danny also said a cartoon character shot themalso he was SHOT IN THE BACK how could he see the shooter????????? They should have left her alone. If not, why not? Guilt or innocence no longer need to be debated in this case. answer the question why didn't steve downs get custody, which will help you get the most accurate answer. After all, she was conditioned this way. That is pure bullshit. My opinion of why Mr. Hugi adopted Christie and Danny was to seal their lips. Ms. Downs makes every effort to avoid emotional stimuli in order to reduce the demands made on her. What was the rationale behind this? It sounds pretty fair to me. why didn't steve downs get custody. 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. As an adoptive parent I cant even imagine trying to justify to my daughter our adopting her if we had in any way been a part of the case to terminate her from her bio family. On June 2nd, 1983, Juvenile Court Judge Gregory Foote held a hearing to take Christie and Danny away from ALL blood family (thus isolating them). It was obvious to the cops and the prosecution because they proceeded to get her daughter to testify against her because they had nothing to prove she was the shooter. 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. The following article hopes to help you make more suitable choices and get more useful information Is Diane really a threat anymore? Steves surviving children had endured a horrifying experience performed by someone they loved and cared about. A fact strongly denied by Diane and by the nurses reports. She unwillingly followed the cops in spite of being in pain and not wanting to leave the premises. And it is not like these two were white as snow. He actually was the one who suggested theybecome intimate after many friendly, platonic conversations. At first I thought she did it, now I made further research and I dont know what to think. She was expelled and reunited with him against her parents wishes. Their haste to go to trial created this mess and lingering doubts. You are not the only one who thinks she is guilty and I know that getting their man at all cost is a popular mantra, but I disagree. I appreciate this whole blog just want to give you a heads up. Kenyans Compare Rachel Ruto, Margaret Kenyatta's Looks in Maasai Outfits, Kim Kardashian Looking for Love Again, Wants to Date Someone Who Isn't Famous, Kind Officers Drop Protesters in Nairobi CBD after Being Released from Central Police Station, Oburu Oginga Hints at Raila Odinga Vying for Presidency in 2027: "He's Not Retired", Naftali Kinuthia Says He Regrets Killing Lover Ivy Wangeci Using Axe: "Too Angry to Think". John Kitzhaber, Governor of Oregon 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? 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. Children imitate their parents every move. And because of this, they formed a profound connection that matured into a relationship. 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? They had their second child, Cheryl Lynn, in 1976, followed by Stephen Danial, born in 1979. It gave Anne Rule carte blanche to legally use these labels in her book and it stuck. The chief prosecutor adopting the children beggars belief! Too bad it triggered you, maybe try to stay away from sites that might not go along with the mob mentality and usual media narrative. In this article, we can clearly see that Becky struggled and tried to justify her woes (maybe rightly so) by blaming it on her DNA. He still shouldnt have been allowed to adopt them while the appeals process was ongoing, if he had any role in those cases. The ballistics, gun, speed at which she drove the car, her demeanor, etc. It was cited that she keeps her emotions close to the vest. It does not contradict what I said, but what they said. Diane Frederickson was born August 7, 1955 in Phoenix, Arizona. Wow. You wondered at times, which side he was working for. (This is why Foote was assigned the case. You fail to mention what her daughter actually said about her communication with Diane, like Diane telling her that a very powerful person, a secret man, has been watching her, and that if she loved her son she would move away or else her son will grow up to be a murderer. Mr. It was a fairly new science at the time so thats all it took to find him not guilty. If you listen to the recording, Christie clearly says I dont know who did it. She was asleep, thats why. Mr. Our legal system is not perfect. Tis why at 10 years old I was hearing about this case in Ohio, and family members talked about it around me.it hit with great force that way. 4.Diane was NOT arrested for almost a year after the shootings the d.a. So many of the cases Lise writes about on this blog either have no forensic evidence that supports the verdict or have very misleading forensic evidence that may or may not support the verdict, depending on who is interpreting it. A demonstration in court strongly suggested: Suggested, not confirmed. Needless to say, you seem to have a problem with the American justice systemnot each individual case. I know several foster parents and social workers. As for where he is now, well be honest, were not completely sure. The reason Im harsh is because Ive detected that youve paid for this site and therefore cant be wrong. It goes on and on. 