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Subscribe to RSSIn 1999, the district attorney in Boulder Colorado made the decision that there was not enough evidence to file charges against anyone in the death of JonBenet Ramsey, but members of the grand jury in the case are now revealing they voted to indict Ramsey's parents. NBC's Erica Hill reports.
A Colorado grand jury voted to indict the parents of slain child beauty queen JonBenet Ramsey more than 13 years ago, but prosecutors reportedly refused to go forward on the case, according to the Boulder Daily Camera newspaper.
The grand jury voted in 1999 to indict John and Patsy Ramsey on charges of child abuse resulting in death, three years after their 6-year-old daughter was bludgeoned and strangled in the basement of her family's house on Christmas Day.
But former Boulder County District Attorney Alex Hunter declined to sign the indictment, believing he could not prove the case beyond a reasonable doubt, the Daily Camera reported.
"I and my prosecution task force believe we do not have sufficient evidence to warrant the filing of charges against anyone who has been investigated at this time," Hunter told reporters in October 1999.
June 24: Patsy Ramsey, the mother of murder victim JonBenet Ramsey died of cancer at 49. NBC's Mark Mullen looks back at Patsy Ramsey's life and her daughter's unsolved murder.
"Child abuse resulting in death" is a Class II felony punishable by up to 48 years in prison, according to the Daily Camera.
"We didn't know who did what," a juror told the Daily Camera on the condition of anonymity. "[B]ut we feel the adults in the house may have done something that they certainly could have prevented, or they could have helped her, and they didn't."
Hunter, who left his post in 2008 after 28 years as district attorney, declined to discuss the grand jury's decision, according to the Daily Camera.
But in a 2001 interview with NBC News, Hunter said he had no regrets about his decision not to charge anyone.
"I have enough people that I respect that have said to me, 'You know, you made a tough call, you made a call the public didn't like. But you were true to the law, you were a good prosecutor, and that's plenty for me.'"
Dec. 20: As the anniversary of JonBenet Ramsey's murder approaches, her father John Ramsey -- once considered a suspect -- tells TODAY's Katie Couric that the family is confident the killer will be caught.
Lin Wood, John Ramsey's attorney, backed up Hunter's decision in a statement to NBC News.
"The DNA tests performed after the time of the Boulder grand jury not only prove the Ramseys to be innocent and the grand jury wrong, they also make D.A. Alex Hunter a hero who wisely avoided the miscarriage of justice," Wood said.
Patsy Ramsey died of ovarian cancer in 2006. The couple and their older son, Burke Ramsey, were exonerated in the case in July 2008, even though they were never formally charged in connection with JonBenet's death.
"To the extent that we may have contributed in any way to the public perception that you might have been involved in this crime, I am deeply sorry," former Boulder County District Attorney Marcy Lacy wrote in a letter to John Ramsey in 2008. "No innocent person should have to endure such an extensive trial in the court of public opinion."
Ramsey family via AP, file
This image made from an undated family video shows JonBenet Ramsey performing during a beauty pageant.
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I have no idea who killed this darling little girl. However, I do think little girls do NOT belong in beauty pageants with four pounds of make-up, hair teased to the hilt in skimpy outfits for all the sicko's out there to gawk at and then perhaps stalk, molest or kill. It's sad to see Jon Benet' dressed up like a barbie doll and being paraded around like a trophy. But, then again, I think Toddlers and Tiara's should be banned also. We will never know what happened to this baby girl.
I think Mom and Dad had a pretty good idea who it was but remained mum.....
This is the wife of RD Price. I can't get the user name to change. I don't like parents who dress their daughters up like a hooker and put them in pageants, so it follows I don't like the Ramsey's. At the same time I can't believe a parent could/would kill their child in the manner Jon Benet was murdered. And for what purpose? Kids killed by their parents are usually killed in anger. Her death seemed to plotted, not a spur of th e moment thing like a beating that went too far.
Google "Satanic Cult Rituals", for some further insight into the matter. Sacrifices are sometimes made on Christian holidays. JonBenet died on Christmas Day.
Oh come on WallyinWV. Don't embarrass us by showing this much ignorance. There's enough of it on here already.
I grew up in and around Patsy's home town. I know some of the dark side of that town. Possibly you are from that area too. If so, ask your new sheriff what he knows about the case, if he will tell you anything.
I sure hope that one day they catch the animal who did this. Hard to believe that the murderer has not been caught. God bless this poor innocent child who suffered such a violent death.
The police containimated the scene so badly, they couldn't find anything. They tried to charge everyone in the family at some time or another, but DNA didn't match anyone. Even were going to arrest the oldest brother & said he did it, till the police learned the kid was several states away at college - with a lot of witnesses. The transisent working in the neighborhood (had done work for family) was never checked for DNA but think there was a criminal history. Really sad.
The police tried to charge everyone at some point, but none of the DNA on the body matched anyone in the family. There were some transients in the area & working for the builder remoldeling the home, who vanished after the murder.
