Tuesday, September 30, 2014

Fake Rod Stewart?

These stories are silly, but sometimes supply a statement in 'everyday life' that readers can relate to.

Only the NY Post would carry such a story!  I have added emphasis to the man's denial.

What sayest you?

Does this man go around enjoying Rod Stewart attention?   Yes, or No, and explain your answer.

Hint:  caution advised.

Who is the fake Rod Stewart? NYC man denies it’s him


The search is still on for a phony Rod Stewart with spiked blond locks who is duping star-struck fans across the city.
The bogus Brit, who bears a striking resemblance to the “Maggie May” singer, has been seen in the Meatpacking District, posing with fans, crashing World Cup soccer bashes and was even spotted outside a Bronx schoolyard. An Instagram user last week posted a pic of one Rod lookalike sitting on a subway train, prompting commenters to dub him “Rockaway Rod.”
Modal Trigger
A Rod Stewart lookalike was spotted on a train in NYC.Photo: goingwitheddie.com
Paul Anton, 62, a divorced dad-of-three who lives in Midtown West, confirmed to Page Six he is the man in the picture — but denies he’s posing as the “Do You Think I’m Sexy” star.

Here is his denial.  Is it reliable?
Anton, who insists he’s hardly a rock star and works in real estate, told Page Six, “I have never pretended to be Rod Stewart. I am a respected businessman with children, I have never asked for free drinks. I pay my own way. People do mistake me for Rod, but I always say I’m not him. I would like to shake Rod’s hand and say I am not an imposter. I love his music, but I wouldn’t pretend to be him. And I’ve never been to the Rockaways.
When asked why he keeps Stewart’s trademark tousled blond cockatoo coiff, he added, “This is the way I look.
Meanwhile, Stewart’s manager, Arnold Stiefel, insists there is at least one, and perhaps many Faux-Rods, still at large.
He said, “This has been going on for years. The first fake Rod sighting was 15 years ago when Jann Wenner said, ‘I said hello to Rod and he ignored me.’”
Stiefel continued, “I said, ‘That’s not Rod, he’s in California.’ Then we got a call from a deputy sheriff outside New Orleans saying, ‘We’ve got Rod Stewart in the drunk tank, he’s been arrested for being drunk and disorderly in a bar.’ I said, ‘You’d better call the Dorchester in London because he’s there right now.’ The real Rod . . . thought it was funny, but said, let people know it isn’t me.”

Sunday, September 28, 2014

Baby Delano: Father is Deceptive

Statement Analysis has shown that Willie Wilson, Baby Delano's father, has been deceptive in his account of what happened to his missing son.

He has not spoken a great deal, but what he has said has been deceptive.

Please note:  when someone has brain damage, or acute mental illness, the account, even if untrue, may not necessarily show deception.

A woman said,

"My two children are missing.  I need a vacation."

Note that there is no problem with either sentence, until we put the context together, considering that a vacation and missing children are close together.  Reality:  she does not have children.

Deception is indicated when the subject intends to deceive the recipient of information.

Willie Wilson is indicated for deception because his account intends to deceive, not because he suffered a blow to the head, or had an alcohol blackout, or anything along these lines.

As to what actually happened to Baby Delano, he has not spoken enough for us to know.

Did he kill the child?
Did he sell the child?

With the family willing to speak, a journalist trained in Analytical Interviewing would get answers, even if Wilson continues to deceive.  This is because the words he choses in his attempt to deceive, must come from somewhere, and will likely be related to what is on his mind:  what happened to Baby Delano.

Here is the news story:

INDIANAPOLIS -
Saturday will mark one month since 6-week-old Delano Wilson disappeared.

His father, Willie Wilson, told police a man and woman took his infant son in an alley in the 1400 block of Henry Street after the man robbed Wilson at gun point and attacked him.

Eyewitness News ran a story earlier this week about Wilson looking for a sketch artist to draw the people he says took his baby. Following the airing of the story, the family got several offers to help.


Eyewitness News sat down again with Wilson Friday night, for a first look at the people he described to a sketch artist. The ones Wilson hopes someone will now recognize.

Even though a month has passed, Wilson says he can't forget what they looked like.
"This is it exactly. Exactly it. Like, it had me in tears when she was finished doing it," said Willie Wilson, holding up two sketches, one of a man, the other a woman.
Note the connection to the sketch, and not to the two "suspects" via the word, "it."
How would you react, presupposing truth?  Would your focus be upon the sketch, itself, or upon the two people who took your baby?  Taken in context with his other statements, he continues to be deceptive.

Wilson said the pictures were of the faces of the two people who took his 6-week-old son after the man robbed him at gun point and hit him, leaving him dazed and unable to fight back.

"Somebody knows something and that's the whole point. That's why we needed the sketch artist. This is what we needed. This is the extra step that we didn't have before," said Wilson.

"It was a line of faces and noses, eyes and stuff, you know. Just to help guide her. She did a great job," 

Note the absence of personal information, including rage, anger, frustration, hatred, etc, in this statement, and in the statement above, in which he clings, linguistically, to the sketch, but distances himself from the people the sketch represents.  
This may cause police to consider that he may not have sold the child.  It isn't conclusive, but it is something that should be considered:  harm, resulting in death, rather than sale. 

Would you have said, "That's them!  That's the *&*^()* that took my baby!" or something close?

