Royal Caribbean Fights Back!

[kenf333]

Good point on the clothes karaoke. IMO George did think think she was out with someone. Got into a drunken rage after the party boys left. Cut himself and somehow went over the side. I do have a problem with the somehow since it would take some effort to get over the railing. If that's the case what a tragedy. Husband and wife drunken tiff ends up in accidental death. The only other scenario I can imagine is one of the party boys being involved. I'm about 70/30 favoring George going over on his own.

 

Thats is one of the remaining two possibilities, but if you read the reports and watched the NFC coverage 01/14 it leads me to believe that they only need one of the four to bust, and that wont be long.

[AFT_LOVER]

As an ex cop I have seen & heard it all. I believe he is in Greece or nearby under a new name with money he sent over there over the years ( the Swiss bank account). While on the island it just took one fisherman who would follow the ship & get George when he dove in off the canopy. Pay him off nicely which probably wasn't much in USD. Start new life.

 

So we wait for DNA from blood taken, matching that to carpet, clothes if there was any tho we just heard about a Kleenex & towel. If it is all his then onto step #2. Even if he was fish food over 6 months, the bones would wash up & teeth. My former partner has FBI links so if anything comes up I will find out & post.

 

 

 

For the record, we don't know yet that he actually died. We know he may have bled, and it is presumed that he died, but no one knows that for sure, which is why he hasn't been declared dead yet.

 

Also, I was watching FNC late last night, and according to a couple of the panelist they had on last night, no wrongful death suit, or murder charges can be filed until they prove that he is dead. Without a body, that's going to take a while, as they have to prove it through all of the evidence.

[hermang]

Sorry, I'm not sure I agree with that. Frankly, I think the fact that George Smith comes from Greenwich, CT and a well-to-do family, and that family is friends with Congressman Chris Shays, has a lot to do with the fact that the FBI is still investigating. If GS was from a middle class family from, let's say, Bridgeport, CT, I'm not sure Shays would have given that family the time of day, much less a congressional hearing. JMHO

I don't think the Smiths are "Well to do" just because they live in Greenwich.

He owns a liquor store - and I don't see millionaires selling booze at state controlled prices. He may very well be friends with Chris Shays however which could answer the question as to why a congressional hearing. On the other hand - congressmen will hold hearings on anything as long as it is not Campaign Financing Reform, Removal of Congressional Pork or other such goodies

[AFT_LOVER]

Got this off their site:

 

Famed forensic expert Henry Lee on Sunday gave himself only a 50 percent chance of figuring out what happened to a Greenwich man who vanished from his honeymoon cruise in the Mediterranean Sea last summer.

 

"I would say 50-50," Lee said on "Face the State" on CBS in Hartford. "It all depends on how much evidence they have so far collected and preserved."

 

Lee said he will go on board the ship Jan. 23 to conduct his examination into the case involving George Allen Smith IV of Greenwich who disappeared July 5. Officials of the Miami-based Royal Caribbean have limited his time aboard to two hours, he said.

 

Lee, who has testified in numerous high-profile cases, including the trials of O.J. Simpson, William Kennedy Smith and Kennedy cousin Michael Skakel, was hired by Smith's bride, Jennifer Hagel-Smith. He said he initially was reluctant to take up the case.

 

With between 600 and 700 cases, he said his immediate response was, "I'm too busy to handle that."

 

But because Smith has been missing for six months, "the family needs some answers, which I feel pretty moved by their request," Lee said.

 

He has already eliminated one possible cause of death.

 

Because Smith's body was not found, "we can safely eliminate a natural cause," Lee said.

 

Blood stains were found on a canopy that covers life boats. No one has been charged and no body has been recovered.

 

The canopy will figure prominently in his investigation, he said. "We have to look at the canopy to see if there's any indentation or not," he said.

 

Smith weighed more than 200 pounds and the distance from his cabin to the canopy was 22 feet or more, Lee said. "With that kind of body weight and distance, if somebody dropped from the top, we should see any indentation, any blood splatter," he said.

 

 

SO HE DIDN'T FALL? NO INDENTATION? Gotta love Lee for thinking wisely not presuming.......... So he hung & dropped to dive in????

[AFT_LOVER]

Strange to get this today, after talking about it for a week. But I am guessing with Greta's visit that was televised & an Oprah visit by Jen & the boss, Richard who will not tolerate her lies, they are sending this again:

 

Following new public allegations by the family of

disappeared passenger George Smith, Royal Caribbean

International has issued the following

very detailed and expansive statement:

 

(QUOTE)

George Smith, IV tragically disappeared from the

"Brilliance of the

Seas" sometime in the early morning hours of July 5th,

2005, while the

ship was sailing in the Mediterranean Sea on a 12-day

cruise enroute to

Turkey. The reason for his disappearance is being

thoroughly

investigated by the FBI but is still unknown. The FBI

has requested that

Royal Caribbean and others connected with the incident

limit their

remarks so as not to compromise that investigation,

and we have resisted

commenting until now. Even today, we will not comment

on items which

could interfere with the FBI's investigation.

 

All of us at Royal Caribbean extend our deepest

sympathies to Jennifer

Hagel Smith and the whole Smith family. They have

suffered an

inconsolable loss, and it is totally understandable

they want answers

and some measure of closure regarding Mr. Smith's

disappearance.

However, there has been a lot of inaccurate and unfair

speculation about

our company's response to the incident, and the time

has come to set the

record straight.

 

I. Royal Caribbean acted immediately upon learning Mr.

Smith might have

gone overboard, searched for him, and performed a

thorough investigation

to find out what happened.

