And we dont want to see this happen to anybody ever again," but this probably won't be the last time that cases of this nature will be mishandled. Rittgarn left the police department before Marie's rapist was caught in 2011, while Manson simply moved back to his position at narcotics. The Bureau Group is an alliance of retired FBI Special Agents and retired command officers from the Michigan State Police and West Michigan County Sheriffs Offices. What is alarming, though, is that it is easy to imagine something like this happening inside any police department, not just ones that are hilariously inept (like Bellevue). The real cop is named Jerry Rittgarn, who at the time of Marie's attack had been a detective for eleven years, but with a background in helicopters and the aerospace industry. Until wider changes are made to the national justice system, cases like the one that Unbelievable is based on could still happen. He also has provided training in identifying fingerprints and crime scene processing. This is an incredibly timely and important story because it hit at the same time the broader culture is talking about these exact issues. Miller and Armstrong point out a pattern in Lynnwood. They informed her that multiple other women were assaulted in the same exact fashion, and evidence was found to prove her innocence. The co-author of A False Report: A True Story of Rape in America will speak at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 7, at Elliott Bay Book Co., 1521 10th Ave., Seattle (206-624-6600 or elliottbaybook.com). Another thing Armstrong talked about is the implicit bias against victims of sexual assault built into the criminal justice system. In the final episode of Unbelievable, we learn that the incredible police work conducted by Detective Stacy Galbraith ('Karen Duvall' in Unbelievable, played by Merritt Wever) and Detective Edna Hendershot (AKA 'Grace Rasmussen', played by Toni Collette) resulted in an arrest. For investigative matters outside of your state or the United . Even though Armstrong and Miller are two men reporting on a crime that overwhelmingly affects women, he said during the Q&A that there was a lot of input from editors, copy editors, and early readers that were women and that had a big impact in crafting the story. Detective Jerry Rittgarn, who declined to be interviewed for the original news story, said he'd talk for the book "only under monetary compensation contract" a quid pro quo the authors . Both Kaitlyn and Danielle think what's most important is that viewers of Unbelievable learn to accept that not all survivors are the same and that we must take their accounts seriously. The eight episode series, tells us about a girl named Marie, who is horrifically raped, but after police coercion and neglect, she recants her story. That plus some idea about the duality of man, which he got from reading Carl Jung, are about as deep as it gets. A stranger with a knife entered her apartment in Lynnwood, Wash., while she was sleeping, she told the police, tied her up with one of her shoestrings and blindfolded and gagged her. Detective Sgt. Rittgarn, who has left the Lynnwood Police Department and works as a private investigator in San Diego, said he was unaware of the lawsuit. Two years ago, This American Life ran an episode (narrated by Armstrong and the producer Robyn Semien) that can serve as a nice companion to the book by giving us Maries voice on tape. Hastings, MI Hearst Magazine Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Rape was a compulsion, OLeary explains, tracing its genesis to a childhood viewing of the Star Wars film Return of the Jedi, in which Carrie Fisher, nearly naked, is chained by the neck to intergalactic gangster Jabba the Hutt. View their profile including current address, phone number 858-748-XXXX, background check reports, and property record on Whitepages, the most trusted online directory. Mr. Blynn began his career with the FBI in Washington, DC, and he has also been assigned as a Special Agent to the FBIs St. Louis Office and the New York City Office. He worked for a police department 15 miles northeast of Galbraiths. That was pulled from real life too. Through its management of flexible private capital funds, Ares is seeking to fill an important financing gap for public bodies while ensuring affordable rent levels in assets built under high institutional standards. When the woman reported the attack to Lynnwood police, she says detectives Jerry Rittgarn and Sgt. In Lynnwood, the Police Department didnt fire or discipline anyone, but it did try to learn from its mistakes, Miller and Armstrong reassuringly report. Jerry Rittgarn, who threatened Marie with jail if she failed a lie-detector test, left Lynnwood to work as a private investigator. Mr. Alexander is also an