Common sense will tell this Court, when Diane accidently slammed her mangled arm into the steering wheel of Detective Tracys car, it was ANYTHING but a laughing matter. Lori, I luv how you ended your comment Lets also remember that this is the US of A and we dont lock people up for being narcissistic, antisocial histrionic individuals. If I included the ones I dont post, it would need more than a like or dislike button. 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. In 1979, headstrong Diane gave birth to Danny who was not Stevens biological son because he had no desire to be a father again. I have plans to go hunting with the husband of one of the alternates.. Are you still taking comments by email? Insulting a woman in prison since 30 years instead of debating the inconsistencies of this case is pretty pathetic. Diane Downs was convicted because she didn't appear "sorry enough" during her TV appearances. It seems they all went the easy way. In the nurses notes, she is described as in shock and unable to grasp the situation. The roller coaster ride had nothing to do with Diane s children and Diane knew it. She said a bunch of really stupid things in the media (my kids were lucky, not me gets the palm) and basically bury herself. Whenever your shoot a gun that many times and that close to the victims, theres going to be blood and powder residues. That towel should have been soaked in their blood not hers. To this day, his record is mixed; his law license was suspended for6 monthsin 2011, and there was also talk of a suspension in 2015. But the Parole Board refused to hear her. This is an extremely tragic case and her children at the very least deserve justice. Go to the hate groups for that. It wasnt simply her demeanor that got her convicted. 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. At the time, among 49 prisoners denied parole, the board had given only four inmates, including Downs, a 10-year wait. Detective Antoine also performed a trace metal test on Diane I S hands to detect the presence of trace metals left after someone has touched or held something metallic like a gun (Appendix 65). Did you read her statements to the parole board in 2008? The gun presented at trial being the wrong one is a fact. It should have been investigated further. I think that the time she has served and her good behavior made her eligible for parole. This is what I try to do when I research a case that was deemed to be a slam dunk. Phenobarbital was administered alongside the Dilantin. Celebrity Author Covers Case Ann Rule wrote 'Small Sacrifices,' later released as a movie. And it is not like these two were white as snow. But the high profile nature of the case might hinder the process. Im glad you continued to look for more information as time went on. I research cases that in my opinion, were poorly tried. That didnt seem right so we wrote a letter to Mr Hugi with a request for visitation rights. What disease did Ray Liotta have, and what caused his death? Who are Steve Downs children? 5. Youre right to say that a GSR is not always foolproof and between 10-20% of suicide GSR kits test negative for GSR. They never tried to reunite them with family. They rarely get a break. Tracy, I never said she was in the car. Dianes automobile was secured and examined and no gun was found. I was always really bothered by that. 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. Click to read The Case of Liysa Northon Who Said True Crime Does not Pay? He separated from his wife and was going to follow Diane who, by now, had decided to move and work in Oregon to be closer to her parents. Found the internet! This is especially if it comes with a history of erratic behavior following the use of these substances. Nobody near to help. It is possible that he still resides in Arizona, but exactly where he is or what he does, we dont know. Christie's first child is a boy. They sure forgot to tell us about her pulse racing during these sessions. 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. What they did to her daughter is unconscionable. Of course, her mental health has deteriorated. , 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. 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. http://www.salem-news.com/articles/july152013/midnight-med-tb-2.php I do not declare her innocent. Or that they are not even curious about it. Her children deserved the whole truth and nothing but the truth. All the years in prison probably made her way more disturbed than she ever was. Justice is all that is left. She folded it neatly around her arm. Reasonable doubt is most certainly lacking. No one bothered with these details so I did. Ive done my research. You seem to believe everyone is innocent. None of this is EVIDENCE of anything in regard to the murder trial, and not once did I read that it was. Diane Downs is guilty beyond any doubt and I do not believe that her daughter was coached. Child Protective Services takes confidentiality to the extreme (warranted in most cases). She. 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. They dont need to be adopted and have their entire identity changed. Evidence or not, they were going to do their best to put her away for life. Criminalist James Pex was pretty clear about this. Two wrongs do not make a right but illustrates that she should have never been coerced before, during or after the trial. The whole family were co-conspirators and involved in the crime? This is also a faster route to give the children permanency, and is far cheaper for the child welfare system that is always strained by the budget. But they tended to ignore other important aspects. She complained about it, but that does not mean she did not suffer for her kids. John Kitzhaber, Governor of Oregon She met Robert "Nick" Knickerbocker and started having a relationship with him earlier. Thanks for posting for readers. 