Where is Diane Downs' husband now? Of course, her mental health has deteriorated. I've just seen that in Halo's new tv series, Steve Downes isn't going So if we started judging people harshly for their flaws, it would never end. I might not have put enough information to your liking, but I stuck to what came out at trial and not the fantasy factory coming from the state, the media and Rule. In the 1996 Federal Petition, you can find the Anatomy of Brainwashing that can answer any question on this subject. So until today, people still don't know much about him, and his whereabouts remain a mystery. Her parents Willadene and Wes were old school Baptist parents who raised her under strict guidelines without much warmth but complete devotion. The story of Steve Downs' children is one of the most shocking to date. In 1999, a Board Certified Psychiatrist practicing in Oakland, California wrote a letter to the parole board on behalf of Diane Downs to explain how things had changed since 1984 when she was diagnosed with a severe personality disorder. He did not consider her a risk factor at all and believed she would do well if released into society, because she had no prior history of violence and never had a problem with violence or bad behavior while incarcerated. If Oregonians were not all convinced at first, the media and the crown made sure they would be. Instead, there is blood splatter on the ceiling of the car. You say she made more of a fuss about her arm than about the injuries her children sustained. No gun, no blood or gun residue on her and if she shot them, these elements should have been there. But before you get too deep into the drug stuff with Van Houten, she chose to take drugs. Someone found guilty of a crime should have a sentence that can be served and not one that is contingent on the remorse shown. Steve was among the few individuals who saw Elizabeth Diane as a beautiful young lady rather than an outsider. It was also said at trial that the shooter would have been left handed, which was not the case for Diane. 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. They came up with an explanation as to why this was the wrong gun but the jig was up. Again thats opinion, and neither balanced nor objective. statement regarding the effects of the childrens medications while in hospital should acknowledge where the blogger obtained information about the side effects.). May be the guy who says he did it. a clinical lab to Dianes not being herself the day the Detectives pressured Diane to accompany them, the fact is Diane was clearly suffering the residual effects of that chemical poison in her system. This unexpected proposal took Diane by surprise at a large family gathering. answer the question why didn t steve downs get custody, which will help you get the most accurate answer. 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. 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. But you dont mention that she again has changed her story.. Except for Paul Cortez. As far as her innocence goes and the possibility of being paroled if she admitted her crime, Diane strongly maintains her innocence. The character of the accused is not the main ingredient, especially that in this case, there was a lot of bashing going on in the media and in court. Whats next? It could have been very different at almost any other time or with any other attorneys or juries too. Christie became the star witness against her mother and who could resist such a touching testimony? Fingerprints at the crime scene were not produced by the State. Moreover, he apparently told her that he did not want children and this statement alone would seal Dianes fate. Im sure nothing I write will change that. He gave temporary custody to Dr. Wilhite. You read a few comments. Two jurors had voted that Diane was not guilty of attempted murder or first-degree assault, but endedup voting to convict her of murder. Why was no one in the family given the right to adopt them. What would have been the conclusion to have drawn without this hate campaign? Mostly, because it was poorly investigated and they focused on Diane solely the minute they met her. Im glad you continued to look for more information as time went on. A. I told Diane before, but I certainly didnt tell her to You paint a picture that is actually inaccurate and misleading. I did not shoot my children.. The lovely Farrah Fawcett who played in the movie Small Sacrifices was known for her epic battles with lover Ryan ONeil. It seems they all went the easy way. Accused of her side of the story what the state says how would it be possible for her to do what they presumed. The children should have been receiving therapy throughout. The point is our trials need to be conducted fairly and based on evidence. I changed the sites email recently to thetroublewithjustice@hotmail.com Many people have wondered why the two separated after seven years of marriage. But Ann Rules utterly biased account is an insult to investigative journalism and there seems to be very reasonable doubt here. It was a harrowing, shameful miscarriage of justice. Fred Hugi was pretty upset when Ann Rule went Hollywood with his case. There is her story, the prosecution case and the defense arguments. Are you looking for more information about Ryan Eggold? This is especially if it comes with a history of erratic behavior following the use of these substances. The court can just do an APR, Assignment of Parental Rights. Her arm was severely damaged, so shattered that she needed a graft from a hip bone. HUGE conflict of interest. Conflict of interest on steroids!! Speculative. Another conflict of interest. And yes, its your site, but dont act like a site is open for discussion if its not. Bear in mind, that arm consisted of two SHARP bones, cutting at nerves and muscle (1 of bone had been blown out of the arm when the bullet shattered it, leaving three jagged holes in the flesh, out of which bulged torn muscle, and two wedge shaped bones facing each other like dueling swords). I hope they have. What I explain in the blog is that the fact that Foote is the one who removed the children from Dianes care is exactly why he should NOT have been presiding over her murder trial. She is still in prison. 