The transcription work was submitted by a reader. Statement Analysis is in bold type, with underlining, italics and bold type added for emphasis. Thanks to the diligence of the contributor we are able to view the words of Powell.
When Susan Powell went missing, Josh Powell told police that he was not home; that at midnight, in a snow storm, he took his toddler and 4 year old "camping", which when not believed, he stopped cooperating with police.
9 minute interview with Josh Powell during the Ely search Link to interview:
http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=16885122
Q. What went through your mind when you heard that there was very little information that seemed to come out from the officers today. What went through your mind when that happened.
http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=16885122
Q. What went through your mind when you heard that there was very little information that seemed to come out from the officers today. What went through your mind when that happened.
Powell: Well I watched the interview, let me start over and get that cough out of it right? Well I watched the interview this morning just on the internet, uh, you know the press conference in Ely, Nevada and you know, I, I mean, it just didn’t seem like they said anything. And, I mean, honestly, that’s kind of what went through my mind. I was a little bit surprised that so much is made of this and then nothing was said. I’m not sure exactly how that plays in to some strategy to call a whole bunch of members of the press out to some small town and say nothing. I, I don’t know, I’m not them so I don’t know what they’re thinking.
Note the increase in tension. Note that he does not know what "they" are thinking. This may be the cause of tension.
Q. When you heard they were looking for something specific, what were you hoping that they would find or what, were you hoping they are looking for?
Powell: There’s, I mean, you know when I actually heard about this thing in Ely, Nevada, I actually thought that they were going to be looking in hotels, apartments, you know things like that. That’s what I was hoping they’d be looking for, for people, frankly for Susan, but in the city of Ely. You know I didn’t, I didn’t, I guess I didn’t catch what they were really planning to make it around the perimeter of Ely, and out into the mountains or wherever this place is.
"Actually" is used when comparing two or more ideas. He would like them to search in hotels and apartments. Note the repeated "I" indicating tension. Note the need for "frankly" and "honestly" in his interview. Note "I didn't" is repeated 3 times (increase in anxiety---tension to anxiety) as he did not "catch" what they were "really" planning: it bothers him that although he does not speak to them, they withhold information from him or those close to him.
That he does not know what they think is sensitive to him:
Q. They have just recently said that they have cleared some of the mines that they were searching in, and they’ve cleared those and kind of set those aside as places they don’t need to look in any more. Hearing that what’s your opinion now?
The question is about searching mines:
Josh: I don’t know how they are going to communicate that. You know, if there’s five officers doing the search I don’t know how much they intend to search out there. You know, it’s a big area, the wilderness is a big area all through Utah and Nevada. So, you know…
His concern is about how "they" are going to "communicate"; not about the mines. Note that he attempts to discourage the topic by saying it is a "big area"; that he has not answered the questions about "mines", the topic of "mines" should be considered sensitive to him. A follow up question on mines would be perfect.
Q. When you heard that there was something that they were looking for, when you initially heard that they were going to be doing their search in Ely, Nevada, what kind of emotions did you feel, did you feel maybe nervous, optimism, um you know, anticipation for maybe good news or bad news, what were you feeling at the time?
Josh: Well when I first heard it I just thought it was more of the same old thing we’ve heard two dozen times before, and, so I really didn’t, I just dismissed it, it really just didn’t matter, but you know as the day went on I started to get, you know, reports from people who tried to, you know, explain it a little better.
In questioning how he (singular) felt, note that Powell here turns to the weaker plural of "we" in his response.
Cause I really I really wasn’t paying that much attention, but
Statement Analysis conclusion of the need for qualifiers: he was paying very close attention
Please note that he told us what he wasn't doing; in the negative, meaning that this is sensitive.
people started explaining a little bit better about I guess how this is apparently different than some of the other times, that people the west valley police in particular have been, uh, you know, their communication style just changed dramatically. They have been very tight lipped. They have been very close to the vest about everything. Nobody can get any information about them on any level, out of them on any level, and so apparently if this, if they, my thought, if they say this is a big lead and it could be a break in the case, that was, I started getting my hopes up really, I mean I really did get my hopes up pretty high on that point.
"people" only "started" explaining a "little" bit better; note the sensitivity that bothers him so is the lack of communication from the police. This is getting to Powell. This is what it means to live every day of his life wondering if this will be the day she is found and if this is the day he is arrested.