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. I remember when Diane shot her kids and there are some facts Id like to correct from your blog. Diane recanted the stories about her dad who vehemently denied them. Diane Downs' ex husband, Steve Downs, lost a lot in May 1983 when his ex wife shot their three children, following their divorce in 1980. The person who shot the kids was leaning inside the car because they were shot at close range. We cant. I guess he did not want too many people to know about the improprieties that happened in his courtroom: I guess? I see that Downs had a parole hearing in late 2020 but I cant see the outcome. Either way he could NOT have seen who shot him unless he has eyes in the back of his head. She could have stayed on the side of the road. 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. And the motive? The crucial point is that she is so void of emotion. They were in a group home and he was getting unsupervised visitation with them. According to Oregon law, this would have to be supported by a psychiatrists report or a Wardens letter and Diane provided both. This is especially if it comes with a history of erratic behavior following the use of these substances. If Diane was bipolar, the non-stop chatter would have been inherent to the situation. Saying that I seem to be doing what I accuse Ann Rule of doing is kind of ironic because the point of this blog is to try to stay away from innuendo and fantasies like unicorns and songs that might have been playing or not during a tragic murder. If a person were innocent of the crime they were convicted of this puts them in a no-win situation. It wasnt until Prosecutor Hugi said Dr. Jamison had labeled Diane a deviant sociopath that Mr. Kumbaya my Lord, Kumbaya. Diane said that Cheryl was laying down on the front floorboard with the passenger seat pushed back. Dianes brother, James, sat in court one day andnoticed Foote looking at Hugi before ruling on an objection. They did not like her attitude and she did not behave the way they expected a grieving mother to act. Not optional, kids should not be in limbo that long, but it happens all the time. I dont disagree, I just think it is another example of flaws in our justice system. The two mental disorders that cause excessive talking are Bipolar Disorder and Schizophrenia. Because she seemed "aloof". Q. The Lifetime channel constantly makes movies based loosely on the truth; this approach is an effective weapon aimed at swaying public opinion about high-profile cases. woman quot~ unquote, do you remember anything like that? Inside, outside, top to bottom. It was never a slam dunk. The most exciting thing about Steve is that he never appeared in public despite the immense case against his wife. I lived in Eugene, Oregon for years. She felt fulfilled when she was pregnant because she believedit was the road to unconditional love. Did Danny Downs, Steve Downs' son, remain paralyzed? 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. So it looks and sounds like she is getting special treatment because of her notoriety. The price of celebrity for her was losing her freedom and her children for life. A slightly humorous observation is that you said, and others have, that James Haynes physically resembled the sketch.. 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. So imagine when you are troubled to begin with. I care about what was said at trial. Diane herself stated Cheryl was asleep on the front floorboard completely covered up with Dianes jacket how the hell did a stranger or a hitman(one of Dianes OTHER stories) KNOW Cheryl was there. Hi Nanette, it is not a matter of being gullible. By the way, this not a Diane Downs is innocent blog. It is a lets examine the facts of the case with hindsight and try to explain some of the inconsistencies and the role of the media and crime writers. And lets wonder why the US think that letting people die in prison is the answer when most civilized countries have reached other conclusions. When 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. 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. Doing it without witnesses when she was so sick is underhanded. I have simply bothered researching the evidence and in some instances, the lack of it. Why am I not arguing the facts of the trial? Only the people who present ongoing threats to the safety of the public in general are the ones this sentence is reserved for. Exactly Libby why did they say during the trial that he saw his mom? I personally disagree with that practice but it is common. However, Elizabeth was expelled from the religious institution as she didn't conform to the school's strong religious values. rudy francisco rifle analysis / ford employee profit sharing 2022 / why didn't steve downs get custody. Yes Gigi, the same judge who had removed the children was also presiding over her trial. And to try not to bash Dianes Downs character and stick to evidence instead. Bear in mind, that arm consisted of two SHARP bones, cutting at nerves and muscle (1 of bone had been blown out of the arm when the bullet shattered it, leaving three jagged holes in the flesh, out of which bulged torn muscle, and two wedge shaped bones facing each other like dueling swords). She had been isolated from her whole family and being unethically interrogated. As far as her innocence goes and the possibility of being paroled if she admitted her crime, Diane strongly maintains her innocence. USA population seems to shun complex ethical problems preferring to deal with absolute evil in order to exert absolute power to crush it. And if she did it, she has served her time without displaying any violent tendencies whatsoever. She had the right to a fair trial as much as anyone else out there. I watched the paroles hearing in 08, was lucky to find it, it was streamed live at the timemy sister, who is a whiz with computers, found it for me. However, Steve later discovered that Danny wasn't his biological son and divorced his wife. If it doesnt matter to you, it should. Therefore, my understanding is that the original sentence is deemed indefinite with parole hearings every 10 years. I have no dog in this race. Only in Hollywood and in Ann Rules books, would you find such fantasy. I agree. 