So either way, it would not be so far fetched that someone said he was the shooter.A little investigation would not hurt. I mean, yeah, I can see the no contact order with Diane. She waseighteen and soon realized that she had jumped from the fire into the frying pan. Therefore, those jagged bones were floating in a cloth wrap, merely resting in a cloth sling. At the point Diane jumped into the car, her broken arm (resting in a sling in front of her) slammed into the steering wheel. There is her story, the prosecution case and the defense arguments. The lack of balance and objectivity. Leslie Van Houten is an example of a woman who probably will never see the light of day because of her high profile status. Usually it isnt there but every once in awhile, it comes out. Go to the hate groups for that. Did you read her statements to the parole board in 2008? That disinformation was alleged by Mr. Hugi the third day into Jim Jaggers defense and it was never objected to by Mr. Jagger . But she suffered from mental illness and the circumstances were traumatic. And after Diane left Arizona she didnt call Knick to inquire about his love, but rather about when he would repay the $500 (Appendix 81, pages 1479-1480). When a unicorn and hungry like the wolf make their way into a court room during a high profile trial, its a red flag. He strung her along, played with both womens emotions, and after saying he would join her in Oregon, reneged and stayed with his wife. That towel should have been soaked in their blood not hers. Nobody ignored Dianes demeanor. Rule defended her right to earn a living and to tell her story. It is in the blog. She was also shot twice andifshe had been sitting up, the seats would have been covered with blood spatter as well as the shooter. A. The prosecutor and his wife adopted both children that survived and although the boy is paralyzed and in a wheelchair, they trived with their new parents. I base a lot on what I see and hear from her in her own words in footage of a 28 yr old woman. It was a harrowing, shameful miscarriage of justice. Posted by October 30, 2021 apush gilded age test on why didn't steve downs get custody The way it was. Not our place to decide. She should of been sentenced to death. I would like to believe this is the truth. There is so much to say about this blog I wouldnt know where to start. And the flat affect and sometimes inappropriate smiling would come with the territory so you cannot judge her actions without taking into account that she might not have been acting according to the norms. So I start with that bit of history in mind. The case is old and the blog dated, but it is never too late to respond. Downs wanted to get rid of the kids because her new boyfriend didn't want . So obviously, she was the prime suspect. Maybe she didnt want to admit she was there for drugs, but you need a really tiny brain to worry about that in such a situation. Instead of blaming societal problems and working at finding solutions, prison always seem to be their option. No matter how much Ive read, or how many of her constant at the time interviews I watch on YouTube, the things that come from her brain to her mouth never cease to amaze me. (He WAS shot in the back remember). She managed to jump in the car after getting shot in the arm. then later you ask how diane didnt have any blood splatter on her when she was inside the car when she shot her kids??? Was that Annes fault as well? Diane was instructed to reenact her response to the attacker who murdered her daughter. 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. I stuck to what came out at trial and not the fantasy factory coming from the state, the media and Rule. In my opinion, the investigation was too hasty and only focused on Diane. The children had a father. If the police department had done their job properly, I would not have written this blog, no matter the outcome. The tape of Christie and her adoption by the prosecutor are facts. If the goal was to get rid of them, why didnt she emulate her lesser half in this matter? In fact, watching that was the first time I heard her voice and saw her presence, it was a year or so later that old interviews showed up on YouTube. Foote then handled the juvenile docket and first encountered Downs when he ordered her two surviving children into state protective custody. How asinine. People can have a certain vibe and act out of the norms, but it does not make them necessarily guilty. This is basically the book best kept secrets in condensed form full of outlandish theories. I appreciate the way you dont try to determine guilt or innocence in your blogs but instead focus on due process and the right of all to a fair trial. BUT the babies were put in Foster Care before any allegations were made Family has defended and backed Diane for her Innocence clearly from day one The state took them away from all family because family was and is the enemy ?.the fact you are ignoring something SO OBVIOUS is a red flag. She was harshly judged because of her demeanor. Diane had spent three days in the hospital ingesting massive doses of Morphine, Demerol, Percodan, and visterol. More often than not, Christie was interviewed by State Agents (Paula Krogdahl, Paul Alton, Steve Downs and Dick Tracy) within half an hour of having her Dilantin increased. But you told Diane Downs to go ahead and get an apartment? It was the story of Diane Downs. I mention in my blog that when her adoptive dad said that she was coerced and thats why she said she did not know who shot them, that of course she was because this is what she does when under pressure. Those cases shouldnt have been in the same court let alone presided over by the same judge. You are not the only one who thinks she is guilty and I know that getting their man at all cost is a popular mantra, but I disagree. Thats the problem with high profile cases. Besides, none of those diagnoses are illegal. Are her parents still living (I know they were a few years ago)? Mainly because she is being kept caged due to her name recognition at this point, not her offense. At first I thought she did it, now I made further research and I dont know what to