 

II. The ship's crew responded properly to the one

complaint of

"partying" noise coming from the Smith cabin during

the night in question.

 

III. We notified Turkish and U.S. law enforcement

authorities promptly

and cooperated fully with their investigation, and we

continue to assist

the FBI in its search for the truth. This included

promptly sealing the

cabin and canopy over the lifeboats, providing

authorities with access

to all passengers and crewmembers, and providing all

other information

requested or known. All evidence in the cabin and on

the canopy was

protected until the Turkish authorities finished their

forensic

investigation late that afternoon and told the ship

those areas were

released for cleaning.

 

IV. At each and every step, Mrs. Hagel Smith was

treated with compassion

and, while in Turkey after the incident, was provided

constant

assistance and support, including a personal escort

from the ship

throughout the ensuing investigation.

 

V. Upon learning of Mr. Smith's disappearance, we kept

the family

informed until they directed us not to contact them.

 

I. THE COMPANY ACTED PROMPTLY

 

The initial reports of blood on the canopy came in

just after 8:30 a.m.,

over two hours after the ship had docked and many

passengers and crew

had departed. Within 10 minutes, the canopy area was

secured, and a

thorough search of the ship was undertaken for

passengers in the cabins

above and surrounding the bloodstain. Three guests,

including Mr. and

Mrs. Smith, were initially unaccounted for and did not

respond to pages.

By approximately 9:15 a.m., the ship's officers gave

instructions that

American and Turkish authorities be notified.

 

As part of the search following the initial passenger

reports of seeing

blood on the canopy, the ship's Chief Officer entered

the Smiths' cabin

at 8:41 a.m. and determined the cabin was empty. Since

the Smiths had

not been found, the Captain ordered the cabin sealed

and a guard was

posted around 8:50 a.m. Ship's personnel continued to

search the ship

for the missing guests.

 

Shortly before 10:00 a.m., the Staff Captain and two

other ship

officials went to the Spa, where they had been

informed Mrs. Hagel Smith

was having a massage. She was asked to come out of the

treatment room

and to meet with them in a nearby private room. The

officers were

relieved to have found one of the missing guests, but

requested her help

in ascertaining any information concerning the

whereabouts of her

husband. She responded that she was not aware that Mr.

Smith was missing

or where he was. Mrs. Hagel Smith also told the

officers her husband may

have slept elsewhere. She added they had been partying

and that he had

slept elsewhere on the ship on at least one other

night during the cruise.

 

Allegations that the ship's crew harshly informed Mrs.

Hagel Smith about

the blood stained awning are not correct. Having found

blood on the

canopy and having not located Mr. Smith thus far, even

though a search

was still underway, the Staff Captain determined it

was best to advise

Mrs. Hagel Smith her husband might have gone

overboard. But he first

thought it helpful for her to have a female officer as

a companion

during what he feared would be a very difficult time.

 

Approximately 15 minutes after she was located in the

Spa, Mrs. Hagel

Smith was introduced to the ship's Guest Relations

Manager, Marie, a

ship's officer. Marie was in her office and was asked

to assist and

support Mrs. Hagel Smith. There, at approximately

10:15 a.m., the Staff

Captain told Mrs. Hagel Smith that something outside

the ship indicated

Mr. Smith may have gone overboard. While there is no

good way to deliver

such horrific news, he was careful not to mention any

blood out of

concern for her well-being. At one point, the Staff

Captain was

specifically asked whether blood was found on the

outside of the ship.

The Staff Captain did not wish to answer in Mrs. Hagel

Smith's presence,

but she may well have inferred the answer from his

silence.

 

An intensive search of the ship was immediately

undertaken, completed

and failed to find Mr. Smith. The ship has a

sophisticated system,

called "SeaPass," which keeps track of people who

enter or leave the

ship. As part of the investigation, the "SeaPass"

system also was

reviewed to ensure that Mr. Smith had not simply

walked off the ship

with other passengers who had gone ashore. He had not.

 

Once ship officers concluded that Mr. Smith was

missing and had possibly

gone overboard, they attempted to determine a likely

timeframe in which

that might have happened. The ship's officers computed

that George Smith

left the ship in Greek waters based upon an analysis

of various

interviews taken during that day, computer logs of the

ships

coordinates, and other information that had been

compiled. After

completing their investigation and analysis, the ship

then contacted the

Greek Coast Guard at 1:57 p.m. to conduct a search.

 

II. THE CREW RESPONDED APPROPRIATELY TO THE SINGLE

NOISE COMPLAINT

 

At 4:05 a.m. during the night, a guest in one of the

cabins adjoining

the Smiths' cabin called the Guest Relations desk and

complained about

loud voices and drinking game noises coming from the

Smith cabin.

Security went to the Smith cabin in response to that

complaint, but the

noise had already stopped, and there was no answer to

our knocking. We

now know from interviews of passengers conducted after

Mr. Smith was

found missing that the guest pounded on the wall at

about the same time

he called the Guest Relations desk and the noises

stopped almost

immediately. Since there was no noise when security

arrived or any

report or sign of violence or danger, security left

believing all was

well. We had no justification for invading a guest

cabin on the basis of

one simple partying noise complaint.

 

Shortly after 4:30 a.m., Mrs. Hagel Smith was found

sleeping on the

floor of a corridor on the other side of the ship and

a significant

distance from her cabin. Security was notified and

arrived shortly

thereafter. As several ship personnel remained with

Mrs. Smith, two

crewmembers went to her cabin at 4:48 a.m. to see if

anyone was there to

assist in her return. They knocked and, not getting a

response, looked

inside the cabin, found it empty and saw nothing

amiss. While the

crewmembers were still outside the Smith cabin, the

guest in the other

adjoining cabin looked out his cabin door, complained

about the earlier

noise, and reportedly advised crewmembers to enter the

cabin. However,

they had already opened the door and seen nothing

amiss.

