They played the tape in the courtroom, and the fact that Diane did not break down but tapped her foot to the music, was supposed to be another proof of her guilt. Fingerprints at the crime scene were not produced by the State. Spending 35 years incarcerated with time in isolation and often as a target is not going to improve mental health. Or maybe an upvote/downvote arrow for each. This was all logged in Christies hospital reports and is found in the Appendix of the petition filed in Federal Court in 1996 in the section Hospital Reports. BUT like you rightly explain, there was no real evidence of her guilt. Also, the title of the website clearly demonstrates an inherit bias. 1) Gunshot residue/blood splatter. Downs: Oh yeah, I remember the pictures, too. We dont know. 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. Almost from day one, Diane was perceived as a cancer they had to remove. I bet the records are and always have been sealed regarding this aspect of the case. During closing arguments, Fred Hugi said that the murder weapon used by Diane was a Ruger, and the state had the model number and the bill of sale. After all, many cases of domestic abuse and even neglect do stem from alcoholism or drug abuse. and so on. The photo of Hugi I used is the one you find when you do a search online for Fred Hugi who prosecuted Diane Downs. It had nothing to do with the evidence of the case and represents useless labeling anyway. It probably was not salacious enough for her readers that she polled online to establish if there was enough interest in the story to fill her pockets with a definite blockbuster. I then question how she would not have blood splatter if she shot them inside the car at close range. But before you get too deep into the drug stuff with Van Houten, she chose to take drugs. Clickhere to read about faulty ballistics.. Thanks again. And he was found not guilty because his defense team played the race card in an area of LA where they did not trust the police and discussed EDTA and DNA ad nauseam to confuse the jurors. Diane Downs was convicted because she didn't appear "sorry enough" during her TV appearances. If you had commented on one of the elements contained in the blog, it might have been enlightening. Diane described the stranger that shot them on the road and a police artist came up with a sketch. And being the mother of three only served to propel Diane in a more manic state. It gave Anne Rule carte blanche to legally use these labels in her book and it stuck. ANNE RULES BOOK IS A LIE, ,ALL MADE UP CRAP. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. Dilantin is known to cause mental confusion and you can check it online, but consider the dosage she was on and it needs no clarification. Would you know at what speed you are going if you were shot and driving with wounded children in the car? You do not have to agree with my general opinion outside of the facts of the case, but I would appreciate some comments on what matters; how this case was handled at trial and during the investigation. But I know that there were major problems with this case. Mostly, because it was poorly investigated and they focused on Diane solely the minute they met her. I care about what was said at trial. It was demonstrated at trial that the shooter shot the kids at close range. The gun is Def a big issue, the style of gun, whether it belonged to him or her, she Def had access to itthe child drew a picture of it, having large similarity to that gunbut it did always baffle me how she could find such a great hide for it in such a short period of time. The way this investigation and the trial were conducted only left me with doubts. This article is about due process and the legal right to a fair trial for everyone. Celebrity Author Covers Case Ann Rule wrote 'Small Sacrifices,' later released as a movie. is this a reason??? Diane now had the title of dangerous offender. rudy francisco rifle analysis / ford employee profit sharing 2022 / why didn't steve downs get custody. Christie is a married woman and gave birth in 2005. Because she seemed "aloof". Also on old footage of the trial, as there was no cameras aloud, the drawing of Christie Downs from court artist also complies with the testimony given in the book, as far as her pain and crying. When they assess the conduct of an inmate, what counts is mostly how she behaves inside through the years and if she shows violent tendencies. If the police department had done their job properly, I would not have written this blog, no matter the outcome. Ffs maybe u should go back to writing screenplays. And I care about the lack of evidence. After parting ways, the couple would soon meet again in Arizona which would end up in them reigniting and reconnecting their fling. There were good reasons to look at this mother, but the detective admitted on the stand that they stopped looking at anyone else after two weeks and the stranger on the road became a joke. There have been behaviors that in the