by Gonçalo Amaral
Please email with any corrections or additions. Thanks.
*****
3 MAY 2007
Madeleine McCann disappeared while on holiday with her family in Praia da Luz, Portugal.
Chief Inspector Gonçalo Amaral led the Portuguese Polícia Judiciária investigation into Madeleine's disappearance from May until October 2007. Amaral had served the PJ for over 26 years.
(The Polícia Judiciária (PJ) is the main police branch of criminal investigation in Portugal, dedicated to fighting criminality, organized crime, terrorism, drugs, corruption and financial crimes. Goncalo Amaral was regional head of the Portimão PJ.)
JUNE 2007
British criminal profiler Lee Rainbow recommended that the Polícia Judiciária investigate the McCanns because of 'contradictions' in Gerry McCann's statement. The report by Rainbow, of the British National Policing Improvement Agency, was sent to Portugal in June 2007.
SOURCE
British police DID say investigate Kate and Gerry McCann' after Madeleine's disappearance
9 JULY 2007
British Prime Minister Gordon Brown met with the Portuguese premier Jose Socrates and discussed the McCann investigation.
SOURCE
Articles: Jul 9
23 JULY 2007
A report written by Mark Harrison was submitted on this date. The report focused on the possibility that Madeleine had been killed in the McCann's apartment and that her body was hidden in the local area. In a separate report, Harrison expressed skepticism about the possibility that Madeleine had been buried on the beach in Praia da Luz.
Harrison had been called in by the Portuguese police to review the investigation and is the UK's national homicide search coordinator, an expert criminologist and a professor at Southampton University. Harrison advises all UK police agencies in cases of missing people, homicides and abductions.
Harrison reviewed the initial Portuguese operations and advised on the inquiry's future strategy. He advised that specialist British sniffer dogs (Eddie, a cadaver "enhanced victim recovery" dog and Keela, a blood "crime scene" dog) should be used to examine key sites, such as the McCann's apartment and Robert Murat's home.
The dogs were flown to Portugal and the searches (see below) done in the presence of Mark Harrison and Martin Grime, as well as officers from the PJ. (Videos of most of the searches were released by the PJ and are in the public domain.)
31 JULY 2007
British sniffer dogs (Eddie, a cadaver "enhanced victim recovery" dog and Keela, a blood "crime scene" dog), handled by British Forensic Canine P SM Expert Martin Grime, searched the Praia da Luz beach area and found nothing. PC Grime worked alongside Mark Harrison during all the canine searches. Inspections were conducted in Apt. 5A (McCanns) and the apartments occupied by members of the McCann family as well as the group who were with them at the time of Madeleine's disappearance. The only alerts made by the dogs were to the McCann's apartment and garden.
"Faced with new elements revealed by the dog handling unit's search, attached to the report, and on the basis of Mark Harrison's report, there is every reason to believe that the small child Madeleine McCann died in apartment 5A where she was spending her holiday with her parents at the Ocean Club in Praia da Luz.
Eddie, the cadaver dog "marked" the wardrobe area in the McCann's bedroom, an area behind the sofa in the sitting room near the window overlooking the road and an area of the garden immediately below the window. Keela, the blood detecting dog, marked an area of the floor behind the sofa in the sitting room, near the window overlooking the road.
Extensive research by the police revealed that there had never previously been a death or a body in apartment 5A. Based on these results, the PJ requested authorisation to inspect the villa where the McCanns were currently staying in Portugal and the Renault Scenic they had hired.
SOURCE
Looking for Maddie’s body
Eddie and Keela in McCann apartment (VIDEO)
Articles: Aug 5
Articles: Aug 6
'The English sniffer dogs that are helping in the hunt for Madeleine'
2 AUGUST 2007
British sniffer dogs (Eddie, a cadaver "enhanced victim recovery" dog and Keela, a blood "crime scene" dog), handled by British Forensic Canine P SM Expert Martin Grime, searched the Villa rue des Fleurs villa where the McCanns were staying. PC Grime worked alongside Mark Harrison during all the canine searches.