Willie Wilson is lying.  He knows what happened to the child, and this is why police have not "cooperated" with him.   

Wilson said of the hour long process that went into the sketch artist drawing the people Wilson described.

Wilson said investigators never offered him a sketch artist, he believes because they're building a case against him.


Police though, have never named Wilson or the baby's mother, Taniasha Perkins, as suspects, saying repeatedly their primary focus still remains on finding baby Delano.

Investigators have interviewed the couple and removed items from their home during the investigation.

Wilson said he now hopes the sketches will become another piece of the effort to bring his son home.

"This opens up a whole other avenue, basically and we just want to let them know, we not stoppin', " said Wilson. "We out here. We still doing what we gotta do. Regardless of who help, who doesn't help. It's not going to stop us."

Wilson said he plans to give police copies of the sketches and hand out flyers with the pictures on them to anyone who will take one.

"I'm not going to give up," said Wilson.

We asked IMPD to comment on these sketches.

They told us in a written statement that IMPD has its own sketch artist. Police said the case was still active and open and encouraged anyone with information about missing baby Delano to contact them or Crime Stoppers at 262-TIPS.

Friday, September 26, 2014

Al Sharpton on White House Contact

Did the White House ask Al Sharpton's advice on replacing Eric Holder?

It would be an honor to be called to advise the White House, and one in which would be personally a boost to his resume and provide traction for his career.  

Immediately after Eric Holder announced he was stepping down, civil right activist Al Sharpton, a liberal host on MSNBC, said the administration was consulting with him about who should be the next top dog at the Justice Department.

'We are engaged in immediate conversations with the White House on deliberations over a successor whom we hope will continue in the general direction of Attorney General Holder,' Sharpton said Thursday

If the White House asked your opinion, would you say "we", or "I"?

Statement Analysis: Tony Stewart

A strong denial would be, "I didn't intend to hit or intimidate Kevin Ward."  

I know 100 percent in my heart and in my mind that I did not do anything wrong. This was 100 percent an accident,” Stewart told The Associated Press on Thursday in his first interview since a grand jury decided he would not be charged in Ward’s death.
1.  "I know" allows for someone to "know" differently
2.  "100 percent"
3.  "in my heart"
4.  "in my mind"
There are four points of weakness in the statement.  
On the advice of legal counsel, Stewart would not describe what he remembers aboutthe crash at Canandaigua Motorsports Park.

Regarding what he did, it was not "wrong" in his mind.  

Ward’s family blasted Stewart Wednesday.
“Our son got out of his car during caution, while the race was suspended. All other vehicles were reducing speed and not accelerating, except for Tony Stewart, who intentionally tried to intimidate Kevin by accelerating and sliding his car towards him, causing this tragedy,” the Ward family said in a statement.
“The focus should be on the actions of Tony Stewart and not Kevin. The matter is not at rest and we will pursue all remedies, in fairness to Kevin.”

Thursday, September 25, 2014

Universal Language: Falling Down The Stairs

by Peter Hyatt


When is it appropriate for a person to use the pronoun "you" when the person speaks of himself? The use of the word "you" when speaking of oneself, is often found in both distancing language, as well as universal language (which is a form of distancing).

2 months ago, I fell down a flight of stairs.  I broke my collar bone, toe, and bruised up pretty badly.  I also tore my shoulder muscle, which has yet to heal.  I had just received a new prescription for glasses:  progressive lens glasses.  I was struggling with them, and came down very early in the morning, and had left a book on the step the night before.  I fell down almost the entire stairs, hit the landing, and fell down 2 more to the floor.  The pain was acute.

Note the following statement:

"It hurts when you break your collar bone."

This is not something you would expect me to say after the above described fall.

When was this said?

Herein lies the key: context.

A broken bone is very painful.

How close to the break was this sentence spoken?

When the pain is mostly a memory, it is appropriate to use not only distancing language, but 'universal' language:  "you" is anyone who experiences a broken collar bone, no matter how the injury occurred

For me, it was the flight of stairs.

Now, a case to examine from several years ago in which an employee fell down stairs.  I am always on alert for those who seek to "game" the system, and seek some form of compensation.  The subject said:

"Fell down a flight of stairs.  I have to be seen."

I noted the missing pronoun, as I take notes, always.  She did not say "I fell..." but "Fell..."  This is distancing language.  It could be because she was in severe pain.  Having experienced a fall down an almost entire flight of stairs, the pain is blinding.  Yet, "I have to be seen" is a legal responsibility an employer has.  Besides "gamers", I also am concerned about health, safety and well being.  No one in pain needs someone questioning their account, yet, my training has me on alert.

My response:  "Yes, immediately."

The subject continued to talk, therefore, rather than cutting her off with another insistence upon seeking medical attention immediately, I asked,

Q.  "How many steps did you fall down?"

A.  "How many steps did I fall down?  Well, uh, three."

I noted both the repetition of my question, and the number within the answer.  This sensitivity (answering a question with a question) may be due to pain.  I must always remain open-minded and believe what I am told.

Q.  What hurts?

A.  "Everything.  Everything.  Everywhere it hurts.  You hurt when you fall down the stairs."

Q.  Yes it does.  You need to be seen immediately.  

A.  "Okay.  I have to wait for my husband to drive me."

Q.  "Do you want me to arrange a ride? Would you like to go in an ambulance?"

A.   "No, I can wait."

Q.  "If you choose to wait, you can ice it, and take advil."

A.   "Yeah, that's true.  I should be seen, but I don't like when they prescribe pain medication.  It makes my head swim."

