Geraldo Rivera apologized to the father of JonBenét Ramsey, a young girl killed in a late-90s cold case that fascinated the nation, for staging a mock murder trial on his show.
During Tuesday’s episode of “CUOMO,” Rivera told John Ramsey that he “deeply” apologizes for what Ramsey and his family “have suffered.”
He defended holding mock trials in general, as well as his reporting: “When I say I am sorry, I don’t apologize for my reporting, I believe that at least half the reporters and half the nation believe that [there was a] shadow of suspicion.”
But he continued: “I don’t know what happened. I just want you to know that I lament contributing to the hurt that you have endured. No one deserves to go through what you went through. That’s my bottom line.”
Ramsey said he accepted Rivera’s apology. He went on to say he is critical of police and believes JonBenét’s case “could have been solved a long time ago.”
The killing of JonBenét, who was found dead in her Boulder, Colorado home in 1996 when she was 6 years old, has captivated people since the beginning. Her death was ruled a homicide but JonBenet’s parents, John and Patsy Ramsey, and brother, Burke, were cleared as suspects. No one has ever been charged.
Rivera’s apology comes amid renewed interest in the case, after Netflix released a docuseries, “Cold Case: Who Killed JonBenét Ramsey?” a few weeks ago. The series features a clip from a 1997 episode of “The Geraldo Rivera Show,” in which a child abuse expert speculated JonBenét had been sexually abused because she had supposedly masturbated with a saxophone. The clip cuts to JonBenét performing with a saxophone and rocking back and forth.
The jury from the mock trial found JonBenét’s parents liable for her murder.
John Ramsey wants evidence in the case to be tested for DNA. ABC News reported Monday that the investigation into JonBenet’s murder is making fresh progress. Boulder Police Chief Stephen Redfearn said in a video press release on Nov. 26 that the department has “thoroughly investigated multiple people as suspects throughout the years” and that they “continue to be open-minded about what occurred as we investigate the tips that come into detectives.”