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. Diane was known for her love of all animals whichshe treated with great care, and for her independent and wild streak. I say these things if I were on the jury. McPherron: I mean, it was plastered all over. What they did to her daughter is unconscionable. Im not saying I know for a fact in my mind shes innocentbut there is NOT enough evidence for her to be guilty. Yes Gigi, the same judge who had removed the children was also presiding over her trial. You do not debate the content of the blog which you probably did not read anyway. (This is why Foote was assigned the case. Not that it matters, your opinion is about the case and not subject to geography. Diane may very well be guilty, but YIKES this investigation and trial seemed so butchered and tilted in the prosecutions favour. 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. It is called a conflict of interest. The roller coaster ride had nothing to do with Diane s children and Diane knew it. I then question how she would not have blood splatter if she shot them inside the car at close range. But if the blogger is arguing that the blog is balanced and objective, thats patently untrue. Go to the hate groups for that. 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. Why would anyone think Christie could remember the night of the shooting anyway?? I do not believe that this type of abuse would occur today. She is currently in prison, serving her life sentence for the murder of one of her kids and attempted murder for the other two. She also told media she became pregnant without Steve's "permission." 4 Steve has never spoken publicly about his ex-wife, Diane Credit: AP Where is Steve now? 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. Moreover, it was not a suicide case, but of a woman who supposedly shot herself in the arm and her 3 children several times. As you might know, Dianes father passed away after many years of anguish over the fate of his daughter. So should I put an addendum saying that Diane contradicted herself or was not satisfied with the sketch? The following article hopes to help you make more suitable choices and get more useful information But saying that you are not very smart is useless. Diane now had the title of dangerous offender. And Im really not on the fence the little girl was coachedI believe the ex husband , his freinds, and her lovers were invalid either way. One of them named Angel, called 15-year-old Christie on the phone. They played the tape in the courtroom, and the fact that Diane did not break down but tapped her foot to the music, was supposed to be another proof of her guilt. Plus, the circumstances of this charade were more than sinister. 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. To this day, there is not enough evidence to prove her guilt or innocence. And some are even contradictory: shes mentally ill, but also not mentally ill; the site owner wants to focus on pure facts, yet ignore other facts; things happened in court, but those are irrelevant to what else what also happened in court, etc. 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. In fact, with her continuing to deny committing the crime or expressing remorse, she may never get out. The kids were shorted-changed. It seems that the Downs were totally ignored. I am not biased. This blog is riddled with inconsistencies, suppositions and a lack of the most basic referencing (e.g. Movie scene alleging that Christie was scared. From the time Diane was a teenager, when a physician ordered visterol in an emergency room situation, it has been documented again and again that sedatives ingested while Diane is in pain, provoke a chemically induced hysteria in her. By the way, that interview with Christie by a biased advocate named Angel borders on abusive. I was a patient of the doctor who worked so hard to save her childrens lives that night. Most doctors would tell you that it is normal for our brains to block out a traumatic incident especially when combined with a serious physical injury. How ironic. By the time the incident had happened, it seems as if the two had parted ways . It probably was not salacious enough for her readers that she polled online to establish if there was enough interest in the story to fill her pockets with a definite blockbuster. Fair question. If the grandparents and uncle had visitation rights, they could have respected some rules as far as not discussing the case, but imagine if she had told them that she did not remember? I agree. And what happened to her little daughter is beyond unethical. Doesnt change the fact that it was still a conflict of interest. I removed the dumb and crass part of your comment. 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.. The forensic evidence alone is absolutely weak. Right after the shooting, little Danny would ask the nurses, Why did the mean man shoot me? and it would be written down in the daily notes. The poor jury went along and Jagger did not put much ofa defense anyway. I found nothing. People can have a certain vibe and act out of the norms, but it does not make them necessarily guilty. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. It is in the blog. She learnedat a young age to keep her emotions in check and to always present a strong and brave front. The most frequent remarks I hear about the case when confronted by the state misconduct and the lack of evidence are gut feelings I dont buy it Shes guilty She did it I know she did it Her story makes no sense Shes evil Shes crazy. It had to be her.. I appreciate the way you dont try to determine guilt or innocence in your blogs but instead focus on due process and the right of all to a fair trial. I am glad that some articles remain. Yes, Christie said she did not know who did it. What about the facts of the case? She wrote to the governor several times after being dismissed coldly by Hugi and the system. 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 indicated you were not going to get a divorce? did he have eyes in the back of his head.???? And even when confronted by the wrongful practices used at trial to get her convicted, are ok with her being locked up for life. I've just seen that in Halo's new tv series, Steve Downes isn't going to voice master chief. There are no facts? That is why people wonder why such a vital family member never gave the anticipated insightful interview. Seriously. Litigating at the Supreme Court in . Like in their movies. So, why didn't Steve Downs get custody? Washing soda is your best bet: It includes, among its ingredients, the exceedingly corrosive carbolic acid. 