Her 7 yr old daughter was already dead, her other 2 children were in critical condition. And yes, its your site, but dont act like a site is open for discussion if its not. They dont need to be adopted and have their entire identity changed. Diane said that Cheryl was laying down on the front floorboard with the passenger seat pushed back. Steve knew Danny was not his biological child and left Downs. So should I put an addendum saying that Diane contradicted herself or was not satisfied with the sketch? (Yes, speculative). (Appendix 81, page 1466). Downs was constantly provoked by inmates because of the nature of her situation, and she never once attacked or defended herself in a violent manner. I research cases that in my opinion, were poorly tried. 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. The time was spent waiting for the clock to tick down the final seconds for all appeals to the parental termination to be allowed. Rule sued the Seattle Weekly after they published the article titled , Ann Rule promotes her books as true crime stories so to this day, viewers believe that the book and the movie titled, This reminds me of what a jail counselor named Rachel Roth said at the trial of Debra Milke , They already had made up their mind that Diane was the perpetrator so they laughed off the idea of the , 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 say. I have simply bothered researching the evidence and in some instances, the lack of it. I had never heard of this case and fell upon several videos that had me completely convinced DD was a narcissistic psychopath. To this day, his record is mixed; his law license was suspended for 6 months in 2011, and there was also talk of a suspension in 2015. If you read the blog, you will see examples of his lack of dedication. I think that Van Houten was recommended for parole by a system that assessed that after 40 years, she was not a threat to society and a reformed woman. I remember when Diane shot her kids and there are some facts Id like to correct from your blog. 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? And with hindsight, the fact that this young mother had a personality disorder probably brought a lot of drama to the mix. If you listen to the recording, Christie clearly says I dont know who did it. She was asleep, thats why. I am not sure. 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. This was very stressful. It became judicial kidnapping to obtain a coerced confession: inflammatory What would have been the conclusion to have drawn without this hate campaign? 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. 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. She had been the bread winner for most of her marriage, and never wavered in her desire to bring financial stability to her family. 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. Children imitate their parents every move. I am so tired of the victims being forgotten. CMOH said 2 doses = minimal protection against infection . Seems like former husband, Steve Downs, should've been the custodial parent after the divorce. 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. So imagine when you are troubled to begin with. 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. Her family members were quite capable of taking care of the children. Mission accomplished: Relevance? How interesting. Many attribute the conviction of Downs to the arrival of author Ann Rule at Downs' trial. Some cases are so one sided that you feel like exposing or at least, discussing the other side. Thanks for the link. She had no priors and no history of violence in prison. Hugi got the evidence needed to convict after numerous meetings with Christie. In fact, Diane had consulted a psychologist after the tragedy and after months of consultation, she was never diagnosed as a sociopath. Or that they are not even curious about it. Someone found guilty of a crime should have a sentence that can be served and not one that is contingent on the remorse shown. She could not have been shot twice in the back while sitting up and have the bullet pierce her body to end up under the floorboard of the passenger side. It turned out to be a mistake because he was married to a County Circuit Court Judge who would become a colleague of Foote and he had no intention of defending Diane vigorously. Someone said to me that any of us, if scrutinized under a microscope, would come out looking pretty bad. As you said, the system has to work for everyone and you cant change the rules because a case is high profile without muddying the waters. I worked for county government child welfare for a decade. ), years in solitary confinment Whats wrong with us?! Its as if they cant control it. 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. No one bothered with these details so I did. The man you have listed as Fred Hugi is actually Dianes attorney Jim Jagger. There is a court sketch artists rendering of him in this video. Diane had a few lovers, which Knick refused to acknowledge (Appendix 81, pages 1508, 1520). The woman shot her children. She was interrogated without a representative from the defense and was not taped for the most part. I dont believe there was a CK. It had nothing to do with the evidence of the case and represents useless labeling anyway. This unexpected proposal took Diane by surprise at a large family gathering. Even more now with hindsight because of the gun and the fact that her daughter kind of recanted by demonstrating that if pushed, she will say what is expected of her. 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. Great blog post, thank you. In 1991, David Brewer, a juror who deliberated Dianes fate in her 1984 trial, came forward to say he and another juror had decided to acquit Downs by the close of the States presentation. He freely admitted HE decided to ask for a divorce on his birthday without consulting Diane, who was out of town But you dont mention that she again has changed her story. What about the facts of the case? Diane, of her own admission, had plenty of affairs while she worked at the Post Office. We dont know. As a result, he decided not to attend the rest of the trial. In fact, if appropriate family is found, termination is not required. I refer you to this section of the blog: They claimed to have found two lead cartridges in Dianes rifle at home that supposedly matched the ones used during the crime. She could have stayed on the side of the road. He was very irresponsible and probably could not handle them financially and emotionally. 