Post by trabuco on Apr 22, 2018 5:24:54 GMT
I have the greatest respect for Shelley and the other victims/family survivors who have come forward. If Shelley's brave public campaign has been able to draw out some victims for talk therapy, that is wonderful. Some assault victims may very well have been making contacts with LE and online researchers if they have something to contribute. Some spoke to Michelle M for her book.
Some of the victims have divorced and re-married. Jane Carson, victim #5, is unbelievably brave, but each person's situation is unique. It's not just the victim coming forward, you are potentially threatening the privacy of your ex-spouse, current spouse, kids, in-laws who share your name. And maybe some of them have nothing new to add. My own personal opinion is that the most complete reports were given to LE in the days and weeks immediately after the assaults, when the events were fresh. Sgt. Bevins re-interviewed victims when he came aboard the case in 1977. (I think I read that in the Sac Bee)
I am an optimistic person but I don't think you are going to get a new accurate composite or new clues by getting the women together 40-42 years later. For mutual support, sure if they want to. Also social media can be a nightmare if you come out publicly on something like this. Some people may think you owe it to them to answer any questions they have, whether prurient or pointless. All the victims owed was to cooperate with the police, which they did. Hypnotism, turn over checks, set up recording device. Years later, when the dna connection was made in 2001, the Sac Sheriff's Dept made Zero attempt to alert the victims before the announcement. They would hear it on the local news or when they opened their newspaper the next morning. (source Sacramento magazine article by M. Bowker) So we should all remember that maybe respect and cooperation haven't always run both ways in this case.