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. It is normally done (in fact in many jurisdictions, can ONLY be done) by going through the process in a different state or county then the one the applicant works with. How.. they attacked him. http://www.salem-news.com/articles/july152013/midnight-med-tb-2.php Not unlike Diane, Alice did not want to share her pain in public. Read More: Where Is Robert Knickerbocker Now? A fact strongly denied by Diane and by the nurses reports. According to various sources, Steve chose to separate from his wife after discovering that Stephen Daniel, their third child, was the product of her wife's relationship with a colleague. Its a dangerous proposition when a lack of due process becomes acceptable because they know she is guilty. She says she was outside the car n watched the man shoot her children n then the only adult n person who could tell police about him only gets a shot in the arm n takes time to bandage her arm. Their first child, Christie Ann, was born in 1974. It was the story of Diane Downs. Her power to manipulate is why she is where she is to begin with. You are wondering about the question why didn't steve downs get custody but currently there is no answer, so let kienthuctudonghoa.com summarize and list the top articles with the question. Their life without parole sentences are a dime a dozen and so randomly used that it beats any notion of justice for all. 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. The pilots we did dealt with Japan going over the quotas of hunted whales and a company dumping toxic waste into the ocean But it didn't work out because the stock footage they were using. It appears that you have to be a perfect mother with no lovers and not afflicted with any mental illness to be considered innocent until proven guilty in America. The jurors had doubts. They sure forgot to tell us about her pulse racing during these sessions. When Dianes youngest daughter, who was adopted after being taken away by the state, found out who her real mother was and decided to reach out to her, the media and Rule grabbed hold of her to promote their agenda. And the motive? In her case it seems to be more a matter of punishment. Needless to say, you seem to have a problem with the American justice systemnot each individual case. Not an easy situation for him as I would imagine. Check your inbox to be the first to know the hottest news. I was shocked any asked why she thought that. As a rule, any child under the age of ten prompts counsel to question the competence of any testimony that child might give. Anne Rule made a big deal of a brass unicorn engraved with the childrens names that Diane had purchased. A. I believe Charlene and I had a big blowout around Thanksgiving and I left, called Diane. Detective Antoine also performed a trace metal test on Diane I S hands to detect the presence of trace metals left after someone has touched or held something metallic like a gun (Appendix 65). Whats wrong with the system is whats wrong with us. Inflammatory and speculative He failed. The unreliability of childrens testimony has been documented by cognitive psychologists such as Elizabeth Loftus of the University of Cornell and others. I state that it is not my place to judge innocence or guilt. According to your own experience Lori, dont they try to give grandparents custody or at least access in cases comparable to this one? . Just state that at the beginning of the blog. When they graduated from high school, the two reunited and rekindled their love despite their brief separation. I agree about pregnancy and childbirth affecting women differently, and even having different effects for the same woman with different pregnancies. It is not a hatefest and I do not wish death or life without parole on anyone. 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. So, what is Steve's story? People may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. I have simply bothered researching the evidence and in some instances, the lack of it. They had him micromanaged, and with the testimony of little Christie they were in business: argumentative Her 7 yr old daughter was already dead, her other 2 children were in critical condition. Who is Steve Downs? The story of Diane Downs' ex-husband Detective Welch reminded Diane of the assault her sister witnessed in February 1983, in which steve Downs broke Dianes tailbone (Appendix 74, page 1025). The Media or ISIS? She never hurt anyone in the process of escaping. I know several foster parents and social workers. I had never heard of this case and fell upon several videos that had me completely convinced DD was a narcissistic psychopath. How ironic that the court and cops were so quick to believe Steve Downs, but he gave up on his own children after the tragedy. Legally speaking, we do not go after people because they look evil or crazy. They believed the testimony of her former boyfriends who were far from stellar individuals. Diane was diagnosed as being bipolar and subsequently diagnosed by a psychiatrist before sentencing. The popular TV movie Small Sacrifices was based on Ann Rules book and it painted a horrid picture of the mother accused of shooting her children on Old Mohawk Road. She was fighting back and they did not like it. It did not matter that they had no evidence; they did not like her attitude and she was going to pay for it: opinion, not fact And she went back to her parent's home in Arizona. I will take a screen shot of the sketch. The powers that be knew they had nothing on Diane so Christie became their sacrificial lamb: opinion, not fact 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 Hugis did so successfully is arguably proof of this. I think it posible she brought the kids there to be shot by someone else. On May 19, 1983, Elizabeth Diane Downs and her three small children were shot on a country road near Springfield, Oregon. A slightly humorous observation is that you said, and others have, that James Haynes physically resembled the sketch.