It kinda scared me, the thought that mommy could shoot me, like this mommy did. The gun is Def a big issue, the style of gun, whether it belonged to him or her, she Def had access to itthe child drew a picture of it, having large similarity to that gunbut it did always baffle me how she could find such a great hide for it in such a short period of time. Dianes daughter started saying that she did not know who shot them right when she got adopted. 3. But people never want to touch the high profile cases where the defendant is not likable. I watched the highlights of her hearing. The most recent tape of her daughter is not admissible because it is never allowed to bring out tapes that were obtained this way. Conflict of interest on steroids!! He still shouldnt have been allowed to adopt them while the appeals process was ongoing, if he had any role in those cases. Diane was instructed to reenact her response to the attacker who murdered her daughter. Maybe I should have elaborated more about this comment. It became more about despising Diane Downs than investigating fairly. I believe DDs case needs to be re looked at and all evidence reviewed. And Hugi seemed pretty sure he would get what he was asking for. They went through the process which demonstrates a certain level of commitment in itself. Hugi did not want that. And the interrogations were not tapedand barelydocumented. The tragedy that hit the Downs' kids changed their whole life. They are the ones who considered Dianes children as Small Sacrifices. Its a dangerous proposition when a lack of due process becomes acceptable because they know she is guilty. Any thoughts on that? There were many problems with her trial and that matters. From what Ive read, she gets a parole hearing every decade and the next time in 2030 she will be 75. She did not fit in and was now anxious to assert her independence and live her own life. I think that the US system is barbaric How one of them lied on the stand about ballistics? What would have been the conclusion to have drawn without this hate campaign? 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. Powered by WordPress.com VIP. (Yes in the 1980s a ten yr like myself was not as mature as say todays 10 yr olds. As Ms. Patterson left the stand, Diane complained to her attorney that Ms. Patterson had lied under oath. The trial was a whole miscarriage, that seems undeniable. Pros. Diane had consulted a psychologist after the tragedy and after months of consultation, she was never diagnosed as a sociopath. A slightly humorous observation is that you said, and others have, that James Haynes physically resembled the sketch.. 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. Once you are vilified in the media in the US, the way Downs and others have been, a lot of people shut their eyes and their mind to any other possibility than what was presented in the court of public opinion. During closing arguments, Fred Hugi said that the murder weapon used by Diane was a Ruger, and the state had the model number and the bill of sale. You mention that her attorney should have raised objections. The Halo TV show stars Orange is the New Black's Pablo Schreiber as Master Chief, with Californication's Natascha McElhone as Dr. Halsey. She was more interested in the affection of men, which on that fateful day in 1983 gave her an idea. In fact, what investigator Tracy had written in his notes is that the heart monitor jumped because of excitement or intense fear. Rule defended her right to earn a living and to tell her story. We dont know what the Hugi family was doing during this time, probably seeing the kids regularly and getting licensed and approved to take the kids home with them. Was that Annes fault as well? Go reading US: The American Gulag, 26 Mar 2009 Exploding prison populations in the US serve a basic need of capitalism. 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. Steve Downs had allegedly stolen this gun from a friend named Billy Proctor, but after it was found and the ballistics did not match, Bill suddenly remembered keeping it only for a day before exchanging it for another Ruger automatic at a gun show in Mesa; which now meant that the gun that Diane allegedly used to shoot herself and the children, was still apparently nowhere to be found. According to your own experience Lori, dont they try to give grandparents custody or at least access in cases comparable to this one? Unfortunately, he hasn't been as outspoken as people expected, considering the gruesome details of the crime committed by her ex-wife. Without her daughters testimony and the lies about the gun, they could not have found her guilty in a fair trial. A steel plate had to be attached and some lead fragments were removed. According to The Cinemaholic, Steve was found to not be a good fit to care for his kids who would need specialized care and had been through a very traumatic event. In 1983, Diane Downs said a stranger shot her 3 kids, but police Forensics or lack thereof and blood splatter? The diagnosis of the psychiatrist for the state is also clearly documented. I agree about pregnancy and childbirth affecting women differently, and even having different effects for the same woman with different pregnancies. Makes no difference to me. 