OCR Text |
Show = | ELIZABETH FINDING _The Salt Lake Tribune Tuesday, March Mayor Names Panelof Lawyers to Probe Investigation Butno action will be taken until after trials are concluded though it is an extraordinary move that to the mayor's knowledge has never hap- pened before. BY HEATHER MAY ‘The mayor says he shared the Smart family's frustration THE SALT LAKE TRIBUNE, Before Elizabeth Smart was found with her alleged kidnappers Brian David Mitchell and Wanda Barzee, Mayor Rocky Anderson wondered if Salt LakeCitypolice were pursuing the homeless man aggressively enough, On Monday, he created an independentpanelto find out. The five-member commission of lawyers will investigate the Smart investigation in- cluding howthepolice followed Mitchell leads, leaks to the press and theattention officers paid Anderson says the panel's creation does not suggest that police did anything wrong, to the late handyman Richard Ricci, who was consid. ered a top suspect until Eliza. beth was found that police were too focused on Ricci even after the sole witness to the June abduction Elizabeth's sister Ma Katherine said Mitchell may have been the man. Anderson met with members of the Smart familyto talk about Mitchell, and said the group later met with Police Chief Rick Dinse on Jan. 10. “I didn't know everything that had been done so I was very wary about secondguessing anybody,” Anderson told The Salt Lake Tribune. “But, at the sametime,there seemed to me to be reason for frustration on the part of the Smarts and very significant reason for moving aggressively said they spoke once on the to find Immanuel [Mitchell's alias}.” Mayor Rocky Anderson named the following people to investigate the and four 1980s homicides: John police’s handling of the Smart Ne Nielsen, senior counselfor Intermountain Health Care; Michael Gold- Still, the mayor told report ers that the panel “is not to be taken as an intimation of any criticism but rather a recognition that there are very signifi- smith, a Brigham Young University law professor, Richard D. Burbidge, a partnerat Burbidge & Mitchell; Carol Clawson,partner at Clawson Burgess and formersolicitor general for the Utah Attomey General's office; and David Roth, a mediator and former 2nd District judge. They will work for free, though the city may need to hire an investigator. cant questions . everybody, the family, the community, and the Police De- partment deserve to have his own asaprivate attorney for our Police Department.” answered so we can get beyond The chief did not attend 's news conference. Police spokesman Dwayne Baird did and said the chief “stands behind his investi gators.” this matter.” To allowpolice to keep fo- cusing on investigating and prosecuting Mitchell, the independent panel will not begin looking at the Smart case until aftera trial court enters a judg: ment. That could take months, even years. ‘The pane! will not have sub- The independent panel's in- vestigation “is not reall ly ablow ‘e don't have anything to hide. Police say that while they poena powers, though Anderson says he will encourage po- focusedon Ricci, theyalso were lice officers to cooperate. Asfor rumors that Dinse's job is in jeopardy, Anderson said, “It's never occurred to me. Thave a greatdeal of respect for Chief Dinse.Heis a greatleader Sgt. Don Bell was involvedin those murderinvestigations, as well as the Smart case. Bell said Mondaythe mayoris targeting him because “hehates me. I've done this for 32 years andI'll put myyears of cityagainsthis 4 serviceto this 6," Bell Jed the Smart investiga tive task force until July. He produced theRiccilead. Bell fears he is going to be a phone in 194 regarding the murders of four womenin the mid-1980s. dust as Anderson pushed police for the Smart family, he hadbeenhired by the women’s families murders to investigate the because they felt po- lice work wasn't adequate. Police had focused on Paul Ezra Rhoades,an Idahodrifter. series of stories in the City Weekly pointed to Forrest Whittle as Strong's killer Anderson's investigation also implicated Whittle, who eventually was convicted of murdering one woman. The other murders remain unsolved As Anderson scrutinized themin the 1990s, he alleged that police botched theinvesti looking for Mitchell. Onepoliceman in particular feels singled out by the mayor, “scapegoat” for the Smart in. vestigation. gation anddirectly criticized Bell, amongothers. whoalso wants the panelto ex amine four 1980s homicides that Anderson investigated on singling anybodyout.” Tribunereporter Michael Vigh contributed to this story. hmayaslitrib.com Said Anderson: “Nobody's Bell and Anderson don't ac tually know each other. Bell Reward’s Winner Up to Mayor, Police Chief BY VINCE HORIUCHI THES LT LAKE TRIBUNE mN It will be up to two people, Mayor Rocky Anderson and HURRYIN. MARCH IS A GREAT TIME TO SAVE ON THE AT&T WIRELESS NATIONAL NETWORK Salt LakeCity police Chief Rick Dinse, to determine who receives all or part of the $295,000 reward for helping find Elizabeth Smart alive. Cityofficials were expected to meettodayto determine how they would accept claims for the reward, said the mayor’s