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. Mr. Jagger read the report and said, you were right. The trial was a whole miscarriage, that seems undeniable. Substituting reasonable inference and evidence for tarot cards? Do you remember it would have been around say November 19th of 82 that you would have left Charlene at one time? 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. I like the way you keep an open mind about Diane herself and what she may or may not have been going through mentally. She did it. For the upcoming Halo TV show, original Master Chief voice actor Steve Downes was recast, despite Cortana voice actor Jen Taylor reprising her role from the iconic video game franchise. In case you did not read the blog: During Dianes examination at trial, Fred Hugi said in front of the jury, in the form of a question, that she had been diagnosed as a deviant sociopath. Even on a worldwide scale, the age of accountability is considered to be twelve years old. The way this investigation and the trial were conducted only left me with doubts. But people never want to touch the high profile cases where the defendant is not likable. Wrong. You can check this link and go online to see her picture with Cheryl and the rest of the family. One of the important pieces of evidence was the absence of all but a trace of gunshot residue. Anything less is a conflict of interest. . She has an excellent conduct report and never reacted violently to any of the harassment from other inmates. You indicated you were not going to get a divorce? That testimony was left unchallenged by Mr. Jagger. Her husband turned out to be a player and a very irresponsible guy who did not really love her. Its a rather large part of the story. I dont know how familiar she was with the area, but I do not think that it matters anyway. What about the son saying that man and nurses noting that. The fact that the children were in no way protected by Child Protection Services is undeniable. Not even the gun. Not right at all. She did diagnose her as suffering from cyclothymic disorder and treated her accordingly. Only in Hollywood and in Ann Rules books, would you find such fantasy: Relevance? If she was such a manipulative person, she would not be in prison for life, would she? But there were discrepancies; the tool marks did not matchand the detective lied on the stand about it. Comments about the title of the website, the blogger, the bias, details like the word bipolar and when it was used when cyclothymic disorder was diagnosed by the person who treated the subject and there is an affidavit posted. He gave temporary custody to Dr. Wilhite. That is the reason effective trial counsel challenges the competency of a nine-year-old child to testify in a court of law. That disinformation was alleged by Mr. Hugi the third day into Jim Jaggers defense and it was never objected to by Mr. Jagger . 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). 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. And on this site, I mention that I take a restorative approach. 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. From reading the blog and my little understanding of this case, Ms Downs remains in custody as she is considered a dangerous offender. The old toilet block which could be replaced by a cafe (Image: Adam Postans) A new caf planned for the Downs in Bristol would likely be blocked by a 160-year-old Victorian law . It was demonstrated at trial that the shooter shot the kids at close range. Meaning a trial where lying or failing to disclose exculpatory evidence by prosecutors is not happening. I mean if a guy admits to killing children over and over, shouldnt we pay attention to that? Why did CK shoot the kids multiple times and DD once? Conflict of interest on steroids!! The endorsement was so strong, in fact, that some interpreted it as a roundabout trade request. So Diane did what she thought would bring her the deepest satisfaction in life; she became a mother. They hated her attitude and thought she was promiscuous and showed no sorrow or remorse. Considering the lack of evidence, it seems that she was condemned mostly because of herinappropriatestatements and behavior. That makes no sense. 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 was a harrowing, shameful miscarriage of justice. Hi Nanette, it is not a matter of being gullible. I am sorry but I got to laugh a little. The gun problem or the absence of blood and powder residues are not make believe. Usually it isnt there but every once in awhile, it comes out. Anne Rule might have inflamed the case with her book Small Sacrifices and her theory of the crime, but in reality, the case of Diane Downs was no small sacrifice. Diane recanted the stories about her dad who vehemently denied them. Go to the hate groups for that. To Lori And she should be allowed parole! The diagnosis of the psychiatrist for the state is also clearly documented. Diane changed her story about the stranger on the road. Standards of conduct are defined by state law, but they generally require a judge to avoid appearances of impropriety, such as avoiding deciding a dispute in which the judge is personally involved in the issue at stake or has a relationship to one of the parties.. 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. 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? And being the mother of three only served to propel Diane in a more manic state. (Appendix 3). Q. She waseighteen and soon realized that she had jumped from the fire into the frying pan. We dont know what the Hugi family was doing during this time, probably seeing the kids regularly and getting licensed and approved to take the kids home with them. It is not because a defendant is found guilty or disliked that it is acceptable to bend the rules. I personally disagree with that practice but it is common. I try to remain objective in spite of the media storm depicting the case in a certain way, which is not accurate in every aspect. As soon as Diane was found guilty, Hugi demanded that Diane be evaluated by a psychiatrist before sentencing so they could declare her a dangerous offender and give her a stiffer sentence. So, were there any other attempted carjackings in the area that night? He is in his 70s now and his photo is not on his linkedin or anywhere I could find. Yeah, Ive noticed a lot of people thing Jim Jagger is Fred Hugi. Her flat affect is even more pronounced now and it did her in at the time, but she was lucid enough to clearly see that Rule and the media used Becky for their personal gain. I was shocked any asked why she thought that. 