WITNESS: WHO KILLED JONBENET?
British documentary by Michael Tracey and David Mills
Aired in Great Britain on London's channel 4, 9-July-98

COMMENTS:

There were 16 of us, plus our host, who viewed the documentary. Six men, ten women. Many of us commented before the film was shown that we would try to keep an open mind. Many acknowledged that they wanted to pay close attention to body language. After the viewing 15 of us stated we felt one or both of the Ramseys either commited the murder, or knew exactly who did. Only one abstained, for reasons of ethical objectivity. He is a former journalist.

The video was of poor quality. Many time the Ramseys looked like aliens from outerspace with the visual distortions. John seemed cold, detached, distant. Patsy seemed to bob around way too much. Both seemed to be either shaking their head "no", or nodding"yes" at inappropriate times. When asked if he killed his daughter (I forget exact phrasing) he hesitated for a long time, appeared to squirm in his chair, and seemed to be evasive in his answer.

One of the viewers stated he produces public relation videos for a living and in his opinion, the interview answers were scripted and rehearsed, with more than one out-take. We thought this may be a reason why Tracey is reluctant to turn over all the footage to the DA's office.

Overall the film seemed to focus more on JR and him not being a sex abuser. All the testimonials were from his friends, family, or attorneys. Patsy had no one to support her.

I don't recall hearing JR talk about JBR's last day, riding her bike and the exchange about what they gave Burke for Christmas. It may have been in there, I just can't remember.

When I watched the May 1st media conference, I was really sucked into it and believed Patsy. In this documentary, she seemed very unconvincing. I think it's because she was so overdramatic in her responses.

It really made me angry that towards the end, JR indicated his desire to change the media, as if that were his goal in life. What happened to his sole mission of finding his daughter's killer???? Little was said about finding her killer, it was all "poor me".

The premise that the media is to blame was presented in a very lopsided manner. While some valid issues emerged, the running of unsubstantiated rumors... it tried to blame all the leaks on BPD and DA and conveniently forgot to mention how the Ramsey team also used the media.

I would love to see this shown in the US. I think it would do little to promote the Ramseys agenda, although some believe it will garner sympathy. I feel people will want to pick it apart rather than sit back and be sucked in. I don't know who would want to buy advertising during its showing. I know if I was a media buyer, I would turn it down. If they want it shown so badly in the US, they should give it away. And, I think they should turn over all the footage without question to the DA's office.

CHRONOLOGICAL NOTES:

The film opened with JonBenet performing her cowgirl song.
Voice over in British accent: "Guilty or not... modern day witch hunt... parents tell their side of the story"

The narrator stated that the verdict of the media was in. That it was fueled by leaks from the Boulder Police Department and endless speculation.

The scene shifted to John and Patsy Ramsey seated in two chairs in a living room or parlor type atmosphere. John to the left, Patsy to the right. There attire was "office casual", i.e. John in a sweater (I think) and Patsy in a dark outfit with some sort of pin on her right side.

An offscreen interviewer asked John if he had anything to do with... the murder of his daughter (I forget exact wording). His nonverbal response was a shifting around, his verbal answer came after a long hesitation, closed his eyes and nodded then shook his head no while smiling.

From an article appearing in the Scotsman on July 4, 1998, Murdered girl's parents hit back against media 'lies':

Early in the programme, to be shown on Channel 4 on 9 July, the Ramseys are asked whether they had "anything to do with the death of JonBenet Ramsey". John Ramsey takes a sharp breath, while Patsy shakes her head and says no. "To answer the question, no we did not," he said. Patsy Ramsey added: "How do you say 'no' any more clearly than 'no'?" Later, she calls JonBenet "my little cheerleader".

The narrator said John had been named local businessman of the year shortly before his daughter's murder.

Susan Stine said the Ramseys were some of the nicest people she has ever known. [Not said was that she and her husband have moved to Atlanta area and that her husband quit his job as VP of finance (I think that was his position) at CU to go into business with JR.]

