Browne Wrong Again: Dena Raley-mccluskey

[EeneyMinnieMoe]

QuestioningGeller and I both had this case on our list since the very, very beginning. QG and I both put up some information about it in some threads from back then but I stumbled upo it again today and thought all of you would be interested in reading about it.

It's from the same episode Shawn Hornbeck's parents appeared on, along with Rachel Cooke's father and Michael-forget-his-name-now's mother and a few other sadly familiar names...


VANISHED WITH SYLVIA BROWNE
Announcer #1: It's Sylvia Browne Wednesday, on the trail of loved ones who vanished. Robert's daughter disappeared while out for a jog.
Ms. SYLVIA BROWNE: Did she ever mention to you a stalker?
ROBERT (Daughter Vanished While Jogging): What did he do to her?
Announcer #1: Donna thinks she knows who's behind her stepdaughter's disappearance. Sylvia knows for sure.


Ms. BROWNE: He said, 'If I can't have you, no one will.'
MONTEL WILLIAMS: He said that?
DONNA (Her Stepdaughter Vanished on October 10, 1999): Yes.
Announcer #1: Mary had just about given up hope of ever finding her son. Then...
Ms. BROWNE: He's not dead.
Announcer #1: Sylvia Browne Wednesday: Vanished. Don't go away, that's coming up right now on MONTEL.

...

WILLIAMS: Well, you know, her car was found, but she wasn't. I want you to take a look at this.
(Excerpt from videotape)
Announcer #2: The last time anyone saw 36-year-old Dena was October 10th, 1999. Dena's ex-boyfriend reported her missing. The next day, her car was found abandoned just three miles from her home. The windows were down and the doors unlocked. Dena's family has organized search after search, desperately hunting for clues about Dena's whereabouts. They are fighting to keep Dena's name and spirit alive. Dena's stepmother joined Chandra Levy's mother to start the support group Wings of Protection. She hopes every day will bring her one step closer to finding Dena.
DONNA: Dena, if you're out there, and you're injured or something is wrong, please call.
(End of excerpt)
WILLIAMS: Please welcome Dena's stepmother, Donna, to the show. Donna, you have obviously orchestrated searches. There have been searches for Dena. Have they come up with any clues at all? Anybody see her?
DONNA: No. I spoke with...
Ms. BROWNE: Dena, who's David?
DONNA: David?
Ms. BROWNE: Yeah.
DONNA: David doesn't ring a bell at all, but that's something that I need to check into.
Ms. BROWNE: Yeah, please do.
DONNA: OK.
Ms. BROWNE: Also, the (censored) has been questioned extensively?
DONNA: He refuses to talk.
WILLIAMS: I'm sorry.
DONNA: Do you have any idea where she's at?
Ms. BROWNE: Yeah, she's--I swear to God, she's buried in a--like in a basement. She's in like a basement thing.
DONNA: Is she...
Ms. BROWNE: But I want them to get him.
DONNA: Right, so do I. Ca--the basement that she's in, is it local? I mean, is it in Modesto?
Ms. BROWNE: Oh, yeah, local. I wouldn't be surprised if he's just sitting right on top of it. Do you see what I'm saying?
DONNA: OK.
Ms. BROWNE: Now, the reason I brought up David is because David, with an L, last name L, like something like (censored) or something, knows about this. You know, because sometimes these people--it's just like I was watching "Cold Case." You know, you ever watch those...
DONNA: Yes.
Ms. BROWNE: ...where somebody ratted to somebody in the prison? I mean, they told them? It's like this David L.
DONNA: OK.
WILLIAMS: We'll be back right after this. This may be a little...
(Announcements)
WILLIAMS: Yes, ma'am, in the back.

...

And here are the latest developements:

http://www.crimeshots.com/forums/showthread.php?p=39023

http://www.webbsleuths.org/dcforum/DCForumID38/244.html

http://www.modbee.com/local/story/110137.html

http://www.modbee.com/local/story/210000.html

 

[Brattus]

Reading these transcripts like this really shows how truly bad she is at what she does.
What's so very sad is that these people on the show neither lack common sense nor are gullible. They are desperate beyond anything I could even imagine.
SB will send them running around the world or in circles and never lose a seconds worth of sleep over it.
Very sad indeed.

 

[RSLancastr]

Eeney, perhaps it is because I haven't had any caffeine yet, but I am unclear as to why this is an example of Browne being "wrong again." It seems to be a case of Browne being of no help again, but is there something in there about which she was demonstrably wrong? Or right?

 

[ExMinister]

Does RSL have this one? So, her accuracy in this case is ZERO. RJ is arrested. Sylvia said DL. Sylvia said basement. In fact, she was buried in the ground on RJ's parent's property. Whether or not he this was motivated by if I can't have her no one can is not known. Her boyfriend's initials were MK, so even if he was somehow involved, she still got the initials WRONG. The only David is in the accused's father's name, but it's a middle name - his initials are RDJ. So, she was WRONG, WRONG, WRONG. Again.

 

[RSLancastr]

Ah. I really need my caffeine...

 

[ExMinister]

Ah. I really need my caffeine...

 

[tkingdoll]

Quick question: Does Sylvia ever answer a question with "I don't know"?

Every transcript I've read, she always has an answer. Does she ever try and even things out by saying "I'm sorry but I have no information coming through about that"?

 

[LazyPint]

She always seems to interrupt right at the start with a name she's seemingly pulled out of nowhere. You'd think it would take time to contact the relevant spirits...

 

[RSLancastr]

RJ is arrested. Sylvia said DL.

Yes, but she did not say that David L was the murderer. She said "Who is David?" And later, she talked about some sort of "jailhouse informant" scenario, so DL could be the informant, not the killer. Of course, she never says it specifically, and her using the cold-reading technique of the leading question ("Who is David?") is telling, to those who understand the process.

