Where is MAURA MURRAY

Part 5

9. On February 10, 2009, Dawn replied with the following PM.
“I would look into using a dedicated service. Look it up. DSL uses the public internet - people have and can access information on DSL. In fact this year medical offices are required to switch from DSL to internet ports due to security. It is not that expensive - for financial and personal data highly recommended. Also the storm happened after I posted the information. I kept waiting for a reply. At least back me up on the search warrant piece. Show your legal expertise.”
(My Comment: Since I am not a circus animal trained to perform on command, I ignored her insulting request.)

10. On February 10, 2009, Dawn also posted Topix Message # 13742 at page 682,
“ Mason et al
Since Mason sent me a PM saying if I am looking to be sued for libel - I am doing a great job. My personal opinion - freedom of speech I still do not believe he is who he states he is. My opinion. I do agree Gary Ridgeway was a cold blooded murderer. Hence - his conviction with DNA to prove it.”
(My comment: Mr. Ridgway was convicted because he pled guilty. I never claimed otherwise on these forums.)

11. The Washington State Bar Association lists my current home address and cellular telephone number in Paducah, KY, as well as my Yahoo email address. If a person googles “Fred Leatherman, Attorney” the first twenty entries refer to me. Additional references to me appear on subsequent pages, but they are mixed with references to other people with my surname. The cell phone number on the WSBA website matches the cell phone number that I posted for everyone on the new site on January 17th. The email address listed on the WSBA website matches the email address that I provided to Dawn in my PM on January 8th and to the group on January 17th.

12. Detective Columbo and I have exchanged PMs on January 18, 21, and 25. We also exchanged voicemail telephone messages. He made the first call, so he knew how to reach me. I agreed to meet with him in Paducah, KY, but he was too busy to make the trip.

13. Dawn’s statements that I have a bad reputation and a lot of people are after me are absolutely false. I have an ironclad cause of action against her for libel per se because she has damaged my business reputation. She has no defense under the First Amendment because I am not a public official or a public figure. I do not need to prove that she intentionally or recklessly published her false statement. I only need to prove that she was negligent. Her failure to check-out the readily obtainable information about me was negligent. Therefore, the only issue is the amount of damages. Nevertheless, she has not retracted or apologized for the false statements and she has not attempted to contact me by email or phone. She did, however, implicitly concede that I am the person I claim to be with this request in her PM on February 10, 2009.“At least back me up on the search warrant piece. Show your legal expertise.”

Part 6

14. John inserted himself into this unpleasantness by supporting Dawn’s false claim that I am not Fred Leatherman. He approved of her attacks because her actions were protecting the “real” Fred Leatherman’s reputation. John’s attack began with his response to a post by Lady Gray.
(My Comment: I may have a theoretical claim against Dawn and John for libel based on their false statements that I am not myself, but the monetary damages are too speculative to justify pursuing these claims.)

15. On February 10, 2009, Lady Gray posted Topix Message # 13826, at page 686,
“Oh oh, wait....one more thing. Mr. Leatherman, I worked side-by-side with attorneys for 25 years. Big law firms. International law firm. Nice professional working relationships.
I find you incredulous in the fact that you profess to be an esquire. You have lost your professionalism. Are you licensed in the State of Kentucky? Do you practice there? Is your license still current in the State of Washington? Ever heard of such a thing as ethics in a professional capacity? You certainly don't employ them in the public forum for all to see.
Are you reallllyyyyyyyy Fred Leatherman????”

16. On February 10, 2009, John responded to her post with Topix Message # 13833, at page 687.
“I would like to add to this fine post that - being an experience attorney myself - that are some rhetorical give aways that Mason probably is not an attorney. Why are so many people living out fantasies about themselves in the context of a forum concerning such a tragic incident?”

17. On February 11, 2009, I responded to Lady Gray in Topix Message # 13848, at page 688.
“I am a member of the Washington State Bar Association. I changed my membership status from active to inactive because I retired from the practice of law at the end of 2004. I am now a law professor. I am not a member of the Kentucky Bar Association because I do not practice law here and have no need for a license.”

