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Larry Garrison To be Interviewed Tonight on Larry King Live … his book The Newsbreaker, JonBenet Ramsey and John Karr

This afternoon the Boulder, CO District Attorney Mary Lacy faced the music regarding the debacle that has become the “confession” and extradition of John Karr from Thailand to Boulder, CO. John Mark Karr who confessed and appears to actually believe that he killed JonBenet Ramsey nearly 10 years ago was cleared yesterday.

“John Karr sincerely believes he killed JonBenet Ramsey, there’s no question in his mind about that,” Lacy said.

She said Karr still believes, even now, that he killed the young girl even though evidence points to someone else. (CNN)

No charges will not be brought against him as his DNA did not match that of which was found at the crime scene.

Boulder DA Mary Lacy is facing the media with some tough questions as to how and why they would have thought John Karr was involved in the murder of JonBenet. It appears that prosecutors had nothing to go on except Karr’s bizarre comments, statements and confession. John Karr 2

Later tonight to get the Karr family’s perspective, Larry King will be interviewing Larry Garrison on ”Larry King Live“. They will be discussing Larry Garrison’s up coming book, The NEWSBREAKER and the John Mark Karr case in which Larry Garrison represents the family as a spokesperson. Interestingly enough Garrison’s new book, The NEWSBREAKER, covers many of the most read and watched news stories in the past 10 years including Terri Schiavo case, Michael Jackson, TWA Flight 800, 9/11, the Oklahoma bombing, Andrew Cunanan and the murder of Versace, the Robert Blake murder case, Mary Kay Letourneau and Jon Benet Ramsey.

For twenty-five years, Larry Garrison has been a news broker, operating within the secret side of the news, finding and releasing some of the most sensational stories of the last couple decades. Now, in this riveting account of the news behind the news, Garrison lets readers in on how such headlining stories are found, manipulated, and released to the public, blowing the whistle on the news media, and divulging what really happens when all of the major news agencies compete to report the same top stories. Garrison goes inside some of his biggest cases, providing never-before-released info on the Terri Schiavo case, Michael Jackson, TWA Flight 800, 9/11, the Oklahoma bombing, Andrew Cunanan and the murder of Versace, Jon Benet Ramsey, the Robert Blake murder case, Mary Kay Letourneau, and many, many more. Gutsy and gritty, Larry has uncovered and been exposed to facts of some of the biggest headlines of our times. And now, in The NewsBreaker, he finally tells the story behind the headlines, how news is made and reported, and why the networks wouldn’t, or couldn’t, give the full story on some of the most important news events of our time. (Amazon)

Larry Garrison is also known for co-writing “Aruba: The Tragic Untold Story of Natalee Holloway and Corruption in Paradise” along with Dave Holloway and R. Stephanie Good. Larry Garrison will also be interviewed Wednesday night on Entertainment Tonight discussing his book, The NEWSBREAKER and the recent events in the John Karr fiasco.

Karr family spokesperson Larry Garrison tells ET: “The family is very grateful for the truth coming out. We knew from the beginning that the resolution would evolve as it has come to be. We would like to thank all the people that believed in us and allowed us the forum to speak.”

We also had the opportunity to ask Larry Garrison how the Karr family felt about the recent dropping of charges by the Boulder DA and the fact as to why John Mark Karr would have confessed in the first place. Larry’s response was as follows:

The family and I are very please with the outcome. We knew he is innocent and the truth always comes out in the end. His motivations will be revealed at a later date.

More on the JonBenet Ramsey and John Karr connection can be found at Missing & Exploited.

August 29th, 2006 at 01:56pm Posted by Scared Monkeys | Media, Crime, Missing Persons

DNA evidence says Karr didn't kill JonBenet

POSTED: 11:05 a.m. EDT, August 29, 2006

Nancy Grace investigates the next step in the case, and what will happen to Karr, who faces child porn charges in California. Tonight at 8 ET on Headline News.

BOULDER, Colorado (CNN) -- John Mark Karr told the world he killed JonBenet Ramsey almost 10 years ago in her Boulder home, but DNA evidence points to an unidentified killer.

Karr, the 41-year-old teacher, was hunted down halfway around the world and brought back to Colorado last week.

After his arrest in Bangkok, Thailand, on August 16, he freely -- and repeatedly -- said he was with JonBenet when she died in December 1996, although he insisted that her death was an accident and that he "loved" her.

