Ramsey Detective Case Thrown Out
Boulder Says Former Detective Failed To Prove Her Case
DENVER, 12:37 p.m. MDT May 28, 2001 -- A judge dismissed a federal lawsuit against two Boulder
police chiefs that was filed by a former detective who alleged they
unfairly blamed her for police errors during the JonBenet Ramsey
slaying investigation.
U.S. District Judge William Downes ruled Tuesday morning that Linda
Arndt (pictured, left) failed to prove that the chiefs violated her First Amendment
rights by preventing her from commenting on allegations that she
bungled the investigation.
"Her sole concern dealt with how she was being portrayed in the public media," said U.S. District Judge William F. Downes in his ruling.
Ted Halaby, who represents former Chief Tom Koby and current
Chief Mark Beckner and the city of Boulder, had argued that Arndt
failed to present enough evidence to prove her case.
"From the beginning, we believed it to be an ill-conceived
lawsuit that was neither in the interest of Linda Arndt, the
Boulder Police Department or the serious ongoing criminal
investigation into the murder of JonBenet Ramsey," Halaby said
after the trial ended.
The chiefs and the city contended the highly publicized
investigation would have been compromised if police spoke publicly
in Arndt's defense.
Arndt said Tuesday that her lawsuit had at least brought out some hidden truths about the Ramsey investigation.
"The whole point was to inform the public where they had not been informed before, and now my faith continues to be in the public," she said.
Arndt and her attorney, Bruce Jones, said that the lawsuit helped clear her name.
"Under the circumstances that she found herself in, she did a very credible and reasonable job in responding to an almost impossible situation," Jones said.
Arndt was the first detective who arrived at the Ramsey home on
Dec. 26, 1996, after Patsy Ramsey called 911 and reported her
6-year-old daughter was missing and a ransom note was found. For
nearly three hours, Arndt was the only detective at the home.
Arndt was criticized for allowing John Ramsey to search the home
without an accompanying police officer and for placing a blanket
over his daughter's body, possibly contaminating evidence. She also
was criticized for not taking statements immediately from the
parents.
Arndt was removed from the case five months later, and resigned
from the department in 1999. She now works as a tree trimmer.
Arndt's former bosses and their lawyer said that the suit could have hurt the Ramsey investigation. Arndt said that she disagrees, and she is skeptical that the murder will ever be solved, anyway.
"People who are unwilling and unable to see the facts as they are the first time around -- and now the second time around can't see things as they are -- then I can't make you see them," she said.
According to Jones, Arndt's right to speak out in her defense was a matter of public concern because of publicity surrounding the case and her position as a public employee.
Jones said that he plans to appeal Tuesday's ruling, which came eight days after the trial began.
Because the lawsuit was dismissed, Arndt said that she may write a book to make sure that her side of the story is fully told.
In a related case, jury selection began Tuesday in Golden in the criminal trial of a Boulder lawyer accused of trying to buy the JonBenet Ramsey ransom note.
Thomas Miller is charged with criminal extortion and commercial bribery in connection with the alleged attempt to buy a copy of the note from a handwriting expert for the Globe tabloid.
A Jefferson County judge refused to throw out the case last May.
No arrests have been made in the Ramsey murder. Parents John and Patsy
Ramsey have not been ruled out as suspects, according to Boulder Police.
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U.S. District Judge William Downes ruled Tuesday morning that Linda
Arndt (pictured, left) failed to prove that the chiefs violated her First Amendment
rights by preventing her from commenting on allegations that she
bungled the investigation.
"Her sole concern dealt with how she was being portrayed in the public media," said U.S. District Judge William F. Downes in his ruling.
Ted Halaby, who represents former Chief Tom Koby and current
Chief Mark Beckner and the city of Boulder, had argued that Arndt
failed to present enough evidence to prove her case.
"From the beginning, we believed it to be an ill-conceived
lawsuit that was neither in the interest of Linda Arndt, the
Boulder Police Department or the serious ongoing criminal
investigation into the murder of JonBenet Ramsey," Halaby said
after the trial ended.
The chiefs and the city contended the highly publicized
investigation would have been compromised if police spoke publicly
in Arndt's defense.
Arndt said Tuesday that her lawsuit had at least brought out some hidden truths about the Ramsey investigation.
"The whole point was to inform the public where they had not been informed before, and now my faith continues to be in the public," she said.
Arndt and her attorney, Bruce Jones, said that the lawsuit helped clear her name.
"Under the circumstances that she found herself in, she did a very credible and reasonable job in responding to an almost impossible situation," Jones said.
Arndt was the first detective who arrived at the Ramsey home on
Dec. 26, 1996, after Patsy Ramsey called 911 and reported her
6-year-old daughter was missing and a ransom note was found. For
nearly three hours, Arndt was the only detective at the home.
Arndt was criticized for allowing John Ramsey to search the home
without an accompanying police officer and for placing a blanket
over his daughter's body, possibly contaminating evidence. She also
was criticized for not taking statements immediately from the
parents.
Arndt was removed from the case five months later, and resigned
from the department in 1999. She now works as a tree trimmer.
Arndt's former bosses and their lawyer said that the suit could have hurt the Ramsey investigation. Arndt said that she disagrees, and she is skeptical that the murder will ever be solved, anyway.
"People who are unwilling and unable to see the facts as they are the first time around -- and now the second time around can't see things as they are -- then I can't make you see them," she said.
According to Jones, Arndt's right to speak out in her defense was a matter of public concern because of publicity surrounding the case and her position as a public employee.
Jones said that he plans to appeal Tuesday's ruling, which came eight days after the trial began.
Because the lawsuit was dismissed, Arndt said that she may write a book to make sure that her side of the story is fully told.
In a related case, jury selection began Tuesday in Golden in the criminal trial of a Boulder lawyer accused of trying to buy the JonBenet Ramsey ransom note.
Thomas Miller is charged with criminal extortion and commercial bribery in connection with the alleged attempt to buy a copy of the note from a handwriting expert for the Globe tabloid.
A Jefferson County judge refused to throw out the case last May.
No arrests have been made in the Ramsey murder. Parents John and Patsy
Ramsey have not been ruled out as suspects, according to Boulder Police.
- June 12, 2001: Ramsey Detective 'Made Mistakes,' Chief Testifies
- June 8, 2001: Testimony: Ramsey Detective Didn't File Report
- June 5, 2001: Testimony: Ramsey Detective Wasn't At Fault
- May 30, 2001:
Ramseys: Clear Us Or Appoint New Investigators - May 28, 2001: Ramsey Detective Lawsuit To Begin
- May 15, 2001: Ramsey Detective's Case Dealt Setback
- March 30, 2001: Ramseys Sue Former Boulder Detective For Libel
- March 19, 2001: Housekeeper's Lawsuit Against Ramseys Moves Forward
- March 8, 2001: Ramseys Settle With Tabloid Over JonBenet Murder Stories
- 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.
