were criticised for being interviewed on TV so soon after, and also for showing little emotion. People felt that there was something suspicious about a mother who could discuss the details of the probable dismemberment of her child by a dingo with cold detatchment. If there was one thing that convinced people that they were probably her killers, it was this interview and their general failure to show emotion right at the beginning. No one could understand this reaction to their daughter's horrible death either. The subsequent discovery of an item of Azaria's clothing near a dingo's den, cleared the parent(s) as having been her murderer(s) and established that the baby was most likely taken by a dingo, just as her mother stated. However, by this time, the mother had been convicted of her murder and had spent several years in jail.

 

[BBB167893]

Beck, you are so right, Erin Runnion and the Rs are apples and oranges. When Runnion spoke/speaks about her baby, she tells happy stories and shares loving memories; she even says her name and every time she does, you see the pain.

The two stories do however have some similarities, but not many. One child was actually abducted without ransom note and with witness. She was found away from her home, by a stranger, on the side of the rode, naked. There was clear cut DNA that led to the arrest and conviction of a killer. There is a foundation in honor of her life, started by her family (PSA_Samantha Runnion_The Joyful Child Foundation.... Youtube) or http://www.thejoyfulchild.org/

When the Rs were asked about Jonbenet she was either a handful or a spark plug, usually JR turned the topic to Beth and how hard her death was for him. Their stories were always about their treatment by the press or LE and not the treatment of their dead child, by some unknown child murdering pedophile. Like Tricia, I wonder where JBs foundation is now and what its done lately to make a difference? Another question I would ask JR, how is it Mr. R, that you had to withdraw the reward money for your childs killer, but you had 80,000.00 for your failed political campaign.

Yeah Beck, I'm with you. Two very different CNN interviews for two very different cases, given by vastly different parents.. IMO, and Eileen, I understand what you're saying and I respect it, but I read it differently...:crazy:

Apples and oranges, nothing! It's night-and-day.

I keep thinking about Susan Smith for some reason: going on tv to plead for her boys' safe return, when she knew full-well they were dead.

 

[DeeDee249]

Apples and oranges, nothing! It's night-and-day.

I keep thinking about Susan Smith for some reason: going on tv to plead for her boys' safe return, when she knew full-well they were dead.

And so convincingly, too.

 

[Ames]

And so convincingly, too.

I knew that girl was lying...she didn't shed a tear!!

 

[joeskidbeck]

Did anyone catch JVM last night? She had a special on parents of murdered children. Well, mostly murdered as Edward Smart was also on and his daughter came home alive. I cried for the whole hour. There is also a part two tonight. I have to wonder if John is ever invited to these type shows? It would be interesting to know if he is. If he is and doesn't accept the invite, I wonder why. If he isn't invited, I would like to know why as well.

 

[SunnieRN]

That show was the epitome of differences in the R's in comparison to other parents who had gone through the horrific murders of their children.

Every parent on that show, made their lives an open book, allowing LE to clear them, so the case could move forward.

They didn't play the games of smoke and mirrors, that the R's did. Heck, Burke and John still are. Burke has been told he is not a suspect and they just want to talk to him about whether or not he remembers anything and as an adult, he wont even do that.

"Smile and wave boys, just smile and wave', as a few famous penguins would say.

 

[fr brown]

I watched a panel of behavior analysts this morning discussing "the punishment question" in relation to another case. It reminded me that when Ramseys were asked what should happen to the person who killed JonBenet, Patsy had done something that struck me as unusual. John was forceful and said that he wanted the person punished to the fullest extent. When Patsy's turn came, she couldn't get any words out, her face contorted and she nodded. Crying for the poor intruder?

 

[fr brown]

I watched a panel of behavior analysts this morning discussing "the punishment question" in relation to another case. It reminded me that when Ramseys were asked what should happen to the person who killed JonBenet, Patsy had done something that struck me as unusual. John was forceful and said that he wanted the persq aaon punished to the fullest extent. When Patsy's turn came, she couldn't get any words out, her face contorted and she nodded. Crying for the poor intruder?

Listening to the panel, I realized that "the punishment question" is something their lawyers would have prepared the Ramseys for and Patsy was no doubt supposed to deliver remarks the same way John did.