Karr, who had a longtime fascination with the Ramsey case, also gave investigators graphic details about the condition of the 6-year-old's body that were not publicly known, a U.S. law enforcement official said. (Watch how evidence belied Karr's story -- 1:17)

But the case against Karr started to crumble Saturday, when a forensic expert determined that DNA mixed in with a spot of JonBenet's blood found on her underwear did not belong to Karr.

Prosecutors said that finding contradicted Karr's statements about what he did to the girl.

"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," Boulder County prosecutors said in a motion they filed Monday to dismiss Karr's arrest warrant.

"No evidence has developed, other than his own repeated admissions, to place Mr. Karr at the scene of the crime," the motion said.

Prosecutors also were swayed by what they described as "strong circumstantial" evidence provided by Karr's family that he was with them in Georgia during Christmas 1996, when JonBenet was struck in the head and strangled with a garrote in her family's Boulder home.

"That's what we've been saying all along," said Larry Garrison, a spokesman for Karr's family.

Though cleared in the Ramsey case, he remained in the Boulder County Jail on Monday night after California authorities sought his extradition to face five misdemeanor counts of possessing child pornography. Karr skipped bail on those charges in 2001.

Colorado District Court Judge Roxanne Bailin set Karr's extradition hearing for 4 p.m. (6 p.m. ET) Tuesday.

Karr's arrest in Thailand came five days after law enforcement officials were able to trace his location and identity, using e-mail correspondence and phone calls between him and Michael Tracey, a University of Colorado journalism professor who had been communicating with Karr since 2002.

Starting in April, Karr, who used the pseudonym "Daxis," began "to claim more personal knowledge" about JonBenet's killing, including admitting "personal responsibility" for her death, prosecutors said. He also sent portions of a manuscript to Tracey in which Karr claimed to have accidentally asphyxiated the girl after losing track of time during "sexual activities."

At one point, in an effort to locate Karr, investigators got Tracey to convince him to call JonBenet's parents, John and Patsy Ramsey.

"Law enforcement agencies cooperated in an unsuccessful effort to trace that call," prosecutors said Monday in their motion.

The date of the call was not disclosed. Patsy Ramsey died June 24 from ovarian cancer.

Despite the lack of solid evidence, authorities said arresting Karr was the only way to find out if he was telling the truth and to keep him from going into hiding.

Prosecutors said they also feared Karr could be a danger because he had expressed "sexual interest in specific young girls" at a Thai school where he had taken a job as a teacher.

Authorities were able to confirm that Karr "was having personal involvement with at least one of the girls he had previously identified as the target of his personal and sexual interest," according to the prosecution motion.

Karr's public defender in Boulder, Seth Temin, questioned the prosecution's actions.

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

Colorado Gov. Bill Owens railed against Boulder County District Attorney Mary Lacy, accusing her of wasting thousands of taxpayer dollars in the Karr case.

"Unfortunately, the hysterics surrounding John Mark Karr served only to distract Boulder officials from doing their job, which should be solving the murder of JonBenet Ramsey," Owens said in a statement. "Mary Lacy should be held accountable for the most extravagant and expensive DNA test in Colorado history."

For the Ramsey family, hope of closure in the case was dashed.

"It's another bump in the road for us emotionally, but I think we saw Lady Justice put her gavel down today," said Pam Paugh, Patsy Ramsey's sister. "I don't think that this story is over yet, and I think, again, patience is the prudent thing to desire at this point."

In a statement Monday, Lacy said that "our role in the investigation of JonBenet Ramsey's murder has been to follow up on all legitimate leads that we have received from law enforcement and concerned citizens."

"The case is not closed, and we will continue to investigate leads and pursue justice," she said.

CNN's Susan Candiotti and Tracy Sabo contributed to this report.

Attorneys Battle Over Representing Karr

By HARRY R. WEBER

The Associated Press
Thursday, August 24, 2006; 11:51 PM

ATLANTA -- Three dozen lawyers have offered to represent John Mark Karr _ for free in many cases _ against allegations he killed 6-year-old beauty queen JonBenet Ramsey.

The tug-of-war among defense attorneys over one of the biggest criminal cases in recent years, one that has stoked interest because of perceived flaws in the prosecution's case, raises questions about ethics and who has Karr's best interests in mind.

"There's something inherently wrong in hiring a lawyer who is volunteering to do it for publicity," said Connecticut attorney Mickey Sherman, whose high-profile clients include Kennedy cousin Michael Skakel.

Two California attorneys say they have been retained to represent Karr, but another who was with him at his only court hearing in the case said previously that Karr wanted a Colorado public defender.