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. Wow does he ever look different than how they portrayed him in the TV movie. In addition, the children were suffering life-changing physical and mental trauma, which would take years to heal. In addition, the children were suffering life-changing physical and mental trauma, which would take years to heal. She felt fulfilled when she was pregnant because she believedit was the road to unconditional love. Steve and Diane had three children, Danny, Cheryl, and Christie Ann. Their goal was to make Dian look crazy, because sane people dont shoot their children. Page 6 of Case History. Then they just got shut out. I do not care if the bushy haired stranger made no sense or if they could not explain the why of the tragedy, I do not care if she was madly in love with a guy because all that counts is proof and evidence in a court of law, and there was definitely a reasonable doubt. Isnt is odd how something we are exposed to as children can stick in our memory? According to Rule and the court, the unicorn was a memorial to her children that she purchased after premeditating their murder. Of course. From reading the blog and my little understanding of this case, Ms Downs remains in custody as she is considered a dangerous offender. 1st, you came back from a trip? I found your blog to be very well written, informative and interesting. When they graduated from high school, the two reunited and rekindled their love despite their brief separation. When they recaptured her, she was very docile. By the time the incident had happened, it seems as if the two had parted ways . Dianes family could give you countless examples of the inaccuracies they found in her book. Her daughter told the media she watched Small Sacrifices several times. Brewer freely declared that Diane Downs would never have been convicted except that he believed the lie Jim Jagger permitted Fred Hugi to enter into the record. Her 7 yr old daughter was already dead, her other 2 children were in critical condition. I accept that it is sometimes necessary but I believe in rehabilitation. 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. She keeps her emotions under tight control, presenting only socially acceptable feelings and burying other contradictory feelings.. I will talk to Dianes brother. (This is why Foote was assigned the case. 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? Diane Downs and Alice Crummins were considered sluts and cold-blooded women and were judged on their unusual character. It should have raised a red flag concerning her mental stability or the possibility that more people were involved. It was a harrowing, shameful miscarriage of justice. 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. Thanks again. 3. 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. (witness statement the gentleman who was behind her for at least 10 minutes). I know several people who know or knew both of the surviving children as well as Diane. Diane Downs is no exception. Dianewas jealous ofthe other woman, but Robert Knickerbockers wife said that she foundher rather friendly during their encounter. It would never happen todaynever. It does seem time has done worse to her. The case is old and the blog dated, but it is never too late to respond. It was not the right gun. She has been denied parole 2x and is up again in 2020. Yep, Downs who was found guilty in 1984, escaped successfully from the Oregon Womens Correctional Center in 1987 and was transferred to Jersey afterwards. I lived through the media coverage. The fact that the Hugis did so successfully is arguably proof of this. It sounds like Diane was trying to tell her to stay away from bad influences. The most recent tape of her daughter is not admissible because it is never allowed to bring out tapes that were obtained this way. I will post it when I get it. A demonstration in court strongly suggested: Suggested, not confirmed. I am glad you read it anyway and I appreciate your comment. The kind of TV series that they produce on high profile crimes will make sure to turn public opinion. Diane had consulted a psychologist after the tragedy and after months of consultation, she was never diagnosed as a sociopath. But you dont mention that she again has changed her story.. Why on earth would anyone recommend leaving the kids with the grandparents? Moreover, he apparently told her that he did not want children and this statement alone would seal Dianes fate. 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). That hurt our family deeply. I almost felt bad for her.that being she seemed so lost in her lies..she just hangs in limbo now. I do not discuss her guilt or innocence because this is not what the blog is about, but I personally hope she is released one day. I like your approach. He could not during the marriage so he walked away. This test confirmed Diane had not held a gun. Page 40 of Case History. Diane nowhad the title ofdangerous offender. She functions best in highly structured environments where she has a sense of control. It took a lot of time to research this case and present the other side of the coin. She waseighteen and soon realized that she had jumped from the fire into the frying pan. Christie and Danny have no contact with their father, and they have completed their education. Great blog post, thank you. Thanks Kit, It is a bit of a mystery to me that not more people see that if we removed the high profile name and the accompanying media storm, the case was no slam dunk. Her arm was severely damaged, so shattered that she needed a graft from a hip bone. She was more interested in the affection of men, which on that fateful day in 1983 gave her an idea. Go reading US: The American Gulag, 26 Mar 2009 Exploding prison populations in the US serve a basic need of capitalism. It gave Anne Rule carte blanche to legally use these labels in her book and it stuck. No conflict of interest from a prosecutor adopting a defendants children 2 years after the fact? She did not have the opportunity to clean her hands with the right product to erase all traces