Below is a new snippet of video released on Friday from Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport of Carol Gotbaum's arrest. Though the video seems of slightly better quality and closer-in than previous footage, it only shows Gotbaum being dragged through the concourse, and does not show her being taken down by PHX PD. So I don't think it adds a lot to the story.
As she's being led off into the distance, you see Gotbaum slipping on the slick, carpet-less floor. I'm reminded that one of the officers who searched Gotbaum before she was placed in the holding cell, an Officer Klepper, made mention of Gotbaum being in her stocking feet, and the smoothness of the cell floor. One of the investigators notes:
"[Klepper] did say that the floor of the holding cell is smooth, without carpet. The woman had no shoes and nylon 1/2 socks. She said the floor would be smooth for someone who was wearing that kind of sock."
Could Gotbaum have slipped while trying to get out of her restraints, and that's how she ended up in the unusual position in which she was found, with her handcuffs up near her neck?
This latest video begs the question: Is more video of the Gotbaum arrest out there? Gotbaum family attorney Mike Manning told me that, "I know there's more video than what they've released," but declined to give his source for that information. Both PHX PD and the airport have told me there is no more. However, the fact that this snippet's turned up does make one wonder if there will be more unearthed down the road.
Spoke to David Boyer, Acting Director of the County Medical Examiner's Office, and he says Carol Gotbaum's toxicology results may be in by the end of the week, so a ruling on the cause and manner of death may be around the corner.
(I've just heard that the PHX PD have released a final report on their Gotbaum investigation. More on that when I get it.)
Here also are the audio files of Noah Gotbaum's calls to the airport inquiring about the status of his spouse. The first comes about an hour after her death. The second one is especially creepy to listen to, as you hear one of Gotbaum's children crying in the background, and you hear him tell the child to leave the room after he mutters to the call center person that his wife may be "suicidal." I do wonder why it took so long to tell Noah Gotbaum that his wife was deceased. I've asked the cops, but they've yet to get back to me on that.
There are long pauses on these files, and we did edit out Gotbaum's phone # the couple of times it was mentioned. Unfortunately, we don't have a clock on these recordings. Sorry for that. Just keep listening past the pauses.
The first call comes about 4:40 p.m. on 9/28/07. Remember, Gotbaum was pronounced dead at 3:29 p.m. that day. Approximate time in minutes/seconds: 4:45 The second call comes around 5:28 p.m. In this call, you hear an airport call center person named Mike talk to a PHX PD Sgt. about what to tell Noah Gotbaum. Approximate time in minutes/seconds: 6:13 Third and final call from Noah Gotbaum, coming about 6:02 p.m. Approximate time in minutes/seconds: 4:32
