New evidence -a bombshell in the annals of US legal history - now reports that the Colorado grand jury presiding over the murder of 6 year old beauty queen JonBenet Ramsey actually voted to indict her parents -John and Patsy- but prosecutors declined to press the case. The indictment - child abuse charges resulting in death- was refused by Boulder District Attorney Alex Hunter, claiming he was unable to prove the case beyond a reasonable doubt.
"I and my prosecution task force believe we do not have sufficient evidence to warrant a filing of charges against anyone who has been investigated at this time," Hunter told reporters back in October 1999.
Child abuse resulting in death is seen as a Class II felony that carries a potential sentence of four to 48 years in prison. The statute of limitations on that charge in Colorado is three years from when the crime is committed.
University of Colorado Law School Mimi Wesson says that it her opinion that proper legal procedure would have been needed in order to sign the document, file it with the court and then move in open court to dismiss the charges.
Jurors who spoke anonymously to The Daily Camera newspaper still understand the complex legal ramifications surrounding the case. "It's still unresolved," one juror said. "Somebody did something pretty horrible that wasn't published. I'm not saying I am at peace. But I had sympathy with [Hunter's] decision. I could see the problem that he was in."
Hunter, who left office in 2001 declined to discuss the grand jury's actions, but wrote to The Daily Camera: "Colorado statutes, the ethical canons which govern the practice of law, and the Boulder District Court's oaths, instructions and orders in the JonBenet's Ramsey grand jury proceedings, are well established and absolutely clear with respect to the various participants' legal obligations, duties and responsibilities, including the inviolate secrecy of the proceedings and the differing burdens of proof applicable to jurors and prosecutors ," Hunter wrote to The Daily Camera.
"As the duly elected district attorney at the time and as an officer of the court then and now, I must respectfully decline further comment," he added.
New York Post, The Daily Camera and Foxnews.com also contributed to this article
