20/20s coverage of Diane Downs and the actions that led her to be sentenced to life in prison is a good portrayal of what really happened. But I am realistic. The notes taken daily by the nurses became a point of contention at trial. Is it the one you tried to use? The powers that be knew they had nothing on Diane so Christie became their sacrificial lamb. (Yes, speculative). Moreover, he apparently told her that he did not want children and this statement alone would seal Dianes fate. Rule even talked about writing a book about her but it never materialized. It was Judge Footes first criminal case and it was against a woman whose children he had removed from her care even though she had not been convicted or sentenced; a conflict of interest and pure madness. 7 chilling clues in case of Diane Downs after she told cops a stranger Back to DD, I think she suffered some kind of mental breakdown, her account of the facts was never reliable, all the case appears murky, which points to an incompetent handling of the situation by the police and justice system. Is it too late to respond to this? Critics said she deliberately became pregnant in order to garner sympathy from the jury. Go reading US: The American Gulag, 26 Mar 2009 Exploding prison populations in the US serve a basic need of capitalism. Steve and Diane Downs' children were adopted by Lane County prosecutor Fred Hugi and his wife, Joanne. All smoke and mirrors to fit a certain scenario. He has lived a life outside the public eye and hasnt ever come out to give interviews to the media about his ex-wife. In fact, if appropriate family is found, termination is not required. Lise do you know if the kids have ever reached out to the grandparents/family in the last few years? If appropriate family members could not be found to take placement of the children then family friends are the next step. The last time I checked, it is my website and if you find it tiresome, no one is inviting you to stay or read the content; which you evidently did not read anyway. However, Steve later discovered that Danny wasn't his biological son and divorced his wife. Let me tell you, it wasnt just the investigators and the prosecution that didnt believe herwe, Oregonians, (who ACTUALLY live here and watched what was happening) believe she is guilty. Once again, Diane said a lot of things. 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. Yes, Christie said she did not know who did it. The lack of balance and objectivity. On the single count of murder, the jurors needed a unanimous decision. Why was no one in the family given the right to adopt them. What about the son saying that man and nurses noting that. Diane Downs' ex husband, Steve Downs, lost a lot in May 1983 when his ex wife shot their three children, following their divorce in 1980. It was all about Charlene wanting KnickKnick ~wanting Dianeand Diane wanting a return to the peace she had before Knick asked his wife for a divorce. Considering the circumstances, it is difficult not to be a bit cynical about this grand gesture: relevance? Their first child, Christie Ann, was born in 1974. and so on. 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. Most people described Dianes injury as minor or superficial but in reality, it was a very serious injury. Diane described the stranger that shot them on the road and a police artist came up with a sketch. Ffs maybe u should go back to writing screenplays. Blood spatter is not an exact science, and is interpreted differently by experts. Most doctors would tell you that it is normal for our brains to block out a traumatic incident especially when combined with a serious physical injury. If it was not such a high profile case, Diane Downs would have been paroled a long time ago: speculative, Ill stop there. Now she claims she was dating an FBI agent at the time, was holding some top secret pictures for him, and she was on the road to meet someone to pass them off, at the instruction of her FBI boyfriend. ), years in solitary confinment Whats wrong with us?! Will Cheryl ever be let out of her grave? The blog tries to bring balance and more objectivity to a case that was TOTALLY one sided and still is. I am not sure of the exact timing of Dianes accusations but the Downs family did not only include the grandparents and they were never considered even before this nonsense. Seems like former husband, Steve Downs, should've been the custodial Yes, I had to go and sign the lease, yes, sir. Im glad you continued to look for more information as time went on. Theres a lot to be said here, still. The reason she is likely locked up is because she was diagnosed with narcissistic, histrionic and anti social personality disorder, that makes her a very dangerous person (especially since she is a murderer). ..it is quite possible if she was tried in todays world, with the evidence they hadquite possible it would of went differentlywe been living in a society that pretty much demand 100% pure forensic evidence provenprobably over 10 years or longer, people expect trials to be that of a law and order TV show..I cant say thats a bad thing, or makes what happened in the 80s on back bad. This is especially if it comes with a history of erratic behavior following the use of these substances. So I did not post your comment about his answer to your inquiry. I care about the experts reports written about Diane because they know her situation and mental state. You do not debate the content of the blog which you probably did not read anyway. I hope they have. It is not clear whether he still resides in Arizona, where he started his relationship with Diane those many years ago. Dianes automobile was secured and examined and no gun was found. Substituting reasonable inference and evidence for tarot cards? Everything I outlined should be public knowledge. It is not a plus, but it is not a crime either. This whole tale is just unbelievable. I think she was the only one there that night with her children. It was not the right gun. They rarely get a break. 