What Does 'Person of Interest' Really Mean in Criminal Investigations?

[The_Kitchen_Guy]

While the only news coverage wasn't exactly about Paige, it is good to see her name in the MSM again.

Grande posted the article first - you can find it yourself http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/local/article/0,1299,DRMN_15_5677569,00.html.

'Person of interest' is a baffler

Lawyer says phrase same as 'suspect,' but police disagree

Omar Ahmad Duwaik discusses his situation at his Aurora home Sunday. He has been labeled a person of interest by law enforcement officials in Tennessee in his wife's death in 1997.

Willie Clark is what the cops call a "person of interest" in the slaying of Denver Bronco Darrent Williams in the early-morning hours of New Year's Day.

Lester Ralph Jones and Rob Dixon are "persons of interest" in the case of Paige Birgfeld, who disappeared in Grand Junction on June 28.

And longtime businessman Omar Ahmad Duwaik, of Aurora, is a "person of interest" in his ex- wife's slaying in 1997.

Yet none of the four has been charged with a related offense or even named a suspect.

So what exactly is a "person of interest" in a crime?

"It's 21st century-speak for suspect," said Denver attorney Scott Robinson, who represents Rob Dixon in the Birgfield case. Robinson also writes columns on legal issues for the Rocky Mountain News.

But police say the terms aren't always interchangeable.

Though persons of interest often graduate to suspects and are charged with a crime, police may use the phrase because they're trying to find someone of a certain description who happened to be near the scene of a crime.

It could refer to a suspect's friend, they say. Sometimes a person of interest can be ruled out as a suspect after investigation.

<Snipped>

...Public perception

Both ex-husbands of Paige Birgfeld have been labeled persons of interest in her disappearance.

"If I have a client as fully cooperative as Rob has been," Robinson said, referring to Dixon, " it is troublesome that he's still in a list of persons of interest."

Because of the label and public perception of Dixon, "He doesn't feel Grand Junction is a locale he would like to make his future home," Robinson said.

Mesa County sheriff's spokeswoman Heather Gierhart said neither Dixon nor Ron Biegler, Birgfield's other ex-husband, is among the group of people investigators are focusing on, but both are still considered persons of interest.

Investigators have twice searched the home of another person of interest, Lester Ralph Jones, 56, of Grand Junction.

Gierhart would not say whether Jones was in the group of people investigators are focusing on.

<Snipped>

Full article;
http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/local/article/0,1299,DRMN_15_5677569,00.html

And that's all we know as of 2:00 AM EDT August 21, 2007.

 

[pamela]

bumping....

 

[chefmeg]

bumping.........

 

[PamperedChefDebi]

Thanks KG for the "Norning" Update!

 

[The_Kitchen_Guy]

Smartass - YOU try writing an update in a Michigan rest area in the middle of the night. ;
)

 

[chefann]

Ooh-- those are scary places in the middle of the night.

 

[PamperedChefDebi]

Smartass - YOU try writing an update in a Michigan rest area in the middle of the night.


;
)

LOL! Not the first time I've been called that. :grumpy:

You know we appreciate you KG! We just don't get too many opportunities to get YOU versus the other way around.

But seriously, I hope the Paige updates go on until the day she is found! So that NO ONE forgets and everyone keeps praying.

 

[tpchefrebecca]

bumping......

 

[heather9892]

the "Norning" Update!

didnt even notice, just read "morning"
thanks KG

bump

 

[heat123]

I figured KG must have had a long night and was tired with his Norning update.

 

[katie0128]

Bumping...

 

[baychef]

bumping.....

 

[The_Kitchen_Guy]

I posted in the Missing thread that Paige was mentioned on George Noory's Coast-to-Coast this morning to a man from Find Me! who searches for missing people with a team of psychics and trained dogs.

 

[BethCooks4U]

Hope you have a good Might TKG!

 

[BethCooks4U]

I waited all day to say that.

 

[chefann]

That was a good one, Beth!

 

[BethCooks4U]

Thanks! I thought so.

 

[baychef]

KG...I always tell people, if we didn't like you, we wouldn't bust your chops!
Look forward to your update in the norning!!