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". Its a rather large part of the story. She was not in the car when her children were shot. I do not post rude comments. James C. Jagger who was hired by Dianes father was an ex-Prosecutor. Guilty or not, we should know better than to use the justice system as a psychic tool when theres not enough evidence. Moreover, it was not a suicide case, but of a woman who supposedly shot herself in the arm and her 3 children several times. Again thats opinion, and neither balanced nor objective. I am glad you read it anyway and I appreciate your comment. She managed to jump in the car after getting shot in the arm. then later you ask how diane didnt have any blood splatter on her when she was inside the car when she shot her kids??? TIL On May 19, 1983, Diane Downs shot her three children and drove them at 5-7 mph to the hospital. The court can just do an APR, Assignment of Parental Rights. Police witness reports of strangers and confessions were suppressed or not pursued. Steve knew Danny was not his biological child and left Downs. Wasnt it speculative on their part? Mother of Diane Downs Asks Oregon Governor to Review Case and So I did not post your comment about his answer to your inquiry. And once again, considering that she was diagnosed as bipolar, did not help her cause. I remember when Diane shot her kids and there are some facts Id like to correct from your blog. It seems that the Downs were totally ignored. It sounds like this was not the case with Dianes children. 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. If appropriate family members could not be found to take placement of the children then family friends are the next step. Click 'See First' under 'Follow' Tab to see Tuko.co.ke news on your FB Feed. 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. 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. She has been denied parole 2x and is up again in 2020. They were not truth seekers and enjoyed a nice burning at the stake instead. 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. They were tons of witnesses that saw him at work. But for what it is worth, I believe she tried to kill her 3 kids. http://www.glamour.com/story/i-found-out-my-mother-was-a-killer-the-rebecca-babcock-story. The circumstances surrounding the crimes against these innocent children demand to be used as evidence.. My comment to you Lise is about your reply to a previous comment where you say Diane should have been released by now regardless of her statements. But strangely, they took no photos of the crime scene and did not lift fingerprints from the drivers side of the car. How could Christie say anything but the things they told her to say with that kind of influence? The prosecutor would gently shake his head and the good judge would follow with a ruling. A. I told Diane before, but I certainly didnt tell her to When a unicorn and hungry like the wolf make their way into a court room during a high profile trial, its a red flag. I can make out I will ask you to take a good look at the people in your life. She was no mother of the year, I will grant them that, but a trial is supposed to be based on evidence. And to try not to bash Dianes Downs character and stick to evidence instead. In a fairly good knot which would have taken time to do one handed and teeth. Christie was it though. If you have an opinion on drugging a child to make her talk, a judge presiding over a criminal case when he was in family court and removed the children from the defendants or the forensics, ballistic, etc. Q. There is so much to say about this blog I wouldnt know where to start. The american system often reminds me of what Charles Dickens talked about in his novels. You can check this link and go online to see her picture with Cheryl and the rest of the family. 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? I feel compelled to comment on this blog, because having recently read Ann Rules book, I feel exactly as you did. Women who were somewhat normal begore, get pregnant, have the baby, then drown it a toilet, kill or beat the the baby in the first year..shaking or other means..its less often then notbut better believe these type of cases are reported constantly now on social media. I am a strong believer that pregnancy can do serious harm to some women. 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. People can have a certain vibe and act out of the norms, but it does not make them necessarily guilty. Go to the hate groups for that. This is to avoid the conflict of interest that we read about above. He asked her for the car keys and she pretended to throw them away to distract him. A group of ladies formed a group called HELDD which stands for Help Exonerate & Liberate Diane Downs. They should have stayed out of it instead of contributing to her revictimization. Some of your facts arent facts at all. https://www.google.com/search?q=diane+downs+with+christie+cheryl+and+danny&sxsrf=ACYBGNQDEM3XNQjZXlqNQpYLhZCn7ic5iw:1576689995166&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjNuNT427_mAhUcJTQIHbveBMIQ_AUoAXoECA4QAw&biw=1024&bih=462#imgrc=gQkU10UxNhHn_M: If youre talking about the picture in the blog that is labeled as Christie, it is Christie. They sure forgot to tell us about her pulse racing during these sessions. And if the fact that cops lied about the gun to close the deal did not bother you, it bothered me because this is not due process. After parting ways, the couple would soon meet again in Arizona which would end up in them reigniting and reconnecting their fling. rudy francisco rifle analysis / ford employee profit sharing 2022 / why didn't steve downs get custody. My question is: why is she still locked up? Instead, it is Diane who fought to keep her children. 