 

Mrs. Hagel Smith was taken back to her cabin by

wheelchair at 4:57 a.m.

by two security guards and a female supervisor. She

was placed on top of

her bed and asked if she was all right. She answered

that she was okay,

and the security personnel left the room. George Smith

was not present,

and nothing appeared amiss.

 

The ship arrived in Kusadasi, Turkey, at 6:14 a.m.,

and passengers were

cleared to go ashore at 6:39 a.m. Only subsequent to

Mr. Smith's July

5th disappearance did Royal Caribbean learn that a

number of other

guests also heard various noises apparently emanating

from the Smith

cabin during the early morning hours. Unfortunately,

none of them were

reported at the time. Only the one guest noted above

called reception to

report the party-type noises. At the time, the crew

responded

appropriately to a simple partying noise complaint.

 

III. WE PROMPTLY NOTIFIED TURKISH AND U.S. AUTHORITIES

AND FULLY

COOPERATED WITH THEIR INVESTIGATIONS

 

Royal Caribbean has a port agent, who is a designated

representative to

assist its ships, guests, and crew in any local

matters in every single

port it visits worldwide. At 9:15 a.m., when George

Smith could not be

located in response to the initial pages, the ship

directed its port

agent to contact the Turkish police. The port agent

also contacted the

U.S. Embassy. Royal Caribbean representatives in Miami

contacted the FBI

directly at 10:19 a.m. Turkish time (3:19 a.m. EDT)

and were told that

the FBI would notify other U.S. authorities including

the U.S. embassy

in Turkey. As more information became available, a

second call was made

to the FBI by Royal Caribbean at 10:28 a.m. (Turkish

time) (3:28 a.m.

EDT). The FBI maintains a legal office in Ankara,

Turkey, but by

coincidence, it turned out that there was an FBI agent

in Kusadasi, who

happened to be on vacation in that area and the FBI

asked him to attend

the scene. The Turkish authorities asked to speak to

several people from

the ship, including Mrs. Hagel Smith, the Captain, and

some crew and

passengers. The ship and its passengers were under the

jurisdiction of

Turkish authorities since they were in a Turkish port.

The Turkish

authorities refused the ship's explicit request that

the interviews take

place on the ship. They were adamant the interviews

take place in

accordance with normal police procedure and that they

be conducted off

the ship, beginning in the police office in the Port

terminal. It is the

FBI's normal practice that when such international

incidents occur, the

FBI will usually rely on local police authorities,

working in

conjunction with the FBI legal attache agents at the

embassies, to

conduct the initial investigation and turn over the

results to the FBI.

The FBI confirmed this policy as recently as a

Congressional hearing on

December 13th, 2005.

 

The Turkish police arrived at the ship at 12:30 p.m.

and conducted a

full forensic investigation of both the cabin and the

canopy, including

taking blood samples, fingerprints, photographs, and

collecting other

evidence in the room. They secured and removed such

evidence. The

Turkish authorities informed Royal Caribbean that all

of this evidence

has been delivered to the FBI. The Turkish police had

the authority to

take whatever time was needed, and they did so. We

also gave them our

full cooperation in doing so. Had they requested more

time, the

departure of the ship would have been delayed for as

long as necessary.

 

In addition to Mrs. Hagel Smith, the police questioned

two other guests

and four members of the ship's crew. All members of

the crew voluntarily

gave testimony and answered police questions. By late

afternoon, the

police advised us they had completed their forensic

investigation. They

also advised us that they did not have any reason to

hold either Mrs.

Hagel Smith or any of the other people questioned.

They said that would

continue their investigation, but they had obtained

all the forensic

evidence they needed and the ship, her guests, and

crew were cleared to

leave. They said at that time that ship officials

could now clean the

cabin and the canopy.

 

During the course of the day, the Captain observed

passengers leaning

way over the balcony railings in order to view the

blood and take

photographs. He was concerned about passenger safety

and disruption to

the ship. The balcony railings on the ship are high,

but even so, there

can be a danger if a person leans too far over. The

Captain did not

clean the canopy immediately after the authorities

authorized him to do

so, but two hours later, he thought it prudent to

allow the cleaning. He

then personally spoke with the Turkish police and

re-confirmed that the

authorities had no objection to cleaning the blood

from canopy. The

Turkish authorities advised the Captain that since

they had completed

their forensic investigation, collected blood samples

and taken

photographs, they gave the Captain express permission

to clean the blood

off the canopy. That was done at 6:15 p.m. using a

pressure hose. It is

simply not true that the canopy was cleaned earlier

than this or that it

was ever painted over.

 

The FBI provided no instructions to Royal Caribbean in

either of the two

calls which it made in the morning or anytime during

the remainder of

the day, either directly or through their agent on the

scene, regarding

preserving the blood found on the canopy or keeping

the room under seal

for any period of time after the Turkish authorities

had completed their

investigation. Royal Caribbean understands that the

FBI was in

communication with the appropriate authorities. This

belief was

confirmed with the arrival of the U.S. Consulate

Representative and an

FBI agent to the police station in Kusadasi.

Therefore, when the Captain

received permission from the Turkish authorities, who

had already

completed their forensic testing, the Captain believed

it was

permissible to wash the blood from the canopy.

 

Mrs. Hagel Smith, in conversations with her father and

the ship Captain,

had stated she wished to join her parents and return

home as soon as

possible. Only after the police released Mrs. Hagel

Smith and completed

their examination of the cabin did the Captain allow

Marie, the ship

officer who had accompanied her all day during the

investigation, to

retrieve her belongings from her cabin and deliver

them to her so she

could return home to be reunited with her family.

