Wednesday, February 1, 2012

Press Release: Cease-and-Desist Letter issued to Gerry and Kate McCann, parents of Missing Madeleine McCann

PRESS RELEASE

Gerry and Kate McCann, parents of the missing Madeleine McCann, find themselves for the first time at the other end of a potential legal action. Top defense attorney, Anne Bremner, counsel to the Friends of Amanda Knox and the families of Rebecca Zahau and Susan Cox Powell, has issued a cease-and-desist letter (content posted below) on behalf of American criminal profiler Pat Brown whose book, Profile of the Disappearance of Madeleine McCann, was removed from sale by Amazon following a claim by the McCanns that the book was defamatory. In recent years, the McCanns have instructed their solicitors, Carter-Ruck, to send numerous cease-and-desist letters to people who have publicly questioned their possible involvement in their daughter’s disappearance nearly five years ago while on family holiday in Portugal.


Next week, on February 8th, retired solicitor Tony Bennett faces English prison as the McCanns’ fight to shut down his efforts to bring focus to aspects of the missing child case that point to the parents’ possible involvement. Also, the McCanns have sued the detective on their daughter’s case, Dr. Goncalo Amaral, for libel and have had his book, Truth of the Lie, pulled off the worldwide market. The trial is scheduled in Portugal for April. Now, Pat Brown has fought back for the cause of freedom of speech and justice, alleging that the McCanns have interfered with her right to conduct business and have damaged her professional reputation with their successful removal of her book from sale.
On Monday, Pat will leave for Portugal to continue her quest for truth and justice in the case of Madeleine McCann.

The Find Madeleine Campaign operated by Gerry and Kate McCann has spent some 2.5 million pounds on the supposed search for their daughter, Madeline, who vanished in Praia da Luz, Portugal while on vacation with the family nearly five years ago and have come up empty handed. Since last May, a 37-man team headed up by Scotland Yard has spent 1.5 million pounds on salaries plus many more pounds following up supposed leads with no sign of success. Altogether, four million pounds has been forked out to locate a missing child with zero results. What, then, does American criminal profiler Pat Brown hope to accomplish with her two week trip to Portugal, beginning next week on February 6, with her small band of assistants and a few hundred euros of her own money?
She could find the truth. She could find Madeleine. She could find nothing but at least she won’t be costing the taxpayers millions or draining the pocketbooks of kindhearted donators chasing useless leads.

Pat Brown will be following up on the theory she purported in her Profile of the Disappearance of Madeleine McCann, her eBook which was pulled by Amazon at the request of the British solicitors Carter-Ruck on behalf of Gerry and Kate McCann. Amazon was told the book was defamatory in spite of the fact Ms. Brown clearly stated facts in the case, developed a theory based on those facts, and repeated numerous times that she makes no claim that the McCanns are guilty of any involvement in their daughter’s disappearance (other than leaving three children unattended night after night in the resort apartment). Since Gerry McCann clearly stated during the Leveson Inquiry, “I strongly believe in freedom of speech” and “I don't have a problem with somebody purporting a theory,” it is difficult to understand why the McCanns wanted the book to be repressed, except that it was selling well and that the theory she presented was being considered credible by a number of readers.

During her trip to Portugal, Pat Brown will study the town of Praia da Luz and environs, reconstruct the crime, and examine possible locations as to where Madeleine might have been taken, dead or alive. If she discovers evidence to support a theory other than the one that was the focus of her book, she will pursue that information. She is looking forward to meeting with Dr. Goncalo Amaral, the ex-detective on the McCann case. Meanwhile, it is her hope and that of her lawyer, Anne Bremner, that the McCanns rethink their actions regarding the Profile of the Disappearance of Madeleine McCann and instruct their solicitors to have Amazon return the book to the market (now available at Smashwords and Barnes & Noble online).

For interviews and media appearances, please contact:

Pat Brown
The Pat Brown Criminal Profiling Agency
she2000@comcast.net
301-633-1151
www.patbrownprofiling.com
www.sheprofilers.com

Anne M. BremnerStafford Frey Cooper, PC
3100 Two Union Square
601 Union Street
Seattle, WA 98101-1374
abremner@staffordfrey.com
206.623.9900
www.annebremner.com

--------------------------------------------

Cease-and-Desist Letter

Anne M. Bremner
Stafford Frey Cooper, PC
3100 Two Union Square
601 Union Street
Seattle, WA 98101-1374

February 1, 2012

Adam Tudor
Carter-Ruck
6 St Andrew Street
London EC4A 3AE
England

Dear Mr. Tudor,
In July 2011, American criminal profiler, author, and television commentator, Pat Brown, released on June 15, 2011 a self-published book of thirty-pages on Amazon.com, Amazon.co.uk, and Amazon.de, for the price of US2.99. It was titled Profile of the Disappearance of Madeleine McCann, sold 850 copies over the next five weeks and garnered 49 nearly all five star reviews on Amazon.uk alone. Then, the book vanished from sale on all three sites. Upon questioning, Pat Brown was informed by Amazon that they had received communications from Carter-Ruck on behalf of their clients Gerald and Kate McCann that the book was defamatory.
Mon 7/25/2011 7:27 PM

Dear Pat,
We have received a notice of defamation from Carter-Ruck Solicitors that says the content of Profile of the Disappearance of Madeleine McCann (UPDATED) B0055WYVCQ, contains defamatory statements regarding their clients, Gerry and Kat (sic) McCann.