The narrator then went through some chronology: JonBenet fell assleep on the ride home. Patsy rose the next morning, found the note, ran upstairs and threw her door open...

Charlie Brennan, former reporter at the Rocky Mt. News who covered the story extensively from the beginning, made a commentt. He said an assistant DA made a comment (the next day) that this was a very unusual case. A source told Brennan it was rather strange there were no footprints.

Julie Hayden, reporter for KMGH TV Channel 7 in Denver acknowledged these types of statements were made by her sources from the beginning.

Attorney Michael Bynum, friend and business partner of John Ramsey, said he had a bad sense of some kind. He asked John, "Will you trust me to do the right thing?" The next day he retained counsel for John.

The December 28th Rocky Mt. News ran a story: Police puzzle over girl's slaying. Charlie Brennan's story included references to the footprint issue, and no sign of forced entry. His sources were from law enforcement.

The room was so hidden.... the mayor, Leslie Durgin, confirmed this. She confirmed the no footprint issue, and the lack of signs of forced entry. "Someone had to know the house," she said.

Julie Hayden was bothered by the snow/footprint issue. She said there was no snow going up to all the doors.

Brennan stated that for three months (Jan, Feb, Mar) he did not know that there had been open windows, an open door, a broken basement window.

SIDE NOTE: The film gave the impression there was only one set of basement stairs.

The narrator said the media started spotlighting the Ramsey's behavior. For example, the story that John Ramsey had left the house that morning. That had been part of a leaked report from the BPD. Initially they (BPD) thought he left, and later realized he didn't, according to the narrator. The police never bothered to correct the press. They didn't mind putting pressure on the Ramseys, the film stated.

The media then raised doubts about the grief of the Ramsey. The story of Patsy peeping through splayed fingers.

Jeff Ramsey, brother to John, said Patsy was in a state of shock. He said John was crying.

Susan Stine said she is a cynical person, but she believed the grief of the Ramsey's was real.

Charlie Brennan heard through the grapevine (media) that John piloted the plane to Atlanta for the funeral. He had no reason to doubt the source, and didn't follow up. (I don't think Brennan ever printed it in a story). In reality, Lockheed Martin sent a company jet to fly the Ramseys to Atlanta.

John Ramsey denied knowing what was going on around him.... about the hiring of the top criminal attorneys. They were hired by Bynum.

Bryan Morgan (one of those top criminal attorneys) commented that one must be thoughtful about how one acts.. especially with media attention at the outset portraying people as clearly guilty...

The narrator stated that the Ramsey's friends were alarmed (at the media attention) and urged them to go on TV.

Clip from CNN: Patsy Ramsey, shaking her head no, "There is a killer on the loose."

Leslie Durin rejected the loose killer notion.

Patsy, in current interview, said "I don't know why she said that..." .... everything broke after that (something like that)

Note: most of Patsy's nonverbal actions during the interview were somewhat histrionic, bobbing around, nodding and shaking head no inappropriately at times, exaggerated hand gesturing.

John, shaking his head no, said: We knew there was a killer. [notice past tense "knew"]

Durgin said the information she had was from the police chief, Tom Koby.

Then, the narrator continued, the first video footage from JonBenet's beauty pageants were shown in the media. By the time the Ramsey's returned to Boulder ten days after the funeral, they were beseiged by the media. The story exploded with leaks of sexual assault coupled with the pageant clips.

Attorney Morgan stated that the Ramseys cooperated extensively in the beginning. Interviews on the 26th and 27th with blood, hair , fingerprints samples given. JR gave 2 handwriting samples, PR gave 5. "There is a gross mischaracterization that they had not cooperated."

John said the only reason Patsy would come back to Boulder was (to cooperate) but that she had a "vile distaste" of the BPD.

Bynum, regarding the day the Ramseys planned to leave for Atlanta and the comment that the police wanted an interview for releasing JonBenet's body.

