If I included the ones I dont post, it would need more than a like or dislike button. I do not declare her innocent. You left and you and Diane Downs spent an evening at a motel? Tina, if you look at family pictures of the Downs, Christie is the eldest and this is her picture. Diane Downs is guilty beyond any doubt and I do not believe that her daughter was coached. She was the prosecutions only hope. Check your inbox to be the first to know the hottest news. Right after the shooting, little Danny would ask the nurses, , Even Ann Rule in her book, keeps mentioning that, Every time, she said she did not know, they told her to think again and made suggestions. The bitches own daughter identified Downs as the shooter. The whole family were co-conspirators and involved in the crime? U seem very one sided on every case Ann Rule has ever written just as u claim she did to u. N her parents didnt want custody of the children just like the father. Take your smugness elsewhere, at long last. The judge who took away her children presided over her criminal trial. Would you know at what speed you are going if you were shot and driving with wounded children in the car? Why is there virtually no info on him? Maybe she wanted to buy drugs. Oh my. she chose to stay with Manson and his misfits. 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. But the fact that the prosecutor called her a deviant sociopath in court without any assessment became another nail in her coffin. That is the reason effective trial counsel challenges the competency of a nine-year-old child to testify in a court of law. Maybe I should have elaborated more about this comment. Diane now had the title of dangerous offender. She always seems to have not a very close contact with reality. Movie scene alleging that Christie was scared. Click to read The Case of Liysa Northon Who Said True Crime Does not Pay? Christie's first child is a boy. But they tended to ignore other important aspects. It opened a huge can of worms regarding the real identity of the heart full of lies in this case. According to the State, ballistics evidence proved that Diane Downs was guilty. 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. Kumbaya my Lord, Kumbaya. I agree in both cases they were high profile cases. 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. But as usual, it was slanted in the worst possible way. So not addressing the content of the blog and rambling about everything else while asking for a disclaimer is nailing it? They were put in an impossible situation. It became judicial kidnapping to obtain a coerced confession. Was that Annes fault as well? Around 1 in 20 residents in Arkansas and Tennessee were missed during the 2020 census, and four other U.S. states had significant undercounts of their populations which could shortchange them Most people negotiate the ups and downs of . She got an apartment and I was going to move in with her. Not meaning to sound disrespectful, but you seem to be doing what you accuse Ann Rule of doing. On May 30, 1983, the McKenzie-Willamette Hospital Chaplain told Dianes father to hire an attorney because the State was going to take his grandchildren away. 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. Of course, her mental health has deteriorated. It was writtenrepeatedly in the daily notes that the children were happy to see their mom and asked for her. I found your blog to be very well written, informative and interesting. Pros. Diane had moved to Oregon only 6 weeks before the tragedy to work in the area and have her parents spend time with the kids. This does not make her innocent. Diane found with him,the kind of relationship she had never known before: there was actually care and intimacy involved. Diane Frederickson was born August 7, 1955 in Phoenix, Arizona. Pay attention: Become TUKO.co.ke ambassador get a branded T-shirt, hoodie or water bottle at our TUKO Shop! Diane did not get a fair trial. And thats fair enough. Nevertheless, when Diane came back to Arizona, the pair united, and soon, on November 13, 1973, to be exact, the couple tied the knot. Even Ann Rule in her book, keeps mentioning that they only had a few months to get Christie to talk, otherwise they could not keep her away from her mother any longer. A. I was still living in the house, yes, sir. If not from her high profile status, she would already be out. I am not her advocate, but I think she did not get due process. Diane was found guilty and sentenced to life and she has been in prison ever since. Some 287 errors and falsehoods were documented by Liysa and verified by official sources. There are some stories that stick with you for a long time. Christie NEVER said she didnt know who did it she was just unwilling or afraid to tell on her mother. In what world is that O.K. Since he was in possession of a similar gun, he was a suspect as well, but, when the ballistics did not match, Diane Downs quickly became the prime suspect. Diane had consulted a psychologist after the tragedy and after months of consultation, she was never diagnosed as a sociopath. Gregory Foote who had denied access to the children by all blood relatives and given their care over to the State, was promoted from juvenile to senior judge to preside over the trial of Diane Downs.. The point is our trials need to be conducted fairly and based on evidence. She complained about it, but that does not mean she did not suffer for her kids. 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. And it is not like these two were white as snow. I dont disagree, I just think it is another example of flaws in our justice system. Go reading US: The American Gulag, 26 Mar 2009 Exploding prison populations in the US serve a basic need of capitalism. I try to bring out the details that were ignored because Down was so unpopular: this blog is clearly one sided. Nobody near to help. The board said that her mental or emotional disorder makes her a danger to society. She did diagnose her as suffering from cyclothymic disorder and treated her accordingly. As you might know, Dianes father passed away after many years of anguish over the fate of his daughter. It was Judge Footes first criminal case and it was against a woman whose children he had removed from her care even though she had not been convicted or sentenced; a conflict of interest and pure madness. Parker Schnabel's net worth in 2023: Is he the richest on Gold Rush? By the time Danny was born, they were having intense arguments about infidelity that Steve got convinced that he wasnt his biological son. The authorities believed that the children's father was not a good fit to look after the children after what they had endured when their mother tried to murder them. Her 7-year old daughter Cheryl died but her 3-year old son Danny and her 8-year old daughter Christie survived. The timing of her arrival at the hospital should have been discussed and explained in more details. This video has Dianes attorney, Jim Jagger, at 1 minutes and 20 seconds that might have some good shots. 