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I was hoping Dagwood would post this story; after all, it happened near her…


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Sorry to disappoint you Don, I didn't realize it mattered who posted stories..... ::)

Anyway- I am glad they found her and curious as to what has happened to her in the past 8 months, maybe Dag will have a the "local buzz" for us.  :D

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Hi Shaz :)  I noticed you didn't have a link, so here we go:

http://www.cnn.com/2003/US/West/03/12/smart.kidnapping/index.html
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Why, thank you my Green Lantern friend!  :)

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This is GREAT news. I wonder why when given a chance (at the press conference) that the authorities didn't apoligize to Mr. Ricci's family (he's recently deceased if I'm not mistaken). When asked about this, the spokesman (cheif of police of Salt Lake City) only said, "It doesn't appear now that Mr. Ricci had anything to do with it." I'm sure it was too early for them to KNOW that he wasn't involved yet though. Maybe its the media that owes this guy's family the apology. It's a b!tch when you're only a suspect, that your whole life can be strewn across the pages and airwaves for the world to see, and nothing much is ever said when you're cleared. Anyway.......I digress.........I guess  now's the time to just feel good and celebrate that Elizibeth is alive and well!! That said, why did I even post this? 'Cause I took the time to write it, I reckon. ::) :)
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Digress all you want, my second thought was that they owe the Ricci family the mother of all apologies.  Richard did die in August in jail.  

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I am so glad that this girl was found alive after so many tragedies involving teenage girls. Our God is good. ;)
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Amen to that, Indy! :)

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Digress all you want, my second thought was that they owe the Ricci family the mother of all apologies.  Richard did die in August in jail.  
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I do believe that they would owe his family an apology, but not until after they have investigated that matter first.  Speculation has been that when Ricci took the car to the mechanic, he was seen getting into a car that could very well have been Mitchell's.  Also, at the time Ricci was considered a suspect, the police were acting on their leads and did what they had to do.  

It is just such a happy ending to a tragic situation.  I hope that she & her family can find a way to live a normal life despite the psychological problems they will be facing.  :-/

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Digress all you want, my second thought was that they owe the Ricci family the mother of all apologies.  Richard did die in August in jail.  
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Yes he did, but he wasn't in jail because of the Smart case. He was inside on a parole violation relating to another matter.

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Yes he did, but he wasn't in jail because of the Smart case. He was inside on a parole violation relating to another matter.
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True he wasn't.  I just heard all the updates daily.  Mr Smart saying that Ricci should just tell the truth and Ricci saying that he didn't do it.  Here it was like the man was guilty until proven innocent.  I know he wasn't a law abiding man, I just never thought he had anything to do with the kidnapping.

As for his car:  I always thought (and still do) that he went to Wyoming for a day job or something like that.  I think he didn't admit it to the police because it was a parole violation and he didn't want to get into more trouble.  I still don't think he was connected to the kidnapping in any way.

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It is just such a happy ending to a tragic situation.  I hope that she & her family can find a way to live a normal life despite the psychological problems they will be facing.  :-/
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I am thrilled that Elizabeth was found alive, but I am also quite concerned about how she is going to fit into society now. There is no doubt that she will have psychological problems because of this horrible, horrible event!  :'(

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Hairspray:  They haven't released wether or not she has been abused.End Quote

Not "officially" anyway.  ;)  None of us, the general public, know anything for a fact, but it sure adds to the fuel of controversy when no one releases specifics on the case.

The case was made very public, even more so than hundreds of other kidnappings that take place daily. The parents were financially able to publicize further and even get highway bulletin boards. Many became very familiar with the case and even emotionally involved. The public helped tremendously as well. Many people feel very connected to this case. It is only natural for people to want to know what happened or even feel they have some right to know. We already know she's going to need psychological help for some time due to the trauma. The longer the family keeps mum about the events that took place those 9 months, the more people will draw their own conclusions. It's not right for that to happen, by any means. It's just the way it is.

