PERFECT MURDER, PERFECT TOWN: JONBENÉT AND THE CITY OF BOULDER {NIGHT 1} (TV)
Summary
This made-for-television film, originally shown in two installments, follows the true story of the shocking 1996 murder of Colorado six-year-old JonBénet Ramsey and its long-term effects on the community. The first program begins on Christmas Eve 1996, as JonBénet and her older brother Burke celebrate the holiday with parents John and Patsy. On the night of the 25th, Patsy calls 911 in a panic, saying that JonBénet is missing and a ransom note has been found. The police descend on the Ramsey home, as do many family friends, reacting with confusion to the bizarre note, which claims to be from "a small foreign faction" demanding the odd sum of $118,000 – which is soon determined to be the amount of John's work bonus. Detective Linda Arndt grows frustrated as many people parade through the crime scene as the afternoon wears on, and when John checks the basement again with friend Fleet White, noting that he himself broke the window after locking himself out, he is horrified to discover JonBénet's dead body. Patsy breaks down entirely as a shaken Arndt orders the basement sealed off, wondering why the "kidnappers" would have left her body behind.
Sergeant Larry Mason arrives to interview the family and is taken aback when John states that the family wishes to immediately fly to their former home of Atlanta and requests time before giving a formal statement. Housekeeper Linda is traumatized as she gives a handwriting sample, repeating the note's disturbing language, and deputy district attorney Trip Demuth is frustrated when the officers appear to rush through the crime-scene analysis, and he urges them to take more time to thoroughly search the Ramsey house. A neighbor reports hearing a child's scream, and a reporter begs Mason for information, including the cause of death. Detective Patterson tries to walk White through his muddled recollection of their search of the house, and White seems sure that an intruder broke in, as the alarm system was not turned on. Linda acknowledges JonBénet's bed-wetting habit but firmly denies that John or Patsy ever abused her, and police Commander John Eller learns that the ransom note came from a pad within the house. John continues delaying their formal statement to the police, citing Patsy's extreme emotional state, and Boulder residents agree that there is something "fishy" about the death, as homicides are so rare in their quiet town.
Family friend Mike Bynum informs the police that John and Patsy will not give testimonial evidence until they have found a criminal lawyer, and Eller demands that the coroner refuse to release the body, not wanting the Ramseys to depart for Atlanta just yet. The news media focuses on JonBénet's extensive participation in child beauty contests, and at the memorial service, the priest openly denounces the rumors about John and Patsy's involvement, declaring that they could not have harmed their daughter. They soon depart for Georgia, where John's relatives furiously confront him about his questionable choices, pointing out that refusing to answer questions and hiring a lawyer only makes them look guilty. Detective Steve Thomas watches in disbelief as John and Patsy give an emotional statement on television, stating that they intend to hire their own investigative team and urging Boulder residents to "keep their babies close," and Thomas' confidence in their guilt increases. Reporters hound Burke and policemen attempt to comfort JonBénet's classmates as many other neighbors weigh in, and district attorney Alex Hunter learns that the intruder theory is gradually falling apart, though analyzing the extensive evidence will take a long time.
Eller castigates his fellow cops about details leaked to the press, angry that they have still not gained an interview with John and Patsy, and Thomas and Detective Tom Trujillo fly to Atlanta to work on persuading the couple to talk. Patsy's mother tells them about her daughter's "miraculous" recovery from cancer, but she coldly ends the conversation when the detectives ask about JonBénet's "toilet habits," implying that she was sexually abused. The tabloid newspaper The Globe prints the salacious crime-scene photos, sparking outrage and boycotts, and Hunter and deputy district attorney Peter Hofstrom learn that Eller is intentionally shutting them out of the investigation, feeling that they have no right to the evidence until the prosecutable case is fully assembled. They also learn that they cannot conclusively proved that JonBénet suffered any molestation, and Thomas lists the evidence supporting the idea that Patsy and John are the killers, including Patsy's inconclusive handwriting analysis, though Hofstrom pokes holes in his theory. A local woman points the finger at a stranger, Chris Wolf, though the evidence is shaky at best, and the TV news reports that the police now have sufficient evidence to arrest Patsy.