18. On February 11, 2009, John posted his response to my message with Topix Message #13911, at page 691.
“Curious, where are you a law professor? U Dub? Seattle Pacific?”
(My Comment: Seattle Pacific University does not have a law school. Presumably, he was thinking of Seattle University. Is John the only person who does not realize that I live in Paducah, KY? How could he possibly be confused about that? Giving him the benefit of the doubt since he is a newbie to this site, he may have made an innocent mistake. However, asserting the newbie defense causes me to wonder why he so enthusiastically supported Lady Gray’s hostile and groundless personal attack against me in which she falsely accused me of unethical behavior in Topix Message # 13826, at page 686, which is set forth in paragraph 15, and his hostile, insulting, and quite personal attack against me in Topix Message # 13833, at page 687, where he said,“Why are so many people living out fantasies about themselves in the context of a forum concerning such a tragic incident?” See paragraph 16)

Part 7

19. On February 11, 2009, Firecat answered his question with Topix Message # 13917, at page 691.
“John, he's since moved to Kentucky. A quick Google search will answer all your questions. Well, maybe not all, on second thought.”

20. On February 11, 2009, John said in Topix Message # 13936, at page 692.
“Oh, I thought he said he left Kentucky and was teaching in WA. Thanks.”
(My Comment: Innocent mistake or intentional obfuscation?)

21. On February 12, 2009, responding to a post by Dawn in which she mentioned that she lives in Seattle, John said in Topix Message # 14068, at page 698,
“Your tag says Omaha so I did not know you are from Seattle. That is where I went to law school. LOVELY beautiful awesome city.”

22. On February 12, 2009, Firecat noted in Topix Message # 14092, at page 700,
“Aha!!! THAT'S why you were asking Mason if he taught at U-dub or at SPU.”
(My Comment: Maybe she is right and maybe she isn’t)

23. On February 12, 2009, John responded to Firecat in Topix Message # 14101, at page 700,
“Yes, I did not believe that he was an attorney. I thought he was saying he taught law in Seattle. I wanted to see if he said U Dub as that is where I went and I would be able to easily discover if he were lying about that. But the group seems to believe that he is in fact a lawyer, so perhaps I will shut my cynical ass up.”
(My Comment: in Topix Message # 13848, at page 688, I said:“I am a member of the Washington State Bar Association. I changed my membership status from active to inactive because I retired from the practice of law at the end of 2004. I am now a law professor. I am not a member of the Kentucky Bar Association because I do not practice law here and have no need for a license.” See paragraph 17. How could John have innocently misconstrued my post as an assertion that I live and teach law in Seattle? I do not believe him.)

Part 8

24. On February 12, 2009, I responded to John in Topix Message # 14122, at page 701.
“I don't know when you attended the U DUB, but I co-founded Innocence Project Northwest there with Professor Jackie McMurtrie in 1997. I recruited the 40 lawyers in private practice and I organized the lawyers and law students into teams that represented pro bono 17 innocent people who were wrongfully convicted in the Wenatchee Sex Ring witch hunt prosecutions in the early to mid-nineties. Jackie supervised their work.”

25. On February 12, 2009, John responded in Topix Message # 14128, page 701.
“I was there 92-95. I knew Jackie McMurtrey, but not well. She was teaching there then but had only graduated a short time before.
Enough said, your credibility is established. My apologies for having doubted your claim of being an attorney.”
(Comment: The professor’s name is spelled McMurtrie and I was willing to accept his word.)

26. On February 12, 2009, Firecat responded to John’s Topix Message # 14101 (see paragraph 23) with Topix Message # 14135, at page 702.
“Well, let's just say the jury is not back on that yet. Have you checked out the "other" forum yet?

27. On February 12, 2009, John responded to my Topix Message # 14122 (see paragraph 24) with Topix Message # 14141, at page 702.
“Feeling like if I think about it I am going to remember who you are, either because you were there when I was or because I probably read your name in Columns as I read an article about the Innocence project on it.”

