It has nothing to do with the facts of the case. But the high profile nature of the case might hinder the process. #corrupt. Her attorney, James Jagger, did a poor job for Diane. 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.. Otherwise you just want people to fill your echo chamber that agree with you, tell anyone else you obviously dont want to debate me.., then ban, then hope for people to agree. She signed an affidavit to that effect and wanted the jury informed of it but it was never done. Like I said, the 2 years make it a bit more of a gray area. I mean if a guy admits to killing children over and over, shouldnt we pay attention to that? Dianes ex-lover, Robert Knickerbocker, also said the same. I am a firm believer of where there is smoke there is fire. Diane recanted the stories about her dad who vehemently denied them. I am not saying she is innocent. Of course, because this is what she does when people put her on the spot and ask questions concerning her mother and the shooting. 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. And if you claim your innocence, it obviously creates a vicious circle of not showing contrition. The guy should have walked away from the case or from adopting them. Page 35 of Case History. If Diane was bipolar, the non-stop chatter would have been inherent to the situation: bipolar wasnt a diagnosable condition at the time of her first trial. Which is itself a redundant practise: the blogger repeatedly states that Downs should be released. I personally dont think she is innocent but that isnt the point. It appears that you have to be a perfect mother with no lovers and not afflicted with any mental illness to be considered innocent until proven guilty in America. It wasnt until Prosecutor Hugi said Dr. Jamison had labeled Diane a deviant sociopath that Mr. Its a dangerous proposition when a lack of due process becomes acceptable because they know she is guilty. Are you still taking comments by email? Lack of impulse control is also another symptom that might explain why a mother would stop at night to help a stranger flagging her on the road. And Robert Knickerbocker became one of her lovers. The tape is real and probably not admissible, but it seems to indicate that her testimony was coerced: Why is it not admissible? By the way, that interview with Christie by a biased advocate named Angel borders on abusive. Wrong. Everything was in the bag and ready for trial. The board said that her mental or emotional disorder makes her a danger to society. Its tiresome. The prescribed normal dosage for a full grown man is 30 milligrams per day. Mission accomplished: Relevance? They should have had ongoing contact and been placed with family as soon as they were out of the hospital and they never should have been interviewed without their own attorney (Guardian ad Litem) present. If he was getting too close to the witness emotionally he should have stepped away from the case. Anne Rule made a big deal of a brass unicorn engraved with the childrens names that Diane had purchased. Hello. In fact, Diane had consulted a psychologist after the tragedy and after months of consultation, she was never diagnosed as a sociopath. Messed. I agree about pregnancy and childbirth affecting women differently, and even having different effects for the same woman with different pregnancies. It goes on and on. According to Rule and the court, the unicorn was a memorial to her children that she purchased after premeditating their murder. Whenever your shoot a gun that many times and that close to the victims, theres going to be blood and powder residues. Also, I agree he does look a little like the actor who played Fred Hugi but I think it might be a coincidence. That is the way she was brought up,especially at the demand of her rigid but verydedicated father. Did you read her statements to the parole board in 2008? I see that Downs had a parole hearing in late 2020 but I cant see the outcome. The DA that put away their mom is not an appropriate placement choice. If Oregonians were not all convinced at first, the media and the crown made sure they would be. 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. Her character was also too much on the forefront. She waseighteen and soon realized that she had jumped from the fire into the frying pan. 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. Diane Downs' Children Now: Christie, Danny & Becky Today I followed the trial. 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. Back in Phoenix, Arizona, in Moon Valley High School, Steve Downs met Elizabeth Diane for the first time. ..maybe it was lack of Internet and cellies *shrug)..years later, my Co worker at burger King (I was 16)told me about the small sacrifices movie she watched the night before. Brewer changed his mind. 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. But you would know that if you had read the blog or info about the case. As her brother mentioned, it would not be that farfetched for his sister to stop for someone considering that she was a person who lacked impulse control and the era. No. And the fact that Tracy wrote in his notes that Christies reaction could have been excitement to see her mom but they decided to only mention extreme fear? Her son ended up in jail and ONeils children accused him of neglect and bad parenting. The absence of the gun or gun powder residues on Diane is fact. Up. DA Pat Horton declared early in the game to the local paper that the search for the bearded stranger was not very high on their priority list.. What I believe doesnt matter at all. time it was the situation was down. I always welcome new information, evidence and opinions if they have a strong base and are not mean spirited, but I dont get the relevance of this comment to the case itself. Our legal system is not perfect. 