Most importantly why would anybody shoot 3 children potentially fatally and leave the adult with a wound in her arm. Go to the hate groups for that. 0. They should have stayed out of it instead of contributing to her revictimization. I will post it when I get it. He failed. Like I said, the 2 years make it a bit more of a gray area. 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. She is still in prison. And yes, its your site, but dont act like a site is open for discussion if its not. I dont disagree, I just think it is another example of flaws in our justice system. Some of your facts arent facts at all. It could be argued that he developed a relationship with the children and genuinely wanted them to join his family. He should have let someone else handle the case or let someone else adopt the kids. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZPLkIcSzftE&ab_channel=DianeDownsArchives. Dianewas jealous ofthe other woman, but Robert Knickerbockers wife said that she foundher rather friendly during their encounter. 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. The reason Im harsh is because Ive detected that youve paid for this site and therefore cant be wrong. I look forward to reading your other blogs. Many troubling elements of the case were discovered after the trial, but there was enough during the proceedings to be asking questions. She repeated it years later at school. 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. Diane Downs is an infamous killer who tried to murder her three children to pursue love. You read a few comments. 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 children were in the hospital, it isnt like they could have taken them home. Having recently done research on the Liysa Northons case which was the subject of a book written by Ann Rule titled Heart Full of Lies,I came across some very interesting information about the Diane Downs case because Rule attended the trial and also wrote a book about the case called Small Sacrifices. Considering the circumstances, it is difficult not to be a bit cynical about this grand gesture. No conflict of interest there? So, why didn't Steve Downs get custody? Hardly circumstantial or coincidental what are the chances that a bushy haired stranger, masked men, or someone that knew her (take your pick from Dianes ever shifting account) would have the exact same bullets matching to bullets from a gun owned by Diane ? 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. Her family members were quite capable of taking care of the children. But people never want to touch the high profile cases where the defendant is not likable. Judges are subject to certain ethical standards and have a duty to be impartial. In Oregon, in 1983, she shot her 3 children, 1 daughter died. She'd also shot herself in the forearm. I agree. The lousy men in their lives never took a hit because after all, it was these witches fault. She was still trying to extricate herself from a bad relationship with Steve Downs and was in no hurry to repeat the mistake. I dont understand how the family court managed to isolate 2 severely traumatized and grievously injured children from their entire family. Due process always matters. I feel compelled to comment on this blog, because having recently read Ann Rules book, I feel exactly as you did. 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.. There is no way that a jury would convict Diane today, based on the clearly coached testimony of Christie. And thats fair enough. Shes where she belongs. In the nurses notes, she is described as in shock and unable to grasp the situation. So, what happened to the children's father? This same witness corroborated that Diane did not stop to do something suspicious or dispose of the gun. Evidence or not, they were going to do their best to put her away for life. I guess Diane forgot to have that part engraved on the Unicorn. 4. After all, she was conditioned this way. Diane now had the title of dangerous offender. Her parents Willadene and Wes were old school Baptist parents who raised her under strict guidelines without much warmth but complete devotion. Or that they are not even curious about it. I asked her brother James an answer to your question. She never mentioned that before, and she doesnt mention the FBI agents name. She has come a long way. Diane was pregnant during the trial so if found not guilty, how would she have regained the love of her life? We will never know what really happened because the authorities acted too hastily and the media was a huge hindrance. Even put in different hospitals. I would like to see her released because I do not believe in life without parole for any inmate with no priors who had a good conduct while incarcerated. Hey Jace, I was not going to post your insulting comments but I decided to let the last sentence fly so that I could answer it. It is not, nor should be, a Conflict of Interest for a caring adult to Foster one or more siblings. But you told Diane Downs to go ahead and get an apartment? I am pointing them out. 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. Thank you for presenting a side of the story & case apart from the usual narrative. And to make her story believable, she shot a round in her arm before going to the hospital, claiming that she was a victim of a terrible carjacking. Yes, I usually answer the emails I get about the blogs. Knicks habit of turning on and turning off their relationship was known to Diane long before he admitted it in court a year later (Appendix 81, page 1520, line 21): Q. 6. The powers that be knew they had nothing on Diane so Christie became their sacrificial lamb. I am also engaged in other wrongful convictions that have taken place within the US. Would you seriously be confident enough to present your findings you mention in your article to Diane Downs children? Instead of blaming societal problems and working at finding solutions, prison always seem to be their option. If she did have memories of the actual shooting, that would be very rare. In fact, Diane had consulted a psychologist after the tragedy and after months of consultation, she was never diagnosed as a sociopath. The way Christie was coached did not correspond to the reality of the direct evidence. It wasnt until Prosecutor Hugi said Dr. Jamison had labeled Diane a deviant sociopath that Mr. Gunpowder is one of the toughest stains around, when it comes to removing it from clothes. Lack of blood spatter is not evidence of innocence Especially when a shooter is leaning in and shooting into a box (car) while standing outside. 