Aside from that one

brief period when her belongings were being packed

between approximately

6-6:30 p.m. on July 5, the cabin remained closed and

off limits for

another six days.

 

During this six-day period, Royal Caribbean was in

continual

communication with the FBI. In fact, as noted below,

it was the FBI

agent who acted as an intermediary in giving Marie the

safe combination

so that she could retrieve Mrs. Hagel Smith's

belongings from the cabin.

In addition, an FBI agent boarded the ship and

inspected the cabin on

July 7.

 

On two additional occasions (July 8th and 9, 2005th),

Royal Caribbean

also advised the FBI that the cruise was ending in

Barcelona on July

11th, 2005, and it was standard procedure for the

cabin to be cleaned

and placed into service. Royal Caribbean specifically

invited the FBI

aboard the vessel to conduct their own investigation.

The FBI

acknowledged they understood the situation and in fact

sent an agent to

board the vessel and inspect the cabin before it was

cleaned. In

addition, on July 8th, 2005, Royal Caribbean's

President also

specifically asked the FBI if there was anything

further Royal Caribbean

could do to help in the investigation. The FBI made no

further requests

of Royal Caribbean during this time. Receiving no

objection or

instructions from the FBI to the contrary, and knowing

that the Turkish

authorities already conducted forensic testing and

released the cabin,

Royal Caribbean saw no reason not to follow standard

procedure and

prepared the room for the guests who had pre-reserved

the cabin. Three

days later on July 14th, 2005, for the first time, the

FBI called and

requested that the cabin be vacated and remain empty.

Royal Caribbean

complied with this request and has continued to comply

with all requests

from the FBI to the present.

 

While anyone can second guess these decisions based on

five months of

hindsight, the fact is that the Captain and crew

protected the cabin and

the canopy not only for the amount of time needed for

the investigation,

but for longer than any authority requested. They

based their decisions

on any and all guidance received from the authorities,

all of whom we

kept informed.

 

IV. THE SHIP'S CREW RESPONDED COMPASSIONATELY TO MRS.

HAGEL SMITH'S

NEEDS

 

Royal Caribbean understood from the first moments of

this tragedy that

Mrs. Hagel Smith's ordeal was traumatic and that she

needed to be

treated sensitively. Her husband was missing and had

apparently gone

overboard; any police inquiry would inevitably involve

questioning of

the spouse; and she could not even gain access to her

own belongings

because her cabin had been sealed. From the outset,

the Captain and crew

therefore tried to provide her with support and

assistance in a

sympathetic and compassionate manner.

 

Claims that she was abandoned, asked to leave the

ship, or left alone in

Turkey are utterly false. Contrary to speculation and

innuendo, from the

moment she was found at the spa and taken to Marie's

office, she was

never even left alone. During her questioning in the

terminal by Turkish

authorities, she had had two ship officers with her,

including Marie.

During her questioning in the police station by a

Turkish (female)

judge, she had an FBI agent and an official from the

U.S. Consulate with

her. Marie, the Royal Caribbean officer with her at

the police station,

was asked by the FBI agent to leave the group during

the judge's

questioning. In fact, at least one Royal Caribbean

officer, Marie,

accompanied her throughout the day and consoled and

comforted her from

shortly after 10:00 a.m. until about 6:00 p.m. that

night, when Mrs.

Hagel Smith retired to her hotel arranged by our port

agent and in the

company of the U.S. consulate officer.

 

Reports that she was forced to wear clothing with the

company's logo are

false. Mrs. Hagel Smith requested a change of clothes,

since she was

still in the clothes she wore the night before. Marie

helped Mrs. Hagel

Smith get a change of clothes before leaving the ship

to be interviewed.

At approximately 11:35 a.m., one and a half hours

after she had been

located in the Spa, Marie took Mrs. Hagel Smith to a

private room and

offered her an opportunity to shower, rest and change

clothes before her

interview with Turkish authorities. Mrs. Hagel Smith

accepted. Because

her cabin was sealed, she had no clean clothes. Marie

therefore asked

staff to get comfortable new clothes from the ship's

gift shop, most of

which typically carry the cruise line insignia. Mrs.

Hagel Smith chose

the specific clothes she wore from a selection

obtained from the gift

shop. She was never forced to wear anything. Marie

lent Mrs. Hagel Smith

a brush for her hair, toiletries, and gave Mrs. Hagel

Smith a bathrobe

to use. In addition, she gathered some magazines and

even a CD player to

help calm her during the long day ahead. Finally,

Marie gave Mrs. Hagel

Smith her own long-sleeved, zip-up sweater to wear

over the clothes from

the boutique. Contrary to certain reports that she was

prevented from

calling home, Mrs. Hagel Smith was, in fact, assisted

in making calls to

her own family and Mr. Smith's family. Her first calls

were to her

father at approximately noon Turkish time (5:00 a.m.

EDT), after

unsuccessfully trying to reach her sister-in-law. The

ship facilitated

these calls for her. The Captain participated in one

of the phone calls

with Mrs. Hagel Smith's father, which involved the

location of the

police interview. When the police insisted they wanted

to interview Mrs.

Hagel Smith in their own facilities, a ship officer

tried to convince

the police to do it on the ship, but they were adamant

and they asserted

jurisdiction to conduct the investigation. The Captain

explained this to

Mrs. Hagel Smith and to her father. Mrs. Hagel Smith

talked further with

her father and then agreed to cooperate and go off the

ship for the

questioning.

