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[Shutter]

Where do we draw the line on dismissing certain parts of descriptions, or statements made in the past about Cooper?

Basically, some of you are saying that Tina was traumatized from the start, really? then all of the witnesses must be suffering from the same illness. they all had similar descriptions of Cooper, and none of them involved makeup. you just can't custom fit the description to fit a suspect.

The George Harrison notes went as high as 60 years old guys! are we now making Cooper between the ages of 25-65? you must sway up and down on age variations to be fair. the makeup on McCoy was spotted, and noted. can you prove he wasn't black?

Three stews around the same age as Rackstraw were totally wrong about Cooper's age due to makeup? that's pretty damn good makeup guys. no gray hair?

[sailshaw]

Bruce:  You say "(Shhhh... don't tell Sailshaw. He might have a stroke here.)"

I say:  It is just some more poor DB Cooper spin without any facts. The DB tie and what were founds on it would not have been known to DB as it took a high powered microscope to find the particles. However, the tie (a silent clue) fits into Sheridan Peterson as the best suspect without any trouble and the particles were available in the same Boeing building (9-101) as Sheridan's office and just one floor below his office. Those are the facts with no spin.
Bruce maybe try the SOG thing again to try and upset my stomach.
Bob Sailshaw
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[nickyb233]

Even if her memory was not effected by trauma, rackstraw did resemble the cooper sketch so for her to give a definitive no like that is suspect to me. Mitchell said it could be and I bet if you show flo and the other gal they would not dismiss rackstraw. I believe tina was getting sick of the constant questions and just wanted to put this all to bed in hopes that she would not be bothered by this anymore. SO that leads me to believe that tina was going to say "No" regardless of weather she recognized rwr or not. IF she says yes well that just brings on more questions and could possibly put her at risk.

[Shutter]

Keep in mind that the sketch is not a photo. too many people try and match there suspect to the sketch.

[haggarknew]

I tend to agree with Shutter. It seems hard to believe Tina wouldn't have noticed him wearing makeup. She sat close enough to light his cigs. It also seems to me that she was a credible witness. She didn't seem like she was that traumatized to me. I kind of doubt that D.B. would have requested her continued presence if she was that terribly traumatized by the hijacking. I would think that he would have requested the help from one of the other stewardesses if this had been the case.
                      As far as the clothes, I really believe they were his everyday work attire. Wasn't there comments about him looking like a nice dressed business type? Have you ever shopped at a thrift store? I think the odds of him finding nice business clothes and overcoat to fit would be slim. (that is if he picked them up on his way to the airport)    just my humble opinion
               On a side note,  I would be interested to know if Sailshaw's suspect (Sheridan) ever had any contact with my proposed D.B. candidate (Chuck Dooley) ?  Any way to find out Sail?

[Prospector]

Phooeeee! ---- Lots of “funny stuff” going on these days.  Good thing ‘Cooper’ isn’t calling the shots or he might “do the job” ---- in his “(geeky) old-man” diapers.  Pobrecito!

M2

[RaoulDuke24]

Rackstraw, but for his age, would be a viable candidate. His aviation based crimes are intriguing.  I just can't see how a guy in his late twenties could be identified as middle aged by witnesses. I am still impressed that Joseph P. Russoniello, former U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of California, thinks Rackstraw was Cooper. Joe is an ex FBI agent and very savvy federal prosecutor. I wonder how he resolved the age discrepancy?

377

Not saying I believe RWR is Cooper, but I don't think the age discrepancy is that big of a deal.   One of the top 3 eye witnesses (Mitchell) is saying it could be him....he could've said (like Tina) it's not.

If I were going to hijack a plane in 1971, I would use make-up to subtly alter my appearance.  If someone is skilled in deception, it would not be detectable.  And as I mentioned on another thread, multiple FBI agents connected to the case believed DBC wore make-up.  In RWR's case, a young white guy becoming a middle-aged 'olive skinned' guy would be a neat (but doable) trick.  Staying in 'character', I would buy my costume from some second hand store on my way up to Portland.  I think DBC's clothing is a red herring.  If your goal was to pull this incredible crime off and then go back to your normal life without anyone noticing, why would you wear the clothing that you would be seen in within your 'normal' life that could make it easier for someone who knows you to identify you?

 (side note: isn't Corvallis, where RWR is on the morning of the hijacking, one of the few NW locations that had a chemicals plant in 1971 that could produce the materials found on DBC's tie?)

I tend to agree on the age discrepancy not being a complete "case closer."  I had a co-worker a few years ago who for about the first 3 months that he worked there I thought he was around 30 years old. I was SHOCKED beyond belief when I found out he was 44 years old. (Good for him!) 

Another guy who worked there looked to be easily in his 70s. I found out one day he was 58. It was just a hard-living 58 years.

I'm sure we've all known someone who didn't look anything like their age (and it sounds like Rackstraw had lived a hard 27 years up to that point).

Is the age discrepancy an important piece of the puzzle? Absolutely. Does it carry some significance in the argument against RWR? Absolutely. But should we automatically dismiss him just because of it? I don't think so. Eyewitness reports are shaky at best and that's been proven time and time again and any detective will tell you so.

I'm not sold on RWR being Cooper. But it's because there is no physical evidence tying him to the flight or the money. Therefore, he is nothing more than just another good suspect.

[Shutter]

I don't think it's a question as to RWR being Cooper as much as it becomes relevant that people are disregarding testimony, and descriptions to make a suspect fit into the case. that's just not how it works. you can't take parts of it.

Yes, descriptions can be off, but these are typical with crimes that last minutes, or seconds, and some have trauma/bodily injuries involved with there giving a description. strong armed robbery, car jacking, bank robberies. these don't last long, and have strong violence attached to them that can easily trick the minds.

