Ham on Wry Award-Jaron van der Sloot Trial Postponed in Peru

Joran van der Sloot's trial for the murder of Stephany Flores began today and ended just as quickly, when he told a Lima court Friday that he wanted to make a "sincere confession" in the killing of a young Peruvian woman but didn't agree with the deal offered. He said he needed "more time to think" when asked to enter a plea, so the case was adjourned until next week.

Van der Sloot is charged with murdering Flores on May 30, 2010 in his hotel room. Her murder occurred exactly five years after 19-year-old Natalee Holloway of Birmingham, Alabama, disappeared in Aruba. Police suspected van der Sloot, a Dutch citizen, of killing her, since he was the last person to see her alive, but he escaped trial there because no physical evidence was ever found.

According to Peruvian authorities, van der Sloot confessed to killing Flores when she discovered his connection to Holloway, prompting him to murder her in a rage. Prosecutors dispute his version of what happened and seek a 30-year prison sentence on murder and theft charges. The Flores family believes their daughter's murder happened with extreme violence and will testify at the trial.

The defendant, who has described himself as a pathological liar, has given several media interviews while in jail. Natalie Holloway's mother, Beth Holloway Twitty, traveled to Peru in September 2010 with a Dutch television crew, determined to learn exactly what happened to her daughter. No new information emerged. Van der Sloot has been indicted by U.S. officials for allegedly extorting $25,000 from Twitty when he offered to lead her lawyer to Holloway's body.

Van der Sloot has managed to capture media attention for close to seven years and strikes me as a classic sociopath. Like Ted Bundy, his handsome features and apparent charm make it easy for him to lure unsuspecting females. I have followed Holloway's case since her disappearance in May 2005 and have never heard him express remorse about her loss or that of Stephany Flores. Once again, he is playing games by asking for more time to think. He's had more than enough time to strategize in the period since his arrest! Van der Sloot's delaying tactics prolong the Flores family's heartache and waste time. He obviously has not repented for his cruelty. If nothing else, van der Sloot is a master manipulator.