FBI-certified Police Instructor and he is currently an instructor at a West Michigan Police Academy. He is a graduate of the FBI National Academy and Western Michigan University. During his career with the MSP, he held the ranks of Trooper Investigator, Detective Sergeant, and First Lieutenant. Whether you've watched Susannah Grant's adaptation or read the award-winning article that the show's based on, you'll know that Marie (played by Kaitlyn Dever) was just 18 when a man broke into her apartment and sexually assaulted her while she slept. Thats not me saying that they bullied this woman into confessing to a crime she didnt commit when one was actually committed on her. View the profiles of people named Jerry Rittgarn. Hed been an investigator for more than two decades by then. Mr. Aubermann worked as a Special Agent in Detroit, Dallas, and most recently in St. Joseph, MI. "An Unbelievable Story of Rape" is a 2015 article about a series of rapes in the American states of Washington and Colorado that occurred between 2008 and 2011, and the subsequent police investigations. He told Miller and Armstrong he would talk to them only if. Is longer actually better? After the truth came out and before she left Washington, Marie visited the Lynnwood police station to confront Mason and Rittgarn. Over the course of his career, Mr. Blynn has conducted a wide variety of investigations to include surveillance operations, fugitive investigations, bank robbery investigations, kidnapping investigations, white collar crime cases, and wire fraud investigations. Just hit 'Like' on our Digital Spy Facebook page and 'Follow' on our @digitalspy Instagram and Twitter account. Jeffrey Mason (who was the lead investigator) and Jerry Rittgarn. Mr. Aubermann graduated Cum Laude from Wayne State University with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration and a major in Accounting. They found her manner suspiciously unemotional, and detected slight inconsistencies in her story. What made the story so memorable was not the methodical brutality of Marc OLearys attacks but the way his first victim, an 18-year-old named Marie, was treated by local police when she reported the assault. Rittgarn was more experienced in that he had worked as a detective for 11 years already, but this experience was mostly limited to cases involving helicopters and the aerospace industry. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. The Marshall Project (Ken Armstrong) and ProPublica (T. Christian Miller), 16 December 2015. If you or someone you know needs help or has been affected by sexual assault, call 800.656.HOPE (4673) to be connected with a trained staff member from a sexual assault service provider in your area. Previously, he had only worked on patrol and in narcotics. At 25, she is raw but also resilient. Find Jerry Rittgarn's phone number, address, and email on Spokeo, the leading online directory for contact information. Speaking with reporters years later in the very same room where he had once confronted Marie, Mason admitted: "It wasnt [Marie's] job to try to convince me. And to make matters worse, she received a letter stating that she was wanted in court and being charged with false reporting, punishable by up to a year in jail. Unbelievable | Official Trailer | Netflix. You can also visit online.rainn.org to receive support via confidential online chat. Come for the Seinfeld references, stay for the Producers references. Both Rittgarn. One of the many reasons this show was so well-received was that it took great care to protect the victims whose stories they were telling. There is a bad guy. Miller and Armstrong teamed up for the project that became this book when they discovered they were working on it separately. Then she said she made it up. Jerry Rittgarn was born on 05/01/1947 and is 75 years old. Marie is a testament to the harm of poor police work that derails a rape investigation. I'm torn all over again . And that moving phone call between Marie and Duvall at the end of the series? He has been assigned to the protective details of both the US Attorney General and FBI Director and he has twice been assigned to provide firearms instruction at FBI Headquarters. Interrogated as if she were a suspect and pressured to recant, Marie wound up facing criminal charges for lying to the police. Here are eight important details you should know about the true story that inspired Unbelievable. Even after everything she had been through, Marie still found her happiest years when she was 16 and 17. After the attacker left, Marie was able to get a drawer open with her feet and cut herself free using a pair of scissors. Go here to subscribe. Theyremained truthful to the details and the investigation, but out of respect for all of the women, they changed their names. Steve