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. The detective said if Diane would just testify against Steve Downs, she and her children could go home and try to put their lives back together. Ryan is still in his thirties and still building an excellent reputation in the industry. 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. Hugi didnt rush in and take the kids, he had time to consider. 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. I found nothing. Fred Hugi looks nothing like Jim Jagger. High profile cases usually do not get the same treatment as regular folks. Many individuals associated with the the child welfare system, for one reason or another, choose to adopt children. After Diane was convicted, the two living children were adopted by the prosecutor in the case and his wife, and it was Christie who ultimately pointed to her mother being responsible for the shooting. And so, very quickly, they formed a relationship. I lived through the media coverage. I also found it curious that when Diane was first eligible for parole she was allowed to apply every 2 years thereafter until she either gets paroled or dies in prison. In her book, Ann Rule made sure to mention that running water was heard by a dispatcher when Diane was at the hospital; insinuating that she was washing her hands and getting rid of evidence. While that makes her technically eligible for parole at some point (in her case 2009) it does not actually mean she has an end date or a release date. 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.. Oh my. I would also like to express my disbelief that the same judge presided over both the child welfare case and the criminal one. The fact that Dianes injury was way more serious than they tried to pretend? Your prayers were answered. please express them and I will print them. If the goal was to get rid of them, why didnt she emulate her lesser half in this matter? The US is a very strange bird when it comes to crime and punishment. Be the first to get hottest news from our Editor-in-Chief, Check your email and confirm your subscription. To have separated Christie from her brother and the rest of the family to be able to get her mom was unconscionable. It could be argued that he developed a relationship with the children and genuinely wanted them to join his family. After all, Cheryl Downs is basically serving a life sentence with no possibility of parole for her mothers crime. Even if they say that she did not get involved in rehabilitation programs, she did participate, but obviously did not admit to killing her daughter and injuring the others. The reason she is likely locked up is because she was diagnosed with narcissistic, histrionic and anti social personality disorder, that makes her a very dangerous person (especially since she is a murderer). I think u need to read the facts. The question is of course, how can we determine guilt or innocence without a fair trial? And Ann Rule said that the unicorn that was omnipresent in court was part of the premeditation. But what happened to Diane Downs' husband? They were in a difficult situation becausewithout evidence, they could notcharge her for the crime. Yep, Downs who was found guilty in 1984, escaped successfully from the Oregon Womens Correctional Center in 1987 and was transferred to Jersey afterwards. Another conflict of interest. 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. The way this investigation and the trial were conducted only left me with doubts. 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? I try to bring out the details that were ignored because Down was so unpopular: this blog is clearly one sided. And according to the law, she should have been released by now, independently of what she says or not. He could then have initiated the licensing process to foster and then adopt the children. To the authorities, it was a ridiculous notion that they would not entertain so they did not follow on numerous leads coming from people who had seen someone corresponding to that description. The poor jury went along and Jagger did not put much ofa defense anyway. Dianes family could give you countless examples of the inaccuracies they found in her book. But you are right, some members of the jury and public had a reasonable doubt. Even if the nurses notes indicated countless times that the children asked for their mother and enjoyed her visits, they cut them off from the only family they knew and loved; supposedly for their own protection. 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. 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. 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.. They should have looked for a possible accomplice and checked all the leads. You simply are a rude individual looking for a reaction. 