and she was tested pretty fast, contrary to many other cases. Diane and her family fought for them but were blocked from day one. View theaffidavits. Same with her brother. They would have tried to reopen the case. And the motive? Despite all these misgivings, they chose to stay strong in the marriage and had their first child, Christie Ann, in 1974. In an earlier comment you stated that Diane had met all of the requirements for parole. Search within r/halo . Barry Sheck and bis crew of investigators should get involved. My beef is with the interference by the media, TV shows and Ann Rule A reader told me that I should have a website with all the comments. This article is about due process and the legal right to a fair trial for everyone. I care about the experts reports written about Diane because they know her situation and mental state. Dianes dad died a year or two ago. By many accounts, her children adored her. Even though his wife shot their children multiple times, and the case was national news, he never surfaced and kept a low profile. Diane was in the hospital for a bone graft from June 2nd until June 6th, 1983. It was far fetched, unfoundedand convenientlyrelayedby Rule to boost the sales of her book. Christie Downs was eight-years old when she was injured and nine-years old when she testified. They checked her shoes and they were clean. Litigating at the Supreme Court in . I believe DDs case needs to be re looked at and all evidence reviewed. She had the right to a fair trial as much as anyone else out there. Diane was diagnosed as being bipolar and subsequently diagnosed by a psychiatrist before sentencing. Even if I have no doubt that Hugi loved the kids, we have to wonder why he adopted them two years later just when little Christie started saying she had no clue who shot them. Yet that didnt stop Knick from asking Mr. Frederickson for a job and for Dianes hand in marriage (Appendix 81, page Case History Page 25). The definition of deviant sociopath does not even exist in the DSM-HI, which is the official psychiatric diagnostic manual. If you want to defend Diane Downs, more power to you. This whole tale is just unbelievable. The fact that the children were in no way protected by Child Protection Services is undeniable. In one of them, he knew her name and in another one, she had answered a call and been told to meet someone. Hi Nanette, it is not a matter of being gullible. They checked her nails to see if she could have buried the gun and they were clean. While not evidence of guilt or innocence, it is certainly worth noting as part of the overall wrongs perpetrated during this fiasco of a trial and subsequent appeals. The bitches own daughter identified Downs as the shooter. It had nothing to do with the evidence of the case and represents useless labeling anyway. The inconsistencies and obvious lack of evidence in this case should have called for a wider investigation instead of solely focusing on their prime suspect. They should have taken their timeto investigatethis case thoroughly and without prejudice. Not speculative? The story of Steve Downs' children is one of the most shocking to date. All of it is explained in the blog you didnt bother reading. One of the jurors finally declared we started as a group and finished as a group., He also said we dont want to put pressure on the group, we dont want to end up bickering. Not optional, kids should not be in limbo that long, but it happens all the time. Leaving out a lot of info that should be included and presenting a very one sided take on these things. The children were in the hospital, it isnt like they could have taken them home. She had no priors and no history of violence in prison. According to the State, ballistics evidence proved that Diane Downs was guilty. Reduces conflict because communication is limited. Nowadays, this insanity would never be tolerated. Plus, the circumstances of this charade were more than sinister. According to the state, the shooter was well inside the car and would have had gun powder on its clothing, body or hair if 3 people were shot in the car at close distance. It was demonstrated at trial that the shooter shot the kids at close range. Im not saying I know for a fact in my mind shes innocentbut there is NOT enough evidence for her to be guilty. 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. Of course, because this is what she does when people put her on the spot and ask questions concerning her mother and the shooting. How asinine. Instead of blaming societal problems and working at finding solutions, prison always seem to be their option. The prescribed normal dosage for a full grown man is 30 milligrams per day. Aint no one gonna tarnish my guys lol. She claimed she . I would love to hear your answers to them. And to say that her mental health has degraded is an understatement, but more reason not to keep her eternally incarcerated. What was the rationale behind this? ), Interesting suggestion. The point is our trials need to be conducted fairly and based on evidence. I read the letter they sent to the Downs when they were fighting to see their grandchildren. Also, he has never given television interviews about his family or ex-wife, who is now serving time in prison. Farrah had trouble with the law because of a passionate love affair with a movie director. My question is: why is she still locked up? 