McCanns "not in the clear" - removal of their "formal suspect" status does not mean they are innocent, judges say

Admin wrote:Here is the actual link for the site

http://wizzed.com/the-chilling-things-you-dont-know-about-the-disappearance-of-madeline-mccann/

Another one who thinks Amaral's book is called "The Truth about A Lie". Where does that come from?

The Leicester article in full:

Portuguese prosecutors "never concluded McCanns were innocent"
By Tom_Mack | Posted: February 09, 2017

Newly released legal papers show that Portugal's supreme court does not consider Kate and Gerry McCann in the clear over their missing daughter.

As the 10th anniversary of Madeline's disappearance nears, the McCanns, of Rothley, are still fighting for their reputation, having just suffered another defeat in their attempt to sue former police chief Goncalo Amaral, who accused them of being responsible for Madeleine dying.

The supreme court of Portugal recently ruled Mr Amaral's "right to freedom of expression" was worthy of greater protection than the couple's "right to honour".

Now the court has released the full version of its decision, which includes the observation that just because no criminal case is ongoing, does not mean that the McCanns are definitely innocent.

The 76-page document said: "It should not be said that the appellants were cleared via the ruling announcing the archiving of the criminal case."

In the weeks after Madeleine went missing from the family's apartment in the Algarve the couple were named as formal suspects, or "arguidos".

But that label was dropped in 2008, as the investigation developed.

While the judges said it would be wrong to draw any inferences about the couple's guilt or innocence from their decision, they noted that the case was not shelved because prosecutors believed that Mr and Mrs McCann were innocent – but due to a lack of evidence.

They wrote: "That ruling was not made in virtue of Portugal's public prosecution service having acquired the conviction that the appellants hadn't committed a crime.

"The archiving of the case was determined by the fact that public prosecutors hadn't managed to obtain sufficient evidence of the practice of crimes by the appellants."

The court concluded that the archiving of the case should not be seen as proof the McCanns are not guilty, stating: "It doesn't therefore seem acceptable that the ruling, based on the insufficiency of evidence, should be equated to proof of innocence."

The document means suspicion still hangs over the heads of the McCanns, who have always claimed their innocence.

The long legal battle began with a victory for the McCanns, after Mr Amaral, 57, was ordered to pay the couple £360,000 in damages in 2015 for claims he made in The Truth Of The Lie.

He said the McCanns faked Madeline's abduction after she "died" in their holiday apartment.

Mr Amaral fought the ruling and successfully had it overturned in April last year, meaning he did not have to pay the couple anything.

The McCanns then lodged a supreme court appeal, which has now failed.

That means the couple, who are both 48, face having to pay Mr Amaral's legal bills.

unreorganised wrote:

Admin wrote:Here is the actual link for the site

http://wizzed.com/the-chilling-things-you-dont-know-about-the-disappearance-of-madeline-mccann/

Another one who thinks Amaral's book is called "The Truth about A Lie". Where does that come from?

I commented earlier this morn about this link, saying it contained a couple of pictures that I've never seen before. Anyone else thought the same?

Andrew wrote:About time for some local news:

http://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/portuguese-prosecutors-never-concluded-mccanns-were-innocent/story-30124763-detail/story.html

Literally checked 15 minutes ago and that wasn't there. If even they are going with it then.....

Have the BBC done an article yet? They are probably in pre-production of the exclusive real life story a la Moorside, though.

You know the game is practically up when your local rag prints the following headline:

Portuguese prosecutors "never concluded McCanns were innocent"

Wonder what NWs doing now?

TheTruthWillOut wrote:

Andrew wrote:About time for some local news:

http://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/portuguese-prosecutors-never-concluded-mccanns-were-innocent/story-30124763-detail/story.html

Literally checked 15 minutes ago and that wasn't there. If even they are going with it then.....

Have the BBC done an article yet?They are probably in pre-production of the exclusive real life story a la Moorside

They'd better be planning for more than two episodes!

No nothing in the BBC, TTWO. Yet anyway.

Rumour has it that Clarence is down there and barricaded himself inside the Editor's office to stop it going ahead.

dogs don't lie wrote:Wonder what NWs doing now?

Driving to Rothley...?

dogs don't lie wrote:Wonder what NWs doing now?

I was just going to say the same, plus what are Operation Grange detectives thinking of doing now? They are sort of stuck between a rock and a hard place. They will be pushed on their thoughts and of course they won't want to be giving anything away. Very difficult situation all round, I think this is the final round now. Either the Supreme Court waited as Op Grange were ready to end, or Op Grange has been pushed into the uncomfortable position of having to respond or act.

Regarding that link, Andrew, I've had to give up at number 20 as it's so slow - up to then there are no previously unseen photos. Are you able to copy the ones you mean?

Freedom wrote:Regarding that link, Andrew, I've had to give up at number 20 as it's so slow - up to then there are no previously unseen photos. Are you able to copy the ones you mean?

I've put them on the Last Photo thread.

candyfloss wrote:

dogs don't lie wrote:Wonder what NWs doing now?

I was just going to say the same, plus what are Operation Grange detectives thinking of doing now?  They  are sort of stuck between a rock and a hard place.  They will be pushed on their thoughts and of course they won't want to be giving anything away.  Very difficult situation all round, I think this is the final round now.  Either the Supreme Court waited as Op Grange were ready to end, or Op Grange has been pushed into the uncomfortable position of having to respond or act.

