UK social services might step in, whatever that means.

It is intrusive indeed, seems like it´s the most important and biggest news these days. Well, it is interesting and shocking and everyone would like to know what exacly happened but I´m getting tired and bored of it, it´s on every tv channel, every news paper, etc.
Media should give it a break for a while.

Rgds

Lucia

The only line crossed was the Mirror journalist Lori Campbell who dragged Robert Murat into the fray when things were looking a bit quiet … otherwise considering this is such an unusual case it is not at all surprising the scale of media attention it is getting … perhaps Reuters and others could done more investigative reporting … All we seem to read are quotes from the Portuguese media , nobody is getting their hands dirty on the ground and finding out what is really going on ??

I would say that “good journalism” tries to look at every story objectively and surely this could only be achieved by assuming a certain emotional distance.

While that may have been seen as a little callous at the beginning of this sad case it may served to dampen down this flood of emotion now getting in the way of fact and reason.

It seems to me that the media have behaved in the same way as the public mob now baying for blood.

Like the tide going in and out they have whipped each other up into mutual waves of at one moment sympathy and love and at another a virtual tidal wave of suspicion bordering on hate. It’s almost cannabilistic.

Isn’t it sad that this is level of frenzy is what people seem to get off on? And so the media chucks fodder at the beast as fast and as often as it can.

The mistake that the McCann’s made is that in their innocent wish to use the media to highlight their problem they didn’t realise that the media’s master was profit.

Thankfully there have been some objective articles.

I believe totally in their innocence and find myself almost hoping that they find Madeleine’s body soon (because I don’t imagine that she is still alive) and that sickens me but it would serve to bring all this speculation to an end and they could get on with the rest of their lives.

The media are only responding to frenzied public interest in this case. It is fascinating and remains a mystery. That is what drives it. I believe in the McCanns total innocence.

I don’t think the media coverage has been intrusive. The parent of Madeleine initially asked for the help of the media to find their girl. However, I feel the media have gone over the top with coverage. I cannot see that the general public need so much information on one single case. What about all the other missing children and their parents who get no coverage?

You must be joking. Have you read the latest evidence? Have you read that the prosecutor has already passed 10 files to a judge?

Read here:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jht ml?xml=/news/2007/09/12/nmaddy112.xml

“The amount of hair was said to be sufficient to convince police that it could only have got there directly from Madeleine’s body, rather than by “secondary transfer” from her clothes or Cuddle Cat toy.

“Bodily fluids said to have been found in the car showed signs of decomposition, it is alleged, leading police to believe that Madeleine is dead.

“There were also reports that toxicology tests on the samples in the car may have led to the suspicion that Madeleine was drugged and speculation that she may have been accidentally given an overdose of a sedative.”

And this stuff was found in the well of the car boot where the spare wheel is kept?

the popular press in britain has been nothing but supportive of the mcanns,and have also gone as far as demonising johnny foreigner portuguese cops who are simply trying to solve a crime.now that some shackles have been loosened those interested in the truth can get down to the business of fact instead of useless emotional responses.at the very least the mcanns were responsible for leaving a vulnerable child alone.to my knowledge this is a crime which has been buried beneath the weight of papal audiences and high profile masses in several cathedrals.they have stepped on the landmine that princess diana missed.

If they didn’t do it… they have made the biggest fuss that anyone who ever lost a child has ever made before. And if they did do it… ditto. If they didn’t do it then they may be fools to expect to “turn on the media spotlight” when it suits them, and to hope to able to turn it off when it doesn’t. If they did do it, then these people are serious qeirdos.

As far as the media goes..

I passed a car today with one of those ‘find Maddy’ type posters in the rear windscreen. To be honest, IF I was of the persuassion to display such a poster - it would be removed by now.