The cadaver dog Eddie "marked" the area of a cupboard in the living room. On checking, the dog was indicating a pink soft toy belonging to Madeleine McCann (Cuddlecat).
Following the search of the McCann villa, various items of clothing were laid out to allow for inspection b the dog handling unit. Eddie, the cadaver dog marked on specific items of clothing.
Whole floor tiles were removed by the PJ in the areas of the McCann's living room where the dogs had alerted.
Source
Inspection of the apartments (Pamalam site)
3 AUGUST 2007
British sniffer dogs (Eddie, a cadaver "enhanced victim recovery" dog and Keela, a blood "crime scene" dog), handled by British Forensic Canine P SM Expert Martin Grime, searched the McCann apartment (5A). PC Grime worked alongside Mark Harrison during all the canine searches.
The blood dog, Keela, “marked” an area of tiles in the living room, next to the window and behind the sofa. Keela also “marked” the lower part of the left white coloured curtain of the window behind the sofa.
Source
08 Processos Vol VIII Page 2190 (Pamalam site)
4 AUGUST 2007 / 05 AUGUST 2007
Between 3pm on Aug 4th 2007 and 6.30am on Aug 5th 2007, "samples were recovered in the living room of apartment 5A at the OCEAN CLUB where a murder probably took place."
The samples were sent to the Forensic Science Services laboratory in Birmingham.
Source
Samples sent to the lab (Pamalam site)
6 AUGUST 2007 / 7 AUGUST 2007
British sniffer dogs Eddie and Keela were brought into an underground parking lot in Portimao to search vehicles belonging to Robert Murat, Jenny Murat (Robert's mother), Tuck Price (Murat’s friend), Ralf (Murat’s uncle), Serguei Malinka (Murat’s business partner), Mikaela (Murat’s girlfriend), Luis Antonio (Mikaela's husband), and the Renault Scenic the rental vehicle then currently used by Gerry and Kate McCann.
The only vehicle alerted to by Eddie, the cadaver dog, was the McCann's hired Renault Scenic. Keela, the blood dog, alerted to the boot of the Renault, indicating that human blood was present.
Samples recovered in the McCann's Renault Scenic were sent to the Forensic Science Services laboratory in Birmingham. The samples included fibers, hair, fingernails, the car key and control samples of fabric.
SOURCE
Sniffer Dogs search the McCanns hired car (Video)
Dogs search for more traces
08-Processo Volume 8 pages 2186 to 2188 (Pamalam site)
Articles: Aug 7
Articles: Aug 8
Articles: Aug 9
7 SEPTEMBER 2007
After intense questioning by Portuguese police, the McCanns were made "arguidos".
SOURCE
Articles: Sep 7
Articles: Sep 8
9 SEPTEMBER 2007
The McCanns returned to the United Kingdom. The McCanns allegedly gave the Portuguese police just a few hours’ notice that they would be flying home.
SOURCE
Articles: Sep 9
Articles: Sep 10
Articles: Sep 11
2 OCTOBER 2007
Chief Inspector Gonçalo Amaral was informed by fax that he was being removed from the McCann case and was being transferred from Portimão to Faro. The fax reportedly read: "Transferred to Faro for convenience of the service". Alipio Ribeiro, the national director of the Polícia Judiciária, announced that the decision.
Media reports indicated that Amaral was transferred due to comments made to Diario de Noticias in response to an anonymous email sent to Prince Charles alleging that Madeleine had been abducted by a former Ocean Club employee.
Amaral quote (in response to Prince Charles email:
"British police 'have been investigating leads created and cultivated' by [the McCanns] 'forgetting that the couple are suspects in the death of their daughter'...'The British police have been working solely on what the McCanns want and on what suits them...' 'This situation [Prince Charles email] has been completely excluded. It has no credibility for Portuguese police. That story of a kidnapping for vengeance is another fact worked on by the McCanns,'...'It is not an e-mail, especially an anonymous one, which is easy to determine where it came from. That is going to distract us from our line of inquiry,'...
