I am so tired of the victims being forgotten. Why would anyone think Christie could remember the night of the shooting anyway?? Nevertheless, Steve and Diane tied the knot on November 13, 1973. Clickhere to read about faulty ballistics.. The children had a father. He still shouldnt have been allowed to adopt them while the appeals process was ongoing, if he had any role in those cases. 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. Like in their movies. Do you remember about two days after that the two of you signing a lease on the apartment? Jesus Ortiz Paz's parents, net worth, wife, and daughter. The case was so one sided that it is about time some of us bring up the other side. After all, Cheryl Downs is basically serving a life sentence with no possibility of parole for her mothers crime. It seems they all went the easy way. Downs was constantly provoked by inmates because of the nature of her situation, and she never once attacked or defended herself in a violent manner. She did not fit in and was now anxious to assert her independence and live her own life. How one of them lied on the stand about ballistics? why didn't steve downs get custody - Kerryandjessica.com You dont get any kind of advancement or rehabilitation in prison. At first I thought she did it, now I made further research and I dont know what to think. 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. I recently found your website and have enjoyed it a lot. The detectives and the state failed to act properly and it should not be an accepted practice. I actually do not know what really happened. If you listen to the recording, Christie clearly says I dont know who did it. She was asleep, thats why. She s. When analysing this blog, look at three statements from the blogger: Diane Downs and Alice Crummins were considered sluts 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. But you would know that if you had read the blog or info about the case. Where to begin? Thanks for posting for readers. It was faulty. I dont know either if she is guilty or not, but I believe there is a reasonable doubt surrounding the circumstances. The Diane Downs' Case Was no Small Sacrifice On May 19, 1983, Elizabeth Diane Downs and her three small children were shot on a country road near Springfield, Oregon. 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. The car was splattered with blood, but Diane had none on her. Her three small children, Christie, 8; Cheryl, 7; and Danny, 3 . Justice is all that is left. John Shea who played Fred in the TV movie Small Sacrifices even looks like him. Yes, isnt it shocking that some people would voice that a faulty investigation does not matter? Or that the sketch did not resemble the suspect enough? I agree that the phone call from Angel was totally inappropriate. Jul 3, 2022; fotomontajes de amor para dos personas; Comments: pete walker complex ptsd website; It gave Anne Rule carte blanche to legally use these labels in her book and it stuck. She. Is Diane really a threat anymore? What matters to me is that her rights were trampled during her trial. Also, their union was turbulent ever since the beginning as Diane was reportedly disappearing with her children for long periods. Weve become friends. At Sophie Sergie murder trial, jury hears recordings of Steven Downs I dont disagree, I just think it is another example of flaws in our justice system. By the way, that interview with Christie by a biased advocate named Angel borders on abusive. 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. Basically then at that I ndicted money launderer and noted coup enthusiast Steve Bannon has refused to sit for a deposition in front of the January 6 Select Committee. It is not because a defendant is found guilty or disliked that it is acceptable to bend the rules. What happened to Diane Downs ex-husband? 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. 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? Fingerprints at the crime scene were not produced by the State. My opposition to movies about true crime stories is unshakable. Robert was a married man in Arizona with whom Diane had been having an affair, back when she was still living there. Page 35 of Case History. The states own witness, Dr. George Suckow and Dr. Polly Jamison denounced Prosecutor Hugis practice as improper and unethical (Appendix 101 and 104). And if you add the fact that they never found the gun, it doesnt leave much evidenceto back upthe theory that she was the shooter. What about the affidavits of the guy who confessed to several people? The most recent tape of her daughter is not admissible because it is never allowed to bring out tapes that were obtained this way. Diane Downs is an infamous killer who tried to murder her three children to pursue love. This video of Jagger absolutely looks like the photo that you find on search engines for Fred Hugi. She is supposed to be locked up for murder, etc. Many attribute the conviction of Downs to the arrival of author Ann Rule at Downs' trial. Steve was the one who left Diane because he believed that Stephen Daniel, known as Danny, was the result of an extramarital affair that Diane had. Yes, Im sure this stranger wanted to kill her kids but only wound her, who, coincidentally, had a towel handy neatly folded on her wound. No excuse there. Theybrought out the big guns to unload on the public, their idea of the truth: Diane Downs was a horrible creature and a jilted lover who shot her three children in cold blood to be free to pursue a relationship with the man she was obsessed with. Diane was cooked the minute she walked in that courtroom. The detective said to leave that up to the police. I still remember my mother picking up the paper and seeing the headline. In a perfect world this would always be the case. 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. Thank you for presenting a side of the story & case apart from the usual narrative. Diane had siblings and parents. (witness statement the gentleman who was behind her for at least 10 minutes). Same with her brother. Unfortunately, there isn't much information about his whereabouts