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? In a fairly good knot which would have taken time to do one handed and teeth. Would you seriously be confident enough to present your findings you mention in your article to Diane Downs children? They never found the gun and she showed no signs of having fired one. Almost from day one, Diane was perceived as a cancer they had to remove. The previous video you sent me shows a Jagger pretty animated and involved in the defense of his client. This reminds me of what a jail counselor named Rachel Roth said at the trial of Debra Milke Its my opinion that this young woman has been judged in a way that signifies something to do with how we view women in our society. You say she made more of a fuss about her arm than about the injuries her children sustained. In reality,the whole caseturned out to beno small sacrifice for Diane Downs, but it was a huge victory for the State, the media anda very lucrative deal for theQueen of crime fiction herself; Ann Rule. Aint no one gonna tarnish my guys lol. You do not refute any of the points I made in the blogs. Steves surviving children had endured a horrifying experience performed by someone they loved and cared about. Exactly Libby why did they say during the trial that he saw his mom? But saying that you are not very smart is useless. Anne Rule made a big deal of a brass unicorn engraved with the childrens names that Diane had purchased. Is there any update? The Diane Downs' Case Was no Small Sacrifice - Crime Website Because Foote was already familiar with the case, the presiding judge assigned him the murder trial after Downs was charged with the shootings. He gave temporary custody to Dr. Wilhite. When a unicorn and hungry like the wolf make their way into a court room during a high profile trial, its a red flag. I was shocked any asked why she thought that. Tina, if you look at family pictures of the Downs, Christie is the eldest and this is her picture. Any thoughts on that? Every single one of these questions matter. Jeff, you mention being harsh as if there was a justification for it. So the hell with no gun, no GSR, no blood and no witnesses except a sick child who denied knowing who shot them until she could not anymore and happened to be adopted by the prosecutor; making it look like she could never change her mind and reveal that she has no memory of the shooting and maybe have the case reversed. The GSR? I wish she could get a new look. How asinine. She would have been released under strict conditions with the support of her family and under the care of a mental health specialist. Diane was cooked the minute she walked in that courtroom. The Pros and Cons of Getting Sole Legal Custody - Verywell Family Christie was the primary witness in the case against her mother. I talked about her still being locked up, all these years later, because I really want to know is it because we believe she will commit more crimes or is it because we need more revenge? Its a rather large part of the story. She talked to Diane for 15 minutes, there was thebizarre and partialOprah interview that was basically a lets bash Diane event and she wrote to Diane in jail to ask her what she thought of Hugi adopting her children. Devoting ur life to taking down a dead author is a waste of ur talents. So move on. Danny was the product of an affair. "I knew within 30 minutes of talking with that woman that she was guilty": Surgeon who helped save one of Diane Downs' kids in 1983 after she shot her recalls chilling interaction. The underlying basis of this article. Every time, she said she did not know, they told her to think again and made suggestions. It was positive only on a small portion of her upper hand where she said the gun touched her when she wrestled with the attacker (a detail she had mentioned before they did the test). I couldnt get my hands on the book nor find anything in librariesso basically it was many years later I dove into knowing more about this case, that kinda haunted me. Right?? I have no idea whether or not she was guilty of the crime. Probably a 911 button. Whether it tugs at your heartstrings or angers you to the core, these stories could have happened years ago, and they still take up space in your memories. This blogger apparently believes anything she hears to support her inaccurate theory that Diane Downs was falsely accused and convicted. He needed, now more than ever, to vacate the area asap. 