Also on October 2nd, the head of Portugal's police federation, Carlos Anjos, dismissed Gerry McCann's suggestions that Madeleine's abductor may have been hiding in her room as "a ridiculous episode". Anjos said: "If he was suspicious that there was a man in the apartment, and then he calmly went to dinner, then words cannot describe how negligent he is as a father." He also criticised what he claimed was a steady stream of information from the McCann camp.
SOURCE
Articles: Oct 3
Articles: Oct 4
Articles: Oct 5
4 OCTOBER 2007
Chief Inspector Tavares Almeida, the second in command on the Madeleine inquiry requested an extended leave of absence. Almeida was working under Goncalo Amaral as head of the PJ unit in Portimao investigating Madeleine's disappearance.
SOURCE
'Madeleine McCann cop asks to leave investigation'
Articles: Oct 4
Articles: Oct 5
8 OCTOBER 2007
Paulo Rebelo, a senior criminal investigation coordinator at Polícia Judiciária headquarters in Lisbon, was appointed to take charge of the Madeleine McCann case.
Also reported this day was claim that FSS results obtained from McCann's apartment, their hire car etc. could link the McCanns to Madeleine's disappearance. Sources in Britain reportedly claimed that the new evidence showed Portuguese detectives' decision to focus their investigation on Madeleine's parents was justified.
SOURCE
Articles: Oct 8
Articles: Oct 9
23 APRIL 2008
It was reported that Gonçalo Amaral was planning to quit the Polícia Judiciária.
SOURCE
('Why we didn't use a baby listening service' - See end of article)
25 APRIL 2008
It was reported that Amaral planned to publish a book (working title "Truth Of The Lie") about Madeleine McCann inquiry.
Clarence Mitchell (former head of UK government's "Media Monitoring Unit" and McCann "spokesperson") responded:
"For a book of this nature to be published with such a prejudicial title by Mr Amaral would be frankly quite outrageous."..."It's reported that it will not be published until Kate and Gerry's arguido status is lifted. We are grateful to Mr Amaral for acknowledging that it will be lifted."..."Our lawyers will enjoy reading this book on its publication. "We are also concerned to note that a serving police officer is proposing a book to cash in on Madeleine's disappearance. "We also expect Mr Amaral to adhere fully to Portugal's secrecy laws, as we have done all along."
SOURCE
Articles: Apr 25
Articles: Apr 26
Articles: Apr 27
27 APRIL 2008
It was reported that the McCanns were considering writing a book about Madeleine's disappearance. Clarence Mitchell stated that it was a legitimate way of raising money for the fund.
Scott Pack, a former head of buying for Waterstone's, said the McCanns' book would fall into the category of "misery memoir" and was bound to go for at least £500,000..."It could go for a million."
SOURCE
Articles: Apr 27
1 JULY 2008
Gonçalo Amaral quit the Polícia Judiciária and handed over his gun and badge to bosses after 28 years as a police officer.
SOURCE
''Madeleine is dead' claims ex-police chief in charge of the case'
20 JULY 2008
It was reported that Gonçalo Amaral had scheduled a news conference to take place on July 24, 2008 in Lisbon to launch "The Truth Of The Lie"
The McCanns' Portuguese lawyer, Carlos Pinto de Abreu, said that he expected the book to amount to 'speculation' that would not affect the future course of the search for Madeleine.'
SOURCE
Articles: Jul 20
23 JULY 2008
It was reported that the McCanns had consulted lawyers and threatened legal action over "The Truth of the Lie"
SOURCE
Articles: Jul 23
24 JULY 2008
Gonçalo Amaral gave a press conference in Lisbon to launch "A Verdade da Mentira / The Truth of the Lie" (written in Portuguese). It was announced that the book was to be translated into English. The UK media reported the development with headlines like "Disgraced cop cashes in with Maddie book" (Mirror).
SOURCE
Articles: Jul 24
25 JULY 2008
It was reported that the McCanns were definitely planning to take legal action against Dr. Gonçalo Amaral over the book.
