Ramseys Defend Polygraph

By Stephen M. Silverman

09/11/1998 at 12:00 AM EDT

John and Patsy Ramsey defended their controversial polygraph test -- which was conducted by an independent panel hired by them, rather than the FBI or by Boulder, Colo., police -- on the "Today" show this morning. The findings of the test, which Boulder police said they would not accept, showed that the Ramseys are innocent in the unresolved Christmas 1996 murder of their 6-year-old daughter, JonBenet. "We certainly didn't expect otherwise," John Ramsey said on the morning TV show. "We said beforehand, 'If they (polygraphs) work, we'll pass.' " He then said that they were told the results the day after the test was taken. His wife, Patsy, quickly corrected him. "It took several days," she said, "because professionals had to look over the results." As for why the Ramseys refused to allow the FBI to conduct the polygraph test, "I'm sure the FBI could have," said John Ramsey, "but the FBI has been working with the (Boulder) police for the past three years, and their focus has been on us as suspects."