Transgender CeCe McDonald Out of Prison but Not Out of the Woods. Of course, her mental health has deteriorated. Not that it matters, your opinion is about the case and not subject to geography. Gunpowder is one of the toughest stains around, when it comes to removing it from clothes. I do not declare her innocent. The mommy murderess pulled her car over the side of the road and shot her three young children in the backseat. I would say so. When they graduated from high school, the two reunited and rekindled their love despite their brief separation. Diane, 18, had run away from home to do so. But the high profile nature of the case might hinder the process. The towel and a girl who had a stroke, was separated from her family and was constantly questioned without being recorded or accompanied by a loved one and testifying to facts that do not match the testimony of the forensic expert is not being reduced to conjecture? Q. Hugi got the evidence needed to convict after numerous meetings with Christie. They did not like her attitude and she did not behave the way they expected a grieving mother to act. I am not from USA, never have been there, but my impression is that in USA media are far more powerful than the justice system and rational thinking is crushed by easy emotional moods, stereotypes and a hunger for violence coated in a pompous moral attitude. I write about cases where due process is in question and important aspects were ignored or twisted. I agree with your comment. That she had no blood or gun powder anywhere when she allegedly shot at close range? I think she was the only one there that night with her children. Most get through it fine, maybe some complications or pain, maybe even some post pardum. Pros. She said no mother would stop at 10 at night, in the dark, with three young children, to help a Bush haired stranger. They never found the gun and she showed no signs of having fired one. As far as Hugi is concerned, it was a total conflict of interest. Everywhere, EXCEPT the door through which Diane reported to police, the male stranger had passed. Page 37 of Case History. It kinda scared me, the thought that mommy could shoot me, like this mommy did. She was still trying to extricate herself from a bad relationship with Steve Downs and was in no hurry to repeat the mistake. He may still reside in Arizona, but there is no proof of the same. 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. The courts were divided in the 80s, family court, traffic court, criminal court, juvenile court I dont believe they ran out of judges to preside over them all. Why does the blogger not clarify this? If you shoot at least 6 inches from a victim, you see what is around you in the car. I wasnt there and the records will never be brought to light as far as the child welfare case. There are no facts? There was no blood on the front seats so Cheryl was laying down and Christie was asleep laying down and never witnessed anything. It isnt there all the time. By the way, that interview with Christie by a biased advocate named Angel borders on abusive. 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. I especially loved reading everyones comments. This blogger apparently believes anything she hears to support her inaccurate theory that Diane Downs was falsely accused and convicted. Not even the gun. He is in his 70s now and his photo is not on his linkedin or anywhere I could find. Seems like former husband, Steve Downs, should've been the custodial That her child was basically forced to admit that she saw her mom shoot them? Moreover, he apparently told her that he did not want children and this statement alone would seal Dianes fate. She is a monster and belongs in prison for the rest of her life. Thats the point. Father of Diane Downs Remains Vigilant After 30 Years (VIDEO) Within a few weeks, a judge had placed the surviving kids, Christie and Danny, in protective custody. In the 1996 Federal Petition, you can find the Anatomy of Brainwashing that can answer any question on this subject. They said so and were told to go back to deliberate. Fair question. Steve and Diane Downs' children were adopted by Lane County prosecutor Fred Hugi and his wife, Joanne. Wasnt it speculative on their part? These are no facts its partial truths and conjecture. Therefore, it is hard knowing where he is right now, considering his low profile of keeping away from the spotlight. It was pretty apparent during the course of this saga that the media and the state were willing to give a free pass to anyone willing to badmouth Diane. What is known for a fact, is, Prosecutor Fred Hugi took physical custody of Christie and Danny shortly after Christies confessions to her school mates, and he officially adopted them in the summer of 1986. Inside, outside, top to bottom. But if the blogger is arguing that the blog is balanced and objective, thats patently untrue. Not our place to decide. In my opinion, the investigation was too hasty and only focused on Diane. All the reports and even the warden thought she was not a threat anymore. She s. 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). 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. Nobody had any reason for a conspiracy of this magnitude over a literal nobody. (He WAS shot in the back remember). The authorities wanted to see them mourn and fall apart. Evidence or not, they were going to do their best to put her away for life. The fate of Steven Downs, a 47-year-old nurse from Auburn, Maine, is now in hands of a 12-person jury in Alaska. If it was not such a high profile case, Diane Downs would have been paroled a long time ago: speculative, Ill stop there. Some of your facts arent facts at all. Im all for justice, reviewing facts and overturning corrupt decisions. No. Nevertheless, when Diane came back to Arizona, the pair united, and soon, on November 13, 1973, to be exact, the couple tied the knot. 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. Thanks again. They were in their care during the time Diane worked when she moved to Oregon. 