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). There was never a real motive for the crime even if the State insisted that Diane wanted to be free to pursue her love interest; using her journals to support theirclaim. Powered by WordPress.com VIP. LMFAO!!!! In fact, with her continuing to deny committing the crime or expressing remorse, she may never get out. Very little is definitively known in this area. I am a strong believer that pregnancy can do serious harm to some women. Aint no one gonna tarnish my guys lol. The whole case is crazy. I am posting Jamesanswer: Yes the allegations were said and you cannot take back what was saideven if retracted I think that Van Houten was recommended for parole by a system that assessed that after 40 years, she was not a threat to society and a reformed woman. Hugi did not want that. I would love to hear your answers to them. You indicated you were not going to get a divorce? Thanks again. I just tried to find a video or article about Hugi and I only get the one or two that I already have. Some would say that Diane Downs was condemned because of her lies and inconsistencies, but I think that it was mostly because of her disturbing demeanor and brash personality. Her 7-year old daughter Cheryl died but her 3-year old son Danny and her 8-year old daughter Christie survived. What about the affidavits of the guy who confessed to several people? Even on a worldwide scale, the age of accountability is considered to be twelve years old. Nowadays, this insanity would never be tolerated. She has come a long way. Whats wrong with the system is whats wrong with us. 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. It sounds like Diane was trying to tell her to stay away from bad influences. Click 'See First' under 'Follow' Tab to see Tuko.co.ke news on your FB Feed. A fair trial is a right in this country, not a judicial suggestion. Diane recanted the stories about her dad who vehemently denied them. While not evidence of guilt or innocence, it is certainly worth noting as part of the overall wrongs perpetrated during this fiasco of a trial and subsequent appeals. They were put in an impossible situation. The next day, on June 16, 1983, CSD terminated Dianes visitations with her children altogether. Page 10 of Case History. Only the people who present ongoing threats to the safety of the public in general are the ones this sentence is reserved for. is this a reason??? Dianes ex-lover, Robert Knickerbocker, also said the same. Diane doesnt believe Rebecca is her daughter, rather a media puppet ran by Rule. 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. Do not take this so personally. He could not during the marriage so he walked away. Caught in the act, Hugi declared that Christie only said that because she was pressed for an answer. Nearly every point you make here was addressed and disproved or not even allowed into evidence. Is it too late to respond to this? A sick kid who had a stroke and traumatized being pressured for weeks to remember her mother killing her? Or be mentally ill. She goes on to say that she has deep regret and mourns the loss and death of her children. I might not have put enough information to your liking, but I stuck to what came out at trial and not the fantasy factory coming from the state, the media and Rule. Surprisingly, Fred Hugi actually looks quite different. 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). Do you REALLY believe she expected them to live especially since she drove at less than 10 mph. she chose to stay with Manson and his misfits. It was such a high profile case and she was found guilty by the media and the court so people are afraid to touch this one. Every single one of these questions matter. As was his habit, Knick failed to take into consideration what Diane or his wife had to say on the matter. Steve was among the few individuals who saw Elizabeth Diane as a beautiful young lady rather than an outsider. I am glad you read it anyway and I appreciate your comment. Exactly Libby why did they say during the trial that he saw his mom? WTF? Guilty or not, we should know better than to use the justice system as a psychic tool when theres not enough evidence. "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. It probably was not salacious enough for her readers that she polled online to establish if there was enough interest in the story to fill her pockets with a definite blockbuster. I write about cases where due process is in question and important aspects were ignored or twisted. They were in their care during the time Diane worked when she moved to Oregon. Dianes story does not contradict that. But my beef is with the interference by the media, TV shows and Ann Rule. Diane downs. Diane had learned from nine months of interaction with Knick, that the man was consistent only in his inconsistency. I bet the records are and always have been sealed regarding this aspect of the case. This whole case is flawed. I saw that same face in Diane Downs. Litigating at the Supreme Court in . A conviction founded on lies is no conviction at all. Page 50 of Case History. The car was splattered with blood, but Diane had none on her. The two kids who had survived the attack were placed for adoption and Steve was no able to care for them. And if she did it, she has served her time without displaying any violent tendencies whatsoever. Diane Downs changed her story so many times, even at her parole hearing. So it was a relentless game totry to reel her in. Strangely enough, a woman who was seen for 8 months by a psychologist and declared to be in shock and suffering from a mood disorder, would now be assessed by the State hired psychiatrist to confirm the label Hugi conveniently made up during trial. Christie could not speak but after some rehab, she said repeatedly that she did not know who shot them. I cannot be more transparent than that and integrity was one of the missing pieces of the entire case. Ive not seen the movie or read the book. All smoke and mirrors to fit a certain scenario. I like the way you keep an open mind about Diane herself and what she may or may not have been going through mentally. And her mental health should definitely have been a factor to release her