Whites to Pursue Libel Case

Discussion in 'Justice for JonBenet Discussion - Public Forum' started by LurkerXIV, Oct 23, 2002.

  1. LurkerXIV

    LurkerXIV Moderator

    From the Boulder Camera, Oct. 23, 2002

    Libel case continues against Camera

    Couple says article falsely implicated them in sex ring

    By Christine Reid, Camera Staff Writer
    October 23, 2002

    A second request was made on Tuesday by the Boulder County District
    Attorney's Office for a special prosecutor to review a case that alleges
    criminal libel by the Daily Camera and other media in their coverage of the
    unsolved slaying of JonBenet Ramsey.

    Chief District Judge Roxanne Bailin terminated the investigation into the
    criminal libel case in October 2000, she said, at the request of Fleet White
    Jr. and Priscilla White. However, the Whites said they made no such appeal.

    District Attorney Mary Keenan said the new motion came at the request of
    the Whites, who tried to get the state Attorney General's Office involved in the
    investigation to no avail. The motion states it had not been the Whites' intent
    to place their matter in a "dead end" with special prosecutors.

    "Our position is someone needs to look at it," Keenan said.

    The Whites were friends of John and Patsy Ramsey — the parents of the
    6-year-old whose strangled body was discovered Dec. 26, 1996, in the
    basement of her family's home.

    The Whites asked Boulder police to investigate the Daily Camera for
    publishing a story in February 2000 in which a California woman said she
    was abused in a child sex abuse ring in a manner similar to the way
    JonBenet died. Other media also published reports about the unidentified
    37-year-old woman after the Camera's article ran.

    The Whites claim that the California woman falsely implicated their family of
    being connected to the sex ring.

    The case was assigned to the Pueblo district attorney because of a conflict
    of interest with the Boulder County District Attorney's Office, and shortly after
    terminated.

    The statute of limitations on the case expires Feb. 25, 2003, according to
    court records.

    Prosecutor Bill Nagel, who filed the motion Tuesday, said it would be up to
    Judge Bailin to determine who, if anyone, would be appointed as a new
    special prosecutor.

    "We are puzzled by this action since the court has ruled previously. Still, we
    look forward to putting this matter to rest," said Colleen Conant, the
    Camera's editor and publisher.

    The Whites did not return a call from the Camera.
     
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