The police did not secure the scene, & did not look for anyone other than family. The house had easy entry into the basement, & there was a Christmas open house for the children's friends just before the murder.
The police were going to charge the older brother and were ready to arrest him. The facts showed that the brother had been out of the state for months - he was away at school, & DNA didn't match.
Money and friends in high places absolved the family of the crime i don't think dna had much to do with it, if u have enough money and power dna can change real fast. I watched the news footage of dear ol' mommy being held up (yeah right) by one of the friends and i saw the phoney emaotions on those two, and don't give me (the poor woman was on so many drugsto elp her cope) b.s., cause if that was my baby, there wouldn't be enough drugs in the world to keep me from having to be tied down, well unless they gave me enough to just knock me out but then they wouldn't be walking next to me holding my arm, they would be carrying me. momma has been tried by god, i don't know why dad is taking so much time. again. collapse e if u want ,but i have the right to how i feel!!
the murderer was caught they just didn't prosecute! in my opinion anyway, just sayin'
Hope that little tiny dot of thought you put in that didn't strain your brain there luvmypugs. If you were trying for a coherent thought, keep trying. Just sayin"
Same goes for you, proud west, or rather for your tiny dot of thought! I noticed you seem to like that phrase, tiny dot of thought, for your tiny brain. west virginia hills am i right? lmao
I think Honey Boo Boo's mom did it - no competition that way!
There were no steps outside in the snow. Close the door on an intruder-no further argument. Only a parachute landing on the roof is a possibility for an intruder!!
Therefore only possibility is one of the three family members inside at the time of the murder. Simple deducing, this back in forth is rediculous. NO INTRUDER, only 3 possibilities. The note has een posted on the internet. Having read it several times. A juvenile wrote it, the wording, the imagery, the thought process-all juvenile-even the script. Guess who? Sadly the 9 yr old. Why? This little girl dressing like a little woman is making this 9 yr old very uncomfortable-get it? Can this little boy in such a well-manicured family feel this-No! Guess what-he is stoppping it after he rapes her. He is not well obviously but the pressures in this high status family unit are overwhelming. If you read the note it points out to the writer's anger out Mr. Ramsey for his successes (little boy is furious with Dad's demands on HIM). The note's writer alos knows the EXACT amt in dad's account (Guess who?). The note was also left on the kitchen dinning table after the 2 siblings had eaten some fruit together. The 9 yr old was the last human being that is known to have seen little Ramsey alive-Guess who!
The bristle end of the paintbrush was found in a tub of Patsy Ramsey's art supplies, but the bottom third was never located despite extensive searching of the house by law enforcement in subsequent days.[6] Experts noted that the construction of the garrote required a special knowledge of knots. Autopsy also revealed that JonBenét had eaten pineapple only a few hours before the murder.[7] Photographs of the home, taken the day JonBenét's body was found, show a bowl of pineapple on the kitchen table with a spoon in it,[7] and police reported finding JonBenet's nine-year-old brother Burke Ramsey's fingerprints on it.[8] However, both Patsy and John claim not to remember putting this bowl on the table or feeding pineapple to JonBenét.[7][8] (The Ramseys had always maintained that Burke had slept through the entire episode, until awakened several hours after the police arrived.) While it was reported that no footprints led to the house on snow-covered ground, other reporters found that snow around the doors of the house had been cleared away.[9] Police reported no signs of forced entry, although a basement window that had been broken and left unsecured before Christmas, along with other open doors, were not reported to the public until a year later.[9]
Was all in the book. Should have read a little closer.
You said something in a earlier post about me embarrassing you? I don't need to. You're doing a fine job all by yourself.
My question is, why are we just finding out about this today?
Sounds like some incrimenating information was suppressed by the 'good ol' boys club' back in the day. And now it's far enough into the future where it probably won't make a difference.
The DNA-brought in by 9 yr old, probably from school where kids get hurt all the time and planted next to the body.
Yes, a nine year old brought semen samples home from his elementary school so he could sprinkle it all over his dead sister's vagina after he premeditatedly killed her. Makes perfect sense. You should call the Boulder police and give them your theory.
Wht
I said all along that I didn't believe they did it. I saw them in an interview and really believed what they were saying.
But if you do some research (something MSN seems incapable of doing) you'll quickly find out that DNA evidence has exonerated all three Ramsey family members and Boulder County District Attorney Mary Lacy formally apologized in a letter to John Ramsey for the cloud of suspicion his family had lived under for nearly 12 years.
I don't understand why you people keep insisting on crucifying these people.
The DA did the right thing. However the DA knew the Ramseys had the money to have a attorney too vigorously defend them, don't kid yourself that was part of the consideration.
Just the fact they dressed their daugther like a cheap whore was a crime enough to put them to jail. This goes to everyone of those origanizers, moms and dads for those beauty pageants. Poor kids should go through normal childhood then putting makeups on their innocent faces and dress like cheap whores.