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. I mention in the blog that Dianes mental health is in question so it is obvious that her encounter with her long lost daughter was going to be difficult. Also, their union was turbulent ever since the beginning as Diane was reportedly disappearing with her children for long periods. Yes, I had filed for divorce and then I canceled it. As she is incarcerated, her fate is already sealed, servicing her life sentence in prison. I then question how she would not have blood splatter if she shot them inside the car at close range. Here's everything you need to know. It was a fairly new science at the time so thats all it took to find him not guilty. In the nurses notes, she is described as in shock and unable to grasp the situation. 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. Do you remember about two days after that the two of you signing a lease on the apartment? He was one of the few people who saw Diane, not as the outsider, but as a beautiful woman who was anxious to assert her independence. Q. That didnt seem right so we wrote a letter to Mr Hugi with a request for visitation rights. Q. I dont believe there was a CK. Seems like she was her worst enemy. I find it interesting for you to observe this because it should be more scientific and empirical today than it was in the 80s, but is it really? The incident left Cheryl dead, Danny paralyzed from the waist down, and Christie suffering from a stroke that affected her speech. I am not saying that Diane was a saint or Ann Rule a demon. 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. From the very beginning, the DAs office had their ducks in a row because in an unprecedented move, Judge 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. The bushy haired stranger that police had gotten a lead on worked at the country club he was at work at that time and had a sever speech impediment. The most frequent remarks I hear about the case when confronted by the state misconduct and the lack of evidence are gut feelings I dont buy it Shes guilty She did it I know she did it Her story makes no sense Shes evil Shes crazy. It had to be her.. She had the right to a fair trial as much as anyone else out there. There is no way that a jury would convict Diane today, based on the clearly coached testimony of Christie. Her arm was severely damaged, so shattered that she needed a graft from a hip bone. He said all the police needed was for Diane to bear witness against her ex-husband. Halo Show: Why Master Chief's Voice Actor Was Recast (But Cortana Wasn't) And if you claim your innocence, it obviously creates a vicious circle of not showing contrition. Those cases shouldnt have been in the same court let alone presided over by the same judge. The fact that she drove there and it saved the life of two of her children should give anyone pause. They were in a group home and he was getting unsupervised visitation with them. It seems that everyone commenting just knows shes guilty, like you say. The ballistics, gun, speed at which she drove the car, her demeanor, etc. For example, the abhorrent decision regarding Keli Lane: https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.whimn.com.au/talk/news/why-i-think-keli-lane-should-not-be-in-prison/news-story/069a09c79589645c48de5bfa91e4ca0f. The gun problem or the absence of blood and powder residues are not make believe. so which one is it????? I agree. Dianes family could give you countless examples of the inaccuracies they found in her book. Im all for justice, reviewing facts and overturning corrupt decisions. If Hugi got attached to the children, why did he wait 2 years when little Christie was starting to say she had no clue who shot them? I am not biased. Diane wanted to wait for her daughter to feel better, be accompanied by an expert and have the meetings taped? She'd also shot herself in the forearm. Thanks again. why didn t steve downs get custody - Central Texas Gardening Blog Strange how Jagger is pretty absent too except for the few photos where he is wrongly identified as Hugi. TOP 8 why didn't steve downs get custody BEST and NEWEST Can you imagine your little boy growing up to beat to death (with his bare hands and boots) Is she referring to her ex husband? It became judicial kidnapping to obtain a coerced confession. Only in Hollywood and in Ann Rules books, would you find such fantasy: Relevance? This blogger believes in the presumption of innocence and in the possibility of redemption. The court can just do an APR, Assignment of Parental Rights. It was the story of two troubled young souls trying to survive without a safety net. I say these things if I were on the jury. Guilty or not, we should know better than to use the justice system as a psychic tool when theres not enough evidence. It's not even known if he still resides in Arizona, where he used to live with Diane and their three kids. This unhealthy marriage survived and became a daily struggle. Diane ran away from her husband many times between 1976 and 1977, but with nowhere to go except her parents house, she would come back. Yes, shes as guilty as Simpson. But you are right to say that it is my site. Fred Hugi looks nothing like Jim Jagger. I personally disagree with that practice but it is common. A reader told me that I should have a website with all the comments. A. I believe Charlene and I had a big blowout around Thanksgiving and I left, called