DEBUNKING 'ROYAL CARIBBEAN MYTHS'

Hello everyone, and thanks again for all your interest and support. I think it is necessary at this point to go back over some important information in George Smith's disappearance. On January 27, 2006, Royal Caribbean released their "Top 10 Myths Regarding Royal Caribbean's Handling Of The Disappearance Of George Smith." Much of this, in short, is professional spin; it would take me several posts (if not much longer) to even begin debunking it, but I will start, in no particular order.

Here goes. They begin...
"Myth 1. Royal Caribbean engaged in a deliberate cover-up, which impeded the investigation. The company washed down the canopy in the morning, before the authorities even arrived and then painted over the blood."
Well, I, for one, know of AT LEAST one guest on the ship who says she saw Royal Caribbean employees washing off that canopy as early as 7:30am, local time. Another says he saw them painting over the stain. One is a former homicide detective. And I am sure there are more of you out there.

Royal Caribbean writes:"Myth 2. Royal Caribbean destroyed evidence and compromised the crime scene before the forensic investigation was complete." Well, Royal Caribbean alerted the local Turkish authorities to the fact that George was missing after 9:30am local time. The Turkish authorities did not even board the ship until (at earliest) 11:30am, some two hours later. By their own admission, Royal Caribbean staffers had entered the Smith cabin in that time. (Later, in 'myth 10,' they write "The two photos were a "before" photo, taken at approximately 9 a.m. on July 5,..." Is that not an admission of compromising the crime scene? Royal Caribbean was in that room, taking photos, at the very least.

Let's skip to number 5. Royal Caribbean writes: "Myth 5. The company ignored numerous reports of fighting and/or confrontation noise and violence in the room." Passengers on EITHER SIDE of the Smith cabin reported noises of confrontation in the cabin, and both reported it in those early morning hours. Clete Hyman did, as did the couple on the other side; what's overlooked is that the couple on the other side CONFRONTED the Royal Caribbean 'security guards' (two of them) and told them, as they stood before the Smith cabin, that they better go inside that cabin, that all holy hell is breaking loose in there. That's fact. What more evidence do you need? The (7) bullet points they list are a wonderful example of denial and excellent spin.

Just for laughs, jump down to myth 9. They write:
"Myth 9. Cruise ships are unsafe." And they offer a litany of statements about why cruise ships are safe. Not so. If you have any doubt, just check out cruisebruise.com

Now, go to myth 11. They write: "Myth 11. Guests observed Royal Caribbean personnel cleaning the Smiths' stateroom in the days after Mr. Smith's disappearance... This is not only false, but also irrelevant."
False and irrelevant? Let's unpack that. There are at least two passengers who maintain (to this day) that they saw Royal Caribbean staffers in the Smith cabin, cleaning it, 'scrubbing it down' in the days following George's disappearance. These two people were staying a few doors down from George on deck 9; they knew his room, they had seen him on the cruise, and they saw what they saw. Royal Caribbean had the audacity to tell them no, they were mistaken. But these two people remain steadfast about what they saw. They,BTW, have no dog in the fight. They are just two everyday Americans who care about justice.
As for the 'irrelevant' assertion: well, let's be clear. If the Turkish authorities were on board by 11:30am and off the ship by 2:30pm, and just for the sake of argument we agree with Royal Caribbean that they cleaned the blood off the canopy at 6:15pm that evening, well, was that enough time to complete a forensic examination? Most forensic experts agree (and I have spoken to several) that three hours is hardly enough time to collect evidence. It takes much longer. And, Royal Caribbean says the FBI investigated the room on the 7th of July. Let me ask you this: wouldn't the FBI want to investigate a crime scene before it has been cleaned? If, as these two Americans say, George's room was cleaned in the two days following his disappearance, wouldn't that compromise the FBI's investigation of that room, that crime scene? Seems quite relevant to me. And as for the two Americans, they were shocked, and remain so.

I'll leave you with one final thought. Why was the carpet in George's room later removed? I'd have to say that's irrelevant.