The crew notes state that they didn't see any trauma, or problems with there testimony, the FBI also states the same today. you just can't wash all of this away, and replace it with what you think was going on.

[georger]

I don't think it's a question as to RWR being Cooper as much as it becomes relevant that people are disregarding testimony, and descriptions to make a suspect fit into the case. that's just not how it works. you can't take parts of it.

Yes, descriptions can be off, but these are typical with crimes that last minutes, or seconds, and some have trauma/bodily injuries involved with there giving a description. strong armed robbery, car jacking, bank robberies. these don't last long, and have strong violence attached to them that can easily trick the minds.

The crew notes state that they didn't see any trauma, or problems with there testimony, the FBI also states the same today. you just can't wash all of this away, and replace it with what you think was going on.

... or what somebody 'wants' to have happened. Like the disappearance of major testimony, ie the KATU video, the Simmons interview of Lyle Christiansen, the Gray documentation of Kenny being a flaming gay, the massive evidence Duane was sick with physical deformities, and it goes on and on. That the FBI was incompetent and corrupt as a given.

Cultural goggles is one thing. Pure invention and fabrication is another and in Weber's and Blevins' case we have that, literally!

My personal bias is Im usually too conservative. I try to stick to known-classical paradigms. Thus when I encounter somebody who wont even consider the KATU video, I am as astounded as when Mr Trump says John McCain is NOT a war hero, because he got captured!? It's crazy and inflammatory on it's face to most thinking human beings. 

Things usually sort themselves out with time. In the Cooper case it just seems to take a 'long time'! 
 

[Shutter]

Interesting stats here...case study from the 70's

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[Bruce A. Smith]

Bruce:  You say "(Shhhh... don't tell Sailshaw. He might have a stroke here.)"

I say:  It is just some more poor DB Cooper spin without any facts. The DB tie and what were founds on it would not have been known to DB as it took a high powered microscope to find the particles. However, the tie (a silent clue) fits into Sheridan Peterson as the best suspect without any trouble and the particles were available in the same Boeing building (9-101) as Sheridan's office and just one floor below his office. Those are the facts with no spin.
Bruce maybe try the SOG thing again to try and upset my stomach.
Bob Sailshaw
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Your tummy is tougher than I thought!

[377]

Georger wrote: Things usually sort themselves out with time. In the Cooper case it just seems to take a 'long time'! 

Amen brother... 

377

 

[brbducksfan]

"Where do we draw the line on dismissing certain parts of descriptions, or statements made in the past about Cooper?"

I would hope that nobody is dismissing anything off hand.  There's a reason why this has been an unsolved mystery for the past 45 years. 

Since nobody knows who/where DBC is at this point, logic would dictate that some of the variables we have assumed as 'fact' were in fact not necessarily so.  Look at the flight path and jump time, for example.  Multiple people on this board are proposing new theories based on 1) the presumed flight path was wrong, 2) the 8:12p (+/- 60 seconds) jump time was way off (could've jumped as late as 8:20p), or some combination therein of 1 & 2.   Personally, from everything that I've read thus far, I believe it's more likely than not the plane was on something close to the presumed FBI flight path (maybe not exactly on it, but definitely within V23), and that he jumped around 8:13p.  That said, it's entirely possible my opinion on these is wrong.

Same thing with the clothing.  To me, either DBC is a complete moron and +/- dressed as himself during the hijacking, or he was criminally savvy and disguised himself in someway.  Finally, as a broke college student in Eugene, I'll admit that my first couple suits came from second hand stores.  At least during the late 80's / 90's, there were a lot of second hand stores in the Willamette Valley...

[Shutter]

I see your point, but also see speculation taking place of facts.

The flight path vs descriptions are two entirely different things.

The totality of information basing Cooper's description are based on individuals who knew who he was, and was with him for long periods of time. the were similar in describing Cooper, this can't be overlooked.

The flight path was on an invisible highway that only trained individuals could read, or see. the FBI's own statements are "the believed flight path" now, when you look at the totality of information on the flight path, controllers, flight data recorder etc. one has to believe that this is also correct, much like the descriptions given by multiple people. yes, we have issues with the path, and that's why I'm trying to validate it, and not dismiss it. I'm open to any theory as long as it makes sense.

The timing could be off, but once again it's nothing in comparison to describing an individual. those are calculation error's.

The clothing is also pure speculation since nobody really knows if those were his clothes, or not. it's a guess. the descriptions are a little more than a guess, especially, if multiple people give similar statements.

also, it's not just people on this board in reference to the flight path, or jump time being wrong. the FBI has admitted things could be off, and Larry Carr is the one quoted on the 8:20 jump time, not people from here...the pressure bump appears to be the key that is missing from the transcripts...

[Mack]

Re: Skipp Porteous:

Skipp Porteous replied to my inquiry concerning the hefty essay attributed to him. He denies writing it. To wit:


I didn't write it the letter to you. I'm it Orlando, enjoying my retirement.

Sincerely,
Skipp

Also:

    On 8/11/2016 1:29 AM, Skipp Porteous wrote:

>      I didn't see it all. I'll read in the morning when I fully awake.
>
>     It's 4:00 in the in morning.
>
>     Sincerely,
>
>     Skipp
>

I wouldn't be shocked if Blevins wrote that post himself.   I suggest you remove it, not for Blevin's sake but for yours and Skipps.  Whatever the truth it may contain, it's rather low class.  Maybe it's funny and maybe it's true, but it's not consistent with the high quality of your website.  Especially since you have pretty good evidence it's a bogus.  Believe me, i LMAO but it's better to stay out of the mud.