John Mark Karr: If the DNA Doesn't Fit, You Must Acquit!

According to A.P., Prosecutors abruptly dropped their case Monday against John Mark Karr in the slaying of JonBenet Ramsey, saying DNA tests failed to put him at the scene despite his repeated insistence he killed the 6-year-old beauty queen. Karr is still in custody with the Boulder County sheriff, who said Monday night California authorities had asked for him to be detained to face child pornography charges in that state.

The move came just a week and a half after the 41-year-old schoolteacher was arrested in Thailand and put on a plane to the U.S. in what was regarded as a remarkable break in the decade-old murder mystery that had cast suspicion on JonBenet’s parents.

District Attorney Mary Lacy said Karr emerged as a suspect in April after he began exchanging e-mails with a Colorado professor in which he admitted responsibility for the slaying.

According to court papers, Karr told the professor he accidentally killed JonBenet during sex and that he tasted her blood after he injured her vaginally. But officials at the Denver crime lab conducted DNA tests last Friday and failed to connect Karr to the crime.

“This information is critical because … if Mr. Karr’s account of his sexual involvement with the victim were accurate, it would have been highly likely that his saliva would have been mixed with the blood in the underwear,” Lacy said in court papers. Defense attorney Seth Temin expressed outrage that Karr was even arrested.

“We’re deeply distressed by the fact that they took this man and dragged him here from Bangkok, Thailand, with no forensic evidence confirming the allegations against him and no independent factors leading to a presumption he did anything wrong,” Temin said.

A few comments from the Reputation Doctor regarding the latest in the JonBenet Ramsey murder case and the top 3 with reputations in crisis:

1. The Boulder D.A. – Mary Lacy

Mary Lacy now bumps John Mark Karr from the number one position as the biggest reputation in crisis in this case. Sure many attorneys may think she did what she had to do, but this case is played out in 2 courts (the court of law and the court of public opinion). Most people now think Mary Lacy wasted a lot of taxpayer money, should have asked authorities in Thailand and California for DNA evidence before coming to Boulder and should have told us at her first press conference that the D.A.’s office was absolutely not sure if he is the top suspect in the case and needed more time to study his evidence even after knowing about Karr since 2001. Bottom line: when you make bad decisions and also refuse to share critical information with the press and the public on a timely basis, you always reap negative consequences in the court of public opinion. Message to all attorneys: seek expert help from a seasoned crisis PR expert with a lot of litigation-support PR experience when you have a high-profile case. If not, your reputation may also be in crisis very quickly.

2. The Boulder Police Department

The Boulder Police Department are like the old Keystone Kops in the silent movie era. I don’t say this lightly because I respect competent police departments across the globe. They put their lives on the line for us every day. In fact, my older brother spent over 23 years as a police officer. But I have no tolerance for a police force that has made so many mistakes in a murder investigation of a young girl. The Boulder Police allow a child molester and killer to continue to walk the street. The Boulder Police made a mess of the crime scene on day one and continued to make big mistakes afterward because they are not experienced enough in dealing with murders and violent crimes and not humble enough to ask for much more help. They could have been honest from day one and sought more help immediately from the FBI and other law enforcement agencies, even asking for more help from the Denver police department, but they did not do so. They tried to appear like they could handle a global murder case like this and as a result, they reaped the consquences of their actions in the media. The same media microscope allowed the world to see the dozens of major mistakes in this case. Bottom line: be humble and seek help immediately in areas where you lack knowledge or you may end up with a reputation in crisis like the Boulder Police Department.

3. John Ramsey

First Patsy Ramsey was on the suspect list from day one because the Boulder Police thought she was such a controlling mother she may have murdered her own daughter. Then it was John Ramsey who had his head on the block as a suspect because he either did it himself or helped his wife with the murder, even if it was helping her cover it up. Then Patsy died and the attention moved to John. Then we all met a crazy man by the name of John Mark Karr and John Ramsey went to the bottom of the list or in some minds, off the list completely. Guess what? He’s back! And until they catch the murderer, I believe John Ramsey’s name will continue to be on the suspect list. Imagine having your reputation in crisis for 10 years and the world still not sure if he is deserving of it or not? One thing is for sure, the murderer knows what happened and many still think John Ramsey did it all himself or helped his wife cover it up. Either way, he still has a reputation in crisis in the court of public opinion. This is not the court of law, but this court, the court of public opinion, is just as important. Bottom line for John Ramsey: when there is a lack of information, the court of public opinion forms its own opinion. It ALWAYS filled the vacuum when there is a “no comment” and a refusal to share relevant information or the truth. The verdict in the court of public opinion sometimes changes day to day or minute by minute or sometimes digs in deep and takes years to change even when the truth finally surfaces. Either way, your reputation, the truth and consequences for your actions are still very relevant and make or break lives. Why? Because Your Reputation Is Everything!

Remember, do the right thing when your reputation is in crisis and seek the counsel of an experienced reputation management expert. It will be a major challenge, but ultimately the rewards of repairing your reputation will be great. Why? Because Your Reputation Is Everything!™

Boulder Police, John Mark Karr

• Share
•