 

The ship allowed Mrs. Hagel Smith to place any call

she wished. Soon

after she was informed that Mr. Smith was missing, she

said she wanted

to call her own father and Mr. Smith's family. Marie

helped her with the

former, but noted that Mrs. Hagel Smith had previously

told the ship's

officers that Mr. Smith's absence from their cabin was

not necessarily

suspicious, as he might have been with friends. Marie

therefore

suggested she might want to wait to call Mr. Smith's

family until it was

clearer that he really was missing. Marie still hoped

that Mr. Smith

would turn up and thought Mrs. Hagel Smith wouldn't

want to frighten the

family unnecessarily, especially in the middle of the

night in the U.S.

as it was 11:35 a.m. Turkish time (4:35 a.m. EDT).

However, within 25

minutes it became clear that they should be informed,

and the ship

facilitated the calls, starting at noon (5:00 a.m.

EDT). In all, Mrs.

Hagel Smith made at least seven calls home, all but

one via the ship or

other company representative. The only difficulty Mrs.

Hagel Smith

encountered was with respect to two calls she

attempted but was unable

to get through due to problems with the connection.

 

Royal Caribbean also tried to keep the Smith family

informed of all

available information. In all, our company called the

family five times

to provide them what little information was available.

We stopped

calling when Bree Smith, Mr. Smith's sister, told us

that she was an

attorney and did not want any more calls from the

company.

 

Mrs. Hagel Smith initially met with police at the port

terminal station

at 1:30 p.m., and later in the main police office

approximately one hour

later. The Turkish judge who conducted the official

interview at the

main police station decided to wait for the U.S.

consulate official to

arrive before questioning Mrs. Hagel Smith. Marie was

with her during

the questioning at the terminal as well as sitting

with her at the

police station. Contrary to reports, Marie she saw no

incidents of

taunting or efforts to humiliate Mrs. Hagel Smith.

 

As part of their investigation, the police requested a

doctor to examine

Mrs. Hagel Smith for bruises or other signs of a

struggle. Marie

insisted on going with her. Upon arrival at the

hospital, Marie insisted

that all individuals in the room leave other than the

physician, a

female nurse, and herself. Marie turned her body away

to give Mrs. Hagel

Smith privacy. The exam lasted two minutes.

 

There have been suggestions that Mrs. Hagel Smith only

cooperated with

the investigation by Turkish authorities because the

captain told her

two officers would accompany her when interviewed with

the authorities

and that the interview would be limited to a simple

statement. The

captain was true to his word. As noted above, two

officers accompanied

Mrs. Hagel Smith while she was first interviewed by

Turkish authorities

at the terminal. When they were advised that a U.S.

consular official

and an FBI agent were going to meet them at the next

location, one of

the officers returned to the ship. One Royal Caribbean

officer, Marie,

remained with her at all times, except when Mrs. Hagel

Smith was

interviewed by a female Turkish judge, and the FBI

agent specifically

told Marie to leave the room. The FBI agent and the

U.S. consulate

official remained in the room with Mrs. Hagel Smith.

 

The Captain never assured Mrs. Hagel Smith that she

would only have to

give one statement - he would never be in a position

to control the

Turkish investigation, and, thus, would never give

such an assurance.

Our first priority was to determine what happened to

Mr. Smith. It was

our belief then, and it remains so today, that Mrs.

Hagel Smith shared

that priority. The best way to advance the

investigation was obviously

to cooperate with the investigators.

 

The ship was docked at a Turkish port and the Turkish

police had

jurisdiction over the ship and all its passengers and

crew. Refusing

reasonable demands by the police would not only be

imprudent for

everyone (including Mrs. Hagel Smith), it would

probably be

counterproductive. The Turkish authorities performed

their important

duties responsibly and professionally. For example,

part of the reason

that the questioning took longer than expected was

that the Turkish

authorities waited for the arrival of the consular

officer and the FBI

agent before continuing the questioning. Altogether,

it took

approximately four hours from the time Mrs. Hagel

Smith left the ship

until the authorities released her. It must have been

a difficult time

for her, but it is unfair to suggest that this was an

unreasonable

imposition that the Captain should have or could have

spared her in an

investigation of a possible murder.

 

As the day continued, Mrs. Hagel Smith repeatedly said

she wanted to be

reunited with her family. Royal Caribbean was fully

prepared to assist

with these arrangements, and the Captain even offered

to have Mrs. Hagel

Smith remain on the vessel until arrangements could be

made for her to

fly home from Pireaus, but he was advised the U.S.

consulate official

was already arranging for her travel home on a

Lufthansa flight. The

final arrangements were subsequently made by Royal

Caribbean's port

agent, who also made arrangements for a hotel and

transportation for

Mrs. Hagel Smith to go to the airport on the following

day. Suggestions

that she was kicked off the ship in Turkey are false.

 

Later that afternoon, at approximately 5:45 p.m., the

police released

Mrs. Hagel Smith and told her she was free to fly

home. Mrs. Hagel Smith

gave the FBI agent on the scene the combination to her

cabin safe in

order to be able to pack up Mr. and Mrs. Smith's

personal belongings.

Marie offered to return to the ship to do so, and the

FBI agent gave

Marie the combination to the safe. After verifying

with Mrs. Hagel Smith

that she was authorized to open her safe, Marie

returned to the ship.

She packed Mrs. Hagel Smith's clothes and retrieved

her passport and

other valuables from the cabin safe using the code the

FBI agent gave

her. Marie handed the valuables directly to the U.S.

Consulate official

who was in the cabin with Marie. Ship officers were

only responding to

Mrs. Hagel Smith's repeated requests to be with her

family.