Part 9

28. On February 12, 2009, John responded to Firecat’s Topix Message # 14135 (see paragraph 26) with Topix Message # 14143, at page 702.
“Actually, based on what he just said to me, he is either who he said he is or he is posing pretty credibly as a specific person I know to exist. I graduated from the law school where he said he taught and he mentioned something that would have been hard to reconsruct if he was posing as someone else.”
(My Comment: I did not say that I was a law professor at the University of Washington. In Topix Message # 14122, at page 701, I said:“I don't know when you attended the U DUB, but I co-founded Innocence Project Northwest there with Professor Jackie McMurtrie in 1997. I recruited the 40 lawyers in private practice and I organized the lawyers and law students into teams that represented pro bono 17 innocent people who were wrongfully convicted in the Wenatchee Sex Ring witch hunt prosecutions in the early to mid-nineties. Jackie supervised their work.” See paragraph 24.)

29. On February 12, 2009, Firecat responded to John’s Topix Message # 14143 (see paragraph 28) with Topix Message # 14149, at page 702.
“Not really, because all of that information is easily accessible with a simple Google search. It'll all be confirmed on the first page of results.

(For the record, though, I'm a big fan of the IP in all its incarnations....and I also support the WM3, etc....) And I am not going to weigh in at this point as to whether or not Mason is who he says he is, because.....well, frankly (although Frank is someone else entirely!) at the moment it doesn't much matter to me.”

30. On February 12, 2009, Firecat posted Topix Message # 14170, at page 704,
“Mason, do you think it's too late? Do you think John's already drunk the Kool-Aid and will soon be like us?”

31. On February 12, 2009, John responded to Firecat’s Topix Message # 14170 (see paragraph 30) with Topix Message # 14181, at page 704,
“Well, given that this dude taught at the law school I graduated from, I may have drunk the kool aid.”

32. On February 12, 2009, I corrected John’s erroneous statement in Topix Message # 14181 (see paragraph 31) with Topix Message # 14189, at page 704.
“I was not a faculty member but I did give some lectures on the causes of wrongful convictions and I debated the propriety of the death penalty with a prosecutor a couple of times. I also did some workshops with student members of IPNW. I think I also spoke at some CLEs there.”

33. On February 12, 2009, John responded to my Topix Message # 14189 (see paragraph 32) with Topix Message # 14194, at page 705.
“Okay, well I can verify the name and you sure seem to know what you are talking about so I believe you.”
(My Comment: Seems like the matter is resolved, doesn’t it?)

Part 10

34. On February 13, 2009, Quija posted Topix Message # 14204, at page 705.
“I am gonna get SOOOO attacked for saying this, because it sounds like an identify attack, but.... When I was talking with Jackie McMurtrey the night before last and (very) briefly mentioned you, Mason, I got the feeling that you two are are no longer in touch. I did not pursue that with her at all! If any of us had a quick question for you, is there a place we could reach you to talk to you in person? I'm at quijie@comcast.net. Sometimes those of us (me) without much impulse control want to respond to an idea RIGHT AT THIS MOMENT! LOL!”

35. On February 13, 2009, I responded to Quija’s Topix Message # 14204 (see paragraph 34) with Topix Message # 14205, at page 705.
“Small world. No, I haven't talked to Jackie in a long time and I left Seattle a little over 4 years ago. After she and I cofounded IPNW and got the Wenatchee project up and running, I went on to work with Barry Scheck & the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers to form other innocence projects at other law schools modeled after IPNW.
Jackie ran IPNW on a daily basis for which she deserves all of the credit after we got the Wenatchee project running. In addition to my NACDL work (I was a member of the Board of Directors), I got into a 9-month death penalty trial in Tacoma and those activities kept me pretty busy along with my forensic consulting and two other death penalty cases, including the Green River Killer case.
BTW, she spells her name McMurtrie.
I can't post my email and phone number here because I just got this message when I tried:
"Topix does not condone the posting of phone numbers, social security numbers, or other personal information into the forums."
Annoying!
I'll PM you on the other site with the info.”
(My Comment: To the extent that John continued to believe that I claimed to be a law professor at the University of Washington, this message should have resolved those doubts because I refer to being in a 9-month death penalty trial in Tacoma. I was still practicing law.)

36. On February 13, 2009, John posted Topix Message # 14260, at page 708.
“I don't think anyone has disputed or doubts that I graduated U Dub law school around the time you were said you were working with JM. As such, I feel like I have a right to join the "is Fred Fred" debate. Three things:(1) you did have some specific knowledge, but (2) you first said you taught at U Dub, but backed away from that slightly when you found out I was there. So, finally,(3) can you name some professors who were there at about that time, because I will know and you would not be able to easily research past U Dub law professors. If you can do that to my satisfaction, and I believe you, I don't see how anyone could dispute that you are the Fred you claim to be.”
(My Comment: I thought this issue was resolved. Yet, here we go again.)