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. She was also shot twice andifshe had been sitting up, the seats would have been covered with blood spatter as well as the shooter. When your goal is to call me dude, insult my name and trash my blog, you can go on other sites who will love to spar with you while swallowing the old narrative of high profile cases. On May 19, 1983, Elizabeth Diane pulled over her car by the side of the road in Springfield, Oregon and shot her children multiple times with a 22-calibre pistol. I would like to believe this is the truth. It appeared rigged and the fact that Ann Rule sat in the courtroom ready to produce a Masterpiece of Guilt could only help the prosecution. This video of Jagger absolutely looks like the photo that you find on search engines for Fred Hugi. Even on a worldwide scale, the age of accountability is considered to be twelve years old. Her quest for love had landed her into an unstable and loveless marriage. I will take a screen shot of the sketch. Guilt or innocence no longer need to be debated in this case. Then they just got shut out. 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. Diane Downs is an infamous killer who tried to murder her three children to pursue love. Robert and Diane even decided toget matching rose tattoos, but as soon as the ink on her tattoo was dry, he refused to get his done. And yes, its your site, but dont act like a site is open for discussion if its not. Of course I saw movie first, then read the bookI wanted more, sadly early Internet days, there wasnt much out there, as far as info or video, picturesnothing really. The State had the same gut feeling and made sure she would pay. Everything I outlined should be public knowledge. It no longer matters as far as the verdict, she was found guilty, but why no parole? Do you remember probably about four or five days after They felt safe there. At the time Diane had told police that a stranger attempted to carjack her and shot the kids, and that's what her ex husband was told, too. I understand that the authorities were afraid to leave the two remaining children under her care if they thought she was guilty, but they could have been released to the grandparents or other blood relatives with supervised visits from their mom considering that she was not charged with any crime. She was expelled and reunited with him against her parents wishes. 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. I feel compelled to comment on this blog, because having recently read Ann Rules book, I feel exactly as you did. And Steven would hunt her down anyway and charm his way back into her life. Foote refused 30 to 50 reports by detectives of sightings or leads about the shooter but admitted reports from people in Arizona willing to badmouth Diane. Ann Rule promotes her books as true crime stories so to this day, viewers believe that the book and the movie titled Small Sacrificesdocument the true story of the Diane Downs case; in fact, it is a mix bag of truth, falsehoods, interpretation and plain fiction. And she went back to her parent's home in Arizona. One of the important pieces of evidence was the absence of all but a trace of gunshot residue. It wasnt simply her demeanor that got her convicted. http://www.salem-news.com/articles/july152013/midnight-med-tb-2.php According to the State, ballistics evidence proved that Diane Downs was guilty. What about the terror of being interrogated by strangers and separated from her family? A group of ladies formed a group called HELDD which stands for Help Exonerate & Liberate Diane Downs. 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. What about the facts of the case? I was also stunned that she took the reports of all of Dianes ( mostly married) ex lovers as absolute truth and never once questioned that they might have been lying and retrospectively minimising their feelings for Diane to protect themselves. Thanks again. She attacked her husband and ripped his neck open in a jealous rage (Appendix 81, page 1520), tearing from his neck the gold chain he still wore from his first marriage (a gift from his first wife). McPherron: And you had no contact with her . Hugi got the evidence needed to convict after numerous meetings with Christie. Right?? They should have looked for a possible accomplice and checked all the leads. My website is in the process of being migrated so it has no photos. Pay attention: Become TUKO.co.ke ambassador get a branded T-shirt, hoodie or water bottle at our TUKO Shop! Posted by October 30, 2021 apush gilded age test on why didn't steve downs get custody The way it was. After divorcing her wife, Diane Downs, in 1980, Steve was hardly part of their life. I state that it is not my place to judge innocence or guilt. Yes, isnt it shocking that some people would voice that a faulty investigation does not matter? Contemporary family finding principles argue that a child is best nurtured by parents, then immediate family members, extended family members, spiritual family (Godparents), close friends, etc. Christie was born in October of 1974 and Cheryl Lynn in January of 1976. There is also a recording where she says that she had no idea who shot them. We, who watched her parole hearing a few years ago prayed HARD that she wouldnt be set free, know she is guilty. 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. When Diane had failed to mention it herself, he even informed them that she had bought a .22 caliber shotgun in Arizona, just before she had left for Oregon. I mean, yeah, I can see the no contact order with Diane. Diane and her family fought for them but were blocked from day one. Just my opinion. In 1984, Diane Downs was convicted of shooting her three children, 3-year-old Danny, 7-year-old Cheryl, and 8-year-old Christie. Brewer changed his mind. You are right. I dont understand how the family court managed to isolate 2 severely traumatized and grievously injured children from their entire family. Great blog post, thank you. ..it is quite possible if she was tried in todays world, with the evidence they hadquite possible it would of went differently we been living in a society that pretty much demand 100% pure forensic evidence proven. Do you remember a couple of days after that, December Anyways, I was 10 years old when this happened, I stayed with my aunt and uncle a lot in those years, in which they watched A LOT of nightly news programs.lol most of it was like white noise