general course of events one may expect from a single parent that in a way have been falsely interpreted as being some form of evil.. Ive not seen the movie or read the book. Great blog post, thank you. They should have left her alone. You indicated you were not going to get a divorce? It is because she is a high profile person. answer the question why didn t steve downs get custody, which will help you get the most accurate answer. At the point Diane jumped into the car, her broken arm (resting in a sling in front of her) slammed into the steering wheel. I dont. Right after her first surgery, The Detectives were adamant that they HAD to have Diane right then to recreate the incident- unless of course, you have something to hide. It should have been investigated further. 1st, you came back from a trip? It was faulty. statement regarding the effects of the childrens medications while in hospital should acknowledge where the blogger obtained information about the side effects.). I encourage you to read all the facts before being so sure that she was guilty or that she acted alone. They said so and were told to go back to deliberate. Ginsburg didn't think women should get to do what men did because she believed they would do the job better; she wanted equality for its own liberating sake. Further: Wonder about Justice in Nation with world wide highest prisoner rate. The child was adopted and was later named Rebecca. According to Oregon law, this would have to be supported by a psychiatrists report or a Wardens letter and Diane provided both. Her lover and former husband testified against her but it did not represent evidence but character assassination. Her parents Willadene and Wes were old school Baptist parents who raised her under strict guidelines without much warmth but complete devotion. Mrs. Fredericksons concern for her daughters emotional state was well placed. When analysing this blog, look at three statements from the blogger: Diane Downs and Alice Crummins were considered sluts Ive been to London to Fly the Queen ~ and Back to Collect Artifacts, Haleigh Cummings Was Once Lost but Now She Is Found, Meet Rene Acoby: In-House Female Dangerous Offender, Kelli Stapleton- A Mothers Wuthering Woes. but later you claim Diane was inside the car and shot the kids in the car and that that BECAUSE she was inside the car she should have had blood splatter on herso WHICH IS IT, I dont know which it is Libby. They lied about the ballistics. GSR can easily fall off just by brushing your hand against a surface. Even though his wife shot their children multiple times, and the case was national news, he never surfaced and kept a low profile. Every single one of these questions matter. No. Im from Australia and have recollections of this case. If I included the ones I dont post, it would need more than a like or dislike button. It simply states the facts of the case. The jurors had doubts. Oh my. Mainly because she is being kept caged due to her name recognition at this point, not her offense. It is not, nor should be, a Conflict of Interest for a caring adult to Foster one or more siblings. Saudi Princesses in Captivity for More Than a Thousand and One Nights Are Tweeting the Blues, Having recently done research on the Liysa Northons case which was the subject of a book written by Ann Rule titled, Some 287 errors and falsehoods were documented by Liysa and verified by official sources. Around 1 in 20 residents in Arkansas and Tennessee were missed during the 2020 census, and four other U.S. states had significant undercounts of their populations which could shortchange them Most people negotiate the ups and downs of . But in my opinion, it shows how Diane was disturbed and could also have found a better path in life if given the chance and the right support. Child Protective Services takes confidentiality to the extreme (warranted in most cases). Just like Rule though, your blog is extremely biased, and reads almost as though she told you exactly what to write at times. The detectives took Diane to the crime scene and were able to retrieve shell cases on the ground where the incident happened. She said a bunch of really stupid things in the media (my kids were lucky, not me gets the palm) and basically bury herself. When your goal is to call me dude, insult my name and trash my blog, you can go on other sites who will love to spar with you while swallowing the old narrative of high profile cases. And if you claim your innocence, it obviously creates a vicious circle of not showing contrition. It was half baked escape plans that were more in her head than anything and that the media enjoyed blowing out of proportions. We make them president. What would have been the conclusion to have drawn without this hate campaign? The definition of deviant sociopath does not even exist in the DSM-HI, which is the official psychiatric diagnostic manual. View theaffidavits. In reply to Nick. Her family supported her. Rule defended her right to earn a living and to