2.Diane herself has stated that the shooter was outside the car and shot THROUGH the window, no blood spatter. The price of celebrity for her was losing her freedom and her children for life. I still remember my mother picking up the paper and seeing the headline. I worked for county government child welfare for a decade. Isnt is odd how something we are exposed to as children can stick in our memory? No OTHER reason. What about the affidavits of the guy who confessed to several people? 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. Inflammatory and speculative The Media or ISIS? By many accounts, her children adored her. 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.. Conflicting reports say Downs also acted as a surrogate during her fourth pregnancy, giving birth to a daughter after her trial in 1984. It surely was not due process. I accept that it is sometimes necessary but I believe in rehabilitation. 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). The parole board in Oregon was asking to provide reasonable cause to show she was not a danger to society and it had to be supported by a psychiatrists report or a Wardens letter and Downs provided both. In Rules book, Diane is portrayed as a horrible selfish mother but her family and friends saw another version; she lovedher childrendearly and worked hard to be a good provider. Who Wore it Better? They went through the process which demonstrates a certain level of commitment in itself. I am interested in the truth. As you might know, Dianes father passed away after many years of anguish over the fate of his daughter. Check your inbox to be the first to know the hottest news. The board said that her mental or emotional disorder makes her a danger to society. The detective said to leave that up to the police. So, were there any other attempted carjackings in the area that night? Or can have an accomplice. No forensic evidence pointing to her, just conjecture based on how mothers should act. Christie was born in October of 1974 and Cheryl Lynn in January of 1976. Brewer changed his mind. She should of been sentenced to death. Surprisingly, he accepted the new child and learned to love him dearly. Nevertheless, what was done seemed out of our hands and we could have no contact with them at all. But saying that you are not very smart is useless. They had high hopes for Dianes future and this bad boy was not part of it. Why didnt they mention that he said a bad man and whatever else in his condition when they knew it was not possible? You are already subscribed to our newsletter! What followed was a tragedy subject to many interpretations. None of this is EVIDENCE of anything in regard to the murder trial, and not once did I read that it was. It should have been investigated further. The rest of the family? In the beginning, detectives believed Diane's story, but they were not prepared for the actual story narrated by Christie, who survived the incident. What about the fact that they never found the gun? The tape is real and probably not admissible, but it seems to indicate that her testimony was coerced: Why is it not admissible? And on this site, I mention that I take a restorative approach. 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. I changed the sites email recently to thetroublewithjustice@hotmail.com By the way, Dianes parents mourn the loss of their grandchildren to this day. I went on ebay and ordered multiple stuff from the 80s, news footage, just to hear what she sounded like, because of all the talk in the book about her demeanor. Every single one of these questions matter. Lise do you know if the kids have ever reached out to the grandparents/family in the last few years? She told ABC, The impact of Diane Downs being my mom has altered the course of my life so many times. But what happened to Diane Downs' husband? The Diane Downs' Case Was no Small Sacrifice On May 19, 1983, Elizabeth Diane Downs and her three small children were shot on a country road near Springfield, Oregon. 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.. It seems they all went the easy way. Even prosecutor Fred Hugi was seen walking the grounds to try to find the weapon. Steves surviving children had endured a horrifying experience performed by someone they loved and cared about. I dont. Click here to read the complaint. The unreliability of childrens testimony has been documented by cognitive psychologists such as Elizabeth Loftus of the University of Cornell and others. There were a few calls and on one occasion, The most frequent remarks I hear about the case when confronted by the state misconduct and the lack of evidence are gut feelings , 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. 5. I think it posible she brought the kids there to be shot by someone else. 