why didn't steve downs get custody why didn't steve downs get custody

rudy francisco rifle analysis / ford employee profit sharing 2022 / why didn't steve downs get custody. Any thoughts on that? It should have been investigated further. But I know that there were major problems with this case. If personal diaries were to be believed, half of the population would be in great jeopardy. The tape is real and probably not admissible, but it seems to indicate that her testimony was coerced. but I think there are some extreme cases that knock women in a bad psychotic way that can be life threatening. As I stated towards the beginning of my response, Im taking issue with the blog and the subjective language used. If not, why not? She was still trying to extricate herself from a bad relationship with Steve Downs and was in no hurry to repeat the mistake. I am also engaged in other wrongful convictions that have taken place within the US. The case was so one sided that it is about time some of us bring up the other side. What a terrible injustice. Shes where she belongs. Without the media blast and rush to judgment from the police and DAs office, we might have uncovered the truth. But Diane was not the one dragging Knick out of Charlenes bed every morning intent on making or breaking his relationship with another woman. (her family confirmed that she had a mood disorder, possibly bipolar 2), So when Dr. George Suckow from the Oregon State Hospital in Salem was called as a States rebuttal witness and he made a professional diagnosis of Diane as histrionics, antisocial and narcissistic, he openly said in court that he interviewed Diane for 1 hour and read evidence presented by the state to make his diagnosis.. I state that it is not my place to judge innocence or guilt. In 1984, the lead prosecutor in the Danie case, Fred Hugi and his wife, Joanne, chose to adopt the children (Christie and Danny). What man has ever publicly revered a former secret mistress? Mission accomplished. http://www.glamour.com/story/i-found-out-my-mother-was-a-killer-the-rebecca-babcock-story. I feel compelled to comment on this blog, because having recently read Ann Rules book, I feel exactly as you did. So it looks and sounds like she is getting special treatment because of her notoriety. It is possible that he still resides in Arizona, but exactly where he is or what he does, we dont know. The fact that the accused in this case was atypical, makes her the perfect target. The lack of balance and objectivity. But Im on track and Im really happy with the way life is.. that you told Diane to tell steve that she was Knicks It is not, as the blogger frequently refers to, evidence. No gun, no blood or gun residue on her and if she shot them, these elements should have been there. In case you did not read the blog: 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. There are some stories that stick with you for a long time. So when Dr. George Suckow from the Oregon State Hospital in Salem was called as a States rebuttal witness and he made a professional diagnosis of Diane as histrionics, antisocial and narcissistic, he openly said in court that he interviewed Diane for 1 hour and read evidence presented by the state to make his diagnosis. Danny said several times that a bad man shot them and it was written in the nurses notes, but never that his mother shot him. The implication was not only cruel, in the light of what Diane was suffering, it was also clear. It was omnipresent in the courtroom as well as the Duran Duran song, The judge instructed them to continue on to force a verdict. Then ask yourself if thats how you want your son to grow up. 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. That testimony was left unchallenged by Mr. Jagger. Our laws are not written that way. But in their defense, they were told at trial what gun was used by Diane to shoot the kids and it must have been very difficult to overcome the emotions brought on by the words of little Christie even if it was pretty obvious during her testimony that she was confused and unreliable. 2) You mention her youngest daughter, and how Ann made sure she only heard negative information about Diane. I cannot be more transparent than that and integrity was one of the missing pieces of the entire case. Tina, if you look at family pictures of the Downs, Christie is the eldest and this is her picture. And Ann Rule said that the unicorn that was omnipresent in court was part of the premeditation. No matter how horrible people think she is. Exactly Libby why did they say during the trial that he saw his mom? Being a patient of the doctor who saved the childrens lives has nothing to do with the facts of a case. Christie was it though. Actor Robert Blake was found not guilty of the shooting murder of his wife. Mr. This whole case is flawed. So, why didn't Steve Downs get custody? (that one is more of a question). I never read the Ann Rule book, but saw Small Sacrifices as a kid and have had an interest in this case ever since. The woman shot her children. Why? Steve was the one who left Diane because he believed that Stephen Daniel, known as Danny, was the result of an extramarital affair that Diane had. One of the more bizarre scenes in this farce of an investigation was about to unfold. Needless to say, you seem to have a problem with the American justice systemnot each individual case. 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 believe DDs case needs to be re looked at and all evidence reviewed. Where are Steve Downs children now? She had been the bread winner for most of her marriage, and never wavered in her desire to bring financial stability to her family. The way this investigation and the trial were conducted only left me with doubts. Diane now had the title of dangerous offender. Would you know at what speed you are going if you were shot and driving with wounded children in the car? I accept that it is sometimes necessary but I believe in rehabilitation. So, what is Steve's story? 