Big Development

I write this from Chicago and the national convention of the Society of Professional Journalists, where I'm sure later today some of the dialogue will be about what makes news and whether certain stories should....stories like the JonBenet Ramsey murder.

The lead back in Colorado of course is the arrival of suspect John Mark Karr. And the fact he is there probably signifies something big. Colorado authorities only have 48 hours to charge him, so if his being in Colorado suggests anything, it's that Boulder DA Mary Lacy is confident in the evidence she holds against him. Given the potential for embarassment, It would seem unlikely she would bring him back unless she felt her investigators had a solid case to pursue.

The Spotlight Redirected

The circus moves to California for now. The Boulder DA's Office has said nothing about sending John Mark Karr on to Colorado immediately. He can be held indefinitely in California, where he was found guilty in absentia on child pornography charges. In Colorado, however, authorities will have to charge him within 48 hours of his arrival. It would seem unlikely for them to move him without possessing air-tight evidence.

On Assignment: Arrest in the Jon Benet Ramsey murder

***Piece was written the night August 16th, though not posted until August 17th***

Vacations never seem to go as planned. And this one is no exception. Back home in Colorado for a little R & R, everything was turned upside down today.

After nearly 10 years, police have made an arrest in the Jon Benet Ramsey murder. Having covered the initial investigation and subsequent grand jury hearings, I knew my vacation was over. I write this from Boulder tonight. It's 9:27. I'll be able to catch a couple of hours of sleep before an early wake up call. Then it's over to the Boulder County Courthouse to begin live hits (live shots) beginning at 4:00 a.m. mountain time for stations around the country.

Boulder County DA Mary Lacy will hold a press conference at 10:00 a.m. , I'll be there and intend on blogging this assignment throughout. Hopefully, we'll get a better answer as to who the suspect is.

Over the course of the day, those of us who have covered the case have found ourselves asking just who is John Mark Karr?

This much we know: he was picked up in Thailand on unrelated sexual assault charges, he may have taught as a 2nd grade teacher at an elementary school in either Boulder or Atlanta, or both. Aside from that it's a name were told even the Boulder Police department was unaware of before a phone call this morning from the Boulder DA's Office. Apparently, the Boulder DA's Office Jon Benet Ramsey Task Force has been handling this development without help from Boulder PD. That's an entirely different story though. They Boulder Police and Boulder DA's Office have never had a warm relationship, making the story that much more interesting.

For news observers and observers of the media...GET READY! This is just the beginning of a prolonged legal saga...and the media circus is coming to town.