Because we have no method of determining whether the content supplied to us is defamatory, we have removed the title from sale and will not reinstate it unless we receive confirmation from both parties that this matter has been resolved.
Carter-Ruck can be reached at:

6 St Andrew Street
London EC4A 3AE
T 020 7353 5005
Best regards,
Robert F.
This was quite a surprise to Pat Brown as she had never received any communications from the McCanns nor their solicitors concerning any defamatory material in this book, nor had she ever received any communication concerning any defamatory material in her blogs on the case she has posted online at The Daily Profiler over the last four years. As Ms. Brown is an analyst of evidence, she is careful to not state anything as a fact that is not a fact and to clearly state what is a hypothesis or a theory as opposed to proof. She has publicly and repeated explained to anyone reading her analyses of crime that criminal profiling is a methodology which explores the possible and theoretical scenarios that might be considered as logical based on evidence connected with the crime - forensic, linguistic, or behavioral. Any findings resulting from investigative tools which are not acceptable in certain courts of law (such as cadaver dogs or polygraphs) are noted as suitable for speculation, but not as solid proof of anyone’s guilt or involvement in criminal activities. Criminal profiling itself is an investigative tool and not a finding of guilt as Pat Brown clearly notes in her book.

Due to the speculative, if analytical, nature of Deductive Criminal Profiling, the methodology used by Pat Brown, she was careful to repeat numerous times throughout her publication that she was not accusing the McCanns of being involved in any crime or in the disappearance of their daughter, Madeleine. She was clearly only “purporting a theory” and exercising “free speech,” both manners of communication Gerry McCann stated he strongly supported under oath at the Leveson Inquiry on November 23, 2011 in London:
"I would like to emphasize that I strongly believe in freedom of speech, but where you have people who are repeatedly carrying out inaccuracies and have been shown to do so, then they should be held to account. That is the issue. I don't have a problem with somebody purporting a theory, writing fiction, suggestions, but clearly we've got to a stage where substandard reporting and sources, unnamed, made-up, non-verifiable, are a daily occurrence.” Gerry McCann

Pat Brown also believes in free speech and the right to purport a theory, it would seem she and Gerry McCann are in agreement that any work that purports a theory as opposed to false statements of fact is acceptable under freedom of speech. Pat Brown’s Profile of the Disappearance of Madeleine McCann opens up discussion of what happened to the McCann’s daughter, further stimulating interest in the case, and keeping Madeleine in the minds of the public. As the McCanns claim this is what they want, Pat Brown’s book is in accordance with this desire. In fact, it is the McCanns themselves who have clearly encouraged massive interest and speculation on this case. Pat Brown is in no way, therefore, infringing on any wish to keep talk about the case to a minimum.
By speaking and writing out quite often and in such a high profile manner, the McCanns have succeeded in making Madeleine McCann the most well-known missing child in modern history (since the Lindbergh baby in 1932). They have stimulated debate worldwide as to what happened to Madeleine. They have publicly purported their own theories; that someone took Madeleine because they wanted to raise a child, that she is being held captive in a sex ring, and that a pedophile had taken her. They have publicly disclosed many details of the case and repeatedly told their version of what occurred before, during, and after the disappearance of the daughter. They have discussed their emotions, behaviors, and opinions. Pat Brown is carrying on that discussion.

Utmost of importance in the entire matter, is the handling and funding of child abduction cases, the prevailing attitudes toward these crimes, and the future of catching child predators. Because the victims are so young and innocent, missing children are among the most publicized cases in the world. In the last three decades with the increase of the Internet and the 24-hour news cycle, awareness of child sex predators and stranger child abduction has radically increased fears of parents that their child will be taken and murdered. In reality, stranger abduction continues to be exceedingly rare for children of Madeleine’s age. Regardless, the paranoia that is engendered when a small child goes missing is a great stress to the community, the police, and resources. Therefore, it is extremely important that each and every case be properly analyzed and understood so that wrong ideas aren’t promulgated and funding and efforts are wasted investigating such crimes improperly. Each child that goes missing is a terrible tragedy for the parents, siblings, relative, friends, and community. Pat has great empathy for any family of a missing child and, most of all, compassion for the innocent young person who has suffered abuse, terror, sexual assault, and, possibly, an early death at the hands of others.

We are requesting that you respect Pat Brown’s right to free speech and to purport a theory as Gerry McCann has stated is not a problem for him. We request that the claim of libel be retracted for the Profile of the Disappearance of Madeleine McCann and the book permitted to be returned for sale at Amazon.