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. Either way he could NOT have seen who shot him unless he has eyes in the back of his head. Diane was instructed to reenact her response to the attacker who murdered her daughter. The two mental disorders that cause excessive talking are Bipolar Disorder and Schizophrenia. The Case of Liysa Northon Who Said True Crime Does not Pay? And by the way, I wrote the blogs about Rule way before she passed. "We are obviously disappointed at the verdict. In high school, she met handsome Steven Downs who saw her for the great beauty she had become. Nevertheless, Steve and Diane tied the knot on November 13, 1973. So should I put an addendum saying that Diane contradicted herself or was not satisfied with the sketch? Mrs. Fredericksons concern for her daughters emotional state was well placed. She s. To have separated Christie from her brother and the rest of the family to be able to get her mom was unconscionable. Again I go back to how times were back then. Plus, Diane could have never cleaned her clothes and her hair to remove blood and gun powder. Despite all of this: that the attorney became a Foster Carer irrelevant, inflammatory, subjective and bears no reflection on the trial, or indeed the trial outcome. Inflammatory and speculative I do not have to put any statement advising people that I am about to present the neglected aspects of the trial. As for Diane, give me a break. Steve Downs had allegedly stolen this gun from a friend named Billy Proctor, but after it was found and the ballistics did not match, Bill suddenly remembered keeping it only for a day before exchanging it for another Ruger automatic at a gun show in Mesa; which now meant that the gun that Diane allegedly used to shoot herself and the children, was still apparently nowhere to be found. Danny was the product of an affair. According to Detective Welch, Steve Downs followed Diane to Oregon, they fought and Steves rage took the last step on the path hed been treading for a long time. 6. She knew that Knickerbocker hated trouble of any kind, and thathe would have never come back to her after an ugly shooting where she had been wounded and her kids damaged. Danny has kept a low profile, and not much about his life like family, marriage, and children are in public. This case certainly had its share of circumstantial evidence. However, Steve later discovered that Danny wasn't his biological son and divorced his wife. One should also wonder why their biological father who was so eager to bash his ex on the stand was not given custody, and did not stay in contact with his two remaining children. The board said that her mental or emotional disorder makes her a danger to society. Hysteria. Your prayers were answered. Anyways. Maybe I should have elaborated more about this comment. She wrote to the governor several times after being dismissed coldly by Hugi and the system. By the way, this not a Diane Downs is innocent blog. It is a lets examine the facts of the case with hindsight and try to explain some of the inconsistencies and the role of the media and crime writers. And lets wonder why the US think that letting people die in prison is the answer when most civilized countries have reached other conclusions. When I hear some people say that they would have liked to smack that smirk off Dianes face when she interacted with the cops or the media, I sayreadthis to understand accounts of people laughing at the wrong time and how it is related to their personality disorder. HUGE conflict of interest. During the process of the termination (which can take the whole 2 years in question, with appeals) the court is mandated to find family to take the children. Is there any update? Do not take this so personally. Hugi did not want that. Q. Teams of people and detectives combed the area for months looking for the gun but it was nowhere to be found. He freely admitted HE decided to ask for a divorce on his birthday without consulting Diane, who was out of town Are you looking for more information about Ryan Eggold? The cops admitted that they never investigated the tips about a bushy haired stranger. Christie was only eight, had suffered gunshot wounds and was in shock. The blog I read is all about the improprieties and flat out misconduct in Dianes trial (and the way Ann Rule profited off of it with fiction). Without the media blast and rush to judgment from the police and DAs office, we might have uncovered the truth. Steven and Diane married on November 13, 1973. And this makes many people wonder about his whereabouts. Pros. Doing it without witnesses when she was so sick is underhanded. On a side note, what do you think of parole of Leslie Van Houton? While that makes her technically eligible for parole at some point (in her case 2009) it does not actually mean she has an end date or a release date. I agree. Here's what we know. Anne Rule made a big deal of a brass unicorn engraved with the childrens names that Diane had purchased. http://sputniknews.com/us/20150620/1023613662.html#ixzz3djEXlSAC // The Prison State of America Dec 28, 2014 Chris Hedges, http://www.truthdig.com/report/item/the_prison_state_of_america_20141228 . Children under the age of twelve may cognitively grasp the concept of truth and lie, but lack the conscience which compels people to apply the concept to their lives, or the strength to maintain the truth when adults coerce her to lie. Diane found with him,the kind of relationship she had never known before: there was actually care and intimacy involved. I have worked in Child Protection for over 20 years and have extensive experience in this field domestically and internationally. You can believe what you like. It opened a huge can of worms regarding the real identity of the heart full of lies in this case. Due process always matters. If it was not such a high profile case, Diane Downs would have been paroled a long time ago, considering her good behavior and lack of priors. Hugi got the evidence needed to convict after numerous meetings with Christie. It is a research done on the case according to many sources. But in the case of DD, there were a lot of elements missing. 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. I would like to believe this is the truth. I encourage you to read all the facts before being so sure that she was guilty or that she acted alone. Everyone in the world can believe something. I mean, yeah, I can see the no contact order with Diane. Messed. No OTHER reason. Q. Also, their union was turbulent ever since the beginning as Diane was reportedly disappearing with her children for long periods.