SOURCE
Articles: Jul 25
17 AUGUST 2008
It was reported that Gonçalo Amaral's "The Truth Of The Lie" had topped Portugal's bestseller lists after selling more than 140,000 copies in its first two weeks. The publisher was said to have plans to release the book in the UK.
Jorge Silva, of Portuguese firm Guerrae Paz, said: "We are convinced it doesn't go against any law. It is an important contribution to the discovery of the material truth and the fulfillment of justice."
Clarence Mitchell said "If he seeks to publish in Britain he and his publisher will face legal action without a shadow of a doubt. "There is nothing to stop us from suing him in Portugal. Our lawyers are looking at the exact content of what he said in Portuguese and have plenty of time in which to act."
SOURCE
'Police officer’s book about Madeleine McCann case is best-seller in Portugal'
Articles: Aug 17
16 NOVEMBER 2008
It was reported that "The Truth about the Lie" had sold an estimated 180,000 copies in Europe. The book's publisher, Mario Sena Lopes, said that he was negotiating a UK deal to publish an English version of the book in the UK.
Gonçalo Amaral was interviewed exclusively by The Independent on Sunday. Quote: "Asked whether he thought Madeleine was dead, he said: "It is not just my opinion. A whole team of Portuguese and British investigators came to that conclusion last year, and this is part of the files. I have never said the couple killed their daughter and this is not my belief. Deaths may happen for natural reasons, accident or intervention by a third party." He said he was unperturbed by the threat of any legal action from the McCann family. "There is no reason for that. The details exposed in the book are facts, happenings and objective data which figure in the process and not lies, as they have been described in the press." He denied he was profiting from the tragic case. "The biggest thing I achieved with this book was to defend my honour and that of those who worked with me. The way I see it, you cannot put a price on dignity. The other objective of the book is to contribute to the search for the truth."
SOURCE
Nov 16
'Detective set to publish McCann book in Britain'
4 APRIL 2009
Gerry McCann traveled to Portugal to help film a reconstruction of the night Madeleine disappeared, to be aired in May on Channel 4.
SOURCE
Articles: Apr 4
Articles: Apr 5
Articles: Apr 6
13 APRIL 2009
A TV documentary, closely based on "The Truth of the Lie" was aired by Portuguese TV station TV1
SOURCE
Articles: Apr 13
1 MAY 2009
It was reported that Gonçalo Amaral had announced plans to start an international private probe Madeleine McCann's disappearance. Amaral believed the criminal investigation ended prematurely and planned to send his findings to Portuguese judicial chiefs with a request to reopen the case.
SOURCE
'Ex-Maddie officer launches own hunt'
'Disgraced Maddy cop to open the case again'
16 MAY 2009 / 17 MAY 2009
It was reported that the McCanns intended to sue Dr. Gonçalo Amaral for libel.
It was also reported that Gonçalo Amaral planned to counter-sue the McCanns.
SOURCE
Articles: May 16
Articles: May 17
Articles: May 18
20 AUGUST 2009
The McCanns dropped their libel case against Portuguese newspaper Tal & Qual which first linked them to the disappearance of their daughter Madeleine after being advised that the newspaper had a strong defence under Portuguese law. The McCanns were said to want to concentrate instead on their £1 million case against Gonçalo Amaral.
SOURCE
Articles: Aug 20
9 SEPTEMBER 2009
The Civil Court of Lisbon ordered a temporary ban on "The Truth of the Lie". The ruling was made by judge Amélia Puna Loupo. The Civil Court of Lisbon seized the earnings Amaral made from the sale of the book and the documentary, as a way to ensure that there would be money to pay the McCanns any compensation. The court order also banned Mr Amaral from repeating his claims about Madeleine or her parents.
SOURCE
Articles: Sep 9
'Judge explains decision of forbidding sale'
10 SEPTEMBER 2009
Many articles were published regarding the McCann's reaction to temporary ban.
SOURCE
Articles: Sep 10
23 SEPTEMBER 2009
The McCanns traveled to Portugal to attend a series of meetings with their lawyers and advisers in Lisbon. The McCanns were reported to be in the final stages of mounting a million pound civil claim against Gonçalo Amaral, after winning a temporary gagging order against the publication of "The Truth of the Lie". Lawyers reportedly told the McCanns they could receive £1.2million compensation.
