Anne Rule made a big deal of a brass unicorn engraved with the childrens names that Diane had purchased. 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. But strangely, they took no photos of the crime scene and did not lift fingerprints from the drivers side of the car. Brewer changed his mind. This is also what the state did to her. The jury verdict was guilty on all counts, but there was a mixture of votes. That is pure bullshit. I will talk to Dianes brother. Their marriage was described as tumultuous, with Downs allegedly disappearing for long periods of time with her children. 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. While these are all good questions, (and were maybe all asked in the jury room during deliberations) I doubt the answers even matter anymore. (Yes in the 1980s a ten yr like myself was not as mature as say todays 10 yr olds. Downs: And there was a big reward, too. She is still in prison. And Steven was free to follow her lead or not. Until the end of the trial. Im sorry but your article is tosh. Legally speaking, we do not go after people because they look evil or crazy. Why doesnt the innocent project get involved with her case. Not meaning to sound disrespectful, but you seem to be doing what you accuse Ann Rule of doing. She did not fit in and was now anxious to assert her independence and live her own life. The fact that the Hugis did so successfully is arguably proof of this. Diane may very well be guilty, but YIKES this investigation and trial seemed so butchered and tilted in the prosecutions favour. Diane had siblings and parents. But I know that there were major problems with this case. Unfortunately, there isn't much information about his whereabouts as he keeps a low profile. I care about the experts reports written about Diane because they know her situation and mental state. And when kids are hurt, emotions keep flowing endlessly. Cheryl Lynn followed in 1976, and Stephen Daniel was born in 1979. Not optional, kids should not be in limbo that long, but it happens all the time. Mainly because the courts have to give every chance possible and all the services necessary to the bio family to try to preserve the relationship. Regardless of the facts you point out, there is no doubt in my mind that Diane Downs is guilty. 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. The prosecutor would gently shake his head and the good judge would follow with a ruling. At the very least, she should have been released by now. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. And Steven would hunt her down anyway and charm his way back into her life. The photo of Hugi I used is the one you find when you do a search online for Fred Hugi who prosecuted Diane Downs. I guess he did not want too many people to know about the improprieties that happened in his courtroom. You seem to believe everyone is innocent. I dont believe there was a CK. Hugi got the evidence needed to convict after numerous meetings with Christie. My website is in the process of being migrated so it has no photos. The trouble reportedly took place a day earlier when Sean Preston allegedly was behind a locked bedroom door and Jamie broke down the door to get in and then "violently shook" the child, The. No worries. Conflicting reports say Downs also acted as a surrogate during her fourth pregnancy, giving birth to a daughter after her trial in 1984. To Lori Diane has not been deemed an ongoing public threat that I am aware of. ABC MOVIE FOR TV Small Sacrifices 1989 Farrah Fawcett, Ryan ONeal. When you hear her in interviews she sounds more concerned with herself than her kids. He has lived a life outside the public eye and hasn't ever come out to give interviews to the media about his ex-wife. I agree on many points with your comment. You didnt know that?? Downs, born Elizabeth Diane Frederickson, was a 27-year-old divorced postal worker when she pulled up outside a hospital in Oregon in May 1983. What about the fact that they never found the gun? Late one May night in 1983, Diane Downs sped into an emergency room dropoff in Springfield, Ore., with a horrifying story to tell. She was the first to admit that at times, she was somewhat neglectful, impatient, yelled too much, and could have been a better mother, but she seemed to have turned the corner and was doing her best with the means at her disposal. Id like to challenge some of the bloggers claims. Mr. They were put in an impossible situation. These women did not show emotions and did not fold when asked to. How could they expect a normal mother/daughter reunion between a beaten inmate whose mental health had degraded and a daughter trapped in this insanity? I think u need to read the facts. A fact strongly denied by Diane and by the nurses reports. No forensic evidence pointing to her, just conjecture based on how mothers should act. To the authorities, it was a ridiculous notion that they would not entertain so they did not follow on numerous leads coming from people who had seen someone corresponding to that description. I try to remain objective in spite of the media storm depicting the case in a certain way, which is not accurate in every aspect. Once again, Diane said a lot of things. If the police department had done their job properly, I would not have written this blog, no matter the outcome. 