Part 11

37. On February 13, 2009, I responded to John’s Topix Message # 14260 (see paragraph 36) with Topix Message # 14262, at page 708.
“I have never claimed that I taught at the UW. Where did you get that idea?
I know John Junker.

That's it. Ain't playing this tiresome game anymore. If you don't believe me, that's fine because I really don't care.

I do care when people misstate what I said.”
(My Comment: Enough is enough. I have concluded that John is the most arrogant, pretentious, and insulting human being I’ve ever encountered.)

38. On February 13, 2009, John responded to my Topix Message # 14262 (see paragraph 37) with Topix Message # 14264, at page 708.
“I don't disbelieve you. I was trying to help you. I confirm for those who doubt you that Junker was a professor at UW back then. I think he is stil there, so it would be easy enough to come up with that name and determine how long he'd been teaching there, but nonetheless, I believe you.

You did however say a few days ago that you were teaching law. Maybe you do that in Kentucky and I got confused about where you were, but you definitely said it.(and no I won’t go wade through old posts to find it).”
(My Comment: Sure. Call me a liar without making an effort to make sure you’re right. Instead, treat me like a servant and tell me to go fetch. Figuratively speaking, I’m ready to shed this man’s blood)

39. On February 13, 2009, John amended his Topix Message # 14264 (see paragraph 38) with Topix Message # 14269, at page 708.
“And by the way Fred, you DEFINITELY said you taught law at UW. But when you found I went there, you backed off to bs like "i might have led a CLE there" and "I debated the death penalty with a prosecutor once."
(My Comment: Astonishing arrogance of which he seems not to be aware, or is he indifferent to the pain he causes others? Shameful behavior.)

Part 12

John’s conclusion is not supported by the record, but the critical point is that I have no duty or responsibility to prove to anyone that I am myself. Anyone who believes that I do is nuts. This situation is absolutely not acceptable and no one ever should be subjected to the attacks that I have endured. Is this not self-evident?
When I began posting on Topix, I identified myself as a law professor and former criminal-defense attorney residing in Paducah, KY. I said that I had death-penalty experience, including representing serial killers, and considerable knowledge of forensics that I hoped would assist the group to solve Maura Murray’s disappearance.
To that end I proposed as many scenarios as possible that might explain what happened to Maura and I solicited criticism of each theory because I believed that such sifting and winnowing would move us toward resolving the mystery of her disappearance. I stated countless times that each scenario must account for all of the known facts to have any viability. The new site is organized around that core principle.
Even though I consistently used a theoretical model for each scenario that involved the if-X, then-Y analytical model, my accusers have just as consistently mischaracterized my assumptions for theoretical purposes as libelous misstatements of fact. I have been subjected to scathing personal attacks questioning my identity and motives to such an extent that our purpose to find out what happened to Maura has been seriously compromised.
Dawn has libeled me and John has called me a liar under circumstances where he could reasonably be expected to know that I was telling the truth. I have provided personal information that matches the information on the WSBA website and, with the single exception of Detective Columbo who called me and left a voicemail message that I returned, no one else has bothered to expend the minimal amount of effort to verify that I am the person I claim to be. This causes me to conclude that the effort to determine if I am the “real” Fred Leatherman was not motivated by a good faith desire to answer that question. It was motivated instead by a desire to destroy my credibility and minimalize my influence on others. I asked too many questions that bothered too many people.
Shame on everyone who has knowingly participated in the scheme to swift-boat me. Your efforts to make me the issue instead of keeping the focus on finding out what happened to Maura capture the bankruptcy of your character more eloquently than anything I can say. I pity each of you for the darkness in which you have so willingly chosen to abide.
Your efforts have failed because I will not go away.
I apologize to everyone for allowing my frustration and impatience to boil over. This experience has been difficult and I will put more effort into restraining my temper. Please forgive me, if I have offended you.

I don't come on here much, but was just trying to catch up over the past couple of weeks and things have gotten out of hand folks. I realize it's natural that we're all going to disagree at some point or another, but come one- as it's been said before, let's try and get this board back into focus...MAURA. Think about their grief and frustration her family has experienced over the past 5 years. Plain and simple, let's help rather than hurt the cause.

