Common Court rejects appeal of D.K.’s Lawyer in the Holloway case
Maintains majority of restrictions against J.v.d.S.
DIARIO Aruba
12/01/2007

ORANJESTAD(AAN)—Yesterday, the Common Court of Justice decided upon two separate appeals that were handed down for the lawyers of suspects D.K. and J.v.d.S. in the Holloway case. D.K. and J.v.d.S. are suspected, along with the third suspect S.K., in the death of Natalee Holloway, or in any case, mistreatment which led to her death.

Yesterday, these appeals were dealt with behind closed doors. In the case against D.K., the judge-commissioner gave an order, upon the request of the Public Ministry, to deny the lawyers of Kock, Wix and Zeppenveldt access to the suspect D.K. for a duration of eight days. Until now, the lawyers of Kock, Wix and Zeppenveldt have represented the K. brothers as a team.

The Public Ministry asked for this order based on the suspicion that D.K. could be obtaining information related to the investigation that they have against him or that the investigation to get to the truth could be impeded.

This suspicion was based on information from police reports that support the theory that some time ago, D.K. spoke to his brother S.K. in relation to their standing in the investigation. On this basis, the Public Ministry observed that the suspects were adjusting their declarations to fit each others’. This, along with the fact that both suspects were represented by the same team of lawyers, made the Public Ministry request the order.

The judge-commissioner went along with the Public Ministry’s [legal] arguments and gave the order that the three lawyers may not visit their client D.K. The lawyers appealed this decision at the Common Court. Currently, they only represent S.K. Upon the request of the aforementioned lawyers, D.K. is being represented by another lawyer since last week.

The Common Court decided today that the order of the judge-commissioner has its place and rejected the lawyer’s appeal. In the meantime, the judge-commissioner extended the term mentioned by 8 more days. In the case against J.v.d.S. it was asked of the Common Court to alleviate the restrictions against him (no contact with people other than his lawyer, no telephone, no letters, no newspapers, no magazines and no television).

They specifically asked for visits (his mother and brother, another lawyer and friends), a bible and other reading materials, and exercise. In the meantime, KIA, upon the request of the Public Ministry, provided a bible and reading material. The Common Court rejected the appeal against the restrictions yesterday, in the interests of the investigation.

[translated by Getagrip]

Request to prolong the detention of the Kalpoe brothers has been denied
DIARIO Aruba
12/01/2007

ORANJESTAD(AAN)—Yesterday, the judge-commissioner denied the request to prolong the detention of the Kalpoe brothers.

They are suspected, along with the third suspect Joran v.d. Sloot, in the death of Natalee Holloway, or in any case, of mistreatment which brought about her death. The Public Ministry requested their detention prolonged.

The Judge-commissioner decided that the current criminal file against the suspects, in which new proof had been added recently, has enough substance to have serious objections against them, but only for actions that according to the law does not allow for preventive detention, namely destruction of clues of a crime and or disposal of a body.

The penalty that can be imposed for such crimes is not sufficient to be able to use preventive detention.

The decision of the judge-commissioner can be appealed within 3 days. During the coming days, the Public Ministry will consider this possibility.

[translated by Getagrip]

A badly informed lawyer

[English translation offered by DIARIO]

DIARIO Aruba

12/01/2007

By: Jossy M. Mansur

Once again this man, who thinks himself a star lawyer, has given various televised interviews in which he unfortunately proves that he has no control over his emotions, and uttered one nonsense after the other in angry tone he could not camouflage! What is he looking for really? Popularity? This certainly is not the way to achieve his goal!

I have an immense regard for Greta, but I can't understand why she gives this man the last word and doesn't let us confront him. Neither does she with the facts of the case, which Greta is fully aware of, I'm sure. Maybe in the US, there might be some people that are afraid of his tongue and temper, but with me, he is climbing the wrong tree!

How does a lawyer who pretends to have any class, say that what I've quoted from Joran's deposition isn't true? I again publish this document in the original Dutch, with a translation in English. This should put duct tape on Tacopina's mouth.

In the referred document, Joran said to four Aruban police officers that he thinks he might know where Natalee's body is buried, and that he thinks that Deepak went back to the beach where the girl was lying on the sand, raped and killed Natalee, and afterward buried her close to the first fishermen's hut! And he also wants to ignore a taped conversation in a police car, where the three suspects (Joran, Deepak and Satish were sitting in the back seat), trying to make his client, Joran, come out "innocent" in his confrontation with Deepak. Does this lawyer know how to read? Or is he simply dumb? Deepak said directly to Joran (and the police have this tape!): "if they find the girl, you are looking at 15 years in prison! What did he mean by that? That Joran is "innocent" or "guilty" of something that will send him behind bars for so many years? Can this big-mouthed lawyer understand this? Or does he only want to impose his street style here too? Attacking my evidence based on real facts won't help his client, and if he doesn't stop painting Joran like an angel, I'll find myself forced to publish everything we have found out about him since he was 8 years old! He is certainly no "angel", believe me!

Let Tacopina understand once and for all that I have 33 years of journalism in Aruba behind me, and that if the American media ask for my comments, it is because they are aware that I know more than Tacopina thinks! Could he possibly be trying to break my credibility with the American People, by his clownish acts on TV? I've always spoken the truth to them! I have nothing to hide from anyone. My relationship with David Kock and Ronny Wix, the defense lawyers for the Kalpoe brothers is excellent! They have the professional ethics that Tacopina lacks and a good sense in the practice of law, of that I'm sure!