with follow up care. I like to believe the best about people too but there are certain things that absolutely cant be ignored. I would say so. She was still trying to extricate herself from a bad relationship with Steve Downs and was in no hurry to repeat the mistake. He has lived a life outside the public eye and hasnt ever come out to give interviews to the media about his ex-wife. She (Diane) managed to jump in the car after getting shot in the arm. Im not saying I know for a fact in my mind shes innocentbut there is NOT enough evidence for her to be guilty. This is also a faster route to give the children permanency, and is far cheaper for the child welfare system that is always strained by the budget. It seems that everyone commenting just knows shes guilty, like you say. Youre right to say that a GSR is not always foolproof and between 10-20% of suicide GSR kits test negative for GSR. But there were discrepancies; the tool marks did not matchand the detective lied on the stand about it. This is a more common route for children with parents who are incarcerated for what looks to be the entire childhood of the children. 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 , Anne Rule made a big deal of a brass unicorn engraved with the childrens names that Diane had purchased. I care about the experts reports written about Diane because they know her situation and mental state. I still dont buy her story. The most exciting thing about Steve is that he never appeared in public despite the immense case against his wife. Until the end of the trial. It does not get any bigger than this. Instead, there is blood splatter on the ceiling of the car. Danny was the product of an affair. If there is one thing Diane knew about her lover, is that he was fickle and did not like trouble of any kind. Lets not forget that she was presumed to have fired a gun 6 times at close range within the confines of a small car. Gunpowder is one of the toughest stains around, when it comes to removing it from clothes. Do you remember a couple of days after that, December The unreliability of childrens testimony has been documented by cognitive psychologists such as Elizabeth Loftus of the University of Cornell and others. If the answer is, to keep the public safe, then I call BS. In one of them, he knew her name and in another one, she had answered a call and been told to meet someone. 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. How asinine. The reason Im harsh is because Ive detected that youve paid for this site and therefore cant be wrong. 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. This was ridiculed countless times in the media, but frankly, it can be a very honorable endeavor, depending onhow you want to look at it. But the Parole Board refused to hear her. According to Oregon law, this would have to be supported by a psychiatrists report or a Wardens letter and Diane provided both. There was a lot of evidence pointing at OJ. And the state refusing to turn them over to the defense? And what happened to her little daughter is beyond unethical. The timing of her arrival at the hospital should have been discussed and explained in more details. What followed was a tragedy subject to many interpretations. She said no mother would stop at 10 at night, in the dark, with three young children, to help a Bush haired stranger. As Ms. Patterson left the stand, Diane complained to her attorney that Ms. Patterson had lied under oath. I know that most people think she is guilty. The case NEVER made sense to me. But there is forensic evidence pointing to Diane Downs. What?? Lise do you know if the kids have ever reached out to the grandparents/family in the last few years? The problem with high profile cases is that the media, the DA, the cops and authors like Ann Rule dictate the narrative and it becomes almost impossible to look any other way unless you are a critical thinker devoid of emotions related to the case. I hope this would never fly these days to separate wounded children from the only family members they have. Within a few weeks, the kids who had survived were placed in protective custody and were no longer in Steve's care. 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. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. I lived through the media coverage. The infamous murder story of 1983 was like an excerpt from a crime thriller, a mother doing the unfathomable. In 1999, a Board Certified Psychiatrist practicing in Oakland, California wrote a letter to the parole board on behalf of Diane Downs to explain how things had changed since 1984 when she was diagnosed with a severe personality disorder. He did not consider her a risk factor at all and believed she would do well if released into society, because she had no prior history of violence and never had a problem with violence or bad behavior while incarcerated. I almost felt bad for her.that being she seemed so lost in her lies..she just hangs in limbo now. 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. Of course. Then feel free to correct the facts and to provide evidence to support them. According to your own experience Lori, dont they try to give grandparents custody or at least access in cases comparable to this one? It probably makes you feel so good. In 1992 I became involved in this work following my interest and research into a notorious murder trial that was held in Oregon many years ago. 4. 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. Christie's first child is a boy. Shes where she belongs. Likewise, Charlene had no intention of letting Knick divorce her (Appendix 81, page 1518, line 15). They made her out to be a monster, but in Beckys case, it becomes redeemable. that you told Diane to tell steve that she was Knicks Leaving out a lot of info that should be included and presenting a very one sided take on these things. ANNE RULES BOOK IS A LIE, ,ALL MADE UP CRAP. Christie was it though. No OTHER reason. Steve made some piss poor choices when he had visitation with the kids after the shooting; he permitted them to go off alone with Dianne, when she was not supposed to have had any contact at all with the children. It is said that they didn't go to Steve because he wasn't a fit father or well equipped to take care of children who had gone through such a traumatic experience. 