Diane. And to say that her mental health has degraded is an understatement, but more reason not to keep her eternally incarcerated. The problem was, Diane has a long-documented history of adversely reacting to tranquilizing drugs. They are the ones who considered Dianes children as Small Sacrifices. They were not truth seekers and enjoyed a nice burning at the stake instead. Her mom is still alive and would love to have contact but respect that they wont. I especially loved reading everyones comments. During cross-examination, she said that she witnessed the murders while sitting up and that Cheryl was sitting up on the front seat when she got shot. A new trial would be out of the question, so to me, parole would be the solution. Meaning a trial where lying or failing to disclose exculpatory evidence by prosecutors is not happening. One of the important pieces of evidence was the absence of all but a trace of gunshot residue. The towel and a girl who had a stroke, was separated from her family and was constantly questioned without being recorded or accompanied by a loved one and testifying to facts that do not match the testimony of the forensic expert is not being reduced to conjecture? When she resisted, he shot her kids and struggled with her. Why is there virtually no info on him? I care about what was said at trial. I still remember my mother picking up the paper and seeing the headline. He may still reside in Arizona, but there is no proof of the same. Click 'See First' under 'Follow' Tab to see Tuko.co.ke news on your FB Feed. McPherron: And you had no contact with her . That poor girl. Robert was a married man in Arizona with whom Diane had been having an affair, back when she was still living there. The fact that the accused in this case was atypical, makes her the perfect target. They are now leading their private lives as adults. She never mentioned that before, and she doesnt mention the FBI agents name. Phenobarbital was administered alongside the Dilantin. In my blog, I was referring to the case of Liysa Northon whose suit was dismissed, but when Ann Rule tried to sue the Seattle Magazine, its editor and Northons husband for their article on her shoddy work, she lost and had to pay restitution. She was the prosecutions only hope. The lawsuit against Ann Rule was thrown out as unfounded because after reading her book they could find no inconsistencies She sat thru the entire trial AND used actual court transcripts. As a married man, the ball was in his court and he decided togo forit. This is a conflict of interest. The best policy for Diane Downs would have been to remain silent, but she fought back and smiled at the wrong time and according to them, enjoyed the attention. Without her daughters testimony and the lies about the gun, they could not have found her guilty in a fair trial. PAY ATTENTION: Install our latest app for Android, read best news on Kenyas #1 news app. We cant. , The lovely Farrah Fawcett who played in the movie, Anne Rule might have inflamed the case with her book, Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), The Diane Downs Case Was no Small Sacrifice. They claimed to have found two lead cartridges in Dianes rifle at home that supposedly matched the ones used during the crime. Her children deserved the whole truth and nothing but the truth. Diane had consulted a psychologist after the tragedy and after months of consultation, she was never diagnosed as a sociopath. The character of the accused is not the main ingredient, especially that in this case, there was a lot of bashing going on in the media and in court. And the interrogations were not tapedand barelydocumented. Not even the gun. In this article, we can clearly see that Becky struggled and tried to justify her woes (maybe rightly so) by blaming it on her DNA. If she was such a manipulative person, she would not be in prison for life, would she? (Yes in the 1980s a ten yr like myself was not as mature as say todays 10 yr olds. 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. Mr. It is documented in the blog where I give the source In the 1996 Federal Petition, you can find the Anatomy of Brainwashing that can answer any question on this subject. It is also very is to clean. After all, Cheryl Downs is basically serving a life sentence with no possibility of parole for her mothers crime. Two of the kids survived the shooting with life altering injuries, and one of the children died. I still dont buy her story. It sounds like Diane was trying to tell her to stay away from bad influences. In fact, Knick admits Diane took that gold chain as collateral against a $500 LOAN she made to him. The fact that there was a rush to judgment, an investigation targeting only one result and a media coverage often presenting lies is very bothersome. This test confirmed Diane had not held a gun. Page 40 of Case History. And to try not to bash Dianes Downs character and stick to evidence instead. It gave Anne Rule carte blanche to legally use these labels in her book and it stuck. 