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 ? 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. I will not remove anything. Maybe I'm dramatic but I no longer want to watch it . 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. It simply states the facts of the case. She was also shot twice andifshe had been sitting up, the seats would have been covered with blood spatter as well as the shooter. Spending 35 years incarcerated with time in isolation and often as a target is not going to improve mental health. You seem to forget that even a few jurors started by voting not guilty on some of the charges. Therefore, those jagged bones were floating in a cloth wrap, merely resting in a cloth sling. The media keeps talking about several escapes, but there was only one. Jen Taylor . You mention that her attorney should have raised objections. Also, the title of the website clearly demonstrates an inherit bias. In this Battle of Cutthroats, Who has lost their head? Another significant development about the children is that Danny is great with computers but is still paralyzed from the bullet that hit his back but is leading a regular life. Apparently drug mafia wanted to punish her for messing her nose in forbidden places, not because she was getting any real business in that but simply because she had one of the poorest judgements a person can have. They were traumatized and needed familiar faces to feel safe. It was cited that she keeps her emotions close to the vest. Diane had learned from nine months of interaction with Knick, that the man was consistent only in his inconsistency. So appropriate! 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. At the time, among 49 prisoners denied parole, the board had given only four inmates, including Downs, a 10-year wait. Diane was sentenced to life plus 50 years. Fred Hugi looks nothing like Jim Jagger. Of course, because this is what she does when people put her on the spot and ask questions concerning her mother and the shooting. Why didnt they mention that he said a bad man and whatever else in his condition when they knew it was not possible? Diane was found guilty and sentenced to life and she has been in prison ever since. Instead, there is blood splatter on the ceiling of the car. And this makes many people wonder about his whereabouts. But they tended to ignore other important aspects. She had no blood spatter or gun powder residue on her hands,clothing or hair. I still dont buy her story. Its more boring to tell the truth and the readers might not have flocked to read a fair story without no real heroes and villains. Golden State Killer: Where Is the Prolific Rapist and Murderer Today? They were the small sacrifices. He needed, now more than ever, to vacate the area asap. He was instead a result of an affair Diane had with a married man. He knows as he was in court and must have photos. I found your blog to be very well written, informative and interesting. Diane had consulted a psychologist after the tragedy and after months of consultation, she was never diagnosed as a sociopath. Again thats opinion, and neither balanced nor objective. The prosecutor and his wife adopted both children that survived and although the boy is paralyzed and in a wheelchair, they trived with their new parents. The fact that she drove there and it saved the life of two of her children should give anyone pause. This is especially if it comes with a history of erratic behavior following the use of these substances. Standards of conduct are defined by state law, but they generally require a judge to avoid appearances of impropriety, such as avoiding deciding a dispute in which the judge is personally involved in the issue at stake or has a relationship to one of the parties.. 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. Dianes family could give you countless examples of the inaccuracies they found in her book. My opposition to movies about true crime stories is unshakable. 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. I cant believe that it was allowed to happen, actually. A. From the very beginning, the DAs office had their ducks in a row because in an unprecedented move, Judge 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. 3. I dont know either if she is guilty or not, but I believe there is a reasonable doubt surrounding the circumstances. The DA that put away their mom is not an appropriate placement choice. By the time Danny was born, they were having intense arguments about infidelity that Steve got convinced that he wasnt his biological son. Ann Rule has always been sensationalist, and her books were almost unreadable at the end of her publishing days. Its more understandable now, after all this time but it has done her so much harm, then and now 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). I do not believe that this type of abuse would occur today. 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. It could be argued that he developed a relationship with the children and genuinely wanted them to join his family. 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. They should have stayed out of it instead of contributing to her revictimization. Instead, the person accused of attacking them and wanting them out of her life, fought for them. The incident left Cheryl dead, Danny paralyzed from the waist down, and Christie suffering from a stroke that affected her speech. You have that part absolutely right, so why was this protocol ignored? 