to me, as I would play with my barbies on their living room floorbut I do remember this story. You mention that her attorney should have raised objections. He has also once again decided to defy . Diane was sentenced to life plus 50 years. Tuko.co.ke featured an interesting article about the actor that has been in the industry for more than 13 years, starring in various great productions. I care about the experts reports written about Diane because they know her situation and mental state. It seems that everyone commenting just knows shes guilty, like you say. A demonstration in court strongly suggested: Suggested, not confirmed. So it would be logical to conclude that it would have left residues if anyone had shot at least 6 times. An attractive woman whose two children were killed in mysterious circumstances and the cops decided to go after her. She was judged very harshly for her character and her defense was dismal. That makes no sense. Downs: Oh yeah, I remember the pictures, too. Ann Rule did not leave a great legacy as far as honest reporting goes, and she is not the only one to have commercialized a criminal case for personal gain. She never hurt anyone in the process of escaping. Diane had consulted a psychologist after the tragedy and after months of consultation, she was never diagnosed as a sociopath. In a perfect world this would always be the case. The Parole Board had an obligation to parole Diane between 1998 and 2002 if she could provide reasonable cause to show she was not a danger to society. It is my hope that Leslie Van Houten and Diane Downs are never paroled. Rule made up stories to sell books and the rights to a movie. But Diane couldnt do that. Diane Downs and Alice Crummins were considered sluts and cold-blooded women and were judged on their unusual character. My beef is with the interference by the media, TV shows and Ann Rule Yep, Downs who was found guilty in 1984, escaped successfully from the Oregon Womens Correctional Center in 1987 and was transferred to Jersey afterwards. But in this case, she had no blood on her body or her clothing. And with hindsight, the fact that this young mother had a personality disorder probably brought a lot of drama to the mix. So Diane did what she thought would bring her the deepest satisfaction in life; she became a mother. And she clearly remembered the April 1983, rape that Mr. Downs would later refer to as love making. Weve become friends. Instead, they treated the Downs with great cruelty long after their daughter was incarcerated and they fought hard for them. Instead of shooting the little kids, why didnt the carjacker/killer (CK) simply shoot DD dead and take her car? I like the way you keep an open mind about Diane herself and what she may or may not have been going through mentally. Hed left his first wife to co-habitate with (and later marry) Charlene. By many accounts, her children adored her. 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. "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. You simply are a rude individual looking for a reaction. That they did not test the outside of the car? At Sophie Sergie murder trial, jury hears recordings of Steven Downs She has done her time in prison and I hope that she gets the chance to get out and spend time with her mother and siblings. After graduating high school, Steve went on to join the Navy, and Diane, having a strict religious background, was sent to the Pacific Coast Baptist Bible College. She had the right to a fair trial as much as anyone else out there. I lived through the media coverage. Or can have an accomplice. Nothing came from Diane herself. High profile cases usually do not get the same treatment as regular folks. Is it too late to respond to this? If you had, you would clearly know that I do not claim her guilt or innocence. I accept that it is sometimes necessary but I believe in rehabilitation. When they graduated from high school, the two reunited and rekindled their love despite their brief separation. Diane did not get a fair trial. Who is Elizabeth Diane Downs, Steve Downs ex-wife? She was more interested in the affection of men, which on that fateful day in 1983 gave her an idea. I personally disagree with that practice but it is common. I think DD is guilty, but I also think her trial was far from due process, and that is the important issue. From what Ive read, she gets a parole hearing every decade and the next time in 2030 she will be 75. And if you add the fact that they never found the gun, it doesnt leave much evidenceto back upthe theory that she was the shooter. 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. Shes where she belongs. When analysing this blog, look at three statements from the blogger: Diane Downs and Alice Crummins were considered sluts Sad situation. And their plan worked. They never found the gun and she showed no signs of having fired one. Downs: And there was a big reward, too. (Appendix 81, page 1466). Christie Downs was eight-years old when she was injured and nine-years old when she testified. rudy francisco rifle analysis / ford employee profit sharing 2022 / why didn't steve downs get custody. Steve Bannon released from custody pending trial on contempt of Gun shot residue is not always present. This is a more common route for children with parents who are incarcerated for what looks to be the entire childhood of the children. At the point Diane jumped into the car, her broken arm (resting in a sling in front of her) slammed into the steering wheel. I 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. What mother takes her kids out at night and then stops for a stranger with her kids in the car? LMFAO!!!! Great question. She then went through the State (Circuit) Court habeas corpus relief for four years to no avail. . It does seem time has done worse to her. What matters to me is that her rights were trampled during her trial. It would be about November 20th that you would have gone back with Charlene, what, the next day? The innocence project gets so many requests and they have limited resources. Q. I found your blog to be very well written, informative and interesting.