JR: That's when the "worm turned".

Bynum got the body released.

On Feb. 13, Hunter gave a press release indicating the list of suspects narrows.

Then came the media release that there was a search for porn.

Clips of the June 3rd, 1997 Tom Snyder show... really raking the R's over the coals with insinuation of sex abuse.

Clip of May 1st media conference with JR nodding his head while saying "I did not kill..."

Allegations of visits to an adult bookstore in Denver. JR denies it. The narrator says no one came forward to support the allegation. No evidence of porn was found in the home, and the media hardly reported it.

JR denies sex abuse.

When asked about the pageant footage and the sexual insinuations, Patsy replies, "that's a sick mind" looking at that.

She says she took JonBenet to the pediatric clinic 27 times, and asks how that can be considered child abuse.

Dr. Beuf says he doesn't feel that 27 times was excessive under the circumstances. Types of visits included: three times for a___ (?) , one time for strep (?), one time for vaginitis, one time for a nose bruise from a fall in a store, and 21 times for cold, sinus, asthma, hay fever or other respiratory conditions. He saw no sign of sex abuse, and always thinks about it in each case but there was absolutely no evidence.

Reports of a vaginal abrasion... not supported, not conclusive, as sex abuse in the bulk of the medical community, according to the narrator.

Lucinda, JR's former wife: "No, he [John] is not a child abuser"

Peggy Ramsey, JR's sis-in-law: "[John].. not a child abuser"

John Andrew and Melinda's parents did not want them filmed to camera. Camera long shots of them walking in a woodsy area with voice over.

JohnAndrew: father loving, caring
Melinda: never raised a hand

Boulder social services interviewed Burked and reported that there was no physical or sexual abuse.

The narrator: All allegations proved baseless. Still, the media assault intensified.

Patsy was watching Geraldo one day and Cyril Wecht was on. (She practically spit out his name and got very overly-dramatic with her response).

Clips from the Ramsey trial on Geraldo.

Clip of Hard Copy report: JonBenet was in bed with the Ramseys and had an accident.... Tony Frost from the Globe tells his theory.

Interviewer asked if JonBenet was a bedwetter...

JR didnt' know it was a problem...
PR: Well, she had accidents... I had stage 4 cancer... bedwetting is not that big a deal...

Ann Bardach in her Vanity Fair article had written there were arrest warrants drawn and ready to sign.... a rumor only?

PR: We've had everything in our lives scoured... no, it's just ridiculous....

PR/JR: Never considered eachother...

The media ran with the Kim Ballard "mistress" story.
JR said no one asked him about whether he knew here... and he has no idea who she is/was. (called her Kimberly) Said she certainly wasn't a friend now....(not that she ever was one). JR/PR both laughed.

PR says the media can get away with publishing rumor by stating the disclaimer "It has been reported that..." They, (the media) had fun with it at our expense.

When asked why the media behaved this way:

Lucinda: media forgets "innocent before proven guilty"
Jeff: media wants to make money
Stine: no distinction between sleazy tabs and main press

Daily Camera (Boulder News) editor Barry Hartman: The tabs report something, we feel we have to report it. Tab info becomes "fact".

Julie Hayden: competitive pressures

Bob Grant: If it becomes entertainment, where do we get the news?

Durgin: Learned an important lesson, doesn't believe the press as she did at that time.

Ramseys say all accusations are false.

JR: trying to make a difference in the system [media]

From another viewer's notes (as posted on Joshua-7 forum by Panico):

In speaking about how the American public receives the news at the end of the documentary, John gave the following mission statement: "We're trying to make a difference. We've got a cancer in our society. We're going to take a shot at trying to fix it."

Stine: media manipulation

Ending: JonBenet sings "God Bless America" with shots of her, her grave.... and then the music fades to a very eerie tinny sound. End.

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Revised: 7/28/98