Larry Garrison, a producer Karr's family hired to ferret out book and movie deals, says they want a big-time lawyer for the job. Some three dozen lawyers from around the country have already offered their services, many at no cost, he said Thursday.

"There are some people that are ambulance chasers, there are other people that legitimately want to help," Garrison said.

Garrison, sounding exhausted, said he hasn't returned any of the calls or e-mails from lawyers.

"To be honest, it's a blur right now," he said.

Defense lawyers say there is no rush for Karr to make up his mind on who will defend him, since the early hearings in the case are mostly perfunctory, and it would probably be better for a public defender in Boulder, Colo., who is familiar with the legal system there to handle matters for now.

"It would probably be helpful for him to have an adviser on that who is not the one who will eventually take the case, someone who has his best interests at heart who doesn't have an economic motive," said Los Angeles attorney Gloria Allred. "The truth is, a lot of people don't have that luxury."

Allred also noted that even if Karr chooses an attorney now, he can always change his mind later.

"It's obvious that John Mark Karr is not going to have the resources to pay an attorney," Allred said. "Either he's going to have a public defender or a private attorney who will do it at no cost to him, that would probably do it for the challenge and the visibility."

Sherman and Allred said they have not sought out Karr to defend him.

On Wednesday, lawyers Patience Van Zandt and Jamie Harmon, whose office is in San Jose, Calif., said they had been retained by Karr. Van Zandt had represented Karr in a prior child pornography case.


		Public defender Seth Temin is surrounded by journalists following a meeting with John Mark Karr, the man suspected of killing 6-year-old JonBenet Ramsey, at the Boulder County Jail in Boulder, Colo., Friday, Aug. 25, 2006. ( AP)

But Haydeh Takasugi, a public defender who represented Karr at a hearing Tuesday, said earlier that Karr told her he planned to have the Boulder County public defender's office represent him in Colorado and had turned away Van Zandt and Harmon. On Thursday, Takasugi said that now that Van Zandt and Harmon say they have been retained she must give them professional courtesy and does not question what they say. Takasugi had planned to visit Karr on Thursday but did not because of Van Zandt's and Harmon's statement.

Van Zandt and Harmon were both in court for unrelated cases Thursday and could not immediately be reached for comment.

The head of the Colorado state public defender's office, David Kaplan, said that as of early Thursday afternoon, Van Zandt and Harmon had not contacted his office to say that they would be representing Karr in Colorado.

Boulder County Sheriff Joe Pelle said late Thursday that he expected that the county public defender's office will represent Karr at his initial court appearance in Colorado, which will probably be announced Friday.

___

AP Special Correspondent Linda Deutsch in Los Angeles and Associated Press Writer Jordan Robertson in San Jose, Calif., contributed to this report.

Ramsey Suspect Remains in L.A. County Jail

From Times staff and wire reports

August 24, 2006

John Mark Karr spent Wednesday isolated in a 6-by-9-foot Los Angeles County Jail cell a day after a judge ordered him extradited to Colorado in the JonBenet Ramsey murder case.

"Our goal is to keep him safe and secure," said Steve Whitmore, spokesman for Los Angeles County Sheriff Lee Baca. "We are watching him very carefully."

Karr, 41, has admitted to being with the 6-year-old beauty queen when she was killed in Boulder, Colo., on Dec. 26, 1996. He was taken into custody in Thailand last week.

The Boulder County district attorney's office has not said what evidence it has linking Karr to the killing. The affidavit supporting his arrest warrant has been sealed. Media organizations have asked the court to open the affidavit, but it is unclear when there will be a ruling.

"We must exercise our discretion with appropriate regard for protecting the integrity of our investigation, protecting the rights of Mr. Karr and protecting the integrity of any future court proceedings," William F. Nagel, the assistant district attorney in Boulder County, said in a statement on the department's website Wednesday.

Authorities in California and Colorado would not say when Karr would be transferred. After Karr's extradition, the district attorney is expected to file criminal charges against him; Karr then would be arraigned.

In Los Angeles, Karr's lawyer — Deputy Public Defender Haydeh Takasugi — criticized speculation about the case, particularly by those who claim to speak for Karr, saying his defense could be affected. "I just think he's in a very hard place," Takasugi said. "He's anxious and bewildered."

Karr's ex-wife has said that on the night of JonBenet's killing, he was at home with her and their children in Alabama. And an attorney for Karr's family has said that a photo of the suspect's three sons taken at his father's house indicated Karr was in Georgia that Christmas.