I noted the introduction of narcotics.  I noted that not only did she introduce narcotics, but she did so in the negative.

The secretary called the medical office contracted to see the employees, with the relevant information and the description of the injury.

The treating physician called me.  "I know your work!  What do you think about this case?"

I reported that I had my doubts, particularly for two reasons:

1.  The number of steps was given as three.  Of course, this may be true, but according to research by Mark McClish, "3" is to be flagged for possible deception.  (I think that "two" might sound too little, for a deceptive person, and "4" might sound excessive, therefore, 3 is chosen. More on this later).

2.  The distancing language within moments of the fall the subject used

I also told him that I had not asked about pain medications, but that by offering to me that she did not like pain medications, I was concerned that this may be a ruse to score meds.  I told him that she may have very well fallen down three steps, injured herself, and hates pain medication, but that the linguistic indications mean I should verify.

He thanked me for my opinion, and said that he would report back to me the findings, including any work restrictions.

After the examination, he said, "She reported global pain, and needed assistance to enter the office.  I have ordered x-rays as a matter of routine, due to the report of such acute pain.  Upon examination, there are no injuries.  She requested pain medication but I only gave her a script for a single tablet,  since there was no visible injury, and  I also noted that when she was leaving, she did not know I was watching.  I noted in my chart that she left with perfect gait. I told her that if the x-ray showed fracture, I would give her another prescription for pain medication. "

She was sent to the x-ray facility, next building down.

She did not show up.

When an injury, or a physical attack happens, it is very personal.  The distancing language comes into play as the pain or memory of the pain subsides.  Emotion has a powerful ability to change language, and in this case from

"I hurt" to "you hurt" when you break your...

Conclusion:  Part of context is when the subject makes a statement.  How often has the subject made the statement? If time has passed the subject is repeating his words, you make hear a "self reference" indicating the subject is no longer working from experiential memory, but memory of what he said earlier.

"Like I said, when you break your collarbone..."

As time and healing has taken place, universal, distancing language (2nd person, "you") is appropriate.

When the wound is fresh, or if the incident is not universal, distancing language should be examined for possible deception.  Passivity and dropped pronouns should also be noted.

Lesser injuries will use universal language.  When gender is not known, "their" or "they" is sometimes used, even when plural is denied.

Pronouns are instinctive.  When something is universal, "you" is sometimes used.  When something is up close and personal, we must question why one is using distancing or universal language.

Recall the Baby Ayla case, in which the deceptive grandmother took two unique, and terribly intrusive personal events and said:

"When you're waiting for someone to call about your missing granddaughter...when someone is casing your house..."

She did not lie.

People do not like to lie outright, instead will withhold or suppress information.  No one likes to be seen or caught as a liar.  When one is caught, rage is often the response.


Delano Wilson: Parents Statements

Parents of missing Indianapolis baby demand answers


INDIANAPOLIS -Nearly one month after a newborn disappeared from a reported kidnapping, the baby's parents are again speaking out only to Eyewitness News. The parents of Delano Wilson say they have questions for investigators, who they believe could be doing more to help find their son.

"All we want at the end of the day, is our baby to be found," said Tanaisha Perkins, Delano's mother.


Delano Wilson

But the parents of missing infant Delano Wilson say they keep calling investigators for updates on the case and no one is calling them back.

"It's like just leaving us hanging us to drying. Don't nobody knows what's going on," said Willie Wilson, the baby's father.

It's been almost a month since Willie Wilson says a white man and a Latino woman robbed him at gunpoint in an alley near his house while he was walking with his infant son. Wilson told investigators the man attacked him, leaving him dazed, and then snatched the baby, taking off in a blue Ford Taurus.



"I can still recall everything. Everything. That's something you not gonna forget," said Wilson.

That's why Wilson says he's been searching online for a sketch artist to draw the people he says took his son.

"I'm pretty sure a sketch artist who's talented enough would be able to draw that out. 'Cause I know exactly how they looked. They'd be actually able to put it on paper so other people can see and look for these people," said Wilson.

Wilson says investigators haven't offered to provide one, and the cheapest he can find costs $100 an hour.

'I think they don't want to because they see me as a suspect still. That's why I haven't gotten a sketch artist. That's why haven't nobody answered my phone calls," said Wilson.

This is true.  Willie Wilson has been indicated for deception in the disappearance of his daughter, er, son.  



Police have said Wilson's story has left them with questions, but have never named him or the baby's mom as suspects. Investigators have questioned both parents and removed items from their home.

"Anything they want us to do, we're not hiding. We're here. They know where we're at. It's not like we're running from anybody. We're looking for our son," said Perkins.

Taniasha Perkins says that's what they're going to keep on doing until they find him.

"I feel in my spirit that my baby's okay. I just need him back with us, with his family," she said.

With Baby Delano's disappearance going on nearly a month, each day of waiting seems longer than the next.

IMPD told Eyewitness News detectives have been in contact with the family and will continue to be. Investigators say their number one objective is to locate Delano and to understand what exactly happened. They're still asking for the public's help with this. If you have any information, no matter how small, call Crime Stoppers at 262-TIPS.

