John Ramsey Speaks for the First Time Since He Was Exonerated

John Ramsey gave his first interview since he was "Exonerated" yesterday.  Oprah used that term and I take issue with it.  To actually be exonerated, you have to have been convicted, and as we all well know, the Ramseys were never convicted.  There were never even charged, and in fact, the grand jury refused to issue an indictment.  Cleared, or no longer under investigation would have been a better way to phrase it. 

He said he forgives the media for their "cyberspace lynching" he and his wife endured.  He also said that his wife, Patsy, packed a blue dress whenever they traveled so that if the killer was found and she was interviewed she would have a blue dress, which looks good on T.V.  His interview was short and the show focused more closely on Elizabeth Smart and had an interview with Shawn Hornbeck, another teenage abduction victim.

I was struck by how poised Elizabeth and Sean were when they were interviewed.  But there was profuse  praise for Elizabeth for getting past her ordeal without any therapy and I thought that was irresponsible.  Most children, if not all, would need therapy after being abducted and assaulted and to suggest you should be able to get over it without therapy could make a teenager who is struggling with an assault feel bad about themselves for needing professional help.

The D.A. also issued an apology to the Ramsey family:

To the extent that we may have contributed in any way to the public perception that you might have been involved in this crime, I am deeply sorry: No innocent person should have to endure such an extensive trial in the court of public opinion, especially when public officials have not had sufficient evidence to initiate a trial in a court of law. I have the greatest respect for the way you and your family have handled this adversity.

We intend in the future to treat you as the victims of this crime, with the sympathy due you because of the horrific loss you suffered. Otherwise, we will continue to refrain from publicly discussing the evidence in this case.

I think it's fabulous that a public official admitted a mistake their office made and apologized.  Wouldn't it be nice if other public officials (cough, Bush, Cheney, Iraq war debacle) did the same thing?

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