Ed Smethurst, (McCann lawyer and member of the Madeleine Fund board) was reported as telling the Lusa news agency; "We are currently demanding €1.2 million in damages, but we are reserving the right to increase this value as soon as we can ascertain what profits have been generated from the sale of this book."
SOURCE
Articles: Sep 23
Articles: Sep 24
Articles: Sep 25
'McCanns make Portugal return'
25 SEPTEMBER 2009
It was reported that Gonçalo Amaral had written a second book about the Madeleine McCann investigation, titled "The English Gag".
SOURCE
Articles: Sep 25
'Crystal Night'
1 DECEMBER 2009
Gonçalo Amaral reportedly sought Social Security support in order to be able to defend himself in the case brought by the McCanns. Amaral's earnings made from sales of "The Truth of the Lie" and documentary had been seized by the Civil Court in Lisbon when the temporary ban on the "Truth of the Lie" was ordered.
SOURCE
'Amaral seeks support for Social Security and says he has no goods'
2 DECEMBER 2009
It was reported that the McCanns had filed a £1million libel suit against Gonçalo Amaral. They claimed that the book "The Truth of the Lie" defames them by questioning their version of events. The McCanns are seeking 1.2m euros (£1.08m) in damages.
It was also announced that the beginning of the trial of the injunction prohibiting the sale of the book "Maddie - A Verdade da Mentira" by Gonçalo Amaral was set to begin December 11, 2009.
SOURCE
Dec 2
10 DECEMBER 2009
The McCanns returned to Portugal for trial at Lisbon Civil Court regarding the temporary ban on "The Truth of the Lie".
SOURCE
Articles: Dec 7
Articles: Dec 9
Articles: Dec 10
11 DECEMBER 2009
The 7th Jurisdiction of the Lisbon Civil Court scheduled sessions for the 11th, 14th and 16th of December to hear arguments related to the temporary ban on "The Truth of the Lie".
Gonçalo Amaral was scheduled to oppose the arguments made by the McCanns which formed the basis for the September 9th ruling that had imposed the temporary ban on his book.
Kate and Gerry McCann, represented by the lawyer Isabel Duarte, alleged that the book and the video based on the book propound Gonçalo Amaral’s thesis of the involvement of Madeleine’s parents in her disappearance. They asked the court for the book to be withdrawn from the market, albeit on a provisional basis, as well as the video produced after a documentary shown on TVI.
The main action the McCanns were claiming was protection of their rights, liberties and guarantees. The publishers "Guerra & Paz", the producer Valentim de Carvalho and TVI were also attached to the trial for publicising Gonçalo Amaral’s thesis.
As part of the case, a preventive measure for the seizure of goods was requested which had not to that point been implemented.
The trial was postponed due to illness of Amaral's lawyer, António Cabrita, who was sick with the Swine flu.
Also on this day, Dr. Amaral launched the release of his second book, "A Mordaça Inglesa (The English Gag)" at the Lisbon bookshop Ler Devagar..
SOURCE
Articles: Dec 11
Articles: Dec 12
'McCanns in Portugal to face Amaral'
Articles: Dec 13
Articles: Dec 14
19 DECEMBER 2009
Gonçalo Amaral wrote a brief article related to a Portuguese citizen wrongly convicted in the United Kingdom. The article pointed out the disdain shown to individuals when they collide with the police and judicial system of a major power.
SOURCE
'Requirements and justice' (Gonçalo Amaral)
22 DECEMBER 2009
In an interview with "i" (see i online ) Amaral said that he owed nothing to the McCanns and considered the suspension of the sale of his first book a restriction on the freedom of expression.
23 DECEMBER 2009
Gonçalo Amaral was interviewed by "O Crime" regarding the McCanns and the temporary injunction banning "The Truth of the Lie"
Quote:
"In your book “The English Gag”, you criticize in a very contending manner the judicial decision that ordered the withdrawal from the market of the book “The Truth of the Lie”. Would you care to explain?