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. 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. But you are right, some members of the jury and public had a reasonable doubt. This is a fascinating and informative article that has answered some questions I had, and prompted others: 1. Clickhere to read about faulty ballistics. Not that it matters, your opinion is about the case and not subject to geography. Usually it isnt there but every once in awhile, it comes out. What would have been the conclusion to have drawn without this hate campaign? I state that it is not my place to judge innocence or guilt. There were posters. danny also said a cartoon character shot themalso he was SHOT IN THE BACK how could he see the shooter????????? What a terrible injustice. I also found it curious that when Diane was first eligible for parole she was allowed to apply every 2 years thereafter until she either gets paroled or dies in prison. Imagine knowing that your adoptive dad was responsible for putting your natural mom in the slammer? More often than not, Christie was interviewed by State Agents (Paula Krogdahl, Paul Alton, Steve Downs and Dick Tracy) within half an hour of having her Dilantin increased. For all my life I have thought I was not that smart, but now I can tell myself, hey cheer up could be worse. As you said, the system has to work for everyone and you cant change the rules because a case is high profile without muddying the waters. After parting ways, the couple would soon meet again in Arizona which would end up in them reigniting and reconnecting their fling. Most importantly why would anybody shoot 3 children potentially fatally and leave the adult with a wound in her arm. I personally disagree with that practice but it is common. PAY ATTENTION: Click 'See First' under 'Follow' Tab to see Tuko.co.ke news on your FB Feed, Get the news that matters from one of the leading news sites in Kenya, Kenyans Share Hilarious Memes, Frustrations as KPLC Announces Nationwide Power Blackout, Xtian Dela's Mum Cries Bitterly As She Begs Son to Come Home, Says She's Not Seen Him in 4 Years, Linet Toto's Dowry: 7 Delectable Photos from MP's Negotiation Ceremony, Couple Lose KSh 3.4m on Their Wedding After Guests Don't Show Up: "So Heartbroken", Little Girl Begs Man on the Road for Money, Video Surprises Many, David and Rebecca Muir wedding, relationship, and family, Who is Lil Meech's mom? She was extremely intelligent but her emotional IQ was no match and her desire for freedom, love and affection were dangerously dragging her down a path of self-destruction. Diane described the stranger that shot them on the road and a police artist came up with a sketch. The case NEVER made sense to me. I personally disagree with that practice but it is common. He may still reside in Arizona, but there is no proof of the same. 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. So, how much do you know about him aside from this acting profile? For the upcoming Halo TV show, original Master Chief voice actor Steve Downes was recast, despite Cortana voice actor Jen Taylor reprising her role from the iconic video game franchise. The weird behavior (laughing and joking in the shooting reenactment), bullets found at her home and the constant changing of her story only is icing on her guilty cake. One of the flaws was the relationship between the DA and the children. I bet the records are and always have been sealed regarding this aspect of the case. Right away, the police asked her to go back to the crime scene even thoughshe did not want to leave her children behind. But Diane couldnt do that. Considering the lack of evidence, it seems that she was condemned mostly because of herinappropriatestatements and behavior. Imagine the ones there for years. Ms. Downs makes every effort to avoid emotional stimuli in order to reduce the demands made on her. I almost felt bad for her.that being she seemed so lost in her lies..she just hangs in limbo now. 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. it also isnt right that the rules get to keep being changed after the fact as far as how often one may apply for parole. I do have to take issue with this article about Diane Downs. I try to bring out the details that were ignored because Down was so unpopular. She claimed she . Guilty or not, the case was handled with prejudice and many errors occurred. 2. I have watched her parole hearing. So appropriate! 1) Gunshot residue/blood splatter. 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. However, he had no interest in taking care of Dianes children. It is not, nor should be, a Conflict of Interest for a caring adult to Foster one or more siblings. As it was getting dark and the young ones fell asleep in the car, their mother decided to head home. Are her parents still living (I know they were a few years ago)? Mission accomplished. She also underwent a gun residue test that same evening that revealed no trace of gun powder on her hands. It wasnt their fault, it was the job of the social workers and the courts to make sure the kids were not isolated from family. There are documented cases of suicides where the person has no GNR, as well as murder cases. A reader told me that I should have a website with all the comments. Even more now with hindsight because of the gun and the fact that her daughter kind of recanted by demonstrating that if pushed, she will say what is expected of her. 