Wednesday, September 24, 2014

Statement Analysis Training: "Fake Hate"

In hoping to provide more on-line training, including audio lessons, the following case is revisited, but in classroom format for you.

We hope to provide more in-depth training, including audio lessons.

For maximum benefit, follow the instructions carefully. This case is rich with principle, and useful for
Statement Analysis training while indicating just how superior language analysis is to body language analysis.



In a well-received training exercise, attendees are instructed in the following manner.  If you would like to take this class online, it is recommended that you only follow the written instructions instead of watching the video alone.



I.  The scenario of the reported assault is verbally given in its basic form.  Attendees are asked to take notes as the verbal presentation is very short. It is:


"A woman reported that three men broke into her home, tied her up, carved hate slogans into her flesh, wrote hate epitaphs on her basement wall, poured gasoline around the house, and set it on fire.  She broke loose, and ran out to a neighbor of which the neighbor called 911.  The three assailants are on the loose.  The FBI is investigating this as a "hate crime" and has not released her name.  The alleged victim made the decision, on her own, to go on television, from which this video shows.  This is an overview of what she reported to have happened to her.  Next:

II.  Each attendee is asked to make a list of words that he or she expects to hear.  This is called "The Expected."

You are to presuppose:

1.  The vicim is your loved one.
2.  The victim is telling the truth.
3.  You are attempting to "enter into" her statement; that is, empathize with her.

Write down the words you expect your 'loved one' will use in this barbaric, vicious attack.


III.  Watch Video without comment nor interruption.


IV.  As the video plays, ignore her body language and face expressions, and write down any word you hear that you did not expect.

This is called the "Unexpected" in Analysis.


V.  Compare the lists.  Note any theme that has arisen, both in your list, and in the subject's own language.

VI.  Do the actual Statement Analysis work on the transcript.

This is not a short exercise, but one in which you should take careful care.  Remember to allow the subject to guide you, knowing that even when one is deceptive, it may be that, sentence by sentence, there is not a single lie in the statement.

The transcript is provided here below, then followed by my own report.


Tuesday, September 23, 2014

Attorney Says Leanna Harris Passed Polygraph


Leaana and Justin Ross Harris both admittedly researched how long a baby would live in a hot car just prior to...(cough, cough), the baby being killed in a hot car.

Justin Harris is charged in the murder, and the mother, Leanna, went on television praising her husband as her "leader" and "loving" father, in spite of Harris' many ongoing affairs and e-affairs.

Now, her attorney says she passed a polygraph.

She was just a victim of extreme happenstance.  It's like texting a mother saying, "Golly gee, I hope no one kidnaps our baby" only to find a kidnapping happen weeks later.

I'd like to see the actual questions posed.

Remember the Ramseys went polygraph shopping?

They reportedly failed, failed and failed again, until they found someone to 'pass' them, only to have their attorneys have the polygrapher sign a non-disclosure agreement:

He was not allowed to even say what questions were asked.

"I did not have sexual relations with that woman, Ms. Lewinsky."  

Had President Clinton been asked, "Did you have sexual relations with Ms. Lewinsky?" under polygraph, he would have passed.

Everyone of us has a personal, subjective, internal dictionary.

Had he been asked, "Did you have sexual contact with Ms. Lewinsky?" the stage would have changed, dramatically.

Is it possible that Justin Ross Harris, in his "leadership" role, had his wife do internet searches to 'set her up' for his desire to be child-free?

Yes, it is possible.

This may be why police did not charge her.

She may not be the sharpest knife in the drawer.

Did she take a polygraph for law enforcement when the case was first investigated?

This would hold more weight for us, especially if the polygrapher entered into her language, with a solid pre-screening interview.


Saturday, September 20, 2014

Law Enforcement and The Reliable Denial

                                                             by Peter Hyatt

In assisting law enforcement, or in actual trainings, it is often difficult to get the common patrol officer to accept the basic principle of the Reliable Denial.

The Reliable Denial exists of three components:

I. The pronoun "I"
II The past tense verb "did not" or "didn't"
III  The allegation specifically answered.

Principle:  People will rarely ever lie outright.

This is not due always to a tender conscience.  Even a sociopath will likely avoid a direct lie.  The brain protects itself from being accused of lying.  From childhood, such things as:

I.  "Didn't do it!  Didn't steal the money!" indicates an unwillingness to use the pronoun "I" and go directly against the truth, setting oneself up for the accusation of a lie.  In this example, the pronoun "I" is dropped.  This violates principle element number one:  the pronoun "I"

II.  "I would never hit her!" violates principle element number two:  the past tense verb.  "Wouldn't" is to avoid using "did not" or "didn't" in the denial.  "I never killed nobody."  "Never" is not to be accepted as "did not" or "didn't."

III.  "I did not harm that child!" in a child murder case.  The child was not "harmed" but murdered.  This violates principle element number three.

Q.  Why is it difficult in law enforcement to accept this principle?

Answer in two parts:

1.  It is difficult to get investigators, civil or criminal, to accept this principle.  It often seems too easy, and often takes months for the trainee to practice this principle and see it in action.  Often, the listener  will "interpret" the words, rather than listen.  The more honest the Interviewer, the more likely the Interviewer will interpret the words chosen, rather than listen.  Statement Analysis believes what one tells us, and knows the subject will guide us to the truth.