spokesman Josh Ewing. “The reward is not something we have really started working on yet,” he said. “We are referring people who are making requestsfor the reward to our [chief] deputy city attorney.” Sofar, “the people you would expect" to get the reward are the only ones who have in- quired about it, he said Monday. Rudy and Nancy Montoya of no roaming or nationwide = long distance charges West Jordan were thefirst to call police after recognizing Brian David Mitchell and his wife, Wanda Barzee, walking ALSO GET down State Street in Sandy with Elizabeth Wednesday. But they were the first by unlimited night & weekend minutes only a minute. Alvin and Anita Dickerson of Sandy spotted Mitchell at virtually the same time andcalled police a minute later. SPRING BREAKS! “We told them [city officials] that we were interested [in the reward], but we have not heard back,” Nancy Montoya said Monday. “We'd really likeit, if it given out to anybody. But our original thoughtis we don’t PLUS & Motorola T720 SAVE $100 care.” The moneycould bedistributedto more than onerecipient but “how the rewards are given anytime minutes WHEN YOU SIGN UP FOR THE | after mail-in rebate . hundredsof national mLife National Plan | ALI FOR ONLY are at thesolediscretion of the mayor andthechiefofpolice,” said chief deputy Salt Lake City attorney Steven Allred. “We're trying to fine-tune what procedure will be used for accepting claimsfor the reward call: 1888 MY mLIFE.. the LHESWIRELESS CARRIEF AMERICA money m } your mobile life made better generated by the Smart family, friends and the community and was for the safe return of Elizabeth. It will be given tothecity as a promissory note. The other $45,000 was contributed by the city and FBI, and was for any information relating to the identification of the suspect and/or for “the recovery of the body ofElizabeth Smart.” “What we're trying to do now is combine thecriteria for the two rewards into one claim form to simplify the process,” red said. Nancy Montoya said any re- ward money would be a welcome relief for her family, which was hit hard after Rudy Montoya was laid offfrom Boeing in January “We had a trip planned for our kids to Disneyland, and that got canceled when he lost his job,” she said, “So that is one thing we would doif we got the money.” COP PEAiko oy Gin Cards now avellabie at most ATAT Wireless stores - perfect lor any accasivn! COTTONWOOD MALL orn WORTH OREM SALT LAKE CITY 48355, Highland Dr JORDAN 884 N. State St 729 E. 300 Bouth ronwood Mal ) 801 802-0728 5751 W. 7800 So 1801 481-7308 1 277-784 801 282-8538 HIGHLAMD PLACE LOGAN OGDEN SALT LAKE CITY 6970 8. Highland Or, 444 1 Mai, St 4025Avordalo Fc 611 8. MainSt 435 763-2365 01 621-2 801 510-9682 B18 Ucn se | click: attwireless.com FRUS TS State St 262 a —— == Alef Wireless : Monday he believed the reward money should go to his daugh- ter, who recognized Mitchell after seeing him on “America’s Most Wanted"andcalled police should go to pay for Mitchell's defense. Of the $295,000, $250,000 was | w way inside American Idol. and evaluating those claims,” hesaid. Shirl Mitchell, father of Brian David Mitchell, said to identify him. He suggested | 20” amonth THE GATEWAY 160 Bo Ro Grande (Gateway Pr B01 456-0900 UNIVERSITYMALL Sib ity Pri fore 506s ing locations Price tage rls Lynn's Audio/Video ‘Omniserve Wiretens: Orion Wiretons Powerhouse Geliotn Bune Nabor Cty UNimate Wireiews | Franklin Covey inkley’a/Ritr Camera Letetalk.com Mistroeal! OMmew May Simplywireiees com Staples Ultimate Fiectronics ‘An additional monthly $1.75 Regulatory Programs Fee will be added to your bill for eachline of service-to help fund ATAT Wireless compliance with various government mandated programs. This is not a tax or 1 government required charge. Kequires new activation ona qualified plan, credit approval, a $36 acovationfee. minimumone-year agreement, compatible device and up to a llation fee Not available Ser jt charges, universal connecuvity charge,surcharges,other restrictions, charges and taxos apply Availabilty anv! transenission limitations. Not available with other offers. Offers weaitable for a limited time. You will be bound by the Cor al Terms and nitions ans ‘oncalls placed from the Home Service Ares and applicable long distance charges additional. Night and Weekend airome is from pin.~ $:59 am Monday Friday. day 900 p.m.~Monday 5:59 am Nationwide Long Distance: No wireless long distance charpes apply to calls placed from your Honve Service Area to anywhere inthe 50 United States. Standard airuine charges apply Motorola T720 $100 Mail-in Rebate: Phone and service must be active for 30 days and when rebacs ie processed. Allow 8-10 weoks for rebate check See ratte formfor full details. Text Messaging: You can only send short text tmossages in select geographic areas You willbe billed for all messages sent from your device. There is no guarantae of actual delivery or delivery within » specific period of tine. See wwwattwireless.corntext for cenmplecedtl American ol ™ 19 TV Lad and FromaneieMaa pe BV, FOX regitared trademark of Trane ContryFox Fim Corporavon ©2003 ATAT Wireius ARights Reserved SAFELY |