An unknown hair is found on the blanket in which JonBénet's body was wrapped, and Arndt grows upset when her bosses do not defend her as the media seemingly accuses her of inadequate detective work. Hofstrom complains that Thomas is refusing to consider any other suspects, and police chief Koby tries to strike a compromise, telling the D.A.'s office to let Eller conduct his investigation. Hunter decides to bring in outside help, telling the press that he will take no "shortcuts" in tracking down the true killer. Former FBI agent John Douglas warns the Ramseys that FBI profilers will likely point to their guilt, owing to the unusual nature of the ransom note and the fact that the body was found within the house, and John wonders if it is finally time to give their statement. Thomas is annoyed when renowned homicide investigator Lou Smit is brought in to assist, and Smit immediately speculates that JonBénet was harmed by a stun gun. Hunter sits down with young reporter Jeff Shapiro, aware that he is from the sensationalist Globe, and Shapiro eagerly questions him about the possible pedophilia aspect of the case. Hunter and Hofstrom finally reach an agreement with the Ramseys regarding their "conditions" for the interview, and Thomas decides to hold back two pieces of evidence – the fact that JonBénet consumed pineapple shortly before her death and the fact that Burke was not, in fact, asleep at the time of Patsy's 911 call, as she claimed – in the hopes that the parents will trap themselves within their own lies. Finally, Thomas sits down with the couple. Commercials deleted. Part two can be found on B:82308.
Details
- NETWORK: CBS
- DATE: February 12, 2000 9:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 1:27:44
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: B:82306
- GENRE: Drama, mystery/suspense
- SUBJECT HEADING: Drama, mystery/suspense; True crime; Murder victims
- SERIES RUN: CBS - TV, 2000
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Richard Waltzer … Executive Producer
- Lawrence Schiller … Executive Producer, Director, Based on the book by
- Tom Rolf … Associate Producer
- Barbara Black … Line Producer
- Tom Topor … Writer
- John Cacavas … Music by
- Kris Kristofferson … Cast, Lou Smit
- Marg Helgenberger … Cast, Patsy Ramsey
- Ronny Cox … Cast, John Ramsey
- Ken Howard … Cast, Alex Hunter
- John Heard … Cast, Larry Mason
- Peter Friedman … Cast, Peter Hofstrom
- Scott Cohen … Cast, Steve Thomas
- Deirdre Lovejoy … Cast, Detective Linda Arndt
- Sean Whalen … Cast, Jeff Shapiro
- John Rubenstein … Cast, Rev. Hoverstock
- Jane Powell … Cast, Kit Andre
- Dennis Boutsikaris … Cast, Chief Koby
- J.C. MacKenzie … Cast, Lawrence "Trip" Demuth
- Murphy Guyer … Cast, John Eller
- Margo Martindale … Cast, Linda Hoffmann-Pugh
- John Benjamin Hickey … Cast, Det. Patterson
- Patrick Tovatt … Cast, Fleet White
- Juan Hernandez … Cast, Det. Tom Trujillo
- R.E. Rodgers … Cast, Det. Ron Gosage
- Tim Hopper … Cast, Officer Rich French
- Frederick Coffin … Cast, District Attorney Bill Wise
- Bob Eric Hart … Cast, Bryan Morgan
- Dyanne Iandoli … Cast, JonBenét Ramsey
- Ann-Margret … Cast, Nedra Paugh
- Scott Wilkinson … Cast, John Douglas
- John Eitz … Cast, Bill McReynolds
- Rod McLachlan … Cast, Officer Bob Whitson
- Elizabeth Hansen … Cast, Priscilla White
- Phil Reisen … Cast, John Fernie
- Tayva Patch … Cast, Det. Jane Fleming
- Bill Mondy … Cast, Ron Walker
- Christy Summerhayes … Cast, Karena Thomas
- Tyler Sharp … Cast, Burke Ramsey
- Bruce Newbold … Cast, Michael Bynum
- Anne Sward … Cast, Melony Stanton
- Jeremy Hoop … Cast, Elliot Zaret
- Rick Macey … Cast, Coroner Meyer
- Alan Peterson … Cast, Charles Elbot
- L. Melvin Ward … Cast, Glenn Thomas
- Rob Sedgwick … Cast, Chris Wolf
- Ntare Mwine … Cast, Det. Everett
- Jeanine Corbo … Cast, Jackie Dilson
- Matt Malloy … Cast, Gary Merriman
- Terry Wood … Cast, TV Anchor
- Ruby Chase O'Neil … Cast, Jillian
- Danielle Sanbord … Cast, Arthur
- Teri Cowan … Cast, Friend in Church
- Derek White … Cast, Photographer at Church
- Marianne Wesson … Cast, Herself
- Brian Maass … Cast, Himself