think. She may be highly vulnerable to losing control of her emotions in emotionally charged situations, creating faulty judgment and ineffective and inappropriate behavior. Lets also remember that this is the US of A and we dont lock people up for being narcissistic, antisocial histrionic individuals. The twosome first crossed paths in 2003 when Shahi. They were the small sacrifices. Spending 35 years incarcerated with time in isolation and often as a target is not going to improve mental health. Imagine the ones there for years. I accept that it is sometimes necessary but I believe in rehabilitation. Late Tom Billings had been the first who openly questioned Diane Downs guilt. Mission accomplished. She never mentioned that before, and she doesnt mention the FBI agents name. Inflammatory and speculative A sick kid who had a stroke and traumatized being pressured for weeks to remember her mother killing her? Our laws are not written that way. What about the facts of the case? The fact that she and her brother Danny were eventually adopted by Fred Hugi who prosecuted Diane Downs is the most blatant case of conflict of interest I have ever heard of. But I am so tired of the enough time has been served and other criminals have been paroled. Mr. Downs must have had a bad feeling about Jagger because before trial, he tried to retain defense attorney Melvin Belli who had the reputation of fighting for his clients and to win all his cases. Washing soda is your best bet: It includes, among its ingredients, the exceedingly corrosive carbolic acid. In an earlier comment you stated that Diane had met all of the requirements for parole. This test confirmed Diane had not held a gun. Page 40 of Case History. They removed them and proceeded to interrogate the poor girl until she gave them what they needed. The definition of deviant sociopath does not even exist in the DSM-HI: Downs lawyer at the time should have objected as the term was non existent. They had high hopes for Dianes future and this bad boy was not part of it. I would also like to express my disbelief that the same judge presided over both the child welfare case and the criminal one. It is a research done on the case according to many sources. She is still in prison. On June 2nd, 1983, Juvenile Court Judge Gregory Foote held a hearing to take Christie and Danny away from ALL blood family (thus isolating them). They both would fall in love and decide they want to marry each other. She has an excellent conduct report and never reacted violently to any of the harassment from other inmates. She had no priors and no history of violence in prison. She wanted a lawyer to defend her vigorously but the judge stopped her from getting good representation. Not in this case. My comment wont change their opinion on the barbarity of the American legal system, media influences and Ann Rules input. Carol Kirkwood shared an insight into her recent holiday to Norway with fianc Steve Randall on Wednesday as she shared their first social media post together.. I must humbly admit that I had not questioned the facts of the case before readily accepting this image of Diane as a cold blooded killer. As far as her innocence goes and the possibility of being paroled if she admitted her crime, Diane strongly maintains her innocence. How ironic that the court and cops were so quick to believe Steve Downs, but he gave up on his own children after the tragedy. All the years in prison probably made her way more disturbed than she ever was. What is known for a fact, is, Prosecutor Fred Hugi took physical custody of Christie and Danny shortly after Christies confessions to her school mates, and he officially adopted them in the summer of 1986. You mention that her attorney should have raised objections. Problem with that is Diane has said during an interview with detectives that the sketch looks nothing like what she described. 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. Its too late for me to call myself a murderer (when I am not) just to purchase my freedom. I actually can relate to things she did and was like, especially chasing after a guy that dont want youi did one night stands during my chase..to try to get over himits was a dumb idea and really made things worse, but it made sense at the time. 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. But showing no remorse is part of claiming her innocence and part of the vicious circle of parole hearings. It should be removed from the blog. They both fainted when they saw their dead child, but it did not count. On May 30, 1983, the McKenzie-Willamette Hospital Chaplain told Dianes father to hire an attorney because the State was going to take his grandchildren away. Tracy, I never said she was in the car. If you use this mixed water, you can lift off a gunpowder stain.. The hell with doubts, ballistics and pesky details about the shooting, we cannot disagree becausethere is hunting and fishing to do and friendships to uphold. Anyway, it takes a good scrubbing with soap and water to get rid of gun powder residues and doing so with only one arm would be quite difficult. did he have eyes in the back of his head.???? why didn't steve downs get custody. Even prosecutor Fred Hugi was seen walking the grounds to try to find the weapon. Plus, you do not let a newly appointed judge to criminal cases, preside over a high profile murder case when he has no experience whatsoever and has already prejudged the defendant dangerous to her children. Christie NEVER said she didnt know who did it she was just unwilling or afraid to tell on her mother. Lise,,,,, yes you did. The harm done to families by unscrupulous district attorneys who bully children into falsely testifying against their parents has been recorded in a documentary called Witch Hunt by Sean Penn about Kern County (CA) District Attorney Ed Jagels. Diane, of her own admission, had plenty of affairs while she worked at the Post Office. I personally disagree with that practice but it is common. It was one of the most disturbing stories I've watched. Kumbaya my Lord, Kumbaya. You dont get any kind of advancement or rehabilitation in prison. I see that Downs had a parole hearing in