2.  It is difficult for rank and file patrol officers to accept this principle due to the fact that they are called into situations, sometimes all day or all night, where subjects are not truthful.  This becomes the expectation for them, and it is easier to simply dismiss all as telling the truth.

This is a challenge that is unique to law enforcement, though, in some locales, child protective caseworkers, who deal with horrific child abuse cases, in large volume, can also become jaded into believing "everyone is lying" to them. In child abuse cases, the principle element number three is actually the most common unreliable denial heard, as the brain immediately protects itself and the parent will minimize the abuse or the impact of abuse.  It is very difficult for a parent to accept the term "abuse" or even "neglect"

"I am a wonderful parent!" is often declared, even as the guilt builds.

Law enforcement, due to this natural placement, must not only receive strong training, but be repeatedly challenged with rehearsal; eventually, it will become intuitive and second nature.  Not only will valuable time be saved, but efficiency, in knowing the guilty from the innocent, will be produced.

The following is an interview about drug use on the job.  The subject was intelligent, and had a very strong personality, with very convincing body language, including good, but not over done eye contact, and a pleading within his words.

Statement Analysis is a science.  It avoids the emotions within a statement, including the subject's bearing and personality, and looks at what words his brain chooses in less than a micro second.

"The allegation is that you smoked pot on the job."

A.  "That is ridiculous.  I don't know who would say that about me.  Do you think, that even for a minute, I would put my job in jeopardy?  I have been with this company for years.  I work overtime when asked, and even stay late to help others without pay.  I am a devoted, honest, and good employee.  I am concerned about discrimination  against me because of my sexual orientation.  Perhaps I need to speak to someone from Human Rights, or even an attorney."

Q.  "How do you speak to the allegation?"

A.  "How do I speak to the allegation?  How does anyone speak to something so utterly false, so accusatory, and so terribly unfair?"

Q.  "Yes, what do you answer to the allegation?"

A.  "My answer is this.  I will say this to you, and say it to a judge, a lawyer, or to the Human Rights Commission.  I will not be discriminated against.  Not by you, or anyone else.  No one has given more of himself to this company than I have."

Q.  You have still to answer the question.

A.  "I have answered it!  It didn't happen!  I want to know who has made this accusation!"

You should have noticed that "it didn't happen" is a violation of the principles of the Reliable Denial, and that this subject has, passionately, avoided using the simple words, "I didn't do it..." in his responses.

This went on for some time.  I finally pointed out that he has not been able or willing to give me an answer.  I said that he was reported to have smelled of marijuana.

A.  "I am going to be honest with you, Peter.  I am.  I have a disability that you may not know of, and the only relief I have is the medical use of marijuana.  My doctor, along with specialists, have done years of testing on me, and are working on getting me a legal prescription.  But I am talking about my private, medical records, which is not for you to be going into like you are now.  I am very concerned that you are violating my private medical records right now, Peter."

Q.  "I am glad you are going to be honest with me.  I did not ask you about your medical condition.  We are a substance abuse company, with zero tolerance.  Did you smoke marijuana last night, while on the job?"

A.  "I am going to be honest with you, Peter.  I need you to hear me clearly, and then we are done talking about it, unless you want me to bring in my attorney. 

Q.  "I am fine with you brining in an attorney.  Would you like to call one now?  We can stop here."

A.  "No, I am going to be honest.  Listen, I did not smoke marijuana in your company, Peter."

Here we have a chance to validate the principle of the Reliable Denial

The Reliable Denial consists of three components.  Where there are less than three, or more than three, the denial is deemed:  Unreliable.

Q.  "Did you go for a walk last night?"

A.  (silence)

The subject was caught, confessed, and pleaded for his job.

The simple words "in your company" told me that he had left the premises.  The lengthy interview produced a confession, not just an admission.  The confession includes acknowledgment that what was done was wrong.  An admission will say "I did it" but without responsibility or remorse.  One recently said, "yeah, I did it, but why am I the only one caught?"

This subject, like so many today, was not only unwilling to say he didn't do it, but put up two significant diversions:  threatened suits over discrimination, and a violation of medical privacy laws.  Neither was true, but it showed the desperate mind, unwilling to lie outright, for fear of being caught. In his words, there is no direct lie.

People rarely lie outright.

In an hour and half interview, with the subject speaking 80% of the time, where the subject does not say "I didn't do it", there is a reason why the subject is unwilling or unable to say it.

We are not, therefore, permitted to say it for him.

When I interview someone, I take careful notes, and often read back quotes.  Interviewees are put at ease knowing that I will not lie, nor twist their words.   It is something I teach in seminars that help break down the resistance of a liar, and leads to more confessions.  It is a step by step process.

When someone, like a patrol officer who is constantly exposed to liars, learns and embraces the principle of the Reliable Denial, they become a fine tuned instrument for justice.  They are equipped to get answers, and clear the innocent, all with great time savings and efficiency.


It is "win-win."

It is difficult for anyone to accept a principle this simple, but more challenging for someone who hears deceptive people all day long.

In the two day seminar, I use "on the fly " interviews where I falsely accuse someone of taking my wallet during break.  It never fails to impress how analytical interview not only recognizes the RD, but how it uses the language of the subject.

When I say to an attendee, "Tell me about your morning...", the air becomes electric as the back and forth banter reveals content.

When I demonstrate to them, in case after case after case, how Reliable Denials were always missing from...Lance Armstrong, and celebrities like him, who have spent hours and hours giving interviews, they are convinced.