Crumb retired from the Ottawa County Sheriffs Office in 2005. We earn a commission for products purchased through some links in this article. A woman had been attacked at knifepoint, tied up, and raped in her home in Golden, Colorado. Anthony Tony Aubermann is a retired FBI Special Agent with over 30 years of service to the FBI. Upon his retirement from the FBI after serving in Southwestern Michigan, Johnson moved to Washington D.C. and worked as the Special Agent in Charge for the Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction (SIGIR). An external reviewer said that if the two police officers who interrogated Marie hadnt documented their own bullying and coercive behavior, he would have been skeptical that such conduct actually happened. We know that Jerry's political affiliation is currently a . Unbelievable is the story of a girl known as Marie who, in 2008, was victim-blamed and coerced into falsifying her own rape story. * Use of the seal for the Society of Former Special Agents of the FBI and the National Academy in no way are an endorsement of the Bureau Group. In the report, Marie says that Mason looked "like a lost little puppy", much like the actor who played him did during that same scene in the Unbelievable show. Galbraiths real husband was indeed a police officer in another county and made the connection between the rape case his wife was investigating and another a detective at his station was handling. Thats awful. Jerry Rittgarn is on Facebook. These investigators have conducted and led complex investigations throughout the State of Michigan, across the United States, and around the globe. "The only disappointment I. https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/06/books/review/a-false-report-t-christian-miller-ken-armstrong.html. They used this DNA sample to circle in on a suspect, who was originally not Marc OLeary, but his brother, Michael. Mason moved to his post working on narcotics cases. She also "listened to the woman with a sense of alarm.". We all got into this job to help people, not to hurt them.". People cope differently, react differently," Kaitlyn says. Millers parts are more exciting because youre following along as good police officers unravel the mystery. Like what you just read? Join Facebook to connect with Jerry Rittgarn and others you may know. This story was reported by ProPublicas T. Christian Miller and the Marshall Projects Ken Armstrong, and their reporting was expanded into a book that came out this week called A False Report: A True Story of Rape in America. Hes now in prison for life. Senior Editor, Editorial Business Development, Kaitlyn Dever Opens Up About 'Unbelievable', The Heartbreaking True Story of Marie Adler, 'WoF' Fans Say This Is the Biggest Choke on Show, the National Sexual Violence Resource Center, Your Privacy Choices: Opt Out of Sale/Targeted Ads. Thomas Jefferson writing to James Madison in 1786. After hours of questioning Marie, Detective Parker calls in some backup. Mr. Alexander is an FBI-certified Hostage Negotiator, who has successfully negotiated several grave situations. The sight titillated 5-year-old Marc, who later said hed imprinted on fear and humiliation like a young animal bonding to the first creature it sees.. His LinkedIn page indicates he works for a private investigation firm in San Diego. He retired from Amway in June 2017. According to her, Mason apologised, saying he was "deeply sorry", but unlike the show, Rittgarn was nowhere to be seen. Makes my blood boil the way the cops treat her is exactly why many other survivors would rather suffer I silence #Unbelievable, I'm watching #Unbelievable on #Netflix #UnbelievableNetflix and the differences of approach in questioning rape victims by male and female cops is incredibly alarming. That included Maries, whose story is the central focus of the series due to the incredible lack of concern shown by police when she first reports her rape. If you or someone you know needs help or has been affected by sexual assault, call 800.656.HOPE (4673) to be connected with a trained staff member from a sexual assault service provider in your area. Join to connect It is also about how the dogged police work in Colorado led to the capturing of a serial rapist, Marc OLeary. 