 

Marie carefully packed the nicer clothing in the

suitcases and used

company's shopping bags for the excess. The consular

officer then took

Mrs. Hagel Smith to her hotel, which had been arranged

by Royal

Caribbean's port agent. The consulate officer stayed

at the same hotel

so she could accompany her to the airport in the

morning. The ship

departed Kusadasi at 7:08 p.m.

 

During the day, ship officers and the company's port

agent worked

closely with the U.S. Consulate and the FBI to ensure

that Mrs. Hagel

Smith was treated with care and compassion. Together,

these individuals

worked hard on her behalf and unquestionably softened

some of the worst

edges of her ordeal. Each contributed as much as he or

she reasonably

could and, while nothing could eliminate her ordeal,

to attack their

individual efforts and contribution is unfair.

 

V. WE WILL CONTINUE TO SEARCH FOR ANSWERS

 

The tragic disappearance of George Smith is a terrible

heartbreak for

his wife and family and we understand that they are

inconsolable. We

sympathize with their loss and their grief. We will

continue to

cooperate fully with the FBI and other authorities in

an effort to find

the answers we all want. The ship's officers and crew

did their best to

assist Mrs. Hagel Smith in every way possible and to

facilitate a

complete and untainted investigation. We commend them

for responding to

this tragedy carefully, compassionately and

professionally.

(UNQUOTE)

 

Another new development is that passengers that were

onboard "Brilliance

of the Seas" together with the Smith couple told the

FBI that the

honeymooners had a hefty argument only hours before

George Smith

disappeared. Passenger Dominick Mazz told the

Associated Press that

following a verbal dispute, Mrs Hagel Smith "suddenly

stood up and

kicked him [her husband - editor's note] in the

private and stumbled out

of the bar. [...] You could tell he was in pain. I

thought the kick was

hard. That was not fooling around." The witnesses also

said that both

George Smith and his wife appeared highly intoxicated

at the time of

their argument.

 

On January 11th, Royal Caribbean issued another public

statement:

 

(QUOTE)

Plaintiff attorneys representing the Smith family

apparently provided

"before and after" photos of the Smith's cabin to

MSNBC's "Rita Cosby

Live" last night, in flagrant disregard of the FBI's

specific and

repeated requests not to describe the cabin - an

action that could

seriously impede the FBI's investigation. Royal

Caribbean had

voluntarily given photos and other information to the

plaintiff

attorneys in good faith. It also requested the

information be kept

"confidential so that nothing is done to compromise

the FBI's

investigation." Company officials are outraged that

the plaintiff

attorneys would so cavalierly ignore FBI requests for

confidentiality

and place the investigation at risk purely for

publicity purposes.

 

The two photos were a "before" photo, taken at

approximately 9 a.m. on

July 5, and an "after" photo taken at approximately 4

p.m. on July 7.

The "before" photo shows the Smith's cabin immediately

after the ship's

Captain ordered the cabin sealed and posted a guard.

The "after" photo

followed three important events, all of which the

company has disclosed

previously:

 

- July 5th: Turkish authorities had completed their

forensic investigation.

- July 5th: Our Guest Relations Manager, Marie

Breheret, entered the

Smith's cabin to pack their belongings. A U.S.

Consulate official joined

her in the cabin.

- July 7th: The FBI and a U.S. Consulate official

boarded the ship and

entered the Smith's cabin in Pireaus, Greece.

 

It is understandable that the second photo would

reflect these

activities over these two days. In particular, the

forensic

investigation, including fingerprinting, testing for

blood, and removing

evidence, would be expected to disrupt the scene. All

the "before" and

"after" photos demonstrate is that the investigators

were thorough.

 

At the direction of the FBI, Royal Caribbean has been

extremely careful

not to reveal any information that could jeopardize

its investigation.

Specifically, we have been asked not to reveal

information about the

state of the cabin or its contents. The plaintiff

attorneys have ignored

this strong direction purely for publicity purposes

and now risk

damaging the FBI's investigation.

(UNQUOTE)

[shirleygr]

I don't think the Smiths are "Well to do" just because they live in Greenwich.

He owns a liquor store - and I don't see millionaires selling booze at state controlled prices. He may very well be friends with Chris Shays however which could answer the question as to why a congressional hearing. On the other hand - congressmen will hold hearings on anything as long as it is not Campaign Financing Reform, Removal of Congressional Pork or other such goodies

I read that George comes from "old money" and that the parents own real estate in addition to several liquor stores. If I am wrong about that, I apologize for the mis-statement.

But have to agree with you on congressional hearings--lol.

[imosoreal]

If you have a balcony suite on a cruise, what is the first thing you do when you wake up? I find it hard to believe that the wife just went to the spa. Had she stepped out on the balcony would she have noticed the blood? I think she knows he killed himself. Over 200 lbs. seems a bit too much weight for any woman I know to try and push a man over a balcony. Why would he kill himself? He was in a drunken stupor he didn't mean to do it he just really wanted to piss her off. Loud voices sounding like partying going on probably was the two arguing. Her voice kind of high pitched when excited would probably sound like partying to someone else who is half asleep. I do believe she left the room angrily and that's when he ended it all. I'm glad RC spoke up. I mean what more could they have done? I know for sure if my husband went missing on a cruise I would want someone to answer for it and would want to hold someone responsible for it. But I bet the videos RC security captured don't show anyone entering the corridor where the suite was located who did not have a reason to be on the floor. Which would only mean either he killed himself or his wife killed him.

 

I wish I could call Henry Lee I could get paid for this.