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This poor girl is going to go through hell as it is.End Quote

I'd like to think the girl already went through hell and is now on her way to recovery. I don't see it getting worse than what she's already been through.

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Hopefully they don't release wether or not she was abused, that would make getting past this even harder. This is going to be a media circus...End Quote

Keeping the details of the case away from the public will not help them any, IMO. Whatever it was will be something to be faced sooner or later.

This case has been a media circus all along; initially for the best reasons. Now, it's a media circus as part of the natural course of things in the process of crime and punishment in a case with the publicity of this magnitude.

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I would hate to find out that part of the family did have something to do with this.End Quote

I personally doubt the family had anything to do with her kidnapping directly.

IMO, it was sheer stupidity on their part that contributed to this crime.

1) Bringing in strangers to work in their home without doing at least a background check.

2) Trusting them with their home keys.

3) No turning on their home alarm system.

4) Not having a guard dog to, at the very least, alert them of an intruder.

A darn shame, really.

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Not "officially" anyway.  ;)  None of us, the general public, know anything for a fact, but it sure adds to the fuel of controversy when no one releases specifics on the case.
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True.  I have seen dozens of press conferences where one reporter has to ask if she was sexually abused every time.  I just want to scream.  It will come out in the trial, until then I think it is pretty tacky to ask.

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I'd like to think the girl already went through hell and is now on her way to recovery. I don't see it getting worse than what she's already been through.
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She has, it is just going to be hard for her being in the limelight like she will be.  Heck, the other day she went out to her driveway and the media broke in to let us know.  I think the press needs to leave her alone and let her experiences come out in private.  Soon enough we will know all she is willing to tell.

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I personally doubt the family had anything to do with her kidnapping directly.

IMO, it was sheer stupidity on their part that contributed to this crime.

1) Bringing in strangers to work in their home without doing at least a background check.

2) Trusting them with their home keys.

3) No turning on their home alarm system.

4) Not having a guard dog to, at the very least, alert them of an intruder.

A darn shame, really.
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I agree.  It is amazing, though, how many people still think the family had something to do with it.  My father, for example, still thinks she went away to have her uncles baby. ::)  Personally I think it is disgusting.  I am glad someone else thinks like I do about who is to blame...that would be Mitchell and no one else.  I think the parents just lived in a rose colored world.  I bet that they don't have that "It'll never happen to me" attitude anymore.

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Rumor has it the "Smart" girl was taken to be made into a wife. She was sexually abused and brainwashed. After some time she became adjusted to her "reality" and accepted her fate. She is also rumored to be pregnant from her abductor.  :o

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This is precisely what I suggested. It would be incredibly unlikely that she could have stayed with him for that long and not fallen under his influence, either willingly or otherwise. As for the suggestions of the Smart family's involvement, I just refer the reader to the continuing rumour and debate surrounding the Ramsey case, i.e. - continuing allegations of their involvement despite the complete lack of evidence .  

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This is precisely what I suggested. It would be incredibly unlikely that she could have stayed with him for that long and not fallen under his influence, either willingly or otherwise. As for the suggestions of the Smart family's involvement, I just refer the reader to the continuing rumour and debate surrounding the Ramsey case, i.e. - continuing allegations of their involvement despite the complete lack of evidence .  
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Ok...they just had his attorney on the news.  The attorney said that Mitchell considers her his "wife".  That is sick and wrong, but it sounds more and more like she was sexually abused.  :-/

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Hopefully I am wrong on this one.
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I bet you're not.   :-/

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Anyone else see the calls for lighter sentencing to the kidnappers because the girl was recovered and not killed?  I believe this came from the father as well.  
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I know that Mitchell's father said this.  He basically said most kidnapped kids are killed and his son didn't kill Elizabeth so that should be taken into account when prosecuting.  I agree with you, Race, BULL!  I say throw his butt into jail and throw away the key. >:(

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Thanks for the clarification in that Dagwood, I can understand it better from the wierdos father than I can from the Smart family, but I can't except that reasoning from anyone.
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You're quite welcome.