A Hollywood producer who says he represents Karr's brother and father said Wednesday that the family stood behind Karr and believed, despite his statements, that he was innocent.

Larry Garrison said the Karr family wanted to use money generated by book or movie rights to educate Karr's children and to pay for "proper representation for John."

Suspect's Family to Sell Story

Kin Seek Money For Karr's Defense

Associated Press
Thursday, August 24, 2006; Page A07

LOS ANGELES, Aug. 23 -- John Mark Karr's relatives offered up the book and film rights to the family's story Wednesday in hopes of raising money for a high-powered lawyer to defend Karr against charges that he killed 6-year-old JonBenet Ramsey.

"They're not looking for money for themselves," said Larry Garrison, a producer the family members hired to represent them in media deals. "They're looking to support John's boys' college education and to make sure all legal fees are covered."

Karr remained in a Los Angeles County jail Wednesday afternoon awaiting transfer to Colorado. JonBenet was killed in her Boulder, Colo., home in December 1996.

Garrison said no money had changed hands yet with the Karrs and he didn't want to go into details about the agreement. Nathaniel Karr, one of John Mark Karr's brothers, confirmed that Garrison is now representing the family.

Karr told reporters in Thailand last week that he was present when JonBenet died and that her death was an accident. He did not specifically say he killed her, and Boulder prosecutors have not disclosed their evidence against him.

His family has insisted Karr was in Georgia during the Christmas week in which JonBenet was killed.

Georgia lawyer Gary C. Harris, who had represented Karr's father and brother in recent days, has said the family found a photo from Christmas 1996 showing Karr's three sons at a dinner in Atlanta. Karr is not in the photo, but the family insists that if the boys were there, Karr would have been, too.

"John Karr wasn't working," Harris said. "He couldn't afford to buy a MARTA [Atlanta public transportation] or bus ticket, much less plane fare to Colorado."

A family photo has been turned over to Boulder authorities, but Garrison could not say what it shows.

"I can tell you they proclaim his innocence," Garrison said. "They feel he was not there at the time, that some of the statements made by the press are absurd."

Harris told the Associated Press on Wednesday that as far as the family knows, the only time Karr was in Colorado was in 2001, when his car broke down on a trip from Alabama to California with his then-wife and children. He said the family got the car fixed and moved on.

Harris said he thinks Karr claimed involvement in JonBenet's death because he is ill.

"Obviously, this guy has some mental problems," he said. "He obviously has some emotional problems. He's always had some."

Harris declined to be more specific but said he has no knowledge of Karr ever seeing a psychiatrist. He also noted that the family lost touch with Karr five years ago.

"We don't know what happened in the last five years because they hadn't talked to him," Harris said. "They thought he was dead."

A psychiatrist has met with Karr twice since he was brought to Los Angeles County's Twin Towers Correctional Facility on Sunday night after a flight from Thailand, said sheriff's Lt. George Vanecek. At the jail, deputies were looking in on Karr every 15 minutes.

Harris said that, because of a difference of opinion, he no longer is representing Karr's father, Wexford, and brother Nathaniel. He said he now represents only Michael Karr, another of John Karr's brothers, and his wife.

Harris would not disclose the reason for the split but suggested it had something to do with the desire of Wexford and Nathaniel Karr to sell the family story.

"My clients are not seeking any book deals or anything of that nature," Harris said of Michael Karr and his wife. "I'll let you deduce what you want from that. My clients are not looking to make any money off of this."

Release Date: September 12, 2006

Book Description
For twenty-five years, Larry Garrison has been a news broker, operating within the secret side of the news, finding and releasing some of the most sensational stories of the last couple decades. Now, in this riveting account of the news behind the news, Garrison lets readers in on how such headlining stories are found, manipulated, and released to the public, blowing the whistle on the news media, and divulging what really happens when all of the major news agencies compete to report the same top stories. Garrison goes inside some of his biggest cases, providing never-before-released info on the Terri Schiavo case, Michael Jackson, TWA Flight 800, 9/11, the Oklahoma bombing, Andrew Cunanan and the murder of Versace, Jon Benet Ramsey, the Robert Blake murder case, Mary Kay Letourneau, and many, many more. Gutsy and gritty, Larry has uncovered and been exposed to facts of some of the biggest headlines of our times. And now, in The Newsbreaker, he finally tells the story behind the headlines, how news is made and reported, and why the networks wouldn't, or couldn't, give the full story on some of the most important news events of our time.