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? On May 30, 1983, the McKenzie-Willamette Hospital Chaplain told Dianes father to hire an attorney because the State was going to take his grandchildren away. Also, the title of the website clearly demonstrates an inherit bias. 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. Let me tell you, it wasnt just the investigators and the prosecution that didnt believe herwe, Oregonians, (who ACTUALLY live here and watched what was happening) believe she is guilty. I agree. Ryan is still in his thirties and still building an excellent reputation in the industry. Washing soda is your best bet: It includes, among its ingredients, the exceedingly corrosive carbolic acid. She has done her time in prison and I hope that she gets the chance to get out and spend time with her mother and siblings. But in the case of DD, there were a lot of elements missing. This reminds me of what a jail counselor named Rachel Roth said at the trial of Debra Milke Its my opinion that this young woman has been judged in a way that signifies something to do with how we view women in our society. I am not one sided. The fact that there was a rush to judgment, an investigation targeting only one result and a media coverage often presenting lies is very bothersome. Tuko.co.ke featured an interesting article about the actor that has been in the industry for more than 13 years, starring in various great productions. Rule sued the Seattle Weekly after they published the article titled , Ann Rule promotes her books as true crime stories so to this day, viewers believe that the book and the movie titled, This reminds me of what a jail counselor named Rachel Roth said at the trial of Debra Milke , They already had made up their mind that Diane was the perpetrator so they laughed off the idea of the , When I hear some people say that they would have liked to smack that smirk off Dianes face when she interacted with the cops or the media, I say. If Hugi got attached to the children, why did he wait 2 years when little Christie was starting to say she had no clue who shot them? What they did to her daughter is unconscionable. 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. The DA adopting the children is an integral part of this and definitely needs to be included in the blog. Diane Downs changed her story so many times, even at her parole hearing. Hello. And the flat affect and sometimes inappropriate smiling would come with the territory so you cannot judge her actions without taking into account that she might not have been acting according to the norms. We make them president. 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. And to try not to bash Dianes Downs character and stick to evidence instead. Is. The best policy for Diane Downs would have been to remain silent, but she fought back and smiled at the wrong time and according to them, enjoyed the attention. Leslie Van Houten is an example of a woman who probably will never see the light of day because of her high profile status. I was always really bothered by that. The timing of her arrival at the hospital should have been discussed and explained in more details. Devoting ur life to taking down a dead author is a waste of ur talents. In my opinion, the investigation was too hasty and only focused on Diane. So the prosecutor adopted the kids? And the motive? She had one arm totally out of commission. Brewer changed his mind. 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. N u pleaded guilty of murdering ur husband. Or why the fact that he was a con artist made him such a credible guy in this case. You wondered at times, which side he was working for. Christie was born in October of 1974 and Cheryl Lynn in January of 1976. Do you REALLY believe she expected them to live especially since she drove at less than 10 mph. WTF? It had nothing to do with the evidence of the case and represents useless labeling anyway. Guilt or innocence no longer need to be debated in this case. why didn't steve downs get custodylagu sekolah minggu bahasa inggris Opinion Fox News's blackout of Jan. 6 points to a hidden crisis for Democrats The not-so-shocking revelation that Fox News will not carry House committee hearings about the insurrection is yet another sign that right-wing media will go to extraordinary lengths to shield . (He WAS shot in the back remember). This article is about due process and the legal right to a fair trial for everyone. I like your approach. ), Interesting suggestion. There was no blood on the front seats so Cheryl was laying down and Christie was asleep laying down and never witnessed anything. A sick kid who had a stroke and traumatized being pressured for weeks to remember her mother killing her? It wasnt simply her demeanor that got her convicted. She repeated it years later at school. Steve Bannon won't be detained before trial on charges of contempt of Congress after he failed to comply with subpoenas from the House committee investigating January 6. 