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. Its more understandable now, after all this time but it has done her so much harm, then and now Diane had met all the requirements to be paroled. Weve become friends. Instead, they treated the Downs with great cruelty long after their daughter was incarcerated and they fought hard for them. Someone said to me that any of us, if scrutinized under a microscope, would come out looking pretty bad. And thats fair enough. During a trial, we have to go with evidence only. I am a strong believer that pregnancy can do serious harm to some women. Except after the idea was subsequently planted in his head only to be alluded to in court, in spite of an agreement to never mention the subject. Her 7-year old daughter Cheryl died but her 3-year old son Danny and her 8-year old daughter Christie survived. 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. Mind: Wrongful convicted. Because Foote was already familiar with the case, the presiding judge assigned him the murder trial after Downs was charged with the shootings. 4.Diane was NOT arrested for almost a year after the shootings the d.a. I think it would give the blog more integrity and transparency. I watched and worried through her escapeto find her childrens real attackerthat bushy haired stranger . The State produced a witness (Ms. Patterson) to testify that Diane Downs entered the hospital bathroom, left the door open, and ran water in the sink (Appendix 87, page 476). According to her hospital records, every 6 hours she was given 400 milligrams of Dilantin (which is noted for causing confusion). "We are obviously disappointed at the verdict. They dont need to be adopted and have their entire identity changed. So if we started judging people harshly for their flaws, it would never end. Maybe she didnt want to admit she was there for drugs, but you need a really tiny brain to worry about that in such a situation. Do you remember about two days after that the two of you signing a lease on the apartment? But she suffered from mental illness and the circumstances were traumatic. The DA adopting the children is an integral part of this and definitely needs to be included in the blog. It was known as Manic Depression. Take your smugness elsewhere, at long last. 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. She had the right to a fair trial as much as anyone else out there. Were they involved in the plot too?? I have watched her parole hearing. And if you claim your innocence, it obviously creates a vicious circle of not showing contrition. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. Why am I not arguing the facts of the trial? If I feel that due process was violated, I will go there anyway. According to your own experience Lori, dont they try to give grandparents custody or at least access in cases comparable to this one? The fact that the judge who presided over the child welfare case and the criminal case was the same individual is absolutely a conflict of interest. But you are right to say that it is my site. Would you seriously be confident enough to present your findings you mention in your article to Diane Downs children? The time was spent waiting for the clock to tick down the final seconds for all appeals to the parental termination to be allowed. 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? I am not her advocate, but I think she did not get due process. But I will answer the points you raised about the blog. Mr. Not exclusively a USA trait, this happens also in many countries, but in a technologically advanced superpower like USA this attitude is more shocking, and maybe also more worldwide spread. The two older kids were Diane's with ex-husband Steve, however, Danny wasn't Steve's. I also grew up in as time of the most infamous case in Australias judicial history: Lindy Chamberlain and the dingo stole my baby. Did u learn nothing?? Further: Wonder about Justice in Nation with world wide highest prisoner rate. But there were discrepancies; the tool marks did not matchand the detective lied on the stand about it. Anyways. As Ms. Patterson left the stand, Diane complained to her attorney that Ms. Patterson had lied under oath. The case is old and the blog dated, but it is never too late to respond. So, were there any other attempted carjackings in the area that night? She was no mother of the year, I will grant them that, but a trial is supposed to be based on evidence. It is possible that he still resides in Arizona, but exactly where he is or what he does, we dont know. This is not my scenario Tasha. What mother takes her kids out at night and then stops for a stranger with her kids in the car? Doing it without witnesses when she was so sick is underhanded. 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. Fred Hugi was pretty upset when Ann Rule went Hollywood with his case. That conflict of interest alone would incline Christie to testify against her mother. An attractive woman whose two children were killed in mysterious circumstances and the cops decided to go after her. Also, aside from her original mental state, which may or may not excuse her aloofness (doesnt prove shes a killer by the way! Also, she became pregnant without Steve Downs' permission. The kids were shorted-changed. And he grew up there. The next day, on June 16, 1983, CSD terminated Dianes visitations with her children altogether. Page 10 of Case History. Up. The powers that be knew they had nothing on Diane so Christie became their sacrificial lamb: opinion, not fact What got her convicted was two things the towel and Christie. Any thoughts on that? One of them named Angel, called 15-year-old Christie on the phone. What followed was a tragedy subject to many interpretations. Do not take this so personally. I was curious as to what these requirements were, as I have not seen these online. If thats what you want then dont pretend its anything but. I try to bring up the