I say that it is an illegal decision, an unjust decision, a case of censorship. The court did not hear me before they decreed the provisional injunction; it was decided solely on basis of the elements submitted to them by the McCanns. The court did not know the motives of what I said in the book and, therefore took my words as gratuitously offensive and not as a fundamented (sic) opinion.
Do you believe that after the witnesses hearing that you have requested, the decision will be reversed?
I do, yes. I presented witnesses and presented the criminal process for the court to analyse. Such elements of proof will be, in my opinion, sufficient for the lady judge to obtain an enlightenment that until then she did not possess. I contacted with judges for almost 30 years. Among judges, I have many friends. What they do is always fundamented (sic) in the elements that they have at their disposal and, at this moment, madam judge of the civil court of Lisbon has more elements than she had previously. Therefore, I am convinced that she will decide in my favour."
(Note: The Lisbon Appeals court eventually *did* rule in Amaral's favour - see 18 October 2010 below.)
SOURCE
Articles: Dec 23
8 JANUARY 2010
It was reported that in their lawsuit against Dr. Amaral, the McCanns requested that he be required to pay them a fine worth 100 thousand euros every time that he spoke about the Madeleine case.
SOURCE
Articles: Jan 8
10 JANUARY 2010
It was reported that the McCanns were demanding that all copies of "The Truth of the Lie" and the documentary based on the book be destroyed.
SOURCE
'McCann couple demands books to be fully destroyed'
11 JANUARY 2010
British detective sergeant, José de Freitas (the liasison officer between the Portuguese and English authorities and the McCanns) invoked "State immunity" and refused to testify in the trial set to begin Jan 12.
Quote: "Any potential evidence [testimonial] that I can give may be subject to confidentiality and Immunity of the English Public Interest. Furthermore, since all the services that I performed were official, it is applied the principle of State immunity and it will be necessary the consent of the United Kingdom authorities to waive that State immunity before I could be subject to the jurisdiction of the Portuguese courts and to be able to give any evidence, whether relevant or not. The State immunity covering my official acts is that of the United Kingdom and not mine, and can not be renounced by me, but only by the United Kingdom"
SOURCE
Maddie Case: British Cop invokes state secrets privilege to refuse to testify
12 JANUARY 2010
This was the first day of testimony at the Lisbon Civil Court regarding the temporary injunction forbidding the sale of the book "Maddie, The Truth of the Lie" by Gonçalo Amaral.
(The trial had been originally scheduled to begin Dec 11, but was postponed due to António Cabrita's illness. See 11 DECEMBER 2009 above.)
The trial took place at the 7th Civil Court of Lisbon, with arguments heard by judge Maria Gabriela Cunha Rodrigue. The McCanns were present at the trial to fight the book ban appeal by Gonçalo Amaral.
SOURCE
Articles: Jan 9
Articles: Jan 10
Articles: Jan 11
Articles: Jan 12
13 JANUARY 2010
This was the second day of the trial regarding the temporary injunction forbidding the sale of the book "The Truth of the Lie" heard at the 7th Civil Court of Lisbon by judge Maria Gabriela Cunha Rodrigue.
Portuguese Inspector Ricardo Paiva testified that Kate McCann had called him two months after Madeleine disappeared and told him about a dream she had that Madeleine's body was on a hillside outside Praia da Luz. Paiva testified that the phone call was "the turning point of the investigation".
Chief Insp Tavares Almeida testified that the main evidence indicating Madeleine died in the apartment was the findings of the British cadaver and blood dogs (Eddie and Keela) who alerted to cadaver scent in the McCann's apartment, the McCann's hire car and on a piece of clothing belonging to Kate McCann. He testified that the Portuguese police concluded the McCanns did not kill Madeleine, it was an accident, but that they hid the body.
Former senior detective and criminologist Moita Flores (now the mayor of Santarem, near Lisbon) testified that the opinion of experts was that it would be impossible to pass a child through the window, as the McCanns claimed.