11 Things that Private Investigators Can and Cannot Do February 3, 2019 Legal evidence, Surveillance Over the last thirty years, Investigation Hotline has interacted with thousands of clients who have differing perspectives and ideas as to what private investigators are able to do within their trade. Sgt. In sum, Marie did not act the way a rape victim, in their estimation, should. All the while, OLeary was secretly operating a group of specialized porn sites. Personal Details & Biography. But not one single officer in the entire Lynnwood Police Department was disciplined for their actions. When you purchase an independently reviewed book through our site, we earn an affiliate commission. Back when the report was published in 2015, Rider described Marie's case as a "major failing" for his department: "Knowing that she went through that brutal attack and then we told her she lied? Neither he or Manson were ever investigated for the way they mishandled Maries case. Like her character in the show, Galbraith is a strong Christian and admired Hendershots work for years before actually working with her on this case. After claiming that she'd actually made the attack up in her head, the police then charged Marie with filing a false report, and once news got out about what she'd said, her reputation was ruined. In the report, Rider says, "We learned a great deal from this. Detective Jerry Rittgarn, who declined to be interviewed for the original news story, said hed talk for the book only under monetary compensation contract a quid pro quo the authors rejected. Dahmer What happened to real Glenda Cleveland? He also directed and controlled the administration of credit card fraud investigations and related responsibilities, to include overseeing the case management of investigations involving Workers Compensation claims. RELATED:Toni Collette: 10 Best Movies, According To Rotten Tomatoes. One person they didn't talk to was one of the two officers who were tasked with investigating the case, Detective Jerry Rittgarn, who looks to have scrubbed almost everything off of his LinkedIn . Based on a Pulitzer Prize-winning story in Pro Publica, this memorable book examines the case of a serial rapist and his first victim, who initially wasnt believed. While in Afghanistan, Mr. Heffron worked directly with US and NATO special forces military units and intelligence agencies. His name is Marc OLeary. Maries case forced him, for the first time, to question his fitness for the job. Ph: 269-217-6668 DIGITAL SPY, PART OF THE HEARST UK ENTERTAINMENT NETWORK. The doubt that Marie confronted, on the other hand, leaves no trail of did he or didnt he. A FALSE REPORT A True Story of Rape in America By T. Christian Miller and Ken Armstrong 291 pp. Mr. Blynn retired from the FBI in 2010. In the case of A False Report: A True Story of Rape in America, the answer, for crime aficionados, is yes. Where you live in the country . Ph: 772-913-5280 Read the story here. Its not until three years and many more rape victims later, that Maries original claims are investigated and her attacker is brought to justice by a couple of amazing female detectives. It took five-weeks for detectives to link this pickup truck to OLeary and one of the biggest breaks during this part of the investigation was that both OLearys truck and the one seen at the crime scene had broken passenger side mirrors. He has testified in hundreds of criminal and civil cases at all levels of both state and federal courts. *One more thing: Journal of Precipitation is a new, Seattle-area arts and/or culture website that is dedicated to exploring the Pacific Northwest outside of the usual places and the cultural zeitgeist. Most of it didnt take them by surprise, except for one photo of an unidentified, bound teenage girl. But which brother is the rapist? Gerard B. Alexander is a graduate of the American University in Washington D.C. Jeff Mason didn't believe her. stevencrumb@thebureaugroup.com. Claiming police coerced her into recanting her story, the woman was charged with false reporting and fined $500 when she later tried to insist the rape did happen. So, what really happened during Maries case? "It is showing Amber's detectives were educated about survivors, they understand these cases, and Marie's detectives never really had cases like this before, and they didn't know.". He told her that if she failed, she could be jailed, and her housing assistance pulled. How can these cops not believe her? In real life, the detectives' names are Stacy Galbraith and Edna Hendershot, but again, thats pretty much the only thing that was changed in this story. He is a licensed professional investigator in the State of Michigan. While assigned to Detroit, Mr. Vander Vliet worked bank robberies, violent crimes, and narcotics cases. Two decades by then, Inc. all Rights Reserved support via confidential chat... This book when they discovered they were working on narcotics cases Rider says, `` we learned great... Were working on narcotics cases following along as good police officers unravel the mystery Christian Miller and teamed! 'Like ' on our @ digitalspy Instagram and Twitter account also resilient around globe. And federal courts got into this job to jerry rittgarn private investigator people, not to hurt them. `` patrol. 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