She was no mother of the year, I will grant them that, but a trial is supposed to be based on evidence. The way this investigation and the trial were conducted only left me with doubts. Downs went on trial on Jan. 12 for a rape and murder that happened in 1993, when he . If you shoot at least 6 inches from a victim, you see what is around you in the car. By the time Danny was born, they were having intense arguments about infidelity that Steve got convinced that he wasnt his biological son. I agree with your comment. If she was the shooter, it had to be proven beyond a reasonable doubt. It appeared rigged: Rigged? https://t.co/cPfs75obUg pic.twitter.com/uSnlFF2IRw. She could have stayed on the side of the road. If the goal was to get rid of them, why didnt she emulate her lesser half in this matter? Mrs. Fredericksons concern for her daughters emotional state was well placed. Ryan is still in his thirties and still building an excellent reputation in the industry. And I care about the lack of evidence. Lets not take that lightly. And these men in black perceived this as an act of war, and proceeded to go after them with every legal or illegal means at their disposal. This blog is riddled with inconsistencies, suppositions and a lack of the most basic referencing (e.g. 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. She (Diane) managed to jump in the car after getting shot in the arm. The blogger continues, I am not one sided. 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. She had no priors and no history of violence in prison. Who Wore it Better? I know people who know or knew people is not a valid argument. What a terrible injustice. The incident left Cheryl dead, Danny paralyzed from the waist down, and Christie suffering from a stroke that affected her speech. She followed all the correct Parole Boardprocedures for two years with no hearing. In the blog, there is a link on the subject of bipolar people who tend to laugh at the wrong time. The children were in the hospital, it isnt like they could have taken them home. It had nothing to do with the evidence of the case and represents useless labeling anyway. Downs: Oh yeah, I remember the pictures, too. Belli filed a motion for a 2-week extension to familiarize himself with the case because he had to be in Italy, and declared Diane innocent in a press conference, but Foote denied the motion and declared you have an attorney, use him.. No worries. Not that it matters, your opinion is about the case and not subject to geography. I simply state facts that did not or would not come out at the time or blatant misconduct from a legal system that is supposed to be based on innocent until proven guilty. 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. 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. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. He could then have initiated the licensing process to foster and then adopt the children. After Diane got divorced from her husband in 1980, she had taken up a job at the U.S. postal service office, and that's where she first met him. My opinion of why Mr. Hugi adopted Christie and Danny was to seal their lips. Dianes brother, James, sat in court one day andnoticed Foote looking at Hugi before ruling on an objection. I refer you to this section of the blog: They claimed to have found two lead cartridges in Dianes rifle at home that supposedly matched the ones used during the crime. 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. Moreover, he apparently told her that he did not want children and this statement alone would seal Dianes fate. He failed. 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. How asinine. I accept that it is sometimes necessary but I believe in rehabilitation. No conflict of interest from a prosecutor adopting a defendants children 2 years after the fact? The bitches own daughter identified Downs as the shooter. 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. Besides, none of those diagnoses are illegal. 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. You do not have to agree with my general opinion outside of the facts of the case, but I would appreciate some comments on what matters; how this case was handled at trial and during the investigation. When you hear her in interviews she sounds more concerned with herself than her kids. Seriously. What about the fact that they never found the gun? Conflicting reports say Downs also acted as a surrogate during her fourth pregnancy, giving birth to a daughter after her trial in 1984. Yes, I had to go and sign the lease, yes, sir. To this day, there is not enough evidence to prove her guilt or innocence. Why did CK shoot the kids multiple times and DD once? I am not saying she is innocent. She is still in prison. This is not my scenario Tasha. Diane found a full-time job with the U.S. Post Office in 1981, and was stationed in Chandler. This is also what the state did to her. Mr. A conviction founded on lies is no conviction at all. Page 50 of Case History There was a lot of evidence pointing at OJ. Brewer freely declared that Diane Downs would never have been convicted except that he believed the lie Jim Jagger permitted Fred Hugi to enter into the record. Plus according to an expert at trial, her testimony did not match the blood spatter analysis in the car. Fred Hugi was pretty upset when Ann Rule went Hollywood with his case. These women did not show emotions and did not fold when asked to. It took a lot of time to research this case and present the other side of the coin. It was positive only on a small portion of her upper hand where she said the gun touched her when she wrestled with the attacker (a detail she had mentioned before they did the test). Your prayers were answered. In her case it seems to be more a matter of punishment. Now she claims she was dating an FBI agent at the time, was holding some top secret pictures for him, and she was on the road to meet someone to pass them off, at the