Other details emerging from the day's testimony included the Portuguese police conclusions that the McCanns knew all along that Madeleine had died in an accident in their apartment, that the McCanns had simulated a kidnapping and concealed Madeleine's body, that they had sent suspicious texts after Madeleine went missing, and that they should have been charged with neglect after leaving the children alone in the apartment.
Gerry McCann flew back to the UK in the evening and Kate McCann remained for the last day of testimony.
SOURCE
Articles: Jan 13
14 JANUARY 2010
This was the third day of the trial regarding the temporary injunction forbidding the sale of the book "The Truth of the Lie", heard at the 7th Civil Court of Lisbon by judge Maria Gabriela Cunha Rodrigue.
Dr. Amaral stated that he would continue to fight to remove the ban on "The Truth of the Lie" and pledged to keep fighting all the way to the European Court of Human Rights.
It was reported that the McCanns intended to file a criminal action against Gonçalo Amaral for allegedly violating the judicial secrecy when he published facts concerning the investigation, in "The Truth of the Lie".
Mr Amaral’s lawyers argued that the material in "The Truth of the Lie" is contained in the official Portuguese police files for the investigation, many of which were made public in August 2008.
TVI denied any bias in broadcasting the documentary based on “The Truth of the Lie”.
The case was adjourned until February 10, when it would hear from two witnesses who were not available. Closing arguments were scheduled to be heard at the Feb hearing.
The BBC reported that Gonçalo Amaral had responded to a reporter's question with "Fuck the McCanns". (Amaral strongly denied, does not speak English, and was overheard by Portuguese witnesses to have stated - in Portuguese "Ask the McCanns")
SOURCE
Articles: Jan 14
'McCanns accuse Amaral of violating the judicial secrecy'
'BBC IN CURSING ‘FOUL-UP’'
Articles: Jan 15
15 JANUARY 2010
More articles were published regarding McCanns claim that Dr. Amaral broke secrecy laws.
SOURCE
Articles: Jan 15
Articles: Jan 16
18 JANUARY 2010
Gonçalo Amaral responded to a blog entry on the McCann's findmadeleine website which read: “Mr Amaral's book and DVD contains some information from the PJ files but there is a lot in the files which is not in Mr Amaral's book. Hence it is highly selective and therefore biased. Mr Amaral's book contains his opinions rather than fact.”
Amaral stated that “a book about a criminal process, just like a police report, a dispatch from the Public Ministry or a sentence from a judge, is always a selective exercise, a summary of the process, without being biased because of that ... I wasn’t biased, and the witnesses from the Polícia Judiciária that testified in court weren’t biased.”
Gonçalo Amaral also said “Other indications that are part of the process and of my book were excluded from Kate’s analysis. She has the right to evaluate the window’s indications and the dogs’ work in her own way. But the PJ also has the right to evaluate them, and to evaluate them within the set of produced evidence.”
SOURCE
'Trial has already caused more damage than the book'
10 FEBRUARY 2010
This was the last day of trial at the 7th section of the Civil Court of Lisbon. Two witnesses had been summoned by Guerra & Paz (Gonçalo Amaral’s book editor) and by Valentim de Carvalho (who was responsible for the sale of the video that was based on the documentary that TVI broadcast in 2009).
Eduardo Dâmaso (joint chief editor for ‘Correio da Manhã’) and Producer Luis Froes (general director of Valentim de Carvalho Multimedia) testified.
The McCann’s lawyer presented a criminal complaint at the Criminal Court of Oeiras against TVI, for alleged successive breach of the injunction that prohibited the diffusion of Gonçalo Amaral’s thesis reproduced in “The Truth of the Lie”.
Antonio Cabrita, Amaral's lawyer, testified regarding a previously confidential report stating that Gerry McCann was made a suspect in Madeleine's disappearance after a British expert said he should be investigated for 'homicide'.
Criminal profiler Lee Rainbow recommended that police on the Algarve investigate the McCanns because of 'contradictions' in his statement. The report by Mr Rainbow, of the National Policing Improvement Agency, was sent to Portugal in June 2007, a month after Madeleine disappeared.