[kenf333]

If you have a balcony suite on a cruise, what is the first thing you do when you wake up? I find it hard to believe that the wife just went to the spa. Had she stepped out on the balcony would she have noticed the blood? I think she knows he killed himself. Over 200 lbs. seems a bit too much weight for any woman I know to try and push a man over a balcony. Why would he kill himself? He was in a drunken stupor he didn't mean to do it he just really wanted to piss her off. Loud voices sounding like partying going on probably was the two arguing. Her voice kind of high pitched when excited would probably sound like partying to someone else who is half asleep. I do believe she left the room angrily and that's when he ended it all. I'm glad RC spoke up. I mean what more could they have done? I know for sure if my husband went missing on a cruise I would want someone to answer for it and would want to hold someone responsible for it. But I bet the videos RC security captured don't show anyone entering the corridor where the suite was located who did not have a reason to be on the floor. Which would only mean either he killed himself or his wife killed him.

 

I wish I could call Henry Lee I could get paid for this.

 

We all know your your on one account, as she was found passed out in the hall on the other side of the ship, and the last people to see him alive were the four boys.

[hermang]

I read that George comes from "old money" and that the parents own real estate in addition to several liquor stores. If I am wrong about that, I apologize for the mis-statement.

But have to agree with you on congressional hearings--lol.

I never heard more than one liquor emporium mentioned.

 

His folks may own some real estate - again never saw that in the papers and like you I live in Fairfield County

[hermang]

They said last night that he has not been declared dead. Have to do some research on it.........ok, here is what I found, from Nancy Grace;

 

 

Pat, it`s my understanding that Jennifer Hagel, the bride, has gone to court and had George Smith legally declared dead and herself named executor?

 

LALAMA: Right. There`s an important reason for that, and that`s because there can be a civil suit put into motion because of that.

 

***********************************

 

Never knew she did that..interesting.........

I started to reply to this earlier when the lights went out.

 

A few years ago a cousin of my wife's approximately 10 days after marrying for the first time at age 40, apparently decided to do a swan dive off the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco. They never found a suicide note and never found the body and like Jennifer his bride didn;t seem to be awfully broken up about it.

 

Howard's dad was - how shall we say in his dodage and his grand daughter and Howard were all the living relatives left and were the beneficiaries of property and a share of an estate.

 

My point is that it took almost 5 years for the state of Ohio to declare Howard dead so assets could be transferred to the grand daughter.

 

Even probate of Howard's estate took almost a year - so I wonder how it is that Jennifer got George declared dead so quickly - I thought it was 7 years with out a body?

[AFT_LOVER]

I am waiting for her transcript to post as Abrams did.

 

The 3 Smiths are back on, really pissing me off! The sister (the attorney) now is challenging Dr Lee with his no indentation theory as she says it is there. How does she know? When were they on the ship? She even states that his arms & legs were not flying in the wind, he went down solid. Just as I say he dropped to dive in, yes that is solid.

 

So when it shows I will post so you can read & join in the pissed off factor!!!!

[1corona4u]

I am waiting for her transcript to post as Abrams did.

 

The 3 Smiths are back on, really pissing me off! The sister (the attorney) now is challenging Dr Lee with his no indentation theory as she says it is there. How does she know? When were they on the ship? She even states that his arms & legs were not flying in the wind, he went down solid. Just as I say he dropped to dive in, yes that is solid.

 

So when it shows I will post so you can read & join in the pissed off factor!!!!

 

Yeah, I saw that. They believe it, because a consulate person told them........whatever.:rolleyes: That's a steel canopy. It would take a lot to dent it. I liked how the dad was complaining, that the people in the cabin in front of where the blood was, didn't report anything....well, maybe they were sleeping....:rolleyes:

[1corona4u]

I started to reply to this earlier when the lights went out.

 

A few years ago a cousin of my wife's approximately 10 days after marrying for the first time at age 40, apparently decided to do a swan dive off the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco. They never found a suicide note and never found the body and like Jennifer his bride didn;t seem to be awfully broken up about it.

 

Howard's dad was - how shall we say in his dodage and his grand daughter and Howard were all the living relatives left and were the beneficiaries of property and a share of an estate.

 

My point is that it took almost 5 years for the state of Ohio to declare Howard dead so assets could be transferred to the grand daughter.

 

Even probate of Howard's estate took almost a year - so I wonder how it is that Jennifer got George declared dead so quickly - I thought it was 7 years with out a body?

 

Interesting point.....have to do some research on that....

[AFT_LOVER]

they Had the couple that the wife woke freaked out that the ship hit something from the big thud & feel of the ship. They were told everything was fine when they called. They were bottom level verandah, wherever that is in reference to the lifeboats.

 

Yeah, I saw that. They believe it, because a consulate person told them........whatever.:rolleyes: That's a steel canopy. It would take a lot to dent it. I liked how the dad was complaining, that the people in the cabin in front of the blood was, didn't report anything....well, maybe they were sleeping....:rolleyes:

[AFT_LOVER]

I emailed Dennis Murphy, the newsguy about all the ponts I remembered from the show. He sent me the address for it & it is 5 pages of very interesting stuff with plenty missing as of what we learned in January 2006.

 

So read it:

 

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9356611/

[kenf333]

I emailed Dennis Murphy, the newsguy about all the ponts I remembered from the show. He sent me the address for it & it is 5 pages of very interesting stuff with plenty missing as of what we learned in January 2006.

 

So read it:

 

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9356611/

 

That is the same one that 1corona had posted Saturday.

[rcicruiser]

I find it funny that the Smith's are taken issue with Dr. Lee, he is trying to help them. Maybe things between Jennifer Smith and and the Smith's are not all that good. After all you never see them together. It looks like the Smith's are fighting now with everyone who was on that ship.

