Joe Tacopina

Greta understands that Joe spoke with Joran on the phone today. She wonders what Joe can share of that conversation because Guido apparently spoke to Joran after he was released. Joe said that Joran actually gave him permission to talk about this. He was very upset for Guido. He had spoke to Guido's sister and he said he was very sorry that Guido got dragged into this. Guido came on the phone and told Joran that the cops told him that they did not have a case against Joran. They wanted Guido to give a statement against Joran but he was not willing to do this. He was not going to make up a lie. He instead sat there for no good reason.

They made a prosecutorial reason to release him but still kept him overnight again so he missed another exam. Joe comments that they searched Guido's house in Aruba today, where he has not lived for 11 months. He feels this is a little late, it is backwards. He feels this is mind boggling. He feels Karin Janssen needs to have her position reevaluated. She has been writing letters to the FBI asking if Natalee's family is related to Hitler, and other things. To Joe all of this shows an extreme level of incompetence.

Greta comments that nine months later someone says there were scratches. Joe asks Greta to think about the credibility of that statement. He says to think about that level on a cross examination, nobody came forth for nine months to say there were scratches. Joe feels there is enormous pressure for people to come forth in Aruba and give false statements. It has happened a lot in this case.

Guido he says plans to go back to his life, but Joe does not think that is so easy. His lawyer had to come out today and announce that he is gay. Now forever he is a suspect in this case. Joe says has any male not been arrested in Aruba? When Greta asked Joe what Joran will be doing this summer, Joe responds that he just finished his first year of college, did very well. He has been working very hard and is planning on working in Holland this summer. He is going to try and earn some money.