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. 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 following article hopes to help you make more suitable choices and get more useful information Did she act like a average person? I hope this would never fly these days to separate wounded children from the only family members they have. No conflict of interest from a prosecutor adopting a defendants children 2 years after the fact? Yes, shes as guilty as Simpson. Andthe DA adopted her other two children. I would like to believe this is the truth. I lived through the media coverage. In reply to Nick. According to the State, ballistics evidence proved that Diane Downs was guilty. Ive been trying to decipher her handwriting on the couple of pages she wrote to her daughter (misquoted on here somewhere is a highlighted If you love your little boy, youll take him far away from here- why is this being taken as a threat and not a warning?!). Lets not take that lightly. Her other daughter and son were severely injured. Speculative. The notions of humanity and rehabilitation have been left on the wayside long ago. Why arent you debating the faulty ballistics, and the fact that the gun they affirmed was used in the commission of the crime was not the right one? People can have a certain vibe and act out of the norms, but it does not make them necessarily guilty. The tape is real and probably not admissible, but it seems to indicate that her testimony was coerced: Why is it not admissible? I think it would give the blog more integrity and transparency. On her way to the hospital,she was followed by someone who said she was going slow, but Diane said she was driving fairly fast. Q. 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. Melvin Belli How things could have been different. I think u need to read the facts. 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. The scene described in Small Sacrifices with little Christie hooked up to a machine and her pulse accelerates because she is terrified ofher mother is doubtful and subject to interpretation. And if the fact that cops lied about the gun to close the deal did not bother you, it bothered me because this is not due process. Basically then at that The State had the same gut feeling and made sure she would pay. No conflict of interest there? After giving birth to . And to say that her mental health has degraded is an understatement, but more reason not to keep her eternally incarcerated. You wondered at times, which side he was working for. I know several foster parents and social workers. Why is there virtually no info on him? Is it the one you tried to use? Any thoughts on how the detectives basically made up their mind right away in spite of numerous tips coming in? You paint a picture that is actually inaccurate and misleading. Mr. It was omnipresent in the courtroom as well as the Duran Duran song Hungry like the Wolf that supposedly was playing when the children were shot in the car. I dont know either if she is guilty or not, but I believe there is a reasonable doubt surrounding the circumstances. Not unlike Diane, Alice did not want to share her pain in public. The problem with high profile cases is that the media, the DA, the cops and authors like Ann Rule dictate the narrative and it becomes almost impossible to look any other way unless you are a critical thinker devoid of emotions related to the case. Imagine knowing that your adoptive dad was responsible for putting your natural mom in the slammer? But Ann Rules utterly biased account is an insult to investigative journalism and there seems to be very reasonable doubt here. Phenobarbital was administered alongside the Dilantin. I dont. And she would have been under supervision. 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. So yes I think she did it, I think ration left her a long before she did itI think post pardum played in this, I think, she was scattered all over the map.againjust hearing it in her own words. A group of ladies formed a group called HELDD which stands for Help Exonerate & Liberate Diane Downs. One of the flaws was the relationship between the DA and the children. This whole tale is just unbelievable. You can click here to read about the case of Alice Crimmins during which the lead detective was heard telling the other cops before the bodies of the children were ever found:You take the husband, Ill take the bitch.. Inflammatory and speculative Until the end of the trial. Judges are subject to certain ethical standards and have a duty to be impartial. Click here to read the complaint. I dont understand how the family court managed to isolate 2 severely traumatized and grievously injured children from their entire family. I try to bring up the elements that were totally ignored. The jury verdict was guilty on all counts, but there was a mixture of votes. Removing the children from her and presiding over her criminal trial? Nobody knows but her. These are no facts its partial truths and conjecture. 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. Steve Downes has voiced the Master Chief in the Halo games since his 2001 debut, and his voice has become synonymous with the character.However, despite Jen Taylor being asked to reprise her role as the . They were treated very badly in this matter. 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. Plus, the circumstances of this charade were more than sinister. Every time, she said she did not know, they told her to think again and made suggestions. She goes on to say that she has deep regret and mourns the loss and death of her children. The BBC weather presenter, 60 . I had visited Dr. Billings site several times and it is too bad that it was removed. The definition of deviant sociopath does not even exist in the DSM-HI, which is the official psychiatric diagnostic manual. But the guy who said to several people that he was the shooter happens to resemble the sketch they came up with at the time for a reason. Diane Downs and Alice Crummins were considered sluts and cold-blooded women and were judged on their unusual character. Why didnt they mention that he said a bad man and whatever else in his condition when they knew it was not possible? I didnt know that. 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. 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. 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. This blogger believes in the presumption of innocence and in the possibility of redemption. 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