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??? Her son ended up in jail and ONeils children accused him of neglect and bad parenting. Diane found a full-time job with the U.S. Post Office in 1981, and was stationed in Chandler. According to Rule and the court, the unicorn was a memorial to her children that she purchased after premeditating their murder. He actually was the one who suggested theybecome intimate after many friendly, platonic conversations. According to the State, ballistics evidence proved that Diane Downs was guilty. Christie and Danny have no contact with their father, and they have completed their education. In fact, Diane had consulted a psychologist after the tragedy and after months of consultation, she was never diagnosed as a sociopath. I saw footage of Diane herself laughing during the re-enactment of the crime. There is no way that a jury would convict Diane today, based on the clearly coached testimony of Christie. Basically, I dont believe the site owner has produced enough proof of anything. Lack of impulse control is also another symptom that might explain why a mother would stop at night to help a stranger flagging her on the road. And she laughed at it by saying it was healthy to want to join the free world, especially if you proclaim your innocence. Nearly every point you make here was addressed and disproved or not even allowed into evidence. Brewer changed his mind. And the interrogations were not tapedand barelydocumented. The unreliability of childrens testimony has been documented by cognitive psychologists such as Elizabeth Loftus of the University of Cornell and others. Q. DA Pat Horton declared early in the game to the local paper that the search for the bearded stranger was not very high on their priority list.. Susan, I dont know if there ever was a lawsuit against Ann Rule from the Fredericksons family. Diane Downs is an infamous killer who tried to murder her three children to pursue love. this is your 2nd quote which contradicts the first one .. Lets not forget that she was presumed to have fired a gun 6 times at close range within the confines of a small car. I think DD is guilty, but I also think her trial was far from due process, and that is the important issue. Diane was known for her love of all animals whichshe treated with great care, and for her independent and wild streak. She never hurt anyone in the process of escaping. We make them president!!!! He asked her for the car keys and she pretended to throw them away to distract him. Ultimately, the blogger is entitled to their opinion as is everyone else. In one of them, he knew her name and in another one, she had answered a call and been told to meet someone. N u pleaded guilty of murdering ur husband. USA population seems to shun complex ethical problems preferring to deal with absolute evil in order to exert absolute power to crush it. They should have had ongoing contact and been placed with family as soon as they were out of the hospital and they never should have been interviewed without their own attorney (Guardian ad Litem) present. Where is the blood spatter on Diane? Same with her brother. Yep, Downs who was found guilty in 1984, escaped successfully from the Oregon Womens Correctional Center in 1987 and was transferred to Jersey afterwards. Their marriage was described as tumultuous, with Downs allegedly disappearing for long periods of time with her children. What matters to me is that her rights were trampled during her trial. In reply to Nick. Im not arguing the facts of the trial, and Im not about to. The crucial point is that she is so void of emotion. Offers may be subject to change without notice. HUGE conflict of interest. There were good reasons to look at this mother, but the detective admitted on the stand that they stopped looking at anyone else after two weeks and the stranger on the road became a joke. My website is in the process of being migrated so it has no photos. Not optional, kids should not be in limbo that long, but it happens all the time. Lise do you know if the kids have ever reached out to the grandparents/family in the last few years? Click to read The Case of Liysa Northon Who Said True Crime Does not Pay? This website supports restorative justice, so of course it leans towards sentences that are not life without parole if it is supported by a warden and mental health specialists. No one bothered with these details so I did. They examined her clothes also. They dont need to be adopted and have their entire identity changed. She followed all the correct Parole Boardprocedures for two years with no hearing. High profile cases usually do not get the same treatment as regular folks. more on crime HEARTBREAKING FIND The Office star's sister-in-law found dead 11 days after going missing 'DISGUSTING' Substituting reasonable inference and evidence for tarot cards? Because she had driven that area for years for her work. She was not in the car when her children were shot. Christie's first child is a boy. According to Diane, she then saw a man on the road flagging her and stopped thinking he needed help. He didn't indicate whether Downs would appeal. I dont care what Diane Downs says at the parole board hearing, except if she is innocent or guilty. He said all the police needed was for Diane to bear witness against her ex-husband. They lied about the ballistics. 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. Their goal was to make Dian look crazy, because sane people dont shoot their children. Page 6 of Case History. 