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An Aruban court of appeal ruled late Thursday that while van der Sloot remains the prime suspect, he could not be rearrested solely on the confession, which was secretly taped inside a vehicle rigged with hidden cameras and recording devices.
The court found the Dutch student's statements could not be corroborated. Because he has given so many different versions of what happened the night Natalee disappeared nearly three years ago, it's hard to tell what really happened, the court says.
"Considering the possibility of a serious personality disorder – as voiced by the prosecution – combined with a personal history of untrue statements and remarks, which even according to the suspect himself are frequently false, the Court of Appeal has reasons for doubt regarding the incriminating character of the 'car-statement,'" the court stated.
Van der Sloot told a "friend" (who secretly recorded him for a Dutch TV show) that the Alabama teen went into convulsions and died on the beach the night she disappeared in May 2005. Then, van der Sloot said, someone dumped her at sea.
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