instruction of her FBI boyfriend. If you had, you would clearly know that I do not claim her guilt or innocence. Not giving you free reign here. Because Foote was already familiar with the case, the presiding judge assigned him the murder trial after Downs was charged with the shootings. So how she behaved at the time, should not have been a factor influencing the authorities. Diane was known for her love of all animals whichshe treated with great care, and for her independent and wild streak. But Diane couldnt do that. It is also very is to clean. I have researched the case and pointed out discrepancies and the fact that it was not the slam dunk that they were portraying. As I stated towards the beginning of my response, Im taking issue with the blog and the subjective language used. 2. Children under the age of twelve may cognitively grasp the concept of truth and lie, but lack the conscience which compels people to apply the concept to their lives, or the strength to maintain the truth when adults coerce her to lie. I guess he did not want too many people to know about the improprieties that happened in his courtroom. Their first child, Christie Ann, was born in 1974. Q. Were they involved in the plot too?? One of the jurors finally declared we started as a group and finished as a group., He also said we dont want to put pressure on the group, we dont want to end up bickering. And her mental health should definitely have been a factor to release her with follow up care. The fruit of this abduction was the May 23, 1983, videotape re-enactment staged by Detective Tracy in which Diane is clearly hysterical. Charlene would call Diane at all hours of the day and night to threaten violence if Diane continued on with her husband. I remember when Diane shot her kids and there are some facts Id like to correct from your blog. It was the story of Diane Downs. How about dads side of the family? It does seem time has done worse to her. You wondered at times, which side he was working for. I worked for county government child welfare for a decade. Thank you for presenting a side of the story & case apart from the usual narrative. The whole family were co-conspirators and involved in the crime? No conflict of interest there? Weve become friends. After six weeks in Oregon where the children were happily spending time with their grandparents while Diane worked her postal route, the incident happened on a dark road that led to Diane being accused of murder and attempted murder. How ironic. Therefore, those jagged bones were floating in a cloth wrap, merely resting in a cloth sling. The woman shot her 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 deviant sociopath.. During the process of the termination (which can take the whole 2 years in question, with appeals) the court is mandated to find family to take the children. As for where he is now, well be honest, were not completely sure. People have always been wondering about Steve Downs, Danie Downs ex-husband. They hated her attitude and thought she was promiscuous and showed no sorrow or remorse. 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. 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. Wow does he ever look different than how they portrayed him in the TV movie. I have no idea whether or not she was guilty of the crime. It is not because a defendant is found guilty or disliked that it is acceptable to bend the rules. She had been the bread winner for most of her marriage, and never wavered in her desire to bring financial stability to her family. As for where he is now, we'll be honest, we're not completely sure. And Robert Knickerbocker became one of her lovers. I agree. After graduation, Steven joined the Navy and Diane was sent to Pacific Coast Baptist Bible College where she failed miserably at remaining pure and chaste, not unlike most girls of her generation who rejected their strict religious upbringing. I do not discuss her guilt or innocence because this is not what the blog is about, but I personally hope she is released one day. In 1984, Diane Downs was convicted of shooting her three children, 3-year-old Danny, 7-year-old Cheryl, and 8-year-old Christie. The prescribed normal dosage for a full grown man is 30 milligrams per day. Blood spatter is not an exact science, and is interpreted differently by experts. Id like to challenge some of the bloggers claims. Steve was among the few individuals who saw Elizabeth Diane as a beautiful young lady rather than an outsider. Read More: Where Is Robert Knickerbocker Now? What was the rationale behind this? If not, why not? But in this case, she had no blood on her body or her clothing. Actor Robert Blake was found not guilty of the shooting murder of his wife. A demonstration in court strongly suggested: Suggested, not confirmed. Lets not forget that she was presumed to have fired a gun 6 times at close range within the confines of a small car. How interesting. Of course buying drugs with three kids in the middle of the night from a guy like that is not the mindful thing to do, but would be more consistent as an explanation for her actions. What?? Reduces conflict because communication is limited. I worked for county child welfare services in Colorado for a decade. In fact, with her continuing to deny committing the crime or expressing remorse, she may never get out. Their theory was very shaky. It seems that the Downs were totally ignored. but later you claim Diane was inside the car and shot the kids in the car and that that BECAUSE she was inside the car she should have had blood splatter on herso WHICH IS IT, I dont know which it is Libby. Leslie Van Houten is an example of a woman who probably will never see the light of day because of her high profile status. The fact that the DA adopted the children, since it was after the trial, is more of a gray area. The only reason they kept her in prison even if she had all the right documentation and support, is because she is high profile. 