elements that were totally ignored. It will not make me popular, but I dont mind. To this day, there is not enough evidence to prove her guilt or innocence. The lack of balance and objectivity. Some cases are so one sided that you feel like exposing or at least, discussing the other side. Foote denied the motion and declared you have an attorney, use him.. After asking her to have an affair, he kept vacillating between his wife and her. Diane had moved to Oregon only 6 weeks before the tragedy to work in the area and have her parents spend time with the kids. The bushy haired stranger that police had gotten a lead on worked at the country club he was at work at that time and had a sever speech impediment. They often argued about their financial issues and fought over infidelities. When she resisted, he shot her kids and struggled with her. From what we know about Becky, she had chosen a difficult path and Diane was trying to warn her. Tis why at 10 years old I was hearing about this case in Ohio, and family members talked about it around me.it hit with great force that way. So she could not have shot her kids at the distance determined by the state unless she changed her clothing and it did not come up at trial. 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. After divorcing her wife, Diane Downs, in 1980, Steve was hardly part of their life. She felt fulfilled when she was pregnant because she believedit was the road to unconditional love. The chief prosecutor adopting the children beggars belief! It was not unlike brainwashing. Clearly the social workers were working with the DAs office and taking advice on best interest of the children from them. This is a fascinating and informative article that has answered some questions I had, and prompted others: 1. 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. Considering the circumstances, it is difficult not to be a bit cynical about this grand gesture: relevance? They were treated very badly in this matter. Reduces conflict because communication is limited. People have always been wondering about Steve Downs, Danie Downs ex-husband. They already had made up their mind that Diane was the perpetrator so they laughed off the idea of the bushy haired stranger. The problem was that they could not find the gun anywhere and they had nothing on Diane. But I am more than willing to review any new info. Diane Downs' ex husband, Steve Downs, lost a lot in May 1983 when his ex wife shot their three children, following their divorce in 1980. Steve knew Danny was not his biological child and left Downs. Considering that the marks on the lethal bullets did not fit the bullet fingerprinting found in the rifle, this gun switcheroo was a good save for the state, but did not support the theory presented at trial either. time it was the situation was down. Also on old footage of the trial, as there was no cameras aloud, the drawing of Christie Downs from court artist also complies with the testimony given in the book, as far as her pain and crying. The judge who took away her children presided over her criminal trial. It is also very is to clean. Her parents Willadene and Wes were old school Baptist parents who raised her under strict guidelines without much warmth but complete devotion. The problem with high profile cases is that the media, the DA, the cops and authors like Ann Rule dictate the narrative and it becomes almost impossible to look any other way unless you are a critical thinker devoid of emotions related to the case. 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. My brother was a first-generation immigrant who died in police custody 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. And with hindsight, the fact that this young mother had a personality disorder probably brought a lot of drama to the mix. (LOL!! They felt safe there. Ive not seen the movie or read the book. What about the son saying that man and nurses noting that. Completely unethical, and not in the best interest of those children. But Diane was not the one dragging Knick out of Charlenes bed every morning intent on making or breaking his relationship with another woman. Im not arguing the facts of the trial, and Im not about to. Cheryl Lynn followed in 1976, and Stephen Daniel was born in 1979. Or be mentally ill. Page 26 of Case History. Diane said that Cheryl was laying down on the front floorboard with the passenger seat pushed back. The most recent tape of her daughter is not admissible because it is never allowed to bring out tapes that were obtained this way. The photo of Hugi I used is the one you find when you do a search online for Fred Hugi who prosecuted Diane Downs. In Oregon, in 1983, she shot her 3 children, 1 daughter died. Diane Downs is an infamous killer who tried to murder her three children to pursue love. The price of celebrity for her was losing her freedom and her children for life. After graduating high school, Steve went on to join the Navy, and Diane, having a strict religious background, was sent to the Pacific Coast Baptist Bible College. But the fact that the prosecutor called her a deviant sociopath in court without any assessment became another nail in her coffin. The fact that the Hugis did so successfully is arguably proof of this. In fact, Diane and her lawyer wanted Christie to be able to heal before being questioned and to be accompanied and taped during the sessions. Diane and her family fought for them but were blocked from day one. Within three weeks, Diane had lost custody of her remaining wounded children and had become the number one suspect in the eyes of the police department and District Attorneys office. Nobody ignored Dianes demeanor. Knicks habit of turning on and turning off their relationship was known to Diane long before he admitted it in court a year later (Appendix 81, page 1520, line 21): Q. This was ridiculed countless times in the media, but frankly, it can be a very honorable endeavor, depending onhow you want to look at it. Rule made up stories to sell books and the rights to a movie. Mr. I say these things if I were on the jury. That doesnt make it true. This is a more common route for children with parents who are incarcerated for what looks to be the entire childhood of the children. 