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. According to your own experience Lori, dont they try to give grandparents custody or at least access in cases comparable to this one? They would have welcomed them with open arms. He could then have initiated the licensing process to foster and then adopt the children. In hindsight Im sure the grandparents wish they had pursued visitation more aggressively. They checked her nails to see if she could have buried the gun and they were clean. 5. It really doesnt matter that much of the trial and due process was faulty, because its so obvious that Diane is the one who did it and that justice was served. Wow does he ever look different than how they portrayed him in the TV movie. 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. Maybe dad relinquished, it sounds like he may have. 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. When they recaptured her, she was very docile. It simply states the facts of the case. Nobody had any reason for a conspiracy of this magnitude over a literal nobody. The fact that she took the kids to the nearest hospital, andtwo of them survived kind offlies in the face of their murder at all costs theory. Thanks again. Even Ann Rule in her book, keeps mentioning that they only had a few months to get Christie to talk, otherwise they could not keep her away from her mother any longer. As a result, he decided not to attend the rest of the trial. I know that most people think she is guilty. TIL On May 19, 1983, Diane Downs shot her three children and drove them at 5-7 mph to the hospital. 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. The chief prosecutor adopting the children beggars belief! Her 7-year old daughter Cheryl died but her 3-year old son Danny and her 8-year old daughter Christie survived. Here are the pros and cons of sole legal custody. The gun problem or the absence of blood and powder residues are not make believe. She was judged very harshly for her character and her defense was dismal. A steel plate had to be attached and some lead fragments were removed. Because Foote was already familiar with the case, the presiding judge assigned him the murder trial after Downs was charged with the shootings. The tape is real and probably not admissible, but it seems to indicate that her testimony was coerced. Have you actually read the transcript of the trial?? It was a dark and rural road. I stuck to what came out at trial and not the fantasy factory coming from the state, the media and Rule. It was not the right gun. But as usual, it was slanted in the worst possible way. 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. Great blog post, thank you. USA population seems to shun complex ethical problems preferring to deal with absolute evil in order to exert absolute power to crush it. She. Her children were obviously more severely injuredbecause being captive in the car while a shooter aimed at them gave them less of a chance to wiggle out of the situation than an adult outside the car. The details about the gun missing, the daughters testimony and the fact that she had no blood or gun residues are facts. It is not my point. Then, they accused her of shooting her kids at close range. The problem was, Diane has a long-documented history of adversely reacting to tranquilizing drugs. All smoke and mirrors to fit a certain scenario. But there was a lot left unsaid about this relationship. Wasnt he the stranger? 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. The woman shot her children. Her husband turned out to be a player and a very irresponsible guy who did not really love her. She did it. I had never heard of this case and fell upon several videos that had me completely convinced DD was a narcissistic psychopath. Q. 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. What man has ever publicly revered a former secret mistress? Completely unethical, and not in the best interest of those children. Mr. Jagger failed to challenge that competency. Page 40 of Case History. This whole tale is just unbelievable. Fair question. The blog tries to bring balance and more objectivity to a case that was TOTALLY one sided and still is. But I think that in all fairness, many of them dont even know the details of the case and have watched Small Sacrifices instead. How one of them lied on the stand about ballistics? What about the facts of the case? And to say that her mental health has degraded is an understatement, but more reason not to keep her eternally incarcerated. Im glad you continued to look for more information as time went on. He has lived a life outside the public eye and hasnt ever come out to give interviews to the media about his ex-wife. Here's what we know. Without her daughters testimony and the lies about the gun, they could not have found her guilty in a fair trial. Ive not seen the movie or read the book. 