It is dynamic and exciting, but mostly...

it works.

Thursday, September 18, 2014

He Said; She Said; But He Should Have Shut Up

who do you believe in this "he said; she said" dilemma?

I won't even bother to put up a poll.  Statement Analysis added in bold type.


Hedge-funder’s defense in ‘grope’ case: I never grabbed her

NY POST

He says he’s a connoisseur of the “ass grab” — but this waitress just wasn’t on his menu.
A wealthy hedge-fund titan made a bungled attempt to defend himself against a claim that he fondled a waitress at a trendy Soho restaurant, by bizarrely bragging that he gropes other women all the time.
I’ve grabbed plenty of girls’ asses in my life,” Brian H. Lederman boasted to The Post. “But I’ve never grabbed hers.”
In Statement Analysis, we recognize that "never" is not a legitimate substitute for "did not" unless asked, "Did you ever...?"  Here, the groping happened once, on a specific night, to a specific person, and is not a vague, "ever" situation.  This is to be deemed:  Unreliable. 
The married moneyman went on the defensive Tuesday after server Laura Ramadei made a tell-all Facebook post saying he ogled her like a piece of meat as he fondled her derriere at Lucky Strike on Grand Street.
When I asked you and your companion if you’d be eating, or needing anything else from me, you put your hand — ever so gently — ON MY ASS and asked if you could take me ‘to go,’ ” the 29-year-old wrote, adding that he left only a $2 tip.
Note the past tense language, as well as the inclusion of the pronouns.  This is strong.  
Lederman, a 57-year-old managing director at Swiss Performance Management & Fiduciary, angrily denied any physical contact — and threatened to sue Ramadei for defamation.
Modal Trigger
Laura Ramadei
But he didn’t help his case much by admitting he made a boorish comment toward her.
I clearly remember making a joke when the girl said, ‘What would you like,’ ” he said. “I kiddingly said, ‘I would like you to go with nothing on it.’ 
Note that a truthful person can only tell us what they do remember.  Here he "clearly" remembers. 
He said he was furious that she claimed he did more than spew sleaze.
“That f–king c–t, for her to do something like that is pretty ridiculous,” he told The Post.
There are two indicators that should be noted here:
1.  The need to ridicule the alleged victim
2.  The unreliable denial of "never"
Please also note the use of the word "that", which is distancing language.  
The obvious character flaws, as seen in his language and admission, will cause many to believe the female, however, Statement Analysis gives us other reasons:
He is unreliable in language while she is reliable.  
He then threatened to make sure she doesn’t serve lunch in this town again.
I will make sure she doesn’t get another job in New York City. I know everybody,” he raged. “The bar owners, the club owners — that’s a terrible thing to write about somebody.”

He admitted grabbing many others, yet it is a terrible thing to write about "somebody" and not "me."
People do not like to lie outright.  Here we see the same pattern continuing.  
Ramadei, an aspiring actress who helps run an independent theater company, stood by her Facebook post.
He placed what felt like three fingers on my left butt cheek,” she told The Post. “It was very subtle, but it was definite contact.”
This is consistent with what she reported above. 
She posted a picture of the money manager’s $15.24 bar tab on the social network.
Ramadei said she deals with customer harassment all the time working at the noisy bar and posted her story to “raise awareness about how common it is.
Her rant has been shared almost 2,000 times since she posted it on Monday. “It was a small thing, but probably commonplace for women and servers,” she said.

Vehicle Theft: Change in Language



                                             Vehicle Theft:  Change in Language
by Peter Hyatt


I received the following statement about theft of items within a car.

"I used to always lock my car when I was in the other part of town and when I moved to this neighborhood, the neighbor told me that it wasn't necessary and now look what has happened!
I came out to my vehicle this morning and found that the glove box was open and things were strewn around on the seat.  Someone had gone into my vehicle and stole some important papers out of it. 
I would like something done.  This is ridiculous.  
No one thinks that someone is going to go into their car and steal stuff.  Someone did.  Someone went into my vehicle and took really important papers. I asked my lawyer why someone would have stolen these papers and he said that the thief probably thought they were checks or something. "

Note within the statement not simply pronouns, but change in language.

Change in language indicates a change in reality.  This change in reality should be supported within the statement, itself, that is, within the context.

If the change in language is justified within the context of the statement, it is a very strong indication that memory, that is, experiential memory, is in play.

Where there is no contextual change, the analyst should consider that the subject is not working from memory, as language does not change on its own, but that the subject has 'lost track' of the fabrication, since it is not embedded within memory.

What do you find in this statement?



"I used to always lock my car when I was in the other part of town and when I moved to this neighborhood, the neighbor told me that it wasn't necessary and now look what has happened!
I came out to my vehicle this morning and found that the glove box was open and things were strewn around on the seat.  Someone had gone into my vehicle and stole some important papers out of it. 
I would like something done.  This is ridiculous.  
No one thinks that someone is going to go into their car and steal stuff.  Someone did.  Someone went into my vehicle and took really important papers. I asked my lawyer why someone would have stolen these papers and he said that the thief probably thought they were checks or something. "

The common term is "car", and not "vehicle."

"Vehicle" is something more used by law enforcement (this subject is not law enforcement), insurance adjusters, and mechanics.

It was a "car" prior to the theft.