I am glad there are those out there who believe in Innocent until proven Guilty - but frankly I see this case as Guilty until proven Innocent. Point Blank: We would never leave our children unnattended at home while we went a few doors up the road to have a social - never mind in unfamiliar territory. Reality: We can remember every nose bleed, lasceration or minor bump our 9 year old has ever had… To me it is only respect to the Portugeuse Police, as they cannot be inept… unfortunately in search for the truth they may have gave too much credibility to the professional family - being doctors and all (They would’ve done the same in the UK).

My feelings are that had these parents been of working class - this case might be further ahead! Furthermore their kids would probably be with social services by now ( as a precautionary measure.)

I only hope the accussed are truely innocent - and wish THEIR daughter is still alive - and whatever comes to light… I hope they do too!

Let the truth out?!

No the media coverage has not been intrusive. If these parents were of a lower socio-economic group they would have been dragged through the papers with terrible allegations being made against them and their (lack of) parenting skills. Whilst I feel nothing but sympathy to any parent who loses a child I must express my concern about children being left alone in hotel rooms whilst their parents wine and dine, it’s not as if ther McCanns couldn’t afford a sitter.
The McCanns wanted the media in the early days when it suited their cause well unfortunatey you can’t switch it off when it doesn’t suit you.

I find so many of these responses sad. None of us are perfect parents. I challenge any of you to deny not doing something in your child’s life that may have been considered “cavalier” by somebody else.

I am sure that the McCann’s are not totally surprised at being considered suspects parents always are the prime suspects but to have the sheer outpouring of anger and bile thrown in their direction must have come as a shock.

If they are guilty good invesigation, forensics and journalism may prove but until then surely we should support a cornerstone of our justice system which is innocent until proven otherwise.

If they aren’t guilty? If this case is never resolved what then? This media storm has damned them forever in a lot of people’s minds. Just remember all of those women who went to jail for killing their children on the evidence of one renowned forensic expert.

The McCann’s have made their bed and can now lie in it……..

We are all jumping the gun here abit, as suspicious as I am of Maddy’s parents, the full facts behind the evidence is not yet known to anyone other than the Portuguese authorities. It does appear things are being leaked, no doubt with an agenda in mind, but you can’t base a case on heresay and gossip and what amounts at the moment to tiny little snippets of everything they have got. If the evidence had been that strong I doubt very much that they would have been allowed to leave Portugal after being named as suspects.

This story is out of proportion to all the other stories of missing children. Too many people seem to believe that they are able to prejudge the case from all the apparent leaks and apparent counter-leaks. It is these same people who will sit on British juries evaluating the evidence brought before them - a frightening thought.

One “lesson learned” from this should be that once the media is involved, it can be difficult to control where they go. I do not blame the media as there has been plenty of interest in the story - so blame the readers / viewers who have fanned the flames

The media is obsessed with the McCanns but so are many people in the public. If they were poor and did not look perfect for the photographs and cameras, would they find themselves in the news everyday. I very much doubt it.
The McCanns are a sympton of society in the UK. People are fixated with celebrity and status and the McCanns are simply an extension of this attitude. Some people also seem too have become over emotional about them on the internet and in conversations, a sort of mass hysteria, talking to Kate and Gerry as though they know them personally, some seem almost on the verge of tears. This emotional need to identify with the couple is frankly unhealthy and a little bit scary.
The Portuguese police have become bumbling stupid men, who spend their waking hours creating evil plots to frame innocent people.
Although I am not saying the couple are guilty, we also cannot completely say that they are totally innocent until all the facts and forensic results come to light.
I think the media attention they have sought out themsleves from the beginning is strange.
There are many other missing children in the world and in the UK. There are many other parents suffering who will never have the amount of attention or sympathy that this couple have received.
These desperate people exist but we don’t know their names. That is the saddest thing about this situation.

They courted the media far beyond the boundaries of tastefulness or what was necessary to launch a campaign. David Beckham, the Pope, USA… A new low was reached when Ken Bigleys family was drawn in. And now the media has turned around and bit them on the nose. Quelle surprise!
And now it’s asserted the Portuguese police is trying to fit them up. What with the close working relationship with the British authorities and the spotlight of the world on them - I hardly think so!