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). The unicorn, the song, her personality. And if you claim your innocence, it obviously creates a vicious circle of not showing contrition. I wanted to ask you something on this case. They never found the gun and she showed no signs of having fired one. Seems like former husband, Steve Downs, should've been the custodial parent after the divorce. I agree about pregnancy and childbirth affecting women differently, and even having different effects for the same woman with different pregnancies. At the point Diane jumped into the car, her broken arm (resting in a sling in front of her) slammed into the steering wheel. Knick never signed the premarital agreement and Diane never married him. All the years in prison probably made her way more disturbed than she ever was. According to Oregon law, this would have to be supported by a psychiatrists report or a Wardens letter and Diane provided both. 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. I still dont buy her story. I lived in Eugene, Oregon for years. Diane followed the detectives to their car. And if he really was attached to them and wanted to offer them a permanent home, it means he was unfit to be the prosecutor in this case. Foote then handled the juvenile docket and first encountered Downs when he ordered her two surviving children into state protective custody. The man you have listed as Fred Hugi is actually Dianes attorney Jim Jagger. I also wish that Dianes children have a great life. I agree that the verdict may have been very different. Everything was in the bag and ready for trial. As a married man, the ball was in his court and he decided togo forit. In the beginning, detectives believed Diane's story, but they were not prepared for the actual story narrated by Christie, who survived the incident. Dr. Joshua Budhu is a neuro-oncologist at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. If she was the shooter, it had to be proven beyond a reasonable doubt. Just saw the video of Dianes parole hearing. 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. No excuse there. This whole case is flawed. Diane had met all the requirements to be paroled. I would like to see her released because I do not believe in life without parole for any inmate with no priors who had a good conduct while incarcerated. She wanted a lawyer to defend her vigorously but the judge stopped her from getting good representation. That disinformation was alleged by Mr. Hugi the third day into Jim Jaggers defense and it was never objected to by Mr. Jagger . Wasnt it speculative on their part? If it was not such a high profile case, Diane Downs would have been paroled a long time ago, considering her good behavior and lack of priors. I removed the dumb and crass part of your comment. The crucial point is that she is so void of emotion. I did not shoot my children.. That disinformation was alleged by Mr. Hugi the third day into Jim Jaggers defense and it was never objected to by Mr. Jagger . Same with her brother. If a person were innocent of the crime they were convicted of this puts them in a no-win situation. 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. Mostly, because it was poorly investigated and they focused on Diane solely the minute they met her. The bio family should have been given the same opportunity to see the kids and demonstrate their ability to be the guardians. I dont understand how the family court managed to isolate 2 severely traumatized and grievously injured children from their entire family. They had him micromanaged, and with the testimony of little Christie they were in business: argumentative It was the story of two troubled young souls trying to survive without a safety net. The way this investigation and the trial were conducted only left me with doubts. A. I was still living in the house, yes, sir. Every time, she said she did not know, they told her to think again and made suggestions. Christie's first child is a boy. Maybe because of her notoriety and the victims were children. I must humbly admit that I had not questioned the facts of the case before readily accepting this image of Diane as a cold blooded killer. I am a firm believer of where there is smoke there is fire. I was also stunned that she took the reports of all of Dianes ( mostly married) ex lovers as absolute truth and never once questioned that they might have been lying and retrospectively minimising their feelings for Diane to protect themselves. Did you read her statements to the parole board in 2008? They were the small sacrifices. 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. When they assess the conduct of an inmate, what counts is mostly how she behaves inside through the years and if she shows violent tendencies. Its too late for me to call myself a murderer (when I am not) just to purchase my freedom. She did diagnose her as suffering from cyclothymic disorder and treated her accordingly. It opened a huge can of worms regarding the real identity of the heart full of lies in this case. For the children to be legally free for adoption a termination of parental rights had to occur. This unexpected proposal took Diane by surprise at a large family gathering. I accept that it is sometimes necessary but I believe in rehabilitation.