tell her story. How was DD able to get away from CK and get the keys back into the ignition without there being more attempts on her life? The parole board in Oregon was asking to provide reasonable cause to show she was not a danger to society and it had to be supported by a psychiatrists report or a Wardens letter and Downs provided both. Steve was the one who left Diane because he believed that Stephen Daniel, known as Danny, was the result of an extramarital affair that Diane had. Their life without parole sentences are a dime a dozen and so randomly used that it beats any notion of justice for all. You have a photo of Diane before the parole board. Moms were working more, we were becoming the latch key generation, as in we let ourselves in alone while still in elementary school.when I mentioned before about maturity of a 8, 9, 10 year oldwe loved playing outside on bikes, and playing with our dolls, boys usually had their action figures..lol.and we loved our moms, even if they were young and liked to go out and sent us to babysitters..the book and movie, Im quite sure, over did the situation..and Im sure there was more on both sides, the family of diane, diane herself, but well never know all the details. Many people have wondered why the two separated after seven years of marriage. Foote refused 30 to 50 reports by detectives of sightings or leads about the shooter but admitted reports from people in Arizona willing to badmouth Diane. If there is one thing Diane knew about her lover, is that he was fickle and did not like trouble of any kind. It was one of the most disturbing stories I've watched. It was obvious to the cops and the prosecution because they proceeded to get her daughter to testify against her because they had nothing to prove she was the shooter. I mean, yeah, I can see the no contact order with Diane. So Diane did what she thought would bring her the deepest satisfaction in life; she became a mother. I am pointing them out. Lise do you know if the kids have ever reached out to the grandparents/family in the last few years? While these are all good questions, (and were maybe all asked in the jury room during deliberations) I doubt the answers even matter anymore. (Yes, speculative). Now if the shooter was this James Haynes guy, someone who apparently Diane Downs knew from buying drugs, then that would explain why she stopped in the middle of that road. This unexpected proposal took Diane by surprise at a large family gathering. When she resisted, he shot her kids and struggled with her. Right after the shooting, little Danny would ask the nurses, , Even Ann Rule in her book, keeps mentioning that, Every time, she said she did not know, they told her to think again and made suggestions. I am publishing your comment because once in a while, I need to post the pitiful representation of true crime readers who made Anne Rule a rich author. Lets not forget that she was presumed to have fired a gun 6 times at close range within the confines of a small car. Not an easy situation for him as I would imagine. The time was spent waiting for the clock to tick down the final seconds for all appeals to the parental termination to be allowed. And these men in black perceived this as an act of war, and proceeded to go after them with every legal or illegal means at their disposal. She had a bullet wound in the arm, and the three kids in the back of the blood-soaked car had all been shot at close range. Isnt is odd how something we are exposed to as children can stick in our memory? So it looks and sounds like she is getting special treatment because of her notoriety. If I was of a mind to manipulate the Board by giving voice to the words they want me to utter, Id have sold my soul two decades ago when the lies would have benefited me and my youth passed long ago. What I explain in the blog is that the fact that Foote is the one who removed the children from Dianes care is exactly why he should NOT have been presiding over her murder trial. What was the rationale behind this? I was also stunned that she took the reports of all of Dianes ( mostly married) ex lovers as absolute truth and never once questioned that they might have been lying and retrospectively minimising their feelings for Diane to protect themselves. But unfortunately, Diane's parents never approved of the relationship as they had high hopes for their daughter's future, which they did not see in Steve. Devoting ur life to taking down a dead author is a waste of ur talents. Completely unethical, and not in the best interest of those children. https://www.google.com/search?q=diane+downs+with+christie+cheryl+and+danny&sxsrf=ACYBGNQDEM3XNQjZXlqNQpYLhZCn7ic5iw:1576689995166&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjNuNT427_mAhUcJTQIHbveBMIQ_AUoAXoECA4QAw&biw=1024&bih=462#imgrc=gQkU10UxNhHn_M: If youre talking about the picture in the blog that is labeled as Christie, it is Christie. Theybrought out the big guns to unload on the public, their idea of the truth: Diane