>[Moderator's note: Well, this is bound to be controversial, but since
>it's ferret-related and doesn't appear to violate guidelines, it gets
>posted.  Perosnally, I'm not sure there is enough information right now
>to decided things either way.  BIG]
 
Firstly, BIG, I agree with you - there is very little information in this
right now, and it's difficult, if not impossible for anyone to make a true
judgement on this.  Secondly, Edward Lipinski wrote:
 
>This is an appeal to those generous people who may have been scammed by
>the owner of the Spokane, Washington, ferret shelter/ferret breeding farm,
>where some numbers of ferrets were murdered and savaged.
 
Actually, I'm more involved than many, and I can't say what's been
happening.  I've read all the newspaper articles from the Spokane Review,
and have put links up to them all from my website.  The story in question
has been linked to since the day it was written.  Nowhere in that story
does it say that Jean *did* this terrible thing.  Yes, it does say they are
looking into the possibility.  Heavens, they could be looking into the
possibility of one Edward Lipinski having appeared in the area on that day
and possibly having done it.  Really, no-one has any idea who really did
this crime except the person who did it.  That there were no witnesses
means that Edward Lipinski could have done it too!  Also a remote
possibility, but a possibility nonetheless.
 
Come on here, no-one needs to be blamed without evidence.  If Lance is not
guilty, I'd rather see him free.  If Jean is guilty, I want to see her
behind bars and punished.  However, it is not proven either way, there is
nothing other than rumour substantiating this.  I do NOT want to see anyone
accused and possibly sentenced on mere rumours.
 
>The developments in this case have exonerated the initial suspect.
>Circumstantial evidence is pointing ever more precisely to the owner
>of the shelter, a Ms. Jeannie Smith, as the perpetrator of this
>animal cruelty.
 
Actually, the developments have not exonerated Lance, as a matter of
interest.  Lack of evidence and an inability to confirm even the basics of
the case led to the charges being dropped.  However, he is still under
suspicion.
 
>Apparently some $7,000-plus and other items were collected by the owner,
>Ms. Smith, who solicited contributors throughout the nation and perhaps
>other places as well.
 
Actually, it's my understanding that Jean herself did not ask for more than
help with medical supplies, bedding etc.  The money was freely given for
the ferrets, and the ferrets and the vets who cared for the ferrets are the
ones that received the money.  Ferrets are the ones that benefitted from
the donations.
 
I personally can't picture anyone killing their animals - especially in
such a grisly manner, just to solicit funds from people they didn't even
know about on the off-chance that it may get found out about.  Jean didn't
approach the FMLers - FMLers found out about the situation some weeks after
it happened and approached HER.
 
>According to the article, police found discrepencies in Smith+s accounts
>of the crime and Smith showed a 72 percent "likelihood of deception" on a
>polygraph test.
 
Polygraph (or lie-detector) tests are not permissable in a court of law in
most States because if the person who is taking the test is emotional on a
subject (as Jean is) then they CANNOT pass the test.  The lie detector
tests only conclusively proves that Jean either was lying or feels strongly
about something involved in the case.
 
The money donated was sent for the benefit of the animals, NOT for Jean.
It DID benefit the animals, and as a result many survived.  I'm grateful
that the people sent the money for those ferrets, and can't picture anyone
who had willingly given not only from their homes (with donations of time,
effort, clothing, rags, and medications) but also from their wallets
wanting their donation back.  To my knowledge Jean did not benefit from
this.  The money was sent directly to vets in most cases, and thus was used
on those bills.
 
There are victims in this tragedy, and the victims are the ferrets.  The
FML got together to help those victims, and did an astounding job of it.
There were lives saved in December that would have quickly died had they
not been cared for.
 
My suggestion here: wait and see what happens.  None of us truly knows what
happened on the day those ferrets were murdered.  None of us should act as
judge and jury on people who are potentially innocent (including Lance) We
have to place some faith that the lawyers, police and judicial system in
Spokane will come to the bottom of this case and find the person who did
this.  It's not a perfect system, but far better than persecuting people
for 'rumours'
 
Sam
-------
 
For the ferrets who died in Spokane 19 November 1997...
 
http://homepages.ihug.co.nz/~fanmail/spokane.html
(or the mirror sites)
http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Plains/9131/spokane.html
http://members.tripod.com/~fanmail/spokane.html
http://users.1st.net/hammock/ferrets/spokane.html
 
May their lives be remembered, and their murderer
punished to the fullest extent of the law
[Posted in FML issue 2268]