While speaking of it, associated to the theft, it is a "vehicle", which is distancing language.  She did not want it to be her "car" while knowing or believing that someone violated it by entering it.

Even when speaking of others, it is a "car" (note "their cars...") but when she returned to her own car, in the topic of theft, it went back to "my vehicle."

This word change is made by the brain in less than a microsecond.  Some estimate that word choice has a 1 in 1000 chance of being incorrect, but in any case, we know that word choice is highly accurate, and that word change is influenced, first and foremost, by emotion.

Here, the emotion elicited by the thought of someone actually going into her car, and her glove box, so disgusted her, that it caused her brain to 'change' the car into a 'vehicle.'



Saturday, September 13, 2014

"Going to Bed" In Statement Analysis


by Peter Hyatt

When an event has taken place during the day, subjects are often asked to write out their day, from the time they woke up, until the time they went to sleep.  We have covered the early hour, noting not only where one begins, but the details, including personal hygiene, and what it reveals about the subject.

This article deals with the close of the statement.

Think of the various ways in which one tells us about going to sleep at night.

Some go to sleep, but others go to bed.

Q.  What is the difference?

A.   To be explored

Note the various ways people say these things:

I went to bed.
I went to sleep.
I got undressed and went to bed.
I got undressed and went to sleep.
I turned off the light and went to sleep.
I pulled up the blanket and went to sleep.


Sexual activity.
Television watching
Book reading...and now:
Internet surfing

what do you make of the differences in the statements?

Every word is important.

The differences represent differences in reality.


I went to bed.

Straight forward and simple.  Yet, the subject did not tell us he went to sleep.  We have seen this in murder investigations where the subject wants us to believe he (or she!) went to sleep but avoided a direct lie.  Few people lie directly; the overwhelming majority lie via withholding information to divert from the truth, suppressing information.

Sample:  Review Patsy Ramsey statement.  Patsy Ramsey did not say she went to sleep, and the next morning, she was seen still wearing the clothes she wore to the Christmas party, and had lied about the pineapple found in her murdered daughter's stomach.

Some guilty subjects will skip time.  See Billie Jean Dunn who said she got home from work and was "getting ready for bed", jumping well over a number of hours, seeking to close out the statement.  She did not say she went to bed, nor went to sleep, but was "going to..."

It is likely on that fateful night of Hailey Dunn's murder, she did not go to sleep.


I went to sleep.

This is also straight forward and it addresses sleep.  We find this in truthful accounts.



I got undressed and went to bed.

Few people sleep in their clothing.  The necessity  of using extra effort (information) is this:  The subject wants you to know that they did not go to bed in their clothing.

Why??


I got undressed and went to sleep.

The same as above, but this time, there is also missing information, but the subject should be believed that he/she went to sleep.

Why, however, is clothing a topic?


I turned off the light and went to sleep.

Lights are often related to sexual activity, but with lights going "off", it is often associated with failed sexual activity.


I pulled up the blanket and went to sleep.

The necessity of coverings is often associated with:

PTSD
Sexual abuse in childhood.

Psychologically, why might this be?

Explore in comments section.

Lesson:  When having a statement made "from the time you woke up, until you went to sleep" reveals far more information than the public knows.




Tuesday, September 9, 2014

"I Don't Remember" in An Open Statement



by Peter Hyatt

"I don't remember" in a court case is, according to Lie To me's author, Dr. Paul Ekman,   the number one lie told under oath.

However, in an open statement, it is something else:

In the free editing process, the subject is speaking freely, choosing his own words outside the influence of the interviewer.  In this open statement, the words "I don't remember" are a signal that information is being suppressed by the subject.

Q.  Why?

A.   Because in an open statement, the subject can only tell us what he remembers.  When he uses "I don't remember" or "I forgot", he is concealing information from us.  The interview process means:

taking note of where, in the story, this entered, and asking appropriate questions, focusing upon that time period of suppressed information.

If he says, in the open statement, that he was drunk and does not know something, he again is saying "I don't remember" while he should only be telling us what he does remember, therefore, it is a signal that he is surpressing information.

"I don't remember" or "I don't recall" is appropriately used when a specific question is asked.  There are lots of things we do not remember, including what we had for lunch a week ago last Tuesday.

It is when the subject is speaking freely and brings up the issue on his own.  This is what one does not remember, stating openly.

How can we know what we do not remember?

Let's go back to our lunch issue.

In the open statement, the subject should tell us what he remembers.  What if someone is freely speaking about his day last week and says that he does not remember what he had for lunch, even though he was not asked?

You might be able to picture this.

You might be able to say "I did such and such, but I don't remember what I did for lunch...and then..."

In the interview, I would pounce on the lunch period because the subject brought it up, indicating that it was on his mind, but then, in an open statement, declared not remembering.

I did not ask, "What did you have for lunch?" therefore, why is it important to the subject?

It is important and my interview will find out the reason why...I would focus my interview, not so much on lunch, but upon the time frame that the subject is referencing, to learn what information is 'leaking' from his brain.




Mother's Statement About Violent Boyfriend's Confession

This is a tough one for readers; not for analysis, but for acceptance.

Child protective advocates will bristle at these comments made by the 2 year old's mother.  Denial on steroids?

An assailant confesses and the confession is not believed by the mother/girlfriend.

How safe is this child with her?  She has custody of her other children also.