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. Too bad she did not interview Diane or her family. Hi Nanette, it is not a matter of being gullible. Their theory was very shaky. Dianes parents had high hopes for her future, a future that didnt involve Steve, so they disapproved of their relationship. She managed to jump in the car after getting shot in the arm. And because of this, they formed a profound connection that matured into a relationship. Someone can have an evil vibe and not be guilty of a crime. But the fact that the prosecutor called her a deviant sociopath in court without any assessment became another nail in her coffin. I am quite bothered by what happened in that courtroom and in the media. I just tried to find a video or article about Hugi and I only get the one or two that I already have. The most exciting thing about Steve is that he never appeared in public despite the immense case against his wife. In her case it seems to be more a matter of punishment. Fred Hugi was pretty upset when Ann Rule went Hollywood with his case. Glamour reported that Danny was paralyzed from the chest down as a result of the shooting and Cheryl suffered a major stroke as a result of the attack that left her with a lifelong speech impediment. From the time Diane was a teenager, when a physician ordered visterol in an emergency room situation, it has been documented again and again that sedatives ingested while Diane is in pain, provoke a chemically induced hysteria in her. I was a patient of the doctor who worked so hard to save her childrens lives that night. It could have been very different at almost any other time or with any other attorneys or juries too. 4.Diane was NOT arrested for almost a year after the shootings the d.a. How could they expect a normal mother/daughter reunion between a beaten inmate whose mental health had degraded and a daughter trapped in this insanity? As a rule, any child under the age of ten prompts counsel to question the competence of any testimony that child might give. The circumstances surrounding the crimes against these innocent children demand to be used as evidence.. My comment to you Lise is about your reply to a previous comment where you say Diane should have been released by now regardless of her statements. Foote then handled the juvenile docket and first encountered Downs when he ordered her two surviving children into state protective custody. Much worse. They hated her attitude and thought she was promiscuous and showed no sorrow or remorse. They made her out to be a monster, but in Beckys case, it becomes redeemable. It should be removed from the blog. Spending 35 years incarcerated with time in isolation and often as a target is not going to improve mental health. She found out who her biological mother was when she was 11 years old, ABC reported. Spiritual advancement and atonement? . Im from Australia and have recollections of this case. The notes taken daily by the nurses became a point of contention at trial. I am not saying she is innocent. Did CK shoot at car when DD drove away? McPherron: I mean, it was plastered all over. This video has Dianes attorney, Jim Jagger, at 1 minutes and 20 seconds that might have some good shots. That she had no blood or gun powder anywhere when she allegedly shot at close range? 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. Regardless of the facts you point out, there is no doubt in my mind that Diane Downs is guilty. Her release was recommended by a warden and a psychiatrist. In fact, what investigator Tracy had written in his notes is that the heart monitor jumped because of excitement or intense fear. She waseighteen and soon realized that she had jumped from the fire into the frying pan. The blog tries to bring balance and more objectivity to a case that was TOTALLY one sided and still is. Only in Hollywood and in Ann Rules books, would you find such fantasy. Basically then at that How one of them lied on the stand about ballistics? It would never happen todaynever. I know several foster parents and social workers. This is also what the state did to her. What about the judge stopping a defendant from getting a new attorney? Powered by WordPress.com VIP. They were put in an impossible situation. Nice to see this blog is still active in 2017, being a lot of groupsmessage boards and such, on subjects like this has no activity for years. You are right. But I know that there were major problems with this case. He gave temporary custody to Dr. Wilhite. It does not contradict what I said, but what they said. I was shocked any asked why she thought that. But he overestimated the kind of people that would go along with this soap opera. And Ann Rule said that the unicorn that was omnipresent in court was part of the premeditation. lol. The judge instructed them to continue on to force a verdict. Dianes daughter started saying that she did not know who shot them right when she got adopted. 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. So they did everything in their power to slant the media and the public in their favor. When she resisted, he shot her kids and struggled with her. He was very irresponsible and probably could not handle them financially and emotionally. http://www.salem-news.com/articles/july152013/midnight-med-tb-2.php Mr. He knows as he was in court and must have photos. The roller coaster ride had nothing to do with Diane s children and Diane knew it. In fact, with her continuing to deny committing the crime or expressing remorse, she may never get out. But Im on track and Im really happy with the way life is.. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. That they did not test the outside of the car? Gun shot residue is not always present. Downs wanted to get rid of the kids because her new boyfriend didn't want . I worked for county child welfare services in Colorado for a decade. I was being sarcastic. You seem to believe everyone is innocent. Thats why Diane wouldnt agree to marry unless Knick first signed a premarital agreement that when they divorced, Knick would take nothing from their marriage. Dianes dad died a year or two ago. I dont know that it could get worse than writing an asinine comment on a restorative justice website that states that only respectful and constructive comments will be posted. I found nothing. You make an interesting observation when you say: Anyways. Christie is a married woman and gave birth in 2005. Further: Wonder about Justice in Nation with world wide highest prisoner rate. Its tiresome. Thats the problem with high profile cases. 