Gonçalo Amaral defended the re-opening of the case as he heard that there were “hundreds of inquiries to be made”.
Gonçalo Amaral and his lawyer António Cabrita both stated that "The Truth of the Lie" was a faithful reproduction of the investigation and that there was no violation of judicial secrecy.
SOURCE
Gonçalo Amaral's Defense reveals NPIA's Report (Joana Morais Blog)
Articles: Feb 10
McCanns’ lawyer presents criminal complaint against TVI
Articles: Feb 11
Articles: Feb 12
18 FEBRUARY 2010
The court ruled in favor of the McCanns and Dr. Gonçalo Amaral failed to overturn the temporary ban on "The Truth of the Lie"
Gonçalo Amaral stated: "It is another step and I always said we were prepared to go to the European Court of Human Rights. Now we have another phase of appeal and we will carry on."
SOURCE
Articles: Feb 18
Channel 4 Video
Algarve Resident
Articles: Feb 19
20 FEBRUARY 2010
Gonçalo Amaral told 24Horas news that he was already working on the appeal to the ruling of the 7th Civil Court Section (judge Gabriela Cunha Rodrigues) maintaining the ban on "The Truth of the Lie".
SOURCE
Articles: Feb 20
'Amaral already prepares his counter-attack'
Articles: Feb 21
Articles: Feb 22
4 MARCH 2010
Gonçalo Amaral responded to the numerous "sightings" of Madeleine being reported in the press as being propaganda.
Quote: “The important things is not going around talking about sightings, saying that the little girl was seen here and there, the important thing is to reopen the process. The truth is that after I left Portimão, nothing more was done, the process was archived by the Public Ministry half way through, many diligences remained to be carried out, and that is what now allows for all sort of speculation”
SOURCE
'Gonçalo Amaral: “The most important thing is to reopen the process”'
19 OCTOBER 2010
The Lisbon Appeals court ruled in favor of Dr. Gonçalo Amaral in his appeal to overturn the book ban on "The Truth of the Lie".
The court annulled the earlier court decision to forbid the sale and distribution of the book.
The Appellate Court Judges making the ruling were Francisco Bruto da Costa, Catarina Arelo Manso and António Valente.
(Please read the translated text of ruling on Joana Morais Blog)
McCann lawyer, Isabel Duarte, as trustee of the previously banned books, was ordered to return the copies to Guerra & Paz book publishers, the legitimate owner.
SOURCE
'Lisbon Appeals Court Decision on the McCann Couple Injunction' (Joana Morais Blog)
'Gonçalo Amaral accuses McCann lawyer of disobedience' (Joana Morais Blog)
Articles: Oct 19
3 NOVEMBER 2010
Isabel Duarte, the McCann’s lawyer and trustee of the copies of "The Truth of the Lie" (as ordered by the Civil Court) failed to return the ten thousand copies to the book publishers. Duarte stated that “nothing will force her to return them until there is a final decision” from the Supreme Court of Justice.
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McCanns appeal to the Supreme Court to forbid Gonçalo Amaral’s book (Joana Morais blog)
Gonçalo Amaral accuses McCann lawyer of disobedience (Joana Morais blog)
11 NOVEMBER 2010
The McCann's lawyer, Isabel Duarte, delivered an appeal to the Supreme Court of Justice, alleging that the Appellate Court decision failed to take into account facts which, throughout the process, were never put in question. The lawyer claimed that the Appellate Court did not consider the book was written to make money, to deepen the McCann couple’s pain and to hinder the investigation.
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Articles: Nov 11
Articles: Nov 12
14 NOVEMBER 2010
Publisher Transworld announced that it had signed a deal with the McCanns to publish their book about the disappearance of Madeleine. Precise details of the publishing deal were not released, but a source said it included a "substantial" advance and "enhanced royalties" giving the couple a bigger share of profits from sales. The book "Madeleine" will be published on April 28 next year to coincide with the fourth anniversary of the child's disappearance.
The McCanns denied that it had anything to do with the lifting of the ban on Gonçalo Amaral's book "The Truth of the Lie".
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