Q. There, your father in the past has said that he believes that Susan ran away with um the missing St. George man, uh Stephen Cocher. Uh, some people say well it’s a plausible theory, some people question it, but what do you think about what may have happened to Susan?
Josh: Well, I mean, it’s not really my place to put out theories, you know there probably should be a thousand theories circulating other than just one.
That there "should be" is a critical choice of wording. He does not say that there is, but there "should be" as this would dilute focus from the one theory that most hold to. Note that it is not "really" his place; indicating that to him, it is his father's place to disparage Susan and attempt to take attention away from him.
The police and the public saw through the attempt to divert attention from him.
It probably would help this thing along faster to have a lot more theories out there.
Please note that "this thing" is close to Powell. I believe that he is speaking about what it is like to have anxiety, every day, waiting to get caught. This is my opinion. Here is why:
He wants "this thing" to go along "faster" and it can be accomplished by having "a lot more theories". In a missing persons case, the more theories that have to be followed up, the slower the process. More theories would only help him, in his anxiety, move further away from him (faster). He is suffering anxiety every day.
I’m not the one to present those theories.
Note that he is not the one (in the negative, meaning sensitive) to do it. What he does next is that very thing: he is the one to present:
I didn’t present that one, but as far as that theory goes, you know, Steven Cocher has a lot of strange behavior leading up to his disappearance, a lot of coincidental a activities right up there in West Valley and Salt Lake City, uh you know, I mean, there’s are a lot of little incidentals uh both in their personality both in their timeline, and um, also in the fact that they both went missing, in the same week of December, of 2009. And in in Steven Cocher’s case, he walked out of his life, on purpose. It looked to be that he made a goodbye tour, running through all over Utah and Nevada. You know, who knows what that was all about, it was all very secretive he didn’t tell anyone according, this is all according to the information that his family, or, primarily his family as I understand it released about his whereabouts, they released receipts, they released cell uh phone pings and a lot of other information even from witnesses uh frankly the thing that got me on board with the theory was the fact that so many of these uh things in the official timeline for Steven Cocher were just being changed, over time. It took me months to jump on board and even accept that possibility, but all their changes, witnesses changing the day of, you know, it happened on this day, and then oh no maybe it happened the next day, maybe it happened the following day, you know, his his visit out to his ex-girlfriend’s parents in Ruby Valley, Nevada for example, that’s exactly what happened. That’s the kind of stuff that made me think what is going on here that is so fishy about this Steven Cocher guy, and then he walks out on his life, on video camera, like he just plain didn’t intend to be a part of his life anymore. Now, that’s just north of Ely, Nevada. Where he lives is just south of Ely, Nevada. Um, West Valley City and Ruby Valley, Nevada where he was leading up to his own disappearance and following Susan’s disappearance um are just north of Ely, Nevada, and he pr.. possibly drove through there, on one of his trips.
Q. The cops are going to be out there at least one more day searching in that particular area, what are you hoping that they do find?
Josh: Um, you know, they’re out there in the middle of the wilderness looking for who knows what um, I can’t say that I hope to have them find, um anything really, to be honest, I mean I can’t imagine what of value aside from Susan herself they can possibly find. Obviously I don’t want them to find, uh, you know, I want to find Susan, healthy. I want her to come home healthy.
To find "anything" is indicative of what his prior language showed when he referenced "hamburger" (rather than finding Susan)
Q. Josh there are some people um who believe they have theories of their own that say you know more than what you are letting on. What would you say to them, the people who doubt you?
This is a good question
Josh: I’ve had extensive interviews with not just the West Valley police, but also several other law enforcement agencies and everything I could tell them I’ve told them, and you know, they, frankly, there’s nothing more I can add, they have every piece of information that I could possibly provide and they have to do with it whatever they do with it.
This is an example of truth telling by a guilty subject. He is not cooperating with the police but he has told them everything he "could"; meaning that there are things that inhibit him from telling more. Is he inhibited by knowledge, or by consequence?
A. Knowledge
Innocent family members search their memories continually and hope to remember anything that might help police. To say "that's all I know" is an indication that the subject wishes the information coming from him to cease.
B. Consequence
The subject cannot give more information because if he or she does, the consequences will be realized. In the light of consequence, it is true that he has told them all he can, for if he tells them more, the consequences will have to be borne.