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. 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 found out who her biological mother was when she was 11 years old, ABC reported. Why did they let her daughter testify when she could not know who shot her and said so incessantly until they made her say what they wanted? It became more about despising Diane Downs than investigating fairly. It took a lot of time to research this case and present the other side of the coin. Now Diane Downs did not say any of this, but told a hard to believe story, and then changed it from one to two masked guys, etc. Nuts maybe, but not threatening. No other shooter involved in her case. On the single count of murder, the jurors needed a unanimous decision. For all my life I have thought I was not that smart, but now I can tell myself, hey cheer up could be worse. Open ended sentences like this are meant to provide a means of control and public safety when considering dangerous offenders who may pose a continued risk to the public. If you want to defend Diane Downs, more power to you. Indeed, Diane Down's murder case was a shocker for detectives. They checked her nails to see if she could have buried the gun and they were clean. In fact, Diane had consulted a psychologist after the tragedy and after months of consultation, she was never diagnosed as a sociopath. A new trial would be out of the question, so to me, parole would be the solution. At the time, among 49 prisoners denied parole, the board had given only four inmates, including Downs, a 10-year wait. She also underwent a gun residue test that same evening that revealed no trace of gun powder on her hands. 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. They went after Diane at trial for tapping her foot when they played Hungry like the wolf. Dianewas jealous ofthe other woman, but Robert Knickerbockers wife said that she foundher rather friendly during their encounter. But in the case of DD, there were a lot of elements missing. Downs, born Elizabeth Diane Frederickson, was a 27-year-old divorced postal worker when she pulled up outside a hospital in Oregon in May 1983. 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 are set in stone and people refuse to see it any other way. Those cases shouldnt have been in the same court let alone presided over by the same judge. Ive done my research. CK allowed DD to drive away despite the fact she could identify him and he had a gun? So until today, people still don't know much about him, and his whereabouts remain a mystery. As a suggestion, I would love to see a like or dislike button for each comment. A prosecutor inventing a new psychiatric category in court and labeling the accused is kind of unsettling. The answers to those questions do not matter anymore. ), years in solitary confinment Whats wrong with us?! And once again, considering that she was diagnosed as bipolar, did not help her cause. The lovely Farrah Fawcett who played in the movie Small Sacrifices was known for her epic battles with lover Ryan ONeil. She was interrogated without a representative from the defense and was not taped for the most part. 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. McPherron: And you had no contact with her . Where are Steve Downs children now? Thats the problem with high profile cases. Diane Downs and Alice Crummins were considered sluts and cold-blooded women and were judged on their unusual character. The case is old and the blog dated, but it is never too late to respond. Not optional, kids should not be in limbo that long, but it happens all the time. That testimony was left unchallenged by Mr. Jagger. I think that the US system is barbaric so which one is it????? The jurors had doubts. Two of the kids survived the shooting with life altering injuries, and one of the children died. Celebrity Author Covers Case Ann Rule wrote 'Small Sacrifices,' later released as a movie. But you would know that if you had read the blog or info about the case. I recently found your website and have enjoyed it a lot. And she went back to her parent's home in Arizona. 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). On a side note, what do you think of parole of Leslie Van Houton? I know several people who know or knew both of the surviving children as well as Diane. It gave Anne Rule carte blanche to legally use these labels in her book and it stuck. I just read your opinion on the Pamela Smart case and the Scott Peterson case. I also wish that Dianes children have a great life. The media keeps talking about several escapes, but there was only one. And some are even contradictory: shes mentally ill, but also not mentally ill; the site owner wants to focus on pure facts, yet ignore other facts; things happened in court, but those are irrelevant to what else what also happened in court, etc. Which is itself a redundant practise: the blogger repeatedly states that Downs should be released. In 1984, Diane was convicted of the death and injuries of her children, and she was sentenced to life in prison. I guess he did not want too many people to know about the improprieties that happened in his courtroom: I guess? I go fishing with a jurors husband. No. Theres a lot to be said here, still. The only reason they kept her in prison even if she had all the right documentation and support, is because she is high profile. I am a Mortuary science student, true crime fanatic, and have been following the Downs case since it happened. He was one of the few people who saw Diane, not as the outsider, but as a beautiful woman who was anxious to assert her independence. It is said that they didnt go to Steve because he wasnt a fit father or well equipped to take care of children who had gone through such a traumatic experience. 