In an article titled, "Salt Lake City Girl Found Alive," Washington Post staff writers Rene Sanchez and T.R. Reid report that Elizabeth Smart, who was abducted from her home last year, has been re-united with her family. Two suspects are in police custody.

The investigation had earlier focused on Richard Ricci, an ex-convict and handyman for the Smart family, who reportedly failed a lie detector "test." Ricci died of a brain hemorrhage while in police custody. According to a UPI report titled "Smarts hope Ricci's death brings new clues" and published in the Washington Times on 31 August 2002:

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Utah seems to be a polygraph center. Much of the polygraph research seems to come from there though I don't think the state is that big. I wonder if they taped the tests like SD does.

I have not found other reports that Ricci "failed" but did find reference to him taking 2 polygraphs, the first considered inconclusive (perhaps this is where the phrase "failed to pass" came from) and supposidly passing the second. Apparently he also confessed, during poly interrogation, to the burglary that the Smart's had been suspicious he commited.  It was also widely reported that his wife passed a polygraph - she stated they had been together that night.

It appears the investigators used the polygraph more as an interrogation tool than anything else, concluding, regardless of polygraph results, that Ricci was guilty.  He was suspicious due to a long history of criminal activity.  After he died of a stroke, while under extreme pressure to reveal where the girl was, the investigators slowed the investigation, suggesting the knowledge of where her body was died with him.

-Marty

Batman wrote on Mar 13^th, 2003 at 5:33pm:


Shame on you sir, for failing to publicly acknowledge that your profession misled and misdirected valuable police manpower towards a man (Ricci) police now state 'had nothing to do with it'. I won't even get into the emotional distress your buddies caused by tormenting this poor girl's uncle and father during polygraph interrogations that her father described as "four hours of hell... We've been ripped apart by our polygraph[s]," Tom Smart told CNN. "We've been ripped apart to the core."  Bravo gentlemen! Nicely done!

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For you of all people on this message board to demand unequivocal definitions over what words and phrases actually mean is pretty galling, in my opinion.

A handyman being questioned in the abduction of 14-year-old Elizabeth Smart has failed a lie-detector test in the case... (Fox News Service)

[Ricci]... failed lie detector tests (Salt Lake Tribune)

Is that clear enough, unequivocal enough for you? I'd say it's far more clear than your tortured explanation over why you lied to the collective readership of this board with regard to your actual occupation.

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Perhaps that's a common trait you share with former American Polygraph Association President 'Dr' Edward Gelb.... oh wait, you already cut him loose after (and only after) it became apparent to anyone with more than a brain stem that Gelb is a serial liar and perjurer with regard to his CV.

How interesting that a 14-15 year old girl can go "missing" for nine months, part of that time spent in the same area from which she was "abducted", she is "reported" to have attended a party with her "abductors", yet she is never able to let anyone know she is Elizabeth Smart, the girl abducted from Utah.   

And rumor has it that her "abductor" is some sort of self proclaimed "prophet", and that Elizabeth was in the vacinity of police officers on numerous occasions yet didn't make any effort to identify herself.

Also interesting comments on the part of the father upon her return.  He states she has "matured" and that she is "tanned".
Guess he thought she maybe went to Disney World.

Who knows what any of this means, but just some observations from a jaded, biased, law enforcement official.  I'm sure my suspicions are incorrect, and certainly misled by the polygraph.

Bottom line is, blame the polygraph first, and then the the incompitent police department for botching the investigation.

In the meantime, take a peak at those closest to the victim, listen to what they say, listen to what the victim says.  Try to put aside your hatred for that evil tool, the polygraph, and just listen and observe.  You might be surprised at what you hear.

I'll save some of your the post, "Shame on me for not believing this innocent young victim, and her poor tortured relatives who were put through as her uncle put it, 'living hell' by having to take a polygraph."   

Batman

Batman,

It is not clear what the issues you raise about Ms. Smart's behavior and any involvement/relationship to her alleged abductors has to do with the appropriateness of any polygraph examinations given in connection with this investigation and the degree to which polygraph exam results were correct.  Sorry, but the temporary diversion will not lead us (or anyone else) from the caption of this thread.  As Joe Lewis is reported to have said, Batman, you can run but you can't hide with this one.

The investigation had earlier focused on Richard Ricci, an ex-convict and handyman for the Smart family, who reportedly failed a lie detector "test." 

Quote:...The former handyman, 48, came to the attention of police and FBI agents because of his past and because he reportedly was not considered truthful in a polygraph test.
Not considered truthful???  What does that mean?
 
Typical of you george to twist and contort this statement to fit into your agenda.
Let me ask you something. How many people have actually passed an exam because or your advice. I guess we will never know that. However I have tried what you have instructed on your site and its not easy. 
The average person does not have the time nor the resources to practice what they read on here. 
But I do have to say Your site does prove useful when applying for training in this area.
Thanks to you and this site I was able to attend training at DODPI fully paid by my department.


 


 

Thanks George

You must have gone to your higher-ups and said "I have read antipolygraph.org and don't believe what they are saying. I believe in the polygraph, I believe in the polygraph, I do, I do, I do, I do. And Toto too". Here I come DODPI for eight weeks and received the power to control people's lives and livelyhood. You alone. Feels good, huh? And to think - our hard earned taxes allowed you to gain that power. WHEW!!!

Marty wrote on Mar 14^th, 2003 at 3:46am:

 
Marty,

I agree that it's important not to jump to conclusions, and it is for this reason that I chose to make the title of this message thread a question ("Did Polygraph Misdirect the Elizabeth Smart Case?") rather than a statement of fact or opinion.

I also agree that there was reason apart from polygraph results for reasonable suspicions about Richard Ricci, and based on reporting about the case, I don't think we can conclude that but for the polygraph, investigators would not have focused their efforts on a man who turnded out to be innocent. However, it appears that reliance on the polygraph may well have contributed to investigators' conviction that Ricci was their man.

It appears that Salt Lake City police do place some faith in polygraph chart readings, and do not merely use the polygraph as an interrogatory prop: it was reported that the FBI reviewed Ed Smart's polygraph results (see Fox News report, "Elizabeth Smart's Father Given Polygraph Test"). If the SLC police did not put some stock in polygraphy beyond its value as an aid to interrogation, then there would have been no point in having the FBI review Ed Smart's polygraph charts.