Downs was a horrible creature and a jilted lover who shot her three children in cold blood to be free to pursue a relationship with the man she was obsessed with. He was instead a result of an affair Diane had with a married man. So how she behaved at the time, should not have been a factor influencing the authorities. In a perfect world this would always be the case. Diane was diagnosed as being bipolar and subsequently diagnosed by a psychiatrist before sentencing. Gregory Foote who had denied access to the children by all blood relatives and given their care over to the State, was promoted from juvenile to senior judge to preside over the trial of Diane Downs.. It seems they all went the easy way. I also found it interesting that when he had visited Diane in prison, he had remarked a strange air about her; which did not mean guilt. It would never happen todaynever. Just my opinion. In fact, Knick admits Diane took that gold chain as collateral against a $500 LOAN she made to him. Those cases shouldnt have been in the same court let alone presided over by the same judge. (He WAS shot in the back remember). In fact, Diane and her lawyer wanted Christie to be able to heal before being questioned and to be accompanied and taped during the sessions. As a result, joint legal custody which means parents share in the decision-making 1 is becoming the default decision in many family court systems. It was kind of interesting to hear Mossimo Giannullis lawyer pleading to have his client sent home or put in general population because his mental health suffered drastically in solitary confinement because of covid after 56 consecutive days in solitary. The prescribed normal dosage for a full grown man is 30 milligrams per day. Steve Downs was the husband of the infamous child killer, Diane Downs. So, what is Steve's story? I think that she has done enough time and should be released. Being interested in a subject without bringing emotions to the table is always the most important step. Imagine the ones there for years. I do have to take issue with this article about Diane Downs. And the interrogations were not tapedand barelydocumented. The jury verdict was guilty on all counts, but there was a mixture of votes. Seems like former husband, Steve Downs, should've been the custodial parent after the divorce. It kinda scared me, the thought that mommy could shoot me, like this mommy did. Click to listen to podcast explaining the gun test, Dianes mental condition and the lack of forensic evidence. But if you compare the time she was seen by the witness to the timing of her arrival at the hospital, it seems to indicate she went pretty fast, butnone of it was explained ordemonstrated properly. Much worse. A steel plate had to be attached and some lead fragments were removed. It deserved as much attention as a Unicorn, a song or all the other hearsay floating around because at least, they came from real people signing official documents. Ruger #14-76187; described as the gun used by Diane and belonging to Steve Downs, was not the murder weapon. The fact that the judge who presided over the child welfare case and the criminal case was the same individual is absolutely a conflict of interest. Their theory was very shaky. But Diane couldnt do that. This video has Dianes attorney, Jim Jagger, at 1 minutes and 20 seconds that might have some good shots. They hardly investigated any other lead after a couple of weeks. Three weeks after the crime, Judge Foote from family courts, removed Danny and Christie from the care of Diane Downs and her family. But I will answer the points you raised about the blog. As a suggestion, I would love to see a like or dislike button for each comment. Their haste to go to trial created this mess and lingering doubts. James C. Jagger who was hired by Dianes father was an ex-Prosecutor. It wasnt until Prosecutor Hugi said Dr. Jamison had labeled Diane a deviant sociopath that Mr. Diane was found guilty and sentenced to life and she has been in prison ever since. Any thoughts on that? I know several people who know or knew both of the surviving children as well as Diane. (Feature Image Credit: ABC News / 20/20). Who are Steve Downs children? He strung her along, played with both womens emotions, and after saying he would join her in Oregon, reneged and stayed with his wife. The fact that the accused in this case was atypical, makes her the perfect target. There is her story, the prosecution case and the defense arguments. But in this case, she had no blood on her body or her clothing. The police admitting on the stand that after 2 weeks, they stopped looking at suspects appears to be a fact. Of course, because this is what she does when people put her on the spot and ask questions concerning her mother and the shooting. This was the prosecution and conviction of (Elizabeth) Diane Downs who has now been incarcerated for too many years in one of Californias (overcrowded) State prisons.
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