Madeleine McCann Suspect Robert Murat’s DNA Tests
ROBERT Murat is in hiding, says the Sun.
Of course, little has been seen of the No.1 and only suspect in the Madeleine McCann case since his name was linked with her abduction. Since the time a Mirror journalist found him creepy; since his old boss told us of Murat’s fetish for bouncy castles; since we learned of his love triangle.
Would any man or woman among us show themselves when accused of a heinous crime?
Nothing should be read into Murat’s laying low, but much will be. Just as much has been read into his unusually high profile when Madeleine McCann was the lead news story and he was acting as translator.
(There is not a single mention of Madeleine McCann in most of the papers – the Express does, however, report on the woman arrested for making bogus door-to-door collections for the fund set up to help find Madeleine, and the Sun’s story: “MADDIE COPS BOTCH SUSPECT’S DNA TEST.”)
The Sun has little time for the Portuguese police – mainly because the Portuguese police have little or no time for the Sun. And now the Sun brings us new of how the local plod has erred.
Only recently, Murat’s legal representative was telling us of his client’s hopes that DNA evidence found at the McCanns’ apartment would clear him.
Now Murat has provided the police with a second sample. Murat has been swabbed and his sample is being compared with DNA retrieved from the McCann’s holiday apartment. The results will be known in the fullness of time.
The Tabloid Crucible
And why was the second sample taken? The Sun says because Portuguese police “may have” have lost it. Or they may have not.
The Sun hears Olegario Sousa, the police spokesman, say “the first sample may not have been large enough, may have been contaminated or even LOST”.
The Sun says this is “bungle”. But there is no proof of a bungle. There is only a suggestion of a possible error. And, in any case, what criminal jury would convict Murat on the strength of one sample of his DNA?
To non Sun readers it would seem that the Portuguese police are checking their facts, endeavouring to get it right.
Meanwhile, Robert Murat’s denial is now part of the story. We don’t know if he is guilty. But we know his name. And can that be right?
Posted: 6th, June 2007 | In: Tabloids Comments (44) | TrackBack | Permalink