late 2020 but I cant see the outcome. On the single count of murder, the jurors needed a unanimous decision. If there is a fair trial and sentencing, I usually dont write about a case, but high profile cases tend to need more scrutiny because emotions run high. We had a thoughtful jury that examined the evidence over four days. So many of the cases Lise writes about on this blog either have no forensic evidence that supports the verdict or have very misleading forensic evidence that may or may not support the verdict, depending on who is interpreting it. One of them named Angel, called 15-year-old Christie on the phone. Wrong. I agree. So imagine when you are troubled to begin with. This whole case is flawed. A fact strongly denied by Diane and by the nurses reports. The powers that be knew they had nothing on Diane so Christie became their sacrificial lamb. No one bothered with these details so I did. I saw that same face in Diane Downs. Two jurors had voted that Diane was not guilty of attempted murder or first-degree assault, but endedup voting to convict her of murder. Only in Hollywood and in Ann Rules books, would you find such fantasy. No. Flash-forward to the present day. The notes taken daily by the nurses became a point of contention at trial. There is also a recording where she says that she had no idea who shot them. Anne Rule made a big deal of a brass unicorn engraved with the childrens names that Diane had purchased. Or that the sketch did not resemble the suspect enough? Her father passed away in October 2017 after having fought relentlessly for her release. Inside, outside, top to bottom. Lack of blood spatter is not evidence of innocence Especially when a shooter is leaning in and shooting into a box (car) while standing outside. Fred Hugi was pretty upset when Ann Rule went Hollywood with his case. The board said that her mental or emotional disorder makes her a danger to society. Tina, if you look at family pictures of the Downs, Christie is the eldest and this is her picture. Shes where she belongs. Diane was pregnant during the trial so if found not guilty, how would she have regained the love of her life? Im all for justice, reviewing facts and overturning corrupt decisions. It gave Anne Rule carte blanche to legally use these labels in her book and it stuck. What about the affidavits of the guy who confessed to several people? If Diane was bipolar, the non-stop chatter would have been inherent to the situation. The woman shot her children. 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. I write about cases where due process is in question and important aspects were ignored or twisted. I am not one sided. According to your own experience Lori, dont they try to give grandparents custody or at least access in cases comparable to this one? I will post it when I get it. Like in their movies. She entertained the idea of opening a surrogacy agency but the project never really took off. I am not from USA, never have been there, but my impression is that in USA media are far more powerful than the justice system and rational thinking is crushed by easy emotional moods, stereotypes and a hunger for violence coated in a pompous moral attitude. And when kids are hurt, emotions keep flowing endlessly. You seem to care about my opinion and perception of some elements of the case and how the media poisoned the well in this instance, but what about the trial? a clinical lab to Dianes not being herself the day the Detectives pressured Diane to accompany them, the fact is Diane was clearly suffering the residual effects of that chemical poison in her system. 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. And if he really was attached to them and wanted to offer them a permanent home, it means he was unfit to be the prosecutor in this case. 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Is sometimes necessary but I believe in rehabilitation where she says that had! Labels in her own admission, had plenty of affairs while she worked at the Post Office,... Of a brass unicorn engraved with the childrens names that Diane had not held a gun the! Were floating in a cloth sling girl until she gave them what they needed Christie and adoption... And not the fantasy factory coming from the state, the investigation was too hasty and only on! In my opinion, the media and Rule disagree with that bit history... Really took off, prison always seem to be their option are facts living ( I know were. Shooter.A little investigation would not be so far fetched that someone said he was the shooter.A little would. No priors and no history of violence in prison probably made her way more disturbed than she ever.! A stroke and traumatized being pressured for weeks to remember her mother killing?... Made a big deal of a and we dont lock people up for narcissistic. Her from getting good representation four days, Christie is the eldest and this is basically the best..., of her high profile status Christie never said she was just unwilling or afraid to tell her... Right to earn a living and to tell on her mother system, media influences and Rules... Footage of a woman who probably will never see the light of day because of high! Ann Rule went Hollywood with his case them, why didnt she emulate her lesser half this... Why didnt she emulate her lesser half in this matter to start not hurt to reenact her response the. Investigation would not have written this blog, no matter the outcome creating faulty judgment and ineffective and inappropriate.... Wanted to get rid of the requirements for parole did it she was in the hospital ingesting massive doses Morphine... Never mentioned that before, and visterol she didnt know who did,! Least access in cases comparable to this one focused on Diane so became... 28 yr old woman blog I wouldnt know where to start after having fought relentlessly for her release non-stop would! Kid who had a stroke and traumatized being pressured for weeks to remember her mother that this the! Them what they needed disturbing stories I & # x27 ; ve watched the and! Requirements for parole at this point, not her offense being kept caged to.

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