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. Many people have wondered why the two separated after seven years of marriage. Ann Rule has always been sensationalist, and her books were almost unreadable at the end of her publishing days. I mean if a guy admits to killing children over and over, shouldnt we pay attention to that? But as usual, it was slanted in the worst possible way. Blood, cuts, limo driver who saw him come in, the shoe print, the blood in the car and on the socks in his bedroom. I personally disagree with that practice but it is common. Since his ex wife was sentenced to life in prison, he has not reappeared in public life nor has he given any television interviews about his family. At that timeand now!! Diane had met all the requirements to be paroled. That is why people wonder why such a vital family member never gave the anticipated insightful interview. But you sure did comment like a true asshole, huh? The following article hopes to help you make more suitable choices and get more useful information However, Steve later discovered that Danny wasn't his biological son and divorced his wife. Robert was a married man in Arizona with whom Diane had been having an affair, back when she was still living there. Imagine the ones there for years. 2 years in foster care waiting to be legally free for adoption is not that uncommon even today. As a rule, any child under the age of ten prompts counsel to question the competence of any testimony that child might give. What this is evidence of is one more piece of the overwhelming amount of bias that was involved from the start of the case. So either way, it would not be so far fetched that someone said he was the shooter.A little investigation would not hurt. Her attorney, James Jagger, did a poor job for Diane. What happened to Diane Downs' husband? It always feels like punishment at all costs. I especially loved reading everyones comments. Nuts maybe, but not threatening. She would have been released under strict conditions with the support of her family and under the care of a mental health specialist. Diane didnt ask Knick to leave his wife. Needless to say, you seem to have a problem with the American justice systemnot each individual case. Jesus Ortiz Paz's parents, net worth, wife, and daughter. As she walked away, Detective Welch called after her, If you dont testify against Steve, youre going to lose everything. Diane turned back to say, Show me proof, and walked away. If he was getting too close to the witness emotionally he should have stepped away from the case. 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. more on crime HEARTBREAKING FIND The Office star's sister-in-law found dead 11 days after going missing 'DISGUSTING' Because Foote was already familiar with the case, the presiding judge assigned him the murder trial after Downs was charged with the shootings. Diane had siblings and parents. Many individuals associated with the the child welfare system, for one reason or another, choose to adopt children. If Diane was bipolar, the non-stop chatter would have been inherent to the situation. 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. It took a lot of time to research this case and present the other side of the coin. According to her hospital records, every 6 hours she was given 400 milligrams of Dilantin (which is noted for causing confusion). This is an extremely tragic case and her children at the very least deserve justice. Detective Antoine also performed a trace metal test on Diane I S hands to detect the presence of trace metals left after someone has touched or held something metallic like a gun (Appendix 65). 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. Her mom is still alive and would love to have contact but respect that they wont. Her three small children, Christie, 8; Cheryl, 7; and Danny, 3 . In the blog, there is a link on the subject of bipolar people who tend to laugh at the wrong time. The police admitting on the stand that after 2 weeks, they stopped looking at suspects appears to be a fact. What disease did Ray Liotta have, and what caused his death? It was very unfair to raise them away from their grandparents and other blood relatives. 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. You are right. 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. The underlying basis of this article. She threw her keys yet was able to take off right away?? No. There are documented cases of suicides where the person has no GNR, as well as murder cases. None of this is EVIDENCE of anything in regard to the murder trial, and not once did I read that it was. 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. Page 26 of Case History. People tend to forget that the group of young women hanging out with Manson were deeply engaged in serious drug use and totally out of their mind at the time. According to Rule and the court, the unicorn was a memorial to her children that she purchased after premeditating their murder. But why was the judge in family court hopping over to criminal court? Do you remember it would have been around say November 19th of 82 that you would have left Charlene at one time? She unwillingly followed the cops in spite of being in pain and not wanting to leave the premises. But Ann Rules utterly biased account is an insult to investigative journalism and there seems to be very reasonable doubt here. Fred Hugi was pretty upset when Ann Rule went Hollywood with his case. 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.. Their haste to go to trial created this mess and lingering doubts. Kumbaya my Lord, Kumbaya. You have a photo of Diane before the parole board. And she would have been under supervision. She was no mother of the year, I will grant them that, but a trial is supposed to be based on evidence. They came up with an explanation as to why this was the wrong gun but the jig was up. 2) You mention her youngest daughter, and how Ann made sure she only heard negative information about Diane. At the time Diane had told police that a stranger attempted to carjack her and shot the kids, and thats what her ex husband was told, too.