“They have already contacted the QC who defended Pinochet against extradition.”

Clara just in response to this comment. I would also contact the best barrister I could find to defend me if I was being accused of or investigated in relation to the disappearance of my child. Many parents of missing children get accused. A good representitive can make the ordeal a whole lot easier to bear and get it delt with quickly and effectivly.

I hope this doesnt seem like an attack on you but assuming they are innocent, which they are until proven guilty in the U.K, then this is EXACTLY what they should do.

However using the fund for the defence makes me feel a little ill. That was a bad move on their part and will reflect badly on them in the public eye.

On a more general note the allegations of corruption against the Portugese police, whilst very easy to make, have little to no basis. They are going to be scrutinised so closely in this case that even the tiniest slip would turn the case on its head and probably have the whole thing dismissed. They want this solved as much as anyone. Its their countrys tourism that will suffer if it isnt. They have sent files to prosecutors for a reason. And maybe they are running a smoke screen to hide what they are really doing as has been suggested. If that is the case then they are doing that masterfully.

Well that got much longer than I intended. So I’ll leave you all with this thought. The parents may or may not be guilty, the police may or may not be trying to frame them. Maddie may or may not have been abducted. Irrespective there is not one person here who knows for certain what happend, and if there is will you please contact the police and tell them because this ordeaql has gone on for far too long.

Clara, you wrote

“But they are now talking of setting up another fund, not only to solicit money for their legal defence, but also for PR expenses.”

If that is the case, i have heard nothing about it either way, they should be shot. PR expenses? I hope you are wrong. That to me would suggest to me they are a very callous pair and also makes them look more guilty. And I jsut dont want to believe that they did it for 2 reasons.

1:- they will have killed their own child. I ont think I need to go into the problems with that.

2:- It makes them very stupid people. Getting this much media coverage. They are doctors. They are supposed to be intelligent.

“Or until proven guilty in Portugal”

I am unsure if Portugal have the presumption of innocence. My comment in relation to the UK was down to having them moved from the UK to Portugal to stand trial there. I should have clarified that.

“Some police are actually interested in justice.”

Valid point. My comment was badly thought out and in poor taste.

“There is no evidence whatsoever that the police are trying to frame them. The McCanns have claimed that they are.”

Valid point. But it may be true. Hence my saying they may or may not. This also holds true for the other comments where I said may or may not. The fact is we dont know. There is presumably, although we dont know this for sure either, a large amount of things that are known by the parties involved that we dont know.

“Youll have to forgive me. I have become highly irritated at some of the less intelligent and highly xenophobic remarks Ive read in numerous places in the past few days.”

I know what you mean. It is becoming a little rediculous what people will say. But everyone has their opinion which they are entitled to under the European Convention. Plus on the internet you will find every viewpoint imaginable presented.

“One of which outraged posters (elsewhere) suggested that the McCanns should be given diplomatic immunity. Apparently because theyre British.”

I dont think Diplomatic Immunity exists between EU member states. The McCanns wont get it anyway. They put themselves in the spotlight. The UK government dont need that kind of publicity. Sheltering potential murders from justice

There is a good chance that it was the parents. But I say let the police do their job and let the media sotp demonising the police for following standard proceedure.

And I want to see the truth come out. But most of all I want Madeleine found.

Isn’t it more to the point how (probably fraternal) protectionism for the McCann’s has crossed the line. Not least of all, a top government P.R master resigning his post to work the interest of this couple is certainly not a normality. Whether they are guilty or innocent this is not an ordinary run of the mill abduction, or whatever, case. It involves mighty lots of money, top lawyers and at best and least some whitewashing.
Obviously P.R is important to The McCanns, since they consented to drug tests that have apparently cleared them of wrong doing. Why not progress to a Lie Detector test to be carried on them out by Police professionals to draw the same conclusion. Surely their truths here will also stand out, so it would work to their advantage, not least when suing their public enemy number one as they have threatened?