2. ABC MOVIE FOR TV Small Sacrifices 1989 Farrah Fawcett, Ryan ONeal. Ive been to London to Fly the Queen ~ and Back to Collect Artifacts, Haleigh Cummings Was Once Lost but Now She Is Found, Meet Rene Acoby: In-House Female Dangerous Offender, Kelli Stapleton- A Mothers Wuthering Woes. There is her story, the prosecution case and the defense arguments. Nobody had any reason for a conspiracy of this magnitude over a literal nobody. statement regarding the effects of the childrens medications while in hospital should acknowledge where the blogger obtained information about the side effects.). After arriving at the nearest hospital where the nursing staff and doctors attended to the children, the police were called in and her parents arrived promptly. She says she was outside the car n watched the man shoot her children n then the only adult n person who could tell police about him only gets a shot in the arm n takes time to bandage her arm. time it was the situation was down. I am sorry but I got to laugh a little. I agree with your comment. If a person were innocent of the crime they were convicted of this puts them in a no-win situation. Or why the fact that he was a con artist made him such a credible guy in this case. If not from her high profile status, she would already be out. Where is the blood spatter on Diane? Anyways. Diane had spent three days in the hospital ingesting massive doses of Morphine, Demerol, Percodan, and visterol. It was demonstrated at trial that the shooter shot the kids at close range. Thanks again for bringing this to my attention. That makes no sense. They checked her nails to see if she could have buried the gun and they were clean. Plus, you do not let a newly appointed judge to criminal cases, preside over a high profile murder case when he has no experience whatsoever and has already prejudged the defendant dangerous to her children. She. I saw that same face in Diane Downs. They were the small sacrifices. And the interrogations were not tapedand barelydocumented. Not hard to go there. If the answer is, to keep the public safe, then I call BS. He has lived a life outside the public eye and hasn't ever come out to give interviews to the media about his ex-wife. Steven and Diane married on November 13, 1973. That is the way she was brought up,especially at the demand of her rigid but verydedicated father. Agreed. What happened to Diane Downs' husband? I know better now than to accept blindly the truth presented to us on a silver platter by the media and the judicial system. Women who were somewhat normal begore, get pregnant, have the baby, then drown it a toilet, kill or beat the the baby in the first year..shaking or other means..its less often then notbut better believe these type of cases are reported constantly now on social media. At that timeand now!! I will change it. 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. Diane had siblings and parents. 5. 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. A conviction founded on lies is no conviction at all. Page 50 of Case History In fact, I am surprised that people are not flabbergasted by the way this case was handled and tried and that what bothers them most is that I try to discuss it in a blog and dare defending this woman. I guess he did not want too many people to know about the improprieties that happened in his courtroom: I guess? But without proof, Diane couldnt implicate Steve Downs any more than she could shoot him as he violated a restraining order threatening to beat her AGAIN. They should have taken the time necessary to find enough evidence. It was omnipresent in the courtroom as well as the Duran Duran song, The judge instructed them to continue on to force a verdict. Diane was diagnosed as being bipolar and subsequently diagnosed by a psychiatrist before sentencing. The prosecutor would gently shake his head and the good judge would follow with a ruling. There have been behaviors that in the general course of events one may expect from a single parent that in a way have been falsely interpreted as being some form of evil.. The man you have listed as Fred Hugi is actually Dianes attorney Jim Jagger. These are no facts its partial truths and conjecture. She had one arm totally out of commission. He hired Jim Jagger on the 1st of June 1983, 11 days after the shooting. She was fighting back and they did not like it. It was far fetched, unfoundedand convenientlyrelayedby Rule to boost the sales of her book. What about the facts of the case? 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. Instead of grieving, Alice went partying and had sex. Im not saying I know for a fact in my mind shes innocentbut there is NOT enough evidence for her to be guilty. She was the prosecutions only hope. If, as Proctor said, it was exchanged right away, and the other Ruger was subsequently stolen by Steven, how was it remotely possible for him to have this info? Except after the idea was subsequently planted in his head only to be alluded to in court, in spite of an agreement to never mention the subject. Mind: Wrongful convicted. This really makes me angry, that prosecuter and judge should be sued along with the writter. According to the State, ballistics evidence proved that Diane Downs was guilty. He could not during the marriage so he walked away. That hurt our family deeply. Also Im curious as to how you feel her repeated escape attempts should affect her deserving to be on parole. There are no facts? This case needed to be examined more thoroughly, but the mob mentality didnt allow it. ..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. According to Glamour, the motive given for why Diane shot her kids was thought to be because the married man she was seeing at the time did not want any children. That towel should have been soaked in their blood not hers. 4. (Appendix 3). Not unlike Diane, Alice did not want to share her pain in public.
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