In my opinion, Paulus committed a critical error when he hired Tacopina to defend Joran, because he doesn't know our environment, he is not up-to-date directly on what happened to Natalee, and all his "knowledge" seems to come from what he has read about the case. I'm sure he doesn't have half of the documents that DIARIO has. Furthermore, we have additional documents that no other media can even dream of having, and that's because we are serious journalists that respect authorities and cooperate with them when asked to do so.

I've said on Greta's show that the three suspects know very well what happened to Natalee, because they were the last ones that were with her on the night of her disappearance. Forget about the tales that from Carlos and Charlies they left her at the Holiday Inn or at the beach close to the Marriott! The story about going behind the Lighthouse to see sharks also leaves lots of doubts. There are contradicting testimonies from Joran, Deepak and Satish! Joran said that they went to his apartment from Carlos and Charlies; the Kalpoe brothers have completely denied that statement. They have declared to the police that they didn't go to that apartment! Which party is telling the truth? And Joran declared that Deepak picked him up at the beach, but Deepak denied that allegation. And then Joran said it was Satish that picked him up! But Satish also denied that he picked him up! The big question Tacopina has to answer is: How did Joran get back home that night? Did he walk? Did Paulus pick him up? Or was there someone else?

And can Tacopina explain to us how his client did the miracle of letting his shoes grow from size 11 to size 14 in one night?

These are some of the discrepancies that authorities have been investigating again, because they don't make any sense! For instance, what was the real relationship between Joran and Koen? Why did he leave the island one or two days after Natalee disappeared? Why, when Art Wood and Dave, Natalee's father, asked authorities to interrogate him, it wasn't done? Why hasn't he been interrogated so far? My reliable sources tell me that Koen knows exactly what happened that night!

If Tacopina thinks that we're not aware of ALL the details of this case, he is badly mistaken! The truth is that we honor our word and will not reveal what we know from our police and judicial sources when asked not to do so! What is said to us in trust will never be betrayed, because then we would be betraying our principles!

I hope this case goes to Court as soon as possible, and if Joran, Deepak and Satish are innocent, they will be cleared by the judge. And if one or more are guilty, this also will be determined by the evidence presented to the presiding Judge. My advice to Tacopina? Stay in the US! Your presence in Aruba will only cause more harm to Joran! Believe me!

Today Judge will decide if Deepak and Satish Kalpoe can have the same attorney
DIARIO Aruba
11-30-2007

ORANJESTAD(AAN): On Thursday, DIARIO interviewed attorney David Kock, related to the case of Natalee Holloway. According to attorney Kock, last week the Public Ministry ordered that the suspects Deepak and Satish Kalpoe to have their own attorney.

Thursday was the appeal of this decision that the attorney requested, for his office to continue to represent both suspects.

A judge from Curacao came to hear the case and attorney Kock said that he is very happy with how the hearing went.

Today the same judge will give his decision on this matter and the lawyer will find out about the decision via fax. DIARIO asked the attorney if the investigative team has spoken to his client during the past few days.

According to Mr. Kock, they did speak to them, but one could not even count on two hands to count the amount of hours they spoke with him. So they have to say what was so important to detain the suspect/

The press also asked attorney Figaroa, who represents Deepak Kalpoe, how his client is.

According to Figaroa, he is in good spirits and is very sure of himself. DIARIO asked Figaroa how his client’s interrogation is going and he said that his client has already been interrogated.

DIARIO also asked the lawyer how he sees the supposed new evidence. He said that he is also of the opinion that the evidence is not new.

They are looking at it from a new angle, but it is not new . DIARIO asked the lawyer if he went through all the case documents.

Figaroa said the old dossier has more than 2,000 pages and he has not received it still. He has received the new documents.

[translated by Getagrip]

Here we go again...?

It appears there isn't enough to solve the case of Natalee
Diario Aruba
11/28/2007

ORANJESTAD (AAN) – The investigation into the Natalee case is getting to the point where the Aruban Public Ministry and Police, with the cooperation of Dutch Police, must get solid proof in order to bring the case to Court.

At the moment, the proof that they are now presenting does not have enough weight to solve the case and to bring clarity to what really happened to Natalee. The case has taken a very negative turn for justice in the totality of the Dutch Kingdom and also badly affects Aruba’s image.

In America, there is big hope that the truth comes to light now and if this time again the investigation gets to the point where all the suspects go free and there is no case in Court, the issue of new evidence could backfire for Aruba and Holland.

Again, all attention is directed only to the three suspects because for a long time there were one or more people in Aruba who were talking [?] and came across certain people while they were partying.

Perhaps the influence of alcohol in combination with use of drugs resulted in guilty consciences? According to rumours that are going around in closed circles, there are one or more persons who were able to hear, with the help of certain maneuvers, about the case of the disappearance of Natalee and where apparently there are at least 4 more persons involved and for some strange reason this has not drawn police attention.

Does this have to do with some person who helped dispose of Natalee’s body? Who are the three people who police and the Public Ministry has to severely interrogate and if they break under pressure that would solve the case?

Sitting at a bar and close to certain people, sooner or later it gets to the ears of those who can bring key information to those who can solve the case.

On the other hand, it has already been said that there are at least three people who have key information but because of fear they have not approached the Public Ministry.

The moment has come for the Public Ministry to issue a press release where they offer anonymity and protection to all persons who can provide key information to solve the case of Natalee.

If they can give protection to those who buy fake driver’s licenses, then what is it to give protection to those who can help solve a case that has harmed all of Aruba and now even the Dutch Kingdom?

[translated by Getagrip]