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. But I am realistic. They are still part of their birth family. Why would anyone think Christie could remember the night of the shooting anyway?? Teams of people and detectives combed the area for months looking for the gun but it was nowhere to be found. Something that would never stand in court now. Our legal system is not perfect. Unfortunately, he hasn't been as outspoken as people expected, considering the gruesome details of the crime committed by her ex-wife. They did not want reunification to keep their verdict intact. It is in the blog. I agree in both cases they were high profile cases. In high school, she met handsome Steven Downs who saw her for the great beauty she had become. The following article hopes to help you make more suitable choices and get more useful information This really makes me angry, that prosecuter and judge should be sued along with the writter. Two jurors had voted that Diane was not guilty of attempted murder or first-degree assault, but endedup voting to convict her of murder. An earlier commenter wrote that it doesnt matter that the trail or the investigation was faultyWHAT !? 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. I am all for reviewing facts and getting a decision overturned in cases of corrupt decisions, and many people are on your side and find these cases totally worth their time. She had a more than competent attorney and a fair trial before a jury and NOT the same judge who handled the childrens matters. The person leaned into the car. Almost from day one, Diane was perceived as a cancer they had to remove. The lawsuit against Ann Rule was thrown out as unfounded because after reading her book they could find no inconsistencies She sat thru the entire trial AND used actual court transcripts. Parker Schnabel's net worth in 2023: Is he the richest on Gold Rush? Contemporary family finding principles argue that a child is best nurtured by parents, then immediate family members, extended family members, spiritual family (Godparents), close friends, etc. 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. The two older kids were Diane's with ex-husband Steve, however, Danny wasn't Steve's. She found out who her biological mother was when she was 11 years old, ABC reported. she chose to stay with Manson and his misfits. The answers to those questions do not matter anymore. Due process always matters. Ruger #14-76187; described as the gun used by Diane and belonging to Steve Downs, was not the murder weapon. I am not one sided. They are the ones who considered Dianes children as Small Sacrifices. 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. Anyway, it takes a good scrubbing with soap and water to get rid of gun powder residues and doing so with only one arm would be quite difficult. It seems like Steve and Diane were meant to be together. 20 female celebrities with black hair to follow in 2023, 10 most famous QVC hosts who were fired or left the channel. This video has Dianes attorney, Jim Jagger, at 1 minutes and 20 seconds that might have some good shots. I think that looked at through a more objective lens, many aspects of the Downs case are highly questionable. But you dont mention that she again has changed her story. While Rules book is biased, it was a look into the view of those who wanted justice for those children, wether you agree w/ their conclusion or not, that was their goal. She was expelled and reunited with him against her parents wishes. Doing it without witnesses when she was so sick is underhanded. This was all logged in Christies hospital reports and is found in the Appendix of the petition filed in Federal Court in 1996 in the section Hospital Reports. Even if I have no doubt that Hugi loved the kids, we have to wonder why he adopted them two years later just when little Christie started saying she had no clue who shot them. I know people who know or knew people is not a valid argument. It was half baked escape plans that were more in her head than anything and that the media enjoyed blowing out of proportions. We could say that it was suggestive on his part, but considering how this trial was conducted, I tend to believe it happened. She states, I did not shoot my children and I cant say I did. I still remember my mother picking up the paper and seeing the headline. 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. Critics said she deliberately became pregnant in order to garner sympathy from the jury. answer the question why didn't steve downs get custody, which will help you get the most accurate answer. Did Danny Downs, Steve Downs' son, remain paralyzed? After all, many cases of domestic abuse and even neglect do stem from alcoholism or drug abuse. I know several foster parents and social workers. They went after Diane at trial for tapping her foot when they played Hungry like the wolf. Leaving out a lot of info that should be included and presenting a very one sided take on these things. She was the prosecutions only hope. Just similar stuff.and that I guess, makes it easy for me to see how that song could of fueled her up.never underestimate the power if a song..what feels intense and exciting to you, may not to another, but shoot, anytime I hear pink floyd run like hell.takes me right back 1991 in the heat of my chase..for me, I got the answers I wanted from 89 when my friend said that about the Duran song and it involved in that case. According to Detective Welch, Steve Downs followed Diane to Oregon, they fought and Steves rage took the last step on the path hed been treading for a long time. And by the way, I wrote the blogs about Rule way before she passed. Rule even talked about writing a book about her but it never materialized. She keeps her emotions under tight control, presenting only socially acceptable feelings and burying other contradictory feelings.. So yes I think she did it, I think ration left her a long before she did itI think post pardum played in this, I think, she was scattered all over the map.againjust hearing it in her own words. Whats next? This is a conflict of interest. One of the important pieces of evidence was the absence of all but a trace of gunshot residue.