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. The jurors had doubts. I try to bring out the details that were ignored because Down was so unpopular. Basically then at that I then question how she would not have blood splatter if she shot them inside the car at close range. You said that the absence of both prove she couldnt have been to shooter and you claim it takes real scrubbing to remove GSR. 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. Van Houten has made her choices and needs to own up to her actions and stop putting all the blame on drugs and Manson. 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. Seeing her giggle and laugh during a videoed reconstruction gave me, as a mother, a sickening feeling. The detectives and the state failed to act properly and it should not be an accepted practice. time it was the situation was down. As for where he is now, we'll be honest, we're not completely sure. McPherron: I mean, it was plastered all over. 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. 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. In this Battle of Cutthroats, Who has lost their head? Diane now had the title of dangerous offender. Considering the circumstances, it is difficult not to be a bit cynical about this grand gesture: relevance? Diane Downs changed her story so many times, even at her parole hearing. Dianes father tried to hire Melvin Belli, but the judge refused to give him some time to prepare and come back to the US. What was the justification? After divorcing her wife, Diane Downs, in 1980, Steve was hardly part of their life. 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. Thank you for presenting a side of the story & case apart from the usual narrative. Steve Downs was the husband of the infamous child killer, Diane Downs. Actor Robert Blake was found not guilty of the shooting murder of his wife. Christie was understandably all over the place and I agree that the way in which her statements were procured were very odd and seemed to be very coached. It was a harrowing, shameful miscarriage of justice. Do you remember a couple of days after that, December In fact, if someone was Hungry like the Wolf in this courtroom, it was a certain crime author who could already smell and taste the fortune coming her way after the publication of this juicy story. Dianes dad died a year or two ago. I found nothing. How asinine. In 1991, David Brewer, a juror who deliberated Dianes fate in her 1984 trial, came forward to say he and another juror had decided to acquit Downs by the close of the States presentation. Fingerprints at the crime scene were not produced by the State. But the guy who said to several people that he was the shooter happens to resemble the sketch they came up with at the time for a reason. The very suspicious aspect of this ballistic saga is that Hugi said they had the bill of sale and serial number for the first Ruger and it was definitely the murder weapon. When they recaptured her, she was very docile. They are still part of their birth family. 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. But before you get too deep into the drug stuff with Van Houten, she chose to take drugs. It was the story of Diane Downs. The forensic evidence alone is absolutely weak. That was the extent of her investigation of Dianes side. She said She did it. Wow does he ever look different than how they portrayed him in the TV movie. Dianes injury had to be quite painful and shewas in shockwhile driving to the hospital and accompanying the detectives to the crime scene. Q. Diane was known for her love of all animals whichshe treated with great care, and for her independent and wild streak. Instead, they treated the Downs with great cruelty long after their daughter was incarcerated and they fought hard for them. She had not fired a gun. She did not have the opportunity to clean her hands with the right product to erase all traces and she was tested pretty fast, contrary to many other cases. It should be illegal to use real names and facts from a criminal case while influencing the publicto falselybelieve that the whole content of the filmis true. Ann Rule promotes her books as true crime stories so to this day, viewers believe that the book and the movie titled Small Sacrificesdocument the true story of the Diane Downs case; in fact, it is a mix bag of truth, falsehoods, interpretation and plain fiction. I agree with your comment. Then they just got shut out. They came up with an explanation as to why this was the wrong gun but the jig was up. Yes, I had filed for divorce and then I canceled it. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. BUT like you rightly explain, there was no real evidence of her guilt. The underlying basis of this article. The two mental disorders that cause excessive talking are Bipolar Disorder and Schizophrenia. But the Parole Board refused to hear her. But I would not know what her state of mind is because I did not witness it. If the police department had done their job properly, I would not have written this blog, no matter the outcome. Don't get butt hurt. I do not have to put any statement advising people that I am about to present the neglected aspects of the trial. I agree. Hello. Steve Howey, Sarah Shahi's Relationship Timeline: Photos The chief prosecutor adopting the children beggars belief! For example, the abhorrent decision regarding Keli Lane: https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.whimn.com.au/talk/news/why-i-think-keli-lane-should-not-be-in-prison/news-story/069a09c79589645c48de5bfa91e4ca0f. Instead of blaming societal problems and working at finding solutions, prison always seem to be their option. If the answer is, to keep the public safe, then I call BS. I also grew up in as time of the most infamous case in Australias judicial history: Lindy Chamberlain and the dingo stole my baby. I ndicted money launderer and noted coup enthusiast Steve Bannon has refused to sit for a deposition in front of the January 6 Select Committee. Steve Bannon released from custody pending trial on contempt of So, why didn't Steve Downs get custody? She. .well yay for youtubelol..is when I first heard her in old interviews. But I am realistic. And if she did it, she has served her time without displaying any violent tendencies whatsoever. I remember when it was in the news. Diane was found guilty and sentenced to life and she has been in prison ever since. I have researched the case and pointed out discrepancies and the fact that it was not the slam dunk that they were portraying. lol. Would you seriously be confident enough to present your findings you mention in your article to Diane Downs children? 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. I still remember my mother picking up the paper and seeing the headline. ABC MOVIE FOR TV Small Sacrifices 1989 Farrah Fawcett, Ryan ONeal. I've just seen that in Halo's new tv series, Steve Downes isn't going to voice master chief. Fitness fanatic, 27, broke her spine lifting weights but didn't realise until she woke up the next morning unable to move - and why her terrifying injury should be a warning to all gym-goers Or that the sketch did not resemble the suspect enough? It does seem time has done worse to her. As a suggestion, I would love to see a like or dislike button for each comment. After a failed marriage that got her a divorce from Steve Downs, she wanted to be with her lover. Everything I outlined should be public knowledge. They met for the first time in Moon Valley High School in Phoenix, Arizona. 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. 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. Thanks for the link. The whole blog claims the trial was flawed. I do not know what happened on Old Mohawk Road on that dark evening, but I know that they did not have enough evidence totry andconvict Diane Downs. 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 is in the blog. Strange how Jagger is pretty absent too except for the few photos where he is wrongly identified as Hugi. Q. He had an attorney, Fred G. Campbell Jr., send us a letter denying our request and telling us: You are legally, as well as factually, a stranger to them. Who does he think he is? What was the rationale behind this? It took a lot of time to research this case and present the other side of the coin. The story of Steve Downs' children is one of the most shocking to date. Moms were working more, we were becoming the latch key generation, as in we let ourselves in alone while still in elementary school.when I mentioned before about maturity of a 8, 9, 10 year oldwe loved playing outside on bikes, and playing with our dolls, boys usually had their action figures..lol.and we loved our moms, even if they were young and liked to go out and sent us to babysitters..the book and movie, Im quite sure, over did the situation..and Im sure there was more on both sides, the family of diane, diane herself, but well never know all the details. This case flew under my radar so to speak because it happened before my time. I think that she has done enough time and should be released. Fred Hugi was pretty upset when Ann Rule went Hollywood with his case. You do not debate the content of the blog which you probably did not read anyway. 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. Saudi Princesses in Captivity for More Than a Thousand and One Nights Are Tweeting the Blues, Having recently done research on the Liysa Northons case which was the subject of a book written by Ann Rule titled, Some 287 errors and falsehoods were documented by Liysa and verified by official sources. They did a trace metal test to see if Diane had held a gun. That is not a quick process and is very invasive to a familys privacy. What Happened to Diane Downs' Husband Following Her Sentencing? I accept that it is sometimes necessary but I believe in rehabilitation. more on crime HEARTBREAKING FIND The Office star's sister-in-law found dead 11 days after going missing 'DISGUSTING' A demonstration in court strongly suggested that the shooter had to be left-handed to have been able to shoot in the car at the right angle. . To this day, there is not enough evidence to prove her guilt or innocence. 