And Farshs, anyone who even thinks of a little girl and cheap whores at the same time should be in a mental health facility. Nothing normal about your train of thought either.
True, I dress my sons like gang members everyday :)
I don't know. Might be I am quilty and wrong of using a strong nasty represenative comparsion (insulting to the kids); however, is it normal to dress kids like that ? or letting kids go through those beauty pageants ? Mr or Ms Proudwestvirginian, do you really agree it is ok to do that to kids ? I sure don't have the desire to have my kids dress like that. Make ups on a 5-6yr old ? I don't know.
hey, sandra brooks, did u do it and were u there, i said i believe the parents did it, i di not say emphatically that they did cause i wasn't there, so unless u killed her don't say (the parents did not do this) like you know it for a fact that u can prove beyond any doubt!
So luvmypugs, what you're saying is that its alright for you to run your yap about what you know nothing about, but that its wrong for anyone else to state that they believe the parents didn't do it? Can we say hypocrite?
All i know is luvmypugs is making more sense than before and probably loves pugs :)
Kind of remnds you of the George Zimmerman coverup. The police wanted to charge George but the DA told them not to. Zimmie's daddy's a judge; the Ramseys, no doubt, have their connections as well.
What the Ramsey's had on their side, was scientific proof of their innocense. Money or not, the facts spoke for themselves. Thank God it won't be those who post on here that judge them in the end. The Ramsey family has been tried and punished by the media. They deserve a break now.
Why does the mother need DNA semen samples? I thought you wrote all 3 were tested? No one is crucifying anyone, the parents appear to e lovely people. But that act of violence needs to be arrested. Sexually this person is a deviant and you don't need this repeated on another person in the future. Yes even a 9 yr opld can BECOME a deviant after this!
what exactly is the point of this? NBC really? You are getting closer to tabloid news with less credibility than fox. if that's even possible. losers
Welcome to Boulder, Colorado. Eight square miles surrounded by reality. As with all affluent towns, money and status talks. It will now be interesting to hear what the prosecutor has to say in his own defense. Many Colorado residents have always been convinced that this kid's parents were responsible for her death to begin with. Her brother was debriefed, then conveniently moved out of state. Something has always been fishy with this investigation.
Why is it so hard for people to believe that it was an outside deviant who committed this crime, and so easy for them to accuse the family? And why is it that so many people want to manufacture their own version of what happened and can't admit that they could ever be wrong or mistaken? If only there were so many "perfect parents" as there seem to be posting, there would be no instances of child abuse or neglect. If all of you Sherlock Holmes detectives would put your skills to some real use, perhaps you could stop some of the online predators from stalking children. Since you're at your computers with nothing else to do except judge a family that has already been tried, why not utilize your skills to help another child. You'd probably feel much better about yourselves.
You mean pretend to be a kid and try and lure an adult into intercourse? I'd much rather pick apart an unsolved mystery...
although, you did put me in check wondering wtf I'm bantering on about this at work...my inner Sherlock Holmes I guess :/
What's the point of reporting any murder. The viewer doesn't solve it. It is all sensationalistic and daze inducing. At least this creates a forum where people together can actually toss around some ideas and try to derive at a conclusion of their own rather than stair at a photo of a little beauty queen 10,000 times on the tv screen.
Jon Benet was killed by Edward Wayne Edwards. The cops and the prosecutor know this. He killed her as a distraction from what was going on in West Memphis with the other 3 boys he killed. The West memphis police and prosecutor know this also but Edward Wayne Edwards wasd getting paid by our government and it would look bad for them if the truth came out. Watch Edwards on Youtube. Google his name. As for the old crony inmate who says he knows where Jimmy Hoffa is? Edwards killed him, chopped him into pieces and put him into Lake Michigan. The government knows this also but again, how would it look knowing they'd been played in a game of murder and execution that started in the 50's?
sad world peeps
The police screwed up the investigation and the killer walks free today.
JennMc, I agree with you! That has always been my thought, that the brother did it, he may not have meant to kill her, but he succeeded in doing so anyway. And I agree with you, that what I remember from the case was that they never could rule out Patsy as the author of the note.
The other thing is, like others here have mentioned. A child molester doesn't do this once and stop. Even he/she had moved on to another community, they would have continued, and with DNA being even more easily identified today, they surely should have a match by now? I also seem to recall like another poster said, that the brothers DNA was never completely ruled out somehow. Sorry I don't remember who posted it, I went back to find it, but don't see it right now, I will have to look more.
And bonos_rama, yes a 9 year old could strangle a six year old! My daughter was almost a year old, and got sick with Roseola while my parents were watching her, and while running a high fever she wrapped her little hands around my mothers throat and my dad had to pry them off, she left marks on my mothers throat. There have been other cases in history where little boys strangled little girls to death. So, yes, it could happen.