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This investigation has deteriorated into a she said (Jennifer Hagel Smith), they said (the cruise line) type of case. Jennifer has gone on national television recounting how she was mishandled by cruise line personnel. Cruise line defenders say that at the time they thought they had done what was needed to help Jennifer and to facilitate the investigation.
Widow Says Husband Who Disappeared on Cruise Mixed Alcohol, Prescription Drugs
Suspicions have focused on several men who were in Mr. Smith’s cabin before he went overboard, particularly after one of the men made incriminating statements. We have written many prior articles about the case which you can review here. "I'd like to invoke my Fifth Amendment right," answered the other passenger, Zachary Rozenberg. In another deposition, his cousin, Gregory Rozenberg, who was serving 3 years in prison for selling drugs, denies murdering Smith. "Did you have anything to do with George's death?" asked an interrogator. Josh Askin's lawyer, Keith Greer, argues that it's all nothing more than speculation -- the so-called robbery and fight.
Update on Disappearance of George Smith From Royal Caribbean's Brilliance of the Seas Cruise Ship - Cruise Law News
Update on Disappearance of George Smith From Royal Caribbean's Brilliance of the Seas Cruise Ship.
Posted: Fri, 06 Jan 2012 08:00:00 GMT [source]
Greg Rozenberg questioned
Jennifer said she had almost no memory after leaving the casino ... Instead of a spectacular sunrise, Rausch's camera captured a huge bloodstain on the lifeboat canopy. Also making the rounds that night were a group of Russian-American students -- cousins Zachary and Greg Rozenberg, and a friend, Rusty Kofman.
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Jones learned of a potentially damaging videotape made by some of these men just hours after George disappeared. On the tape, Jones says the three Russian-Americans are seen and heard making callous remarks about George's death and at the end Greg Rozenberg says "I told you I was gangsta." "I have no doubt in my mind whatsoever that my son was murdered on that cruise ship," Maureen Smith, George's mother, told CBS News' 48 Hours. "We were told by the Connecticut FBI that there was not enough evidence to prove George had been murdered and that his death may have been the result of an accident," the Smith family wrote in a Facebook post on Wednesday. The video only captures snippets of what has emerged over the years as a very complex story -- a story and a timeline that would be dissected and debated for years. As a group they tell Turkish police, "After we dropped him off, the second time, we closed the door, we never saw him again ... Never saw him again."
"...Unfortunately, obviously, after eight years, this has become, pretty much, a cold case," he told CBS News senior correspondent John Miller. And the discovery of a homemade videotape only raises more suspicion. "You know, they ordered so much food, and they couldn't have killed George because they were in the room eating the room service," Jones told Miller. "In addition to the blood, there were sounds of -- a fight, a struggle inside my brother's room," said Bree Smith.
"It's just a question of pulling together enough evidence to get an indictment and a conviction," he said. "I don't know why anybody's missin' the theme here. 'Cause there's one common element ... and it's too much alcohol!" he said. "And we can go and, you know, blame it on murder and - and -- and blame it on aggressive sexual behavior here. You know what? It's just everybody drinkin' too much and stupid stuff happening. That fits." Josh Askin's lawyer, Keith Greer, argues that it's all nothing more than speculation.
One passenger even recounts hearing large objects like furniture being thrown across the room. Smith disappeared from Royal Caribbean’s Brilliance of the Seas ship on July 5, 2005. Although his body was never recovered, bloodstains were found beneath the balcony of the cabin he was sharing with his new wife, Jennifer Hagel-Smith, who is now remarried.
Memories of Jennifer
"But it could have contributed to an accident that caused his death," he said. The conspiracy, Sheeley said, was that the Royal Caribbean cruise line was withholding information from the Smith family. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes.
Murder at Sea? The disappearance of George Smith
You can read about the dreams of young George taking over his father’s Cos Cob Liquor Store, juxtaposed with George’s alleged abuse of alcohol and misuse of prescription drugs during the ill fated cruise. There is an international treaty which exists called the Athens Convention which, if found applicable, would limit the cruise liability’s liability to only around $70,000. Not to mention the wicked "Death On The High Seas Act" which precludes damages other than financial compensation. $1,060,000 and a disclosure of information by the cruise line was a great resolution, notwithstanding such a terrible loss of a young man’s life.
The cruise line said his wife was found passed out on a floor far from their cabin. George Smith was on a honeymoon cruise aboard a Royal Caribbean ship in July 2005 when he vanished somewhere between Greece and Turkey. Michael Jones, a lawyer for Smith's family, said Sheeley's comments were not accurate, but declined to elaborate. He said Smith's family continues to believe he was a victim of foul play. "We are disappointed that she didn't fight for George how we fought for George," said Bree, George's sister. Bree and Maureen believe George was murdered in a robbery that got out of control.
"How do you collect 97,000 pages of an investigation to determine after almost 10 years that an accident may have occurred?" said Bree Smith. "When we were called into the meeting that finally closed the case down, it was just devastating to my family," George Smith said. Until the day the case is solved, the Smiths vow to not let George's memory die on that ship. "We're hoping with this $100,000 reward ... this might just be the thing that we need to get the arrest and convictions," Bree Smith told "48 Hours". "He hesitates. He's clearly thinking. The question has thrown him for a loop. It's almost, 'What could they have found that -- that would've connected someone to the disappearance?" Houston said of Greg's reaction.
"The ... FBI determined that there is not sufficient evidence to continue the investigation," Bree Smith said, reading the statement aloud. "I think it's another rubber-hose ploy, you know, where just to freak Josh out and upset him more," Greer told Miller. "I think it was just the psychological war that they were waging on him and his family. ... Or they didn't take the time to do it right, one or the other." A source close to the investigation has told CBS News that on the tape, one of the men -- Rusty Kofman -- refers to George going "parachute riding" off his balcony. It is not an admission, but it's at the very least provocative -- and there's more.
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