Respectfully,
Anne M. Bremner

23 comments:

  1. oh well done Pat,wonder if the mccanns will get carter ruck to respond.Good luck in Portugal and if you come away with nothing it wont be because you havent tried. It would be nice if you get the chance to meet Mr Amaral.
    chris

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  2. Why are the public only allowed to hear/see/be told about the parents version of events?. Thank goodness for the internet I say.Where is there any independent evidence of an abduction or abductor?,if there had been, then I doubt people would be asking questions and doubting the parents/friends version of events.

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  3. The parents have reputedly spent more than 2.5 million pounds of funds from public donations and legal actions over the past almost 5 years, on an utterly fruitless search. They should welcome the assistance of a competent criminal profiler, especially as it won't cost them, or their benefactors and/or donators a single penny. A first step to regaining credibility perhaps, would be to move the focus of their attention away from the defence of their own reputations and pursuit of massive libel payments in the courts and to concentrate on the task of finding out what happened to their daughter.

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  4. I don't believe the McCann's welcomed the comments from the UK's top profiler, Lee Rainbow!

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  5. I wish you all the best in your search for the truth, and hope that the Mccanns realise that there are people that do not believe in their theory,story,fabrications.

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  6. FYI, there was an error in the originally posted WCI blog due to accidental cut-and-paste. The recipient of the letter at Carter-Ruck IS Adam Tudor.

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  7. thank you for clearing that up Pat,the pro,s were wetting them selves with excitment thinking you had mucked up

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  8. Good Luck Pat. KeirSimmonsITV is his new twitter address by the way :)

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  9. Hi Pat
    I'm wishing you success in this action VS the Mccanns bullying action.
    Can you please let us know how many days or weeks, if needed, you will have to wait to bring the case in court if your Cease and Desist letter has been ignored?

    Dave.

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  10. Hi Pat,

    Wish you all the best during your visit to Portugal.(PDL) I believe that a meeting with Dr.Amaral will cross the Ts and you will get a better sense of all this.

    My feedback on the McCanns is that they are losing a lot of support, and therefore rely on funding from Legal venues.

    It is hard to break a lucrative line of income, now that they have tasted fame on Maddie's demise.

    Please keep us informed, of future developments.

    UNCLE BIG BEN

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  11. Fantastic press release and letter Pat. This version hits the nail right on the head.

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  12. I am very surprised, if not astonished, that neither the Portuguese nor the British media have followed up on such a scoop.

    If I were you (Pat) I would send a copy to the main news agencies both in Portugal (Lusa) and the UK (Associated Press) - not to mention France (France Press).

    May be is pointless.

    Burston-Marsteller (Clarence Mitchell) in the UK and its sister company in Portugal, Lift Consulting (Claudia Nogueira) which represent the McCanns will, no doubt, try to prevent the news to be circulated...

    Thanks God for the Internet (while it lasts).

    Have a good and productive sojourn in Portugal! Your fortitude and courage is admired by many, myself included.

    God bless!

    Rui

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  13. Pat, I'm stunned. I've been cautiously sympathetic toward the McCanns, but to say I'm dismayed by events is an understatement.

    I'm not surprised by Amazon because their heavy-handedness has put me off for quite some time. Whenever and wherever possible on Criminal Brief and SleuthSayers.org, I refer readers to B&N rather than Amazon in small protest.

    Pat, this is not an empty offer: If I can do anything for you at SleuthSayers.org, even post your eBook for free or give you a day for your own article there, I'll be glad to accommodate you. We try to be on the side of the angels.

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  14. Considering UK papers will report anything and everything about Madeleine McCann I find it very curious that not one newspaper has seen fit to report this new 'news' about the McCann case. Now our friends across the pond will realise there is no such thing as a free press here in the UK They have to toe the party line we're just curious what party it is.

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  15. Way to go Pat,

    It seems the McCanns are spending an awful lot of that money donated to search for Madeleine on legal fees doing the exact opposite of what the money was donated for.

    That's got to raise a smoke screen to any reasonable thinking person.

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  16. Biographies are often filled with inaccuracies. It's just that writer's thoughts on the events. Doesn't sound like there's much freedom of speech.
    Ann

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  17. I find all claims that the parents might have been involved to be highly speculative and all too reminiscent of the American habit of blaming anyone visible. It may be difficult for Brown to grasp this, but often crimes are committed by people who avoid identification or who are overlooked by careless police officers. Jumping to conclusions is never wise.

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  18. Clearly, Voice of Sanity, YOU are jumping to conclusions that I am jumping to conclusions and you have neither read my Profile of the Disappearance of Madeleine McCann nor my book, The Profiler. I have worked numerous cases where the certain detectives have erred in their analysis or went with a misguided gut feeling and I am well aware that abductions can happen leaving not a clue (I often have mentioned this fact). However, after studying the police files and the McCann interviews and Kate´s book and analysing the case, I have developed a particular theory;one that other nonAmericans have come up with similar conclusions.

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  19. And yet I still see no evidence that the parents would harm this delightful child - quite the reverse.

    If you ever have anything other than speculation I'll consider it.

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  20. Pat, you are one gutsy woman. I believe everyone, rich and poor alike, has the right to express his or her opinion, without fear of lawsuits.
    Whatever our views on the McCanns (& mine isn't favorable), we should all strongly defend the right to express those views without fear.

    ReplyDelete
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