Thursday, June 15, 2006

A Father's Day Plea to Bring Home his Daughter

Detroit News- June 17, 2006
http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2006606170332

Update- June 17, 2006 by Clifford Marshall
Can anyone help me with questions about my daughter, Mary, who has now been missing for over 27 months? Mary was 39 years old when she disappeared from her apartment in Marshall, Michigan. She was my adult daughter, but she will always be my “baby.” These are just some of my questions and those of our family:

1. Why were non-certified civilian dog handlers permitted into the original police investigation by the Marshall Police Department, which gave the impression to ourcommunity that my Mary was just another adult runaway?
2. Why did the Marshall Police Department within the first week of Mary’s disappearance tell the Federal Bureau of Investigation that their resources and those of a task force were not needed in the case?
3. Why were family members ridiculed, embarrassed and told outright lies by the Marshall Police Department during interviews about Mary’s disappearance?
4. Why did it take 6 months for the Marshall Police Department to declare Mary a “victim of foul play?”
5. Why did it take 9 months for a search warrant to be executed at my daughter’s home?
6. Why was Jim Carlin, a man volunteering his time and experience to our family threatened with arrest simply for asking questions about Mary?
7. Why was it that 9 months later the police didn’t have any problem with Mr. Carlin working on behalf of our family on this case?
8. Why have the Marshall Police Department refused to interview Mary’s daughter as she obviously has a great deal of first-hand knowledge about her mother’s life and Mary’s relationship with her boyfriend?
9. Why was it that our family did not realize our daughter was a severely battered woman?
10. Why after 27 months have the police failed to name a suspect or at least a “person of interest” in Mary’s disappearance?
11. Why after working with the Marshall Police Department and providing information and tips to them was Jim Carlin, our private investigator, who continues to donate his time and services again threatened with arrest because he wanted to interview Mary’s daughter?
12. Why is it that Mary’s favorite winter brown leather jacket worn on the night of her disappearance was recovered at a flea market in Homer yet the Marshall Police do not seem interested in who was selling it along with many of her other personal items and property?
13. Why have the Marshall Police not done more to inquire about Mary’s boyfriend and other associates who might have information about this case?
14. Why does the Marshall Chief of Police refuse to permit the Federal Bureau of Investigation to take over primary jurisdiction of this case?
15. What is the Marshall Police Department hiding and who are they trying to protect?
16. Why is it that so many people in our community distrust the Marshall Police Department?
17. Why is it that only once in 27 months has any member of law enforcement ever visited our home to give us support? This single instance occurred for just 20 minutes last month and it was only after a plea by Jim Carlin to the Marshall Chief of Police, Mike Olson.
18. It is well known that the Calhoun County Prosecutor will not criminally charge anyone in a case without a body. Why did Mr. Hallacy state to the editor of the Marshall Chronicle he has prosecuted at least twice, but those cases cannot be verified in court records? If he has done so, why won’t he consider such a prosecution in my daughter’s case?
19. Why is it that it appears there are so many intertwining criminal activities related to Mary’s disappearance, but the Marshall Police Department can’t seem to connect the dots?
20. Why does the Marshall Police Department have such a lack of respect and compassion for our family in this unbearable tragedy?
For over two years we have been asking, “Where is Mary?”and “When will we have justice for Mary?” Please help our family in this tragedy.


2 comments:

Anonymous said...

"9. Why was it that our family did not realize our daughter was a severely battered woman?"

Every day in the US 4 women die as a result of domestic violence. Conservative estimates rate domestic violence incidents among women in this country to be between two million to four million a year. When a woman disappears, she is more likely to have vanished as a result of intimate violence, not at the hands of a stranger.

The way that Mary's case has been mishandled should be a wake up call to ALL victims of domestic violence and their families. I can only imagine the Marshall's heartbreak coupled with the seemingly unproductiveness of the local law enforcement in their search for Mary.

After 27 months of no progress, why isn't Mike Cox's "Office of Special Investigations" involved?

Mr. Marshall asks excellent questions. I hope that public persistence will help his family to finally get the answers.

Jim, you're doing great work. I know that it must mean a lot to Mary's family to have you with them as they go through this very difficult time.

Justinian Investigative Services said...

Thanks Anne.
As a former investigator for Children's Protective Services, and my knowledge of battered women you are totally correct.
Too often in our society the family is unfortunately the last to know and then it might be to late.
This is an issue that must continue to be publicized.No person should ever allow themselves to be battered by anyone in their relationship.
Thank you for your comments and I know they are appreciated by Mary's family.