I disagree. OG have always been very quiet - as have, almost, the PJ. The police are likely to want to keep their true thoughts, plans and actions away from the McCanns and to do that meant keeping it away from us too - hence the claims of whitewash etc. If OG have been responsible only for clearing up some of the reported sightings, that will help the PJ in any future court case. The PJ said words to the effect that the two teams are working well together, and that is what I meant when I said the PJ have almost been quiet.

It seems sensible that OG have been waiting for the SC ruling - many people here have been commenting on how public reaction is changing - and the Leicester Mercury is one of the most McCann-friendly papers around!

Estonia
http://m.postimees.ee/section/16/4008921

Whatever happens then they need to act very fast IMO. Like now if arrests are to be made.

You don't want a certain mother being backed into a corner with some time on her hands thinking of alternative outcomes.

espeland wrote:

candyfloss wrote:

dogs don't lie wrote:Wonder what NWs doing now?

I was just going to say the same, plus what are Operation Grange detectives thinking of doing now?  They  are sort of stuck between a rock and a hard place.  They will be pushed on their thoughts and of course they won't want to be giving anything away.  Very difficult situation all round, I think this is the final round now.  Either the Supreme Court waited as Op Grange were ready to end, or Op Grange has been pushed into the uncomfortable position of having to respond or act.

I disagree. OG have always been very quiet - as have, almost, the PJ. The police are likely to want to keep their true thoughts, plans and actions away from the McCanns and to do that meant keeping it away from us too - hence the claims of whitewash etc. If OG have been responsible only for clearing up some of the reported sightings, that will help the PJ in any future court case. The PJ said words to the effect that the two teams are working well together, and that is what I meant when I said the PJ have almost been quiet.

It seems sensible that  OG have been waiting for the SC ruling - many people here have been commenting on how public reaction is changing - and the Leicester Mercury is one of the most McCann-friendly papers around!

I think that is what I was trying to say, so no disagreement, but the media will push for answers to the Portuguese Supreme Court findings, and you cannot blame them it is their job to do so. Operation Grange are going to have to come out and say something this time, this is too serious and will have to make some sort of statement imo. The question will be asked again if the McCanns are suspects, it will be interesting to hear their answers... or perhaps they will make their move. It surely cannot go on.......

TheTruthWillOut wrote:

Andrew wrote:About time for some local news:

http://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/portuguese-prosecutors-never-concluded-mccanns-were-innocent/story-30124763-detail/story.html

Literally checked 15 minutes ago and that wasn't there. If even they are going with it then.....

Have the BBC done an article yet? They are probably in pre-production of the exclusive real life story a la Moorside, though.

Going back to this point... I'm intrigued why the ITV article was pulled within 40 mins or so from going up this morn? I didn't see it as posted the link first then went back to read it to find that it had gone.

So the big boys like BBC, SKY and ITV have kept very silent. Why is that then... And who had the clout to get the ITV one to disappear pronto....

Questions, questions, but I see what you're going at. It's questionable.

So the big boys like BBC, SKY and ITV have kept very silent. Why is that then... And who had the clout to get the ITV one to disappear pronto.

Maybe OG or someone higher have given them the wink of something important about to happen - and possibly what it is. This is my opinion only, but we've heard that the BBC were in Portugal and I've speculated about Sonia at Sky.

Perhaps the ITV item was pulled by a more senior member of staff than the employee who wrote it.

I agree with you and candyfloss ("it can't go on") and fear for the wellbeing of the children.

espeland wrote:

So the big boys like BBC, SKY and ITV have kept very silent. Why is that then... And who had the clout to get the ITV one to disappear pronto.

Maybe OG or someone higher have given them the wink of something important about to happen - and possibly what it is. This is my opinion only, but we've heard that the BBC were in Portugal and I've speculated about Sonia at Sky.

Perhaps the ITV item was pulled by a more senior member of staff than the employee who wrote it.

I agree with you and candyfloss ("it can't go on") and fear for the wellbeing of the children.

Yes, I think you could well be right there.

Yes it is quite odd the big three are the only ones not to have run the story (leaving aside ITV's pulled article)

Did someone tweet that Panorama are/have been in Portugal? If that is true it could be a follow up to the original program they did? I always said there might be a Crimewatch specials (How We Caught?) and it is back next month on BBC.

For our Polish friends. (I don't have any friends in Timbuktu but I do in Poland):

https://www.polishexpress.co.uk/rodzice-zaginionej-madeleine-mccann-wcale-nie-udowodnili-swojej-niewinnosci-orzekl-sad-najwyzszy

Re the silence from the broadcasters: it's quite normal for news items to be 'embargoed' - that is the news is given with instruction not to announce it till a certain date/event. The MSM will also receive them. If the news is (hopefully) about arrests but doesn't mention the SC findings, then any organisation can publish/broadcast the SC news. Any organisation that ignores an embargo will be blacklisted from receiving future embargoes - to receive them is important.

OG / the Government / T May have had months to plan their course of action regarding this, They have been waiting for the Supreme Justice Court to give their verdict on the appeal for
a long time. Any moves they make have been well planned by now. I dont think it will be a case of 'what do we do now' - it will be orchestrated. And I wouldn't mind betting that the broadcast of Moorside
was planned to coincide with this.  I think it will be one thing after another now... to reach a conclusion in March. There will have been some top brain-power working on this - it will be a full attack..

You can bet with the 10th anniversary looming, and all those interviewers clamoring to talk to the blessed couple, there will be questions like this asked: "So, what do you have to say about the ruling from the Portuguese court which basically reiterates that you were not declared innocent, there was merely not enough evidence to pursue the case against you? And how do you reconcile this with your claim, over the past number of years, that you were cleared by the Portguese police, when this, in fact, was not true?"