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. Ann Rule has always been sensationalist, and her books were almost unreadable at the end of her publishing days. The two kids who had survived the attack were placed for adoption and Steve was no able to care for them. Are you still taking comments by email? If you read the blog, you will see many examples of media hype and character assassination. Belli filed a motion for a 2-week extension to familiarize himself with the case because he had to be in Italy, and declared Diane innocent in a press conference, but Foote denied the motion and declared you have an attorney, use him.. 4. It is called a conflict of interest. Did Danny Downs, Steve Downs' son, remain paralyzed? Agreed. But you would know that if you had read the blog or info about the case. Nowadays, this insanity would never be tolerated. I know several people who know or knew both of the surviving children as well as Diane. My guess is the grandparents were so overwhelmed with Dianes case that they let the system take care of the kids at first. If you had, you would clearly know that I do not claim her guilt or innocence. Within a few weeks, the kids who had survived were placed in protective custody and were no longer in Steve's care. They said so and were told to go back to deliberate. A demonstration in court strongly suggested that the shooter had to be left-handed to have been able to shoot in the car at the right angle. They did not like her attitude and she did not behave the way they expected a grieving mother to act. It surely was not due process. The tape is real and probably not admissible, but it seems to indicate that her testimony was coerced: Why is it not admissible? 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. Surely before Diane downs, there were other mothers who killed their kids..or allegedly did, however in 83 and 84 it made national news, nothing quite like it had come across the media world, which during that decade was really skyrocketing in sensationalismI believe is where it started, becoming less news and more entertainment. She may be highly vulnerable to losing control of her emotions in emotionally charged situations, creating faulty judgment and ineffective and inappropriate behavior. Charlene would call Diane at all hours of the day and night to threaten violence if Diane continued on with her husband. Not that Dianes mental health was not a factor in her letter, but it was definitely taken out of context in some instances. It was such a high profile case and she was found guilty by the media and the court so people are afraid to touch this one. WTF? Oh my. If you have an opinion on drugging a child to make her talk, a judge presiding over a criminal case when he was in family court and removed the children from the defendants or the forensics, ballistic, etc. The definition of deviant sociopath does not even exist in the DSM-HI, which is the official psychiatric diagnostic manual. I was raised by an evil narcissist and have not only seen this kind of behavior before, but I have seen the face of the devil and it is a look of pure evil that gives me the creeps. None of this is EVIDENCE of anything in regard to the murder trial, and not once did I read that it was. To listen to Christies taped conversation, click below. Spending 35 years incarcerated with time in isolation and often as a target is not going to improve mental health. While these are all good questions, (and were maybe all asked in the jury room during deliberations) I doubt the answers even matter anymore. The fact that she took the kids to the nearest hospital, andtwo of them survived kind offlies in the face of their murder at all costs theory. After six weeks in Oregon where the children were happily spending time with their grandparents while Diane worked her postal route, the incident happened on a dark road that led to Diane being accused of murder and attempted murder. Some cases are so one sided that you feel like exposing or at least, discussing the other side. 3. Diane was diagnosed as being bipolar and subsequently diagnosed by a psychiatrist before sentencing. It is my hope that Leslie Van Houten and Diane Downs are never paroled. So appropriate! She was the star witness in her mom's prosecution and her testimony helped convict her. He asked her for the car keys and she pretended to throw them away to distract him. 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. I have nothing to gain and I am not making up songs and dances about a unicorn. Makes major decisions easier because only one parent is legally responsible. As usual, Diane had resorted to the soothing comfort of a pregnancy to pretend life would get better; she would create a nest around her, come hell or high water. There were a few calls and on one occasion,Christie said They just, they knew that, you know, that she did it and I should say that she did it. When asked if she thought her mother did it or someone else did it, she replied, I dont know if she did it or someone else did, cause I dont know. Then Angel says: They told you that was the right thing to do, huh? Christie responds, But like the person, my attorney, and thats who Fred is, that Im living with, hes the guy, he works for me.. But in their defense, they were told at trial what gun was used by Diane to shoot the kids and it must have been very difficult to overcome the emotions brought on by the words of little Christie even if it was pretty obvious during her testimony that she was confused and unreliable.

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