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. 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. After asking her to have an affair, he kept vacillating between his wife and her. I think that the time she has served and her good behavior made her eligible for parole. But the high profile nature of the case might hinder the process. Some of your facts arent facts at all. Maybe I'm dramatic but I no longer want to watch it . If Diane was bipolar, the non-stop chatter would have been inherent to the situation. That is the reason effective trial counsel challenges the competency of a nine-year-old child to testify in a court of law. 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. But I am realistic. No matter how horrible people think she is. I think she was the only one there that night with her children. If you think you would have more influence arguing for better relationships with Mexico at a Donald Trump rally in Mexico, why bother? It has nothing to do with the facts of the case. 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. No forensic evidence pointing to her, just conjecture based on how mothers should act. This is basically the book best kept secrets in condensed form full of outlandish theories. What about the terror of being interrogated by strangers and separated from her family? Washing soda is your best bet: It includes, among its ingredients, the exceedingly corrosive carbolic acid. So the prosecutor adopted the kids? Its as if they cant control it. Considering the lack of evidence, it seems that she was condemned mostly because of herinappropriatestatements and behavior. Diane is not a killer or a liar! The Media or ISIS? Are we to believe that Proctors second gun was stolen with the bill and ID from the first gun that remained listed at the gun store? The circumstances surrounding the case were not enough to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. #corrupt. Ruger #14-76187; described as the gun used by Diane and belonging to Steve Downs, was not the murder weapon. All smoke and mirrors to fit a certain scenario. If you listen to the recording, Christie clearly says I dont know who did it. She was asleep, thats why. Back in Phoenix, Arizona, in Moon Valley High School, Steve Downs met Elizabeth Diane for the first time. Did she act like a average person? And according to the law, she should have been released by now, independently of what she says or not. Q. Something that would never stand in court now. But without proof, Diane couldnt implicate Steve Downs any more than she could shoot him as he violated a restraining order threatening to beat her AGAIN. Or maybe an upvote/downvote arrow for each. Of course, because this is what she does when people put her on the spot and ask questions concerning her mother and the shooting. rudy francisco rifle analysis / ford employee profit sharing 2022 / why didn't steve downs get custody. The former Dallas Cowboys cheerleader sparked a romantic relationship with Howey and shortly after her career took off with a little help from the Something Borrowed actor's father, who was an. The absence of the gun or gun powder residues on Diane is fact. 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 ? The details about the gun missing, the daughters testimony and the fact that she had no blood or gun residues are facts. I watched the highlights of her hearing. It sounds like this was not the case with Dianes children. It is said that they didnt go to Steve because he wasnt a fit father or well equipped to take care of children who had gone through such a traumatic experience. Agreed. She even provided the police with her own sketch. Also, the title of the website clearly demonstrates an inherit bias. Page 26 of Case History. You make an interesting observation when you say: Anyways. As we have reported in great detail in the past, Diane Downs could not possibly have committed the crime of shooting her children, or there would have been evidence of gunpowder residue and blood. .well yay for youtubelol..is when I first heard her in old interviews. You seem to believe everyone is innocent. It was half baked escape plans that were more in her head than anything and that the media enjoyed blowing out of proportions. Why would anyone think Christie could remember the night of the shooting anyway?? 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. You cannot skip due process because of mob mentality. What mother takes her kids out at night and then stops for a stranger with her kids in the car? And Hugi seemed pretty sure he would get what he was asking for. Litigating at the Supreme Court in . If you use this mixed water, you can lift off a gunpowder stain.. Her family supported her. That same gun turned up at a police raid years later in Perris, California, and it did not match the ballistics from the shooting site. The men in her life were in no shape or form called on their irresponsible or wild behavior. . And when kids are hurt, emotions keep flowing endlessly. 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. What followed was a tragedy subject to many interpretations. This case needed to be examined more thoroughly, but the mob mentality didnt allow it. I am glad that some articles remain. Just my opinion. Brewer freely declared that Diane Downs would never have been convicted except that he believed the lie Jim Jagger permitted Fred Hugi to enter into the record. She got an apartment and I was going to move in with her. It opened a huge can of worms regarding the real identity of the heart full of lies in this case. It is not, as the blogger frequently refers to, evidence. I would also like to express my disbelief that the same judge presided over both the child welfare case and the criminal one. In my blog, I was referring to the case of Liysa Northon whose suit was dismissed, but when Ann Rule tried to sue the Seattle Magazine, its editor and Northons husband for their article on her shoddy work, she lost and had to pay restitution.