[rcicruiser]

You know it is sad what happened to George Smith. But the family has to see that his and Jennifer's action that night led up to whatever happened that night.

[1corona4u]

I find it funny that the Smith's are taken issue with Dr. Lee, he is trying to help them. Maybe things between Jennifer Smith and and the Smith's are not all that good. After all you never see them together. It looks like the Smith's are fighting now with everyone who was on that ship.

 

Yeah, and not only that, but they want the pax list?!? Doesn't RCI have some privacy policy in place? Which is probably why they have not given it to them. They would be a thorn in anyone's side that was on that ship!! I wouldn't want them to have MY info!! Don't they see that there are privacy issues with that??

 

Rita has now lost all credibility in my mind. Showing a pic of GS and Tara was a stupid move on her part. Like he even had a shot with her.:rolleyes: And even if JS was upset, so what. It's not as if he ran off with Tara........ya think?? LOL....yeah, that's it. Tara and GS immediately fell in love, and they planned this to get him out of his marriage from JS.(I'm joking of course...)

 

Irrational if you ask me.

[Barky]

You know it is sad what happened to George Smith. But the family has to see that his and Jennifer's action that night led up to whatever happened that night.

 

At some point they may be willing to see Jennifer's actions contributing to this but I doubt they will ever accept George's actions contributing. I had neighbors whose son hit another neighbor kid with a baseball bat resulting in him in the hospital almosting losing an eye. But, the parents of the kid who did the hitting "would never do anything like that."

[Barky]

Yeah, and not only that, but they want the pax list?!? Doesn't RCI have some privacy policy in place? Which is probably why they have not given it to them. They would be a thorn in anyone's side that was on that ship!! I wouldn't want them to have MY info!! Don't they see that there are privacy issues with that??

 

Rita has now lost all credibility in my mind. Showing a pic of GS and Tara was a stupid move on her part. Like he even had a shot with her.:rolleyes: And even if JS was upset, so what. It's not as if he ran off with Tara........ya think?? LOL....yeah, that's it. Tara and GS immediately fell in love, and they planned this to get him out of his marriage from JS.(I'm joking of course...)

 

Irrational if you ask me.

 

Sensationalism at its finest. I find when I want the facts I turn to Greta for her take on it.

[1corona4u]

Sensationalism at its finest. I find when I want the facts I turn to Greta for her take on it.

 

You know what, I agree. She has been the most objective person covering this, and I do appreciate it.

[kenf333]

I find it funny that the Smith's are taken issue with Dr. Lee, he is trying to help them. Maybe things between Jennifer Smith and and the Smith's are not all that good. After all you never see them together. It looks like the Smith's are fighting now with everyone who was on that ship.

 

Not siding with them, because talkin to the media, will not get them the answers, however it helps keep the pressure on the fbi. It must be hard not knowing what happened GS, and in that respect I cant say what I would do.

[Barefoot_Pirate]

The parents should be upset with DW, and probably put blame on her as well as RCCL, the drinking buds, the turks, etc. etc. The cruise line will not give out any passanger data without a court order, which is the proper thing to do.

 

Does anyone know how big "Josh" is? Moving a 200+ pound DH around, and lifting him over a 4+ft railing....when drunk.... Do wonder about his time line, but also about his ability and motive to do any foul play. Also, if DH "bleed out" after the fall, then he was probably alive at that point, which would tend to eliminate the theory that he was tossed over in order to destroy the evidence of murder. Keep coming back to it being a tragic accident.

 

I am amazed at how tight the over all time line is, and the amount of activity in the Smith's cabin. Between drinking, security, comings and goings, neighbors pounding on the wall, etc., all within a half an hour or so..at the crack of dawn. Reminds me of a bad holiwood movie, where people are just missing eachother moving from room to room. Move any of the activities twenty minutes and this would have ended differently.

 

Even without anything to drink, I would be fuzzy about what happened after being awake all night.

 

Oh, if they had stopped Mykonos that day, wouldn't it stand to reason that drinking started earlier than when they were on board? Myknons is the party capital of Greece, known for it's wild side.

[1corona4u]

The parents should be upset with DW, and probably put blame on her as well as RCCL, the drinking buds, the turks, etc. etc. The cruise line will not give out any passanger data without a court order, which is the proper thing to do.

 

Does anyone know how big "Josh" is? Moving a 200+ pound DH around, and lifting him over a 4+ft railing....when drunk.... Do wonder about his time line, but also about his ability and motive to do any foul play. Also, if DH "bleed out" after the fall, then he was probably alive at that point, which would tend to eliminate the theory that he was tossed over in order to destroy the evidence of murder. Keep coming back to it being a tragic accident.

 

I am amazed at how tight the over all time line is, and the amount of activity in the Smith's cabin. Between drinking, security, comings and goings, neighbors pounding on the wall, etc., all within a half an hour or so..at the crack of dawn. Reminds me of a bad holiwood movie, where people are just missing eachother moving from room to room. Move any of the activities twenty minutes and this would have ended differently.

 

Even without anything to drink, I would be fuzzy about what happened after being awake all night.

 

Oh, if they had stopped Mykonos that day, wouldn't it stand to reason that drinking started earlier than when they were on board? Myknons is the party capital of Greece, known for it's wild side.

 

Here is what I thought about that. There wasn't enough blood on the canopy to suggest a fatal wound. There would have been much more than there was if that was the case. Also, anyone who was staying on that ship, or had been in the Smith's cabin, no doubt had been on the balcony. Wouldn't they have known that there was a canopy below, so if they threw him over, it was not a straight shot to the water? Seems to me if they had basic knowledge of the ship, they'd have known that.