How safe are these children with her?

NH man accused of placing 2-year-old in dryer at Bangor residence remains jailed



New Hampshire resident Mike Sousa shows the distinctive burn scars left on his 2-year-old son allegedly caused by a clothing dryer.
Nok-Noi Ricker | BDN
New Hampshire resident Mike Sousa shows the distinctive burn scars left on his 2-year-old son allegedly caused by a clothing dryer.
Adam Morton
Courtesy of Penobscot County Jail
Adam Morton
New Hampshire resident Mike Sousa shows the distinctive burn scars left on his 2-year-old son allegedly caused by a clothing dryer.
Nok-Noi Ricker | BDN
New Hampshire resident Mike Sousa shows the distinctive burn scars left on his 2-year-old son allegedly caused by a clothing dryer.
BANGOR, Maine — A New Hampshire man accused of placing his girlfriend’s 2-year-old son in a clothing dryer at her Bangor home last month and turning on the machine remained behind bars Monday.
The boy suffered second-degree burns to his back and arms with a distinct pattern that matched the drum of the dryer, had blisters on his feet, bruises all over his body and cuts that matched bolts on the inside of the appliance, according to the probable cause affidavit filed in court by Bangor police Detective Tim Shaw.
Adam Morton, 27, of Berlin, New Hampshire, wascharged with aggravated assault Aug. 28 and remained in custody at the Penobscot County Jail in Bangor.
“Mr. Morton admitted that on August 2, 2014, he put [the boy] into the dryer, shut the door and turned it on,” Shaw wrote in the affidavit, referring to the injured child. “He stated that [the child] was not in the dryer for very long. He indicated that the dryer made only one revolution.”
"very long" and "indicated" should be noted in minimization.  The child was put in the dryer, and the dryer turned on.  The child was in for more than one revolution. 

Detective Josh Kuhn and Shaw went to Berlin, New Hampshire, twice to interview Morton, who recently moved there from Bangor. The second interview took place Aug. 27, which is when he allegedly admitted to the crime.
“I asked him if he ‘snapped,’ he told me he did,” Shaw wrote. “He stated he was remorseful and regretted that it had ever happened.”
Morton was charged with aggravated assault the following day and later was extradited to Maine. He remained in jail Monday, unable to post the $2,500 cash bail set by Superior Court Justice Ann Murray. She also barred Morton from contacting any children under the age of 6, including the child named in the affidavit.
It’s likely Morton will be indicted by the Penobscot County grand jury, so he was not asked to enter a plea when he had his first appearance before Murray on Friday at the Penobscot Judicial Center.
The injured boy and his three brothers are still living in Bangor with their 24-year-old mother, the affidavit states.
The mother returned from work at around 4 p.m. Aug. 2, when she found her youngest son injured and took him to the emergency room at Eastern Maine Medical Center. She told police she recently had broken up with the children’s father and only had been dating Morton for a short time but did not believe he would hurt the children.
For me, I don’t believe for a second Adam did it,” the mother said Monday, standing on the front steps of her apartment holding her scarred child. “It just doesn’t make sense to me. For me,  inconclusive.”

In her denial of believing Adam did it, note how she qualifies her stance:
1.  "For me"
2.  "for a second"
and about the evidence, "for me" is repeated. 
Next, she blames her other children: 
“Somebody had to do something to him. He was really beat up,” she said later. “He has three older brothers, and boys get crazy and play rough.”
How can these children be safe given this belief system?
The mother of four said she believes police pressured Morton into confessing.
The detective said things would go a lot smoother if he confessed,” she said. “It was weeks of pressure. It wasn’t just two interviews. I told him to get a polygraph. I told him not to confess to something you never did.”
It’s not because of my feeling for Adam. It just doesn’t make sense,” the mother said. “I can’t explain what happened. I can’t explain how he got the burns.”

Note the negative as important.  Is CPS just waiting for injuries to the other children?
Mike Sousa of New Hampshire, the father of the four boys, came to Maine the day after hearing his youngest son was injured, he said.
“It was really awful,” Sousa said Monday of the injuries to his son. “There was like a yellow pus on his really bad burn on his [right] elbow, and it stretched [across his back] to his left shoulder blade.
“He went through a lot,” he said, patting his son on the top of his head at the apartment of the boy’s mother.
The bandages were removed after about two weeks.
“He’s back to his old self,” Sousa said of his son, now that a month has passed since the incident.
Morton’s story changed several times, according to the affidavit, from him saying he just did a load of laundry while he took a shower to accusing the older boys of injuring the child to finally admitting to the felony crime that could place him in prison for up to 10 years if convicted.
Based on an analysis of the lesions, this trauma could only have occurred inside the dryer,” Dr. Lawrence Ricci, a Portland physician consulted by the Maine Department of Health and Human Services in child abuse and neglect cases, told police. “It is also likely that the child was in the dryer for a fairly prolonged period of time, and the dryer, indeed, may have been turning.”
Dr. Ricci is well known for his forensic expertise.  
Police seized the dryer and through testing determined it could reach temperatures of up to 180 degrees in just three minutes.
One revolution would not produce the high temperature.  
The charges were aggravated assault, which I kinda question,” Sousa said. “If he’s a 30-year-old man, and my son is a 2-year-old boy and he admits to putting him in a dryer. I don’t know what world we live in today, but that’s definitely … attempted murder at least.