Friday, January 12, 2007

Psychic Investigators 7

This week's sham documentary packs a double whammy. After Darryl Cozart goes missing:

Jeannette's mother took some missing person flyers to the newsstand owned by psychic Mary Ellen Rodrigues and when Mary Ellen touched the paper she had a vision of Darryl standing beside her. The psychic told police that Darryl was dead; that he had been shot; that there was something around his neck and that his body would be found in a marshy area. She also reported that Darryl's spirit repeated the word "fickle". When the police found Darryl's body it was exactly as Mary Ellen had described. New evidence then led the police to the killer; the husband of one of Darryl's work colleagues. Frank Fickle was found guilty and locked up for life.


Look: a psychic who not only said "near water", but knew the killer's name! Now that's a definite rarity.

The program itself, however, was the usual mishmash of claimed recollections (nearly ten years after the event in this case) and a police investigation and prosecution that proceeded entirely without the services of the psychic.

Unlike other psychics, Ms Rodrigues became quite talkative with the murder victim. She claims he was a "constant companion" since his murder, talking to her (but, sadly, she couldn't always understand what he was saying - particulary the essential stuff), even going so far as banging on her walls (was he using Morse code?), ringing her telephone (but not, apparently, speaking to her on it), and grabbing the steering wheel of her car. He told her things like "I'm so sorry!", that he was shot, that he'd have a rope around his neck, and the word "ghost". Well, the last was proof enough for the murder victim's wife, since Ghost was their favourite film! Heaven forbid that a psychically channelled spirit might say "ghost" for any other reason.

What she told a policeman didn't seem as specific: he was in a field or a swamp, and there was a rope or chain around his neck. Hmmm. Getting vaguer.

And, according to the actual investigating officer, he only confirms that she said he was shot.

More astonishing revelations: the spirit kept saying "It's fickle! It's fickle!" This meant nothing until Frank Fickle was arrested for the murder.

While driving around searching for his body, Ms Rodrigues claims to have found a sneaker (his sneaker? - nothing further is mentioned about it) lying by the roadside pointing west. Obviously: a Clue. She found the street where the killer lived. She was revealed much more secret information. Alas, fearing "no one would believe her" she told no one until, presumably, this documentary.

Call EoR obtuse, but "predictions" are usually only so when they precede an event. These are not predictions but rather a format for a so-called documentary puff piece.

Nonetheless, in the words of the breathless voiceover: "All her predictions came true!". All? How do we know? According to the police officer, there were things she couldn't have known which were true. He suggests one possible answer: coincidence.

Oh, and much is made of the fact that she kept claiming the murder victim had a bandana on (though it wasn't on him when his body was dumped and Ms Rodrigues failed to mention that). Strangely enough, she had been browsing a well detailed Missing poster distributed by worried relatives, which included at least two pictures of him wearing... Yes. A bandana.

For a ghost who was so talkative, failing to give the location of his body, the first name of his killer, or any real information is an unnecessary oversight. Come on, Ms Rodrigues: you must try harder. He can bang walls, ring phones and drive cars! But he can't give specific, useful information...

Ms Rodrigues is given as a creditable psychic since she is a businesswoman, running a newsagent, though EoR can't see the connection. Perhaps she is happy with her employment, since there appears to be little trace of her on the internet.

The murdered man's parents are promoting Parents of Murdered Children, Inc and a Fight Crime initiative. There is no mention of psychics. Strangely.

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