Quick question: Does Sylvia ever answer a question with "I don't know"?

If she does, it is very seldom.

 

[ExMinister]

Yes, but she did not say that David L was the murderer. She said "Who is David?" And later, she talked about some sort of "jailhouse informant" scenario, so DL could be the informant, not the killer. Of course, she never says it specifically, and her using the cold-reading technique of the leading question ("Who is David?") is telling, to those who understand the process.

True. So this would just be useless and not wrong, assuming (probably safely) there is no David L behind the scenes.

 

[ExMinister]

Quick question: Does Sylvia ever answer a question with "I don't know"?

Every transcript I've read, she always has an answer. Does she ever try and even things out by saying "I'm sorry but I have no information coming through about that"?

I don't think I've ever heard her say that. In fact, in years past she used to brag that real psychics (like herself) don't have to be in a certain mood and are always "on." This was a slam on other psychics who DO occasionally say they're not getting anything.

Another thing that bugs me: She blatantly contradicts her earlier material without ever acknowledging that she is changing it. Case in point is the "earth changes" material. As I said in another thread, for years she had everyone believing an elaborate tale about the big earthquake hitting California around the year 2000. Now she comes out with a book on prophecy where she states that this will never happen. But instead of admitting that she used to say that it would and has since gotten new or updated material, she acts as if she'd never said anything different in the first place. That really ticks me off. It's like she thinks her older followers are either too stupid to notice or argue, or that no one has the public visibility to call her on it.

 

[EeneyMinnieMoe]

Eeney, perhaps it is because I haven't had any caffeine yet, but I am unclear as to why this is an example of Browne being "wrong again." It seems to be a case of Browne being of no help again, but is there something in there about which she was demonstrably wrong? Or right?

Yes. She was specifically asked about the location of a missing body and got that demonstrably wrong. The body was not "buried in a basement"- however that's even possible.

Also, I believe Donna Raley and the rest of the family were lead on a wild goose chase for the body after asking Sylvia. Once again, wasting precious time, money, efforts and resources that could have been better spent on real searches.

One of the sources QG pulled up talked about it, but I can't find his original thread anywhere.

Edit: Here's something interesting. Robert Cooke, missing person Rachel Cooke's father, posted and blogged about appearing on the episode. He says he doesn't really believe in Sylvia Browne's abilities (allthough he gave her "information" to police after the show and asked some contacts to follow up on it) and appeared solely to broadcast his daughter's picture and story. Here's something he mentioned:

"I rode to the airport with Shawn's parents. His step-father was setting up a search over the cell phone as we left the studio. From looking at Shawn's web site, it hasn't produced anything yet.

The one she was probably the closest on was Donna's step-daughter Dena Raley McCluskey. They didn't show a lot of that one because of legal issues with Dena's boyfriend. Montel cut to a commercial really fast."

http://209.85.165.104/search?q=cache:OYZ7NjvbzVQJ:boards.insessiontrials.com/showthread.php%3Fs%3D9a9c6d11f3abc3ac27a1da4b0a8dd21c%26threadid%3D26119%26pagenumber%3D2+dena+raley-mccluskey+sylvia+browne&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=6&gl=us

Are you thinking what I'm thinking? That she accused the boyfriend?

Edit: and here are some more helpful links: http://www.webbsleuths.com/dcf/MC/40.html

http://209.85.165.104/search?q=cach...rowne+and+dena+raley&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=5&gl=us

 

[RSLancastr]

Yes. She was specifically asked about the location of a missing body and got that demonstrably wrong. The body was not "buried in a basement"- however that's even possible.

Bodies can be moved. ("Buried in a basement" definitely happens. For one thing, not all basements are paved/floored.)

Interesting abouit Robert Cooke. I have had it on my list to contact him for some time. Perhaps I will now. I think that an article showing the results of all of the "readings" for the guests of that show would be interesting.

Are you thinking what I'm thinking? That she accused the boyfriend?

I had assumed that when the transcript said:

Ms. Browne: Also, the (censored) has been questioned extensively?

... that the censored word was quite likely "boyfriend." I assumed that in part because the boyfriend ahad already been mentioned. I hope to find out for certain.

But even if that is indeed what she said, she (as usual) said nothing specific about him. It could mean that she was saying he was the murderer, or that he knew who was, or even that he had information which, unbeknownst to him, would help the police find the murderer.

But I have watched the video. When the mother says "He refused to talk," Sylvia gives the camera/audience a look (a raised eyebrow and a nod, if I recall) as if to say "That's because he did it!"

 

[EeneyMinnieMoe]

I'd like to second both contacting Robert Cooke and writing an article on the entire show.

I believe that it's one of the few "complete" ones that you and I have, in that we know the names of all the missing people featured.

In the meantime, does anyone know what happened to the trial of the alleged killer? It's funny how all newspaper coverage of the case ends in November 1997...

 

[RSLancastr]

I believe that it's one of the few "complete" ones that you and I have, in that we know the names of all the missing people featured.

How many episodes do you know of where all (or most) of the guests had missing persons or homicide cases? Whether we found out who they were or not?

In the meantime, does anyone know what happened to the trial of the alleged killer? It's funny how all newspaper coverage of the case ends in November 1997...

2007.

I doubt that this is atypical of such a case.

 

[EeneyMinnieMoe]

It's hard to tell- you'd really have to count- but my ballpark guess is between 25 and 40 episodes. That's counting missing bodies/unsolved rapes/ assaults/ nonfatal shootings/ nonfatal kidnappings/ home invasions and armed robberies.

Drat, I meant to say 2007. No, I'm not surprised, either- it's the same scenario in other cases I have looked into.