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. 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? May be the guy who says he did it. ..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. So she warns her to stay away. Mostly, because it was poorly investigated and they focused on Diane solely the minute they met her. On May 19, 1983, Diane and her kids visited a friend to look at her new horse, and then went for a drive; not at all unusual for this family not living according to middle class rules. 4. Her lover and former husband testified against her but it did not represent evidence but character assassination. Diane may very well be guilty, but YIKES this investigation and trial seemed so butchered and tilted in the prosecutions favour. The notes taken daily by the nurses became a point of contention at trial. Everyone deserves peace. Most were married because Diane had no desire to remarry. danny also said a cartoon character shot themalso he was SHOT IN THE BACK how could he see the shooter????????? 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. But it is not hard to see that the way this tape and her confession were obtained was not legitimate. It would not benefit you, my children, or society for me to perpetuate that lie. The casing from the bullets exactly matched, just like a fingerprint, the bullets that Diane had in her home from her own gun which was never found. In the end, it is scary how media becomes some kind of Roman circus where people is thrown in order to become a source of business. To Lori You hit the nail right on the head. She s. And this makes many people wonder about his whereabouts. In her case it seems to be more a matter of punishment. I mean, yeah, I can see the no contact order with Diane. Surprisingly, he accepted the new child and learned to love him dearly. The fact that she was driving five miles per hour to the hospital says it all as a mother myself, I dont care how hurt or mentally damaged I was, I would drive that car 100 MPH to get my children to safety. I am sorry the meaning of nonsense evades you like the facts of the case in this instance. The fact that the children were in no way protected by Child Protection Services is undeniable. 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. I watched and worried through her escapeto find her childrens real attackerthat bushy haired stranger . This is especially if it comes with a history of erratic behavior following the use of these substances. I will change it. Seems to me that if that part of the story were true, and she really wanted to find her childrens shooter, she would have provided that information. They were in a difficult situation becausewithout evidence, they could notcharge her for the crime. Isnt is odd how something we are exposed to as children can stick in our memory? Not even the gun. The detective said to leave that up to the police. But there is forensic evidence pointing to Diane Downs. Diane said that Cheryl was laying down on the front floorboard with the passenger seat pushed back. Hugi got the evidence needed to convict after numerous meetings with Christie. That her child was basically forced to admit that she saw her mom shoot them? A conviction founded on lies is no conviction at all. Page 50 of Case History Not giving you free reign here. They are still part of their birth family. Thanks for the link. But people never want to touch the high profile cases where the defendant is not likable. Yes, like many Americans, I think that the US system is barbaric. My opposition to movies about true crime stories is unshakable. 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. Her father passed away in October 2017 after having fought relentlessly for her release. Imagine knowing that your adoptive dad was responsible for putting your natural mom in the slammer? As a result, joint legal custody which means parents share in the decision-making 1 is becoming the default decision in many family court systems. why didn't steve downs get custody. While I appreciate your empathy for the victims of this crime, I have to wonder if all murderers should be locked up their entire life? And he grew up there. 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. I believe DDs case needs to be re looked at and all evidence reviewed. They had him micromanaged, and with the testimony of little Christie they were in business. Steve was among the few individuals who saw Elizabeth Diane as a beautiful young lady rather than an outsider. Jeff, you mention being harsh as if there was a justification for it. The State produced a witness (Ms. Patterson) to testify that Diane Downs entered the hospital bathroom, left the door open, and ran water in the sink (Appendix 87, page 476). 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. The case of Diane Downs and her three children is one of those a horrible tragic case that people still think about 37 years later. Her power to manipulate is why she is where she is to begin with. As for how to answer this question,,, seems like he is assuming guilt and because of this my parents or me or my brothers and sister, our uncles and aunts were not considered because of an unproven allegation Does he truly believe this is ok??? Id have more influence arguing for better relationships with Mexico at a Donald Trump rally in Mexico. 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. That says it all. It does not get any bigger than this. I like your approach. Moreover, he apparently told her that he did not want children and this statement alone would seal Dianes fate. If the answer is, revenge, then it has been achieved. The authorities believed that the children's father was not a good fit to look after the children after what they had endured when their mother tried to murder them. And being the mother of three only served to propel Diane in a more manic state.

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