And Beagle, my goodness, you are an interesting character to say the least. I hope one day you find what you're lookin for. Not hating on you, as you seem to have a genuine concern towards Maura and I admire your perseverance.

Hey Mr. MODEL railroader. Frankly, I'm not sure what you're going to do while the insistent voice of discovery keeps yapping at your heels.

Chris, you've missed very little in the way of actual pertinent Maura-related discussion. Sadly.

Caught in that old Don Juan trap, eh?

gvmeabrk wrote:

<quoted text>
Thank You also Wozer. I could not find the link. I wonder what they found and are holding back?

You're welcome gvmeabrk and suzanne.
I also questioned it on pg.681 #13708 and thought it might be the carpet samples that were taken from the A-frame but I don't think I ever got an answer.

I couldn't resist posting this help wanted ad for a job at the Missoula MT Humane Society.

"Humane Society Animal Specialist must be reliable, energetic, dedicated to animal welfare. Strong people skills req'd."

Hey, Mr. MODEL Railroader. Haven't forgotten about you.

Chris wrote:

And Beagle, my goodness, you are an interesting character to say the least. I hope one day you find what you're lookin for. Not hating on you, as you seem to have a genuine concern towards Maura and I admire your perseverance.

Thanks for your kind words, but I really don't have any "genuine concern towards Maura." Not on any kind of personal level, at least. I have genuine concern that people get treated more or less fairly, especially by government, eduction, and business. I think Maura is one of the most extremely unfairly treated people I have ever heard of, to put it beyond mildly.

And unlike the criticism you hear on this thread endlessly, I AM doing something IN MY OWN BACKYARD. Outsiders think the residents of Haverhill should be more active in their own backyard because the Saturn was abandoned in Haverhill. But Maura may have disappeared in Amherst or in Haverhill or some other place, but I'm DAMN active IN MY OWN BACKYARD RIGHT HERE!!! Considering what happens when you try taking responsibility for your OWN community, it's no wonder there's a lot mudfighting about who should be doing what where. Certain posters yell and scream about how bad the people are in Haverhill because they're not doing enough to find Maura, but they yell and scream even louder when something is done in Amherst - Amherst style. Go figure.

John wrote:

<quoted text>
Please see my earlier post. Mason brought that on himself with his incredible claim of being Fred Leatherman. All Dawn did was debunk that often offered lie (which was offered to legimate false and bogus information). She did not learn Mason's true identity or post it. She simply showed conclusivelly that Mason was imitating a semi well known person. Good for the forum, good for the real Fred Leatherman and no harm to anyone except that dangeros psycho posing as the real Fred L.

You are way out of line calling me a dangerous psycho.

Dawn has not proven that I am not Fred Leatherman. That is impossible because I am Fred Leatherman.

Detective Columbo called me by dialing the cell phone number that I provided on this site. He left a voicemail message. I returned his call and left a voicemail message for him. The telephone number that he used to call me is the same telephone number posted under my name on the WSBA website.

We also corresponded by email. He reached me at the email address that I provided on this site. This is the same email address posted under my name on the WSBA website.

To persist in claiming that I am an impostor in the face of such evidence causes me to wonder who you are and what your agenda is. So, please answer those questions and while you are at it, please tell us who paid you and how much they paid you to swift-boat me?

Fred Leatherman

I googled Tom Conrad murdered Pike NH..
His nephew used to have a thread on the previous
Maura Forums...(haven't forgotten you, Tyson.)

"My uncle, Tom Conrad, was murdered on September 28th, 2005 in Pike, NH. He was shot dead as he came home, with my grandmother in the house"....

"The people that murdered him are allowed to roam freely everyday, with no consequence. Does anyone know anything?... murder tom conrad pike ..."

I wondered if this has been forgotten...
I wondered if the family has had any communication with LE, as in they are still working on it......

More lumpy carpeting..?

IMHO, very well said, Fred. Don't know what more you could do.

Advocator...guess I am guilty of ignoring the
Mason dilemna...thinking that it would just go
away....perhaps I have NH in my genes.
Like ignore it...? and it will go away......?