Testimony: Ramsey Detective Wasn't At Fault
Detective's Lawsuit Features Police Practice Expert
The woman who was the first detective to arrive the JonBenet Ramsey home was not responsible for preserving evidence there, an expert in police practice testified Monday.
J.P. Van Blaricom said that it was the job of sergeants who preceded
Linda Arndt (pictured, right) on the scene to preserve evidence. The former police chief in Bellevue, Wash., testified that Arndt was there to
answer a ransom call when authorities thought she had been kidnapped.
Arndt, 40, filed a federal lawsuit against the city of Boulder and two
police chiefs alleging that her rights were violated because her
superiors prohibited her from challenging media reports that
implied she bungled the investigation. Neither chief disputed the
false reports, she claimed.
Arndt was the first detective at the Ramsey home on Dec. 26,
1996, after Patsy Ramsey called 911 and reported her daughter (pictured, left) was kidnapped. For nearly three hours, Arndt was the only detective at
the home, watching the parents and their friends.
Arndt continued to call for help from her superiors during that time, but it was several hours before she was relieved.
Van Blaricom was retained by Arndt to defend her handling of the
crime scene. He testified that her decisions to let John Ramsey
search the home without an accompanying police officer and place a
blanket over his daughter's body were "human decisions."
Defense attorney Theodore Halaby argued that Arndt was experienced
enough to handle upset people and keep the crime scene preserved.
"This wasn't any wilting lily," Halaby said. "She was
trained to handle high-stress situations."
Arndt has not said how much she is seeking in damages, but Judge
William Downes told her attorneys not to expect a huge decision.
"It's certainly not a seven-figure case nor a high six-figure
case in my opinion," Downes said in a May 14 conference call with
both sides. Court documents detailing the call were made available
Monday.
Downes also encouraged the two sides to settle, saying that it
appeared that police didn't handle Arndt's situation as well as they
could have.
"Quite clearly, this officer's marketability has taken a hit,
and I don't know whether she made a mistake here in the management
of this case or not," Downes said. "But somebody said things out
of school about her to the media that are troubling."
Police have said that the Ramseys remain under suspicion in their daughter's murder. The Ramseys, who since have moved to suburban Atlanta, have denied the
allegations. A grand jury disbanded without filing charges and the
case remains unsolved.
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J.P. Van Blaricom said that it was the job of sergeants who preceded
Linda Arndt (pictured, right) on the scene to preserve evidence. The former police chief in Bellevue, Wash., testified that Arndt was there to
answer a ransom call when authorities thought she had been kidnapped.
Arndt, 40, filed a federal lawsuit against the city of Boulder and two
police chiefs alleging that her rights were violated because her
superiors prohibited her from challenging media reports that
implied she bungled the investigation. Neither chief disputed the
false reports, she claimed.
Arndt was the first detective at the Ramsey home on Dec. 26,
1996, after Patsy Ramsey called 911 and reported her daughter (pictured, left) was kidnapped. For nearly three hours, Arndt was the only detective at
the home, watching the parents and their friends.
Arndt continued to call for help from her superiors during that time, but it was several hours before she was relieved.
Van Blaricom was retained by Arndt to defend her handling of the
crime scene. He testified that her decisions to let John Ramsey
search the home without an accompanying police officer and place a
blanket over his daughter's body were "human decisions."
Defense attorney Theodore Halaby argued that Arndt was experienced
enough to handle upset people and keep the crime scene preserved.
"This wasn't any wilting lily," Halaby said. "She was
trained to handle high-stress situations."
Arndt has not said how much she is seeking in damages, but Judge
William Downes told her attorneys not to expect a huge decision.
"It's certainly not a seven-figure case nor a high six-figure
case in my opinion," Downes said in a May 14 conference call with
both sides. Court documents detailing the call were made available
Monday.
Downes also encouraged the two sides to settle, saying that it
appeared that police didn't handle Arndt's situation as well as they
could have.
"Quite clearly, this officer's marketability has taken a hit,
and I don't know whether she made a mistake here in the management
of this case or not," Downes said. "But somebody said things out
of school about her to the media that are troubling."
Police have said that the Ramseys remain under suspicion in their daughter's murder. The Ramseys, who since have moved to suburban Atlanta, have denied the
allegations. A grand jury disbanded without filing charges and the
case remains unsolved.
- May 28, 2001: Ramsey Detective Lawsuit To Begin
- May 15, 2001: Ramsey Detective's Case Dealt Setback
- January 10, 2001: Ramseys Claim They Were Set Up
Copyright 2002 by TheDenverChannel.com. The Associated Press contributed to this report. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
