Many of you already know who these creatures are, but just in case - here are summaries: Joran van der Sloot is the Dutch teenager who was arrested but never convicted of being involved in the death of Natalee Holloway. He is now suspected of brutally killing Stephany Flores Ramirez in a hotel room in Lima, Peru almost exactly five years later. John Mark Karr is the man who confessed to the 1996 death of child beauty queen Jon Benet Ramsey but was released for lack of DNA evidence. He is now being sought out for death threats against a former student.
While many people want to write-off these guys as just “nuts," I am much more concerned. Joran van der Sloot has shown that he will likely continue to kill and will continue to confess. Karr, whether you believe is confessions about Jon Benet or not (he still maintains he is responsible), is equally dangerous, if not more so. Karr is obsessed with little girls. How do I know? He says so in his writings, he had child pornography on his computer, he is known to associate with “pedo” groups, he scared ABC’s Good Morning America producers in 2006. When he was in touring his old neighborhood via limo he suddenly had the limo stop so could approach a school where he used to teach. According to Jeffrey Schneider, senior vice president of ABC News, "his behavior gave us serious pause, and ABC decided not to proceed with the interview." I have much more evidence, but I think you get the point.
Now we are hearing from brave people like my client, Samantha Spiegel, who is willing to come forward on National television to confirm Karr is dangerous. Samantha admits that she thought about recruiting young children for Karr who requested she do so (note: she never actually did it). While Samantha has been the only person who has come forward as of late, there are others out there who either have been approached by Karr to help facilitate his desires - to live in a Manson-esque type of family with little children all around servicing him. As law enforcement gets wind of his alleged sex cult recruitment of little girls he changes the name from "The Immaculates" to the “The Protectors.”
John Mark Karr is no dummy. He stays very close to the line of the law and works hard to have others do the crime so he can stay hidden and elusive. While many think that the case is now behind us (because he was served with the restraining order), I am sure his name will continue to bubble in the news. I am most grateful to San Francisco Police Department who worked diligently with my amazing personal team of investigators for finding him and serving him before he slithered off to unknown places once again.
My big question: how is it that these two men were roaming free to continue to prey on women and children? What is the flaw in our justice system that cannot get these men convicted and put away for their initial crimes? In the case of van der Sloot, why wasn’t he prosecuted for extortion right away? I mean the crime was committed the second the money was exchanged. Perhaps if he was in prison there would not have been a crime against Stephany Flores. I hope the Peruvian criminal justice system brings swift and unyielding justice to the family of Stephany Flores Ramirez (and perhaps some peace to the Holloway family). And I dearly hope that our State of California does justice in my client's case again John Mark Karr. I hope the news that we hear of him is NOT that he harmed another woman, child, or person.
But the safety of future victims should not rest on my hopes alone. The justice system should and must work. We should demand it does so that the van der Sloots and Karrs of the world don't reappear in the news in another five years - or sooner.
But the safety of future victims should not rest on my hopes alone. The justice system should and must work. We should demand it does so that the van der Sloots and Karrs of the world don't reappear in the news in another five years - or sooner.
It is often the case that when crimes are reported and even when the evidence is presented it is difficult to get immediate intervention. We work with the human trafficking laws which are now 10 years old and yet, for many reasons, getting from evidence to charges is a long rocky road and sometimes the charges never come.
ReplyDeleteWhat makes the difference is groups and individual voices in the community speaking about what they will not tolerate. Individuals can make demands to elected officials and law enforcement- they work for you. However, if you remain silent they cannot hear you. If there is not an outcry we will continue to hear about Karr and van der Sloot and others like them and lose more beautiful and loved Natalies and Stephanys.
Write, email, fax, blog and publish!
Thanks Robin!