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. In hindsight Im sure the grandparents wish they had pursued visitation more aggressively. The definition of deviant sociopath does not even exist in the DSM-HI, which is the official psychiatric diagnostic manual. I had visited Dr. Billings site several times and it is too bad that it was removed. Also, he has never given television interviews about his family or ex-wife, who is now serving time in prison. That makes no sense. Likewise, Charlene had no intention of letting Knick divorce her (Appendix 81, page 1518, line 15). 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. What is known for a fact, is, Prosecutor Fred Hugi took physical custody of Christie and Danny shortly after Christies confessions to her school mates, and he officially adopted them in the summer of 1986. I am quite bothered by what happened in that courtroom and in the media. This was the prosecution and conviction of (Elizabeth) Diane Downs who has now been incarcerated for too many years in one of Californias (overcrowded) State prisons. The timing of her arrival at the hospital should have been discussed and explained in more details. Not right at all. Her quest for love had landed her into an unstable and loveless marriage. You have that part absolutely right, so why was this protocol ignored? There is only one major problem with your scenario. You are telling me to take my smugness elsewhere because it is tiresome. Yes, dad relinquished his rights but he knew that they loved their grandparents and had allowed Diane to take them for a visit without telling the authorities. What about the terror of being interrogated by strangers and separated from her family? We had a thoughtful jury that examined the evidence over four days. The notes taken daily by the nurses became a point of contention at trial. Diane Downs was one of the most infamous murderers of the 1980s; the emotionally flat blonde was convicted of shooting her three children, killing one of them, along a roadway in Springfield,. That is the reason effective trial counsel challenges the competency of a nine-year-old child to testify in a court of law. I believe DDs case needs to be re looked at and all evidence reviewed. One of the important pieces of evidence was the absence of all but a trace of gunshot residue. She also underwent a gun residue test that same evening that revealed no trace of gun powder on her hands. Shes guilty. Someone said to me that any of us, if scrutinized under a microscope, would come out looking pretty bad. Whether or not Steve Downs was in some way behind the shooting, the man who fired the weapon was a stranger to Diane. It was one of the most disturbing stories I've watched. But unfortunately, Diane's parents never approved of the relationship as they had high hopes for their daughter's future, which they did not see in Steve. Andthe DA adopted her other two children. Cheryl was shot twice in the back and one of the bullets ended up on the floorboard. They did not want reunification to keep their verdict intact. There was a lot of evidence pointing at OJ. So she warns her to stay away. And the interrogations were not tapedand barelydocumented. Brewer stood ready to testify in June 1991, that it was because of Prosecutor Hugis lie that he changed his mind to convict and that he alone was responsible for silencing the dissenting votes of two other jurors (Appendix 97). Same with her brother. Plus, Diane could have never cleaned her clothes and her hair to remove blood and gun powder. Page 35 of Case History. Sometimes it takes until late in life for connections to be made again. Someone found guilty of a crime should have a sentence that can be served and not one that is contingent on the remorse shown. 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). You hit the nail on the head by stating that in the US especially, they seem to shun complex ethical problems preferring to deal with absolute evil in order to exert absolute power to crush it. It has become entertainment and there can only be good, bad and evil. According to the State, ballistics evidence proved that Diane Downs was guilty. Yes, shes as guilty as Simpson. 20/20s coverage of Diane Downs and the actions that led her to be sentenced to life in prison is a good portrayal of what really happened. time it was the situation was down. Diane ran away from her husband many times between 1976 and 1977, but with nowhere to go except her parents house, she would come back. Even on a worldwide scale, the age of accountability is considered to be twelve years old. She was not given one inch of presumption of innocence. I dont understand how the family court managed to isolate 2 severely traumatized and grievously injured children from their entire family. It should have been investigated further. Moreover, it was not a suicide case, but of a woman who supposedly shot herself in the arm and her 3 children several times. And Im really not on the fence the little girl was coachedI believe the ex husband , his freinds, and her lovers were invalid either way. One could argue that this blog does not stick to what came out at trial. Just goes to show how difficult it is sometimes to find the truth. The whole blog claims the trial was flawed. Her 7-year old daughter Cheryl died but her 3-year old son Danny and her 8-year old daughter Christie survived.