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. Regardless of the facts you point out, there is no doubt in my mind that Diane Downs is guilty. 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. Standards of conduct are defined by state law, but they generally require a judge to avoid appearances of impropriety, such as avoiding deciding a dispute in which the judge is personally involved in the issue at stake or has a relationship to one of the parties.. You were not there and one thing I have learned about high profile cases, is that you cannot always believe what the media, biased detectives and Ann Rule have to say. There are many cases where investigators jump to conclusions either because in their gut they think they know or pressure to make an arrestand i guess with all the attention this case got they gave their gut and the public what they wanted. The DA that put away their mom is not an appropriate placement choice. Steve and Diane were married from 1973 to 1980, and during this time, they had three children. ..it is quite possible if she was tried in todays world, with the evidence they hadquite possible it would of went differentlywe been living in a society that pretty much demand 100% pure forensic evidence provenprobably over 10 years or longer, people expect trials to be that of a law and order TV show..I cant say thats a bad thing, or makes what happened in the 80s on back bad. Many troubling elements of the case were discovered after the trial, but there was enough during the proceedings to be asking questions. That they did not test the outside of the car? There was no question in Dianes mind that Knick would take another mistress if she married him, and that hed move on again. 2.Diane herself has stated that the shooter was outside the car and shot THROUGH the window, no blood spatter. She did not fit in and was now anxious to assert her independence and live her own life. You say she made more of a fuss about her arm than about the injuries her children sustained. High profile cases usually do not get the same treatment as regular folks. (her family confirmed that she had a mood disorder, possibly bipolar 2), So when Dr. George Suckow from the Oregon State Hospital in Salem was called as a States rebuttal witness and he made a professional diagnosis of Diane as histrionics, antisocial and narcissistic, he openly said in court that he interviewed Diane for 1 hour and read evidence presented by the state to make his diagnosis.. The US is a very strange bird when it comes to crime and punishment. It does not get any bigger than this. Two of the kids survived the shooting with life altering injuries, and one of the children died. What Happened to Diane Downs' Husband Following Her Sentencing? Diane was instructed to reenact her response to the attacker who murdered her daughter. It means you dont orphan the kids. It is not because a defendant is found guilty or disliked that it is acceptable to bend the rules. But I am so tired of the enough time has been served and other criminals have been paroled. Diane now had the title of dangerous offender. 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. In 2008, a psych evaluation by L. Williams, Ph.D., Chief of Mental Health at Valley State Prison for Women, explained Dianes lack of emotions and its relationship to her case. I felt there was something that should be done, but I was at a loss in how to cope with the Court that had given the children to the prosecutor and allowed false testimony to seal her fate. We make them president. And on this site, I mention that I take a restorative approach. She should have had the lawyer of her choice and if they wanted to charge her with the crimes, they should have stuck with what evidence and circumstances they had. I guess he did not want too many people to know about the improprieties that happened in his courtroom. Diane had consulted a psychologist after the tragedy and after months of consultation, she was never diagnosed as a sociopath. Diane found a full-time job with the U.S. Post Office in 1981, and was stationed in Chandler. By many accounts, her children adored her. The detectives and the state failed to act properly and it should not be an accepted practice. 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. Additionally, homicide or assault victims shot by someone else can test positive for GSR. She did it. . This really makes me angry, that prosecuter and judge should be sued along with the writter. Most were married because Diane had no desire to remarry. They should have left her alone. The police admitting on the stand that after 2 weeks, they stopped looking at suspects appears to be a fact. View theaffidavits. Crime is entertainment and big money so this case will continue to be on the forefront and the same assumptions will be repeated over and over again. Those cases shouldnt have been in the same court let alone presided over by the same judge. I do not care if the bushy haired stranger made no sense or if they could not explain the why of the tragedy, I do not care if she was madly in love with a guy because all that counts is proof and evidence in a court of law, and there was definitely a reasonable doubt. 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. I will change it. It was a dark and rural road. Rule defended her right to earn a living and to tell her story. The blog tries to bring balance and more objectivity to a case that was TOTALLY one sided and still is. Steves surviving children had endured a horrifying experience performed by someone they loved and cared about. Oh my. why didn't steve downs get custody - Kerryandjessica.com I just tried to find a video or article about Hugi and I only get the one or two that I already have.