4.Diane was NOT arrested for almost a year after the shootings the d.a. If she did have memories of the actual shooting, that would be very rare. She had no priors and no history of violence in prison. However, their marriage wasnt as great as they anticipated as Steve was a player and quite irresponsible and immature at the time. It is possible that he still resides in Arizona, but exactly where he is or what he does, we dont know. The case was so one sided that it is about time some of us bring up the other side. I also found it interesting that when he had visited Diane in prison, he had remarked a strange air about her; which did not mean guilt. He didn't indicate whether Downs would appeal. Is it the one you tried to use? But as usual, it was slanted in the worst possible way. Weve become friends. But, we cant help but notice that a few key individuals of her family, so to speak, didnt give those insightful interviews. I encourage you to read all the facts before being so sure that she was guilty or that she acted alone. And the interrogations were not tapedand barelydocumented. That testimony was left unchallenged by Mr. Jagger. It would never happen todaynever. Movie scene alleging that Christie was scared. Here's what we know. According to her hospital records, every 6 hours she was given 400 milligrams of Dilantin (which is noted for causing confusion). 5. However, he had no interest in taking care of Dianes children. ..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. A group of ladies formed a group called HELDD which stands for Help Exonerate & Liberate Diane Downs. 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. So either way, it would not be so far fetched that someone said he was the shooter.A little investigation would not hurt. Additionally, homicide or assault victims shot by someone else can test positive for GSR. My brother was a first-generation immigrant who died in police custody Who Wore it Better? so which one is it????? I had nonetheless heard of the legendary Diane Downs; the cruel sociopath who had sacrificed her own children to be free to pursue a relationship with the man she loved. But her behavior became the most important factor in the investigation that followed. Who are Steve Downs children? I wish she could get a new look. When analysing this blog, look at three statements from the blogger: Diane Downs and Alice Crummins were considered sluts Mostly, because it was poorly investigated and they focused on Diane solely the minute they met her. Christie NEVER said she didnt know who did it she was just unwilling or afraid to tell on her mother. But why was the judge in family court hopping over to criminal court? I appreciate this whole blog just want to give you a heads up. Were they involved in the plot too?? These women did not show emotions and did not fold when asked to. 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. (witness statement the gentleman who was behind her for at least 10 minutes). 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. It is not, nor should be, a Conflict of Interest for a caring adult to Foster one or more siblings. We could say that it was suggestive on his part, but considering how this trial was conducted, I tend to believe it happened. Anyways. 1) Gunshot residue/blood splatter. How ironic. tell someone else. The whole case is crazy. It became judicial kidnapping to obtain a coerced confession. If I was of a mind to manipulate the Board by giving voice to the words they want me to utter, Id have sold my soul two decades ago when the lies would have benefited me and my youth passed long ago. A demonstration in court strongly suggested: Suggested, not confirmed. Whenever your shoot a gun that many times and that close to the victims, theres going to be blood and powder residues. I did not shoot my children.. Leslie Van Houten is an example of a woman who probably will never see the light of day because of her high profile status. Diane was diagnosed as being bipolar and subsequently diagnosed by a psychiatrist before sentencing. Sheriffs Deputy Roy Pond admitted in court that he had already concluded that Diane was guilty and stopped following leads on the orders of his sergeantthree weeks after the shooting. Yes, Im sure this stranger wanted to kill her kids but only wound her, who, coincidentally, had a towel handy neatly folded on her wound. Charlene would call Diane at all hours of the day and night to threaten violence if Diane continued on with her husband. My website is in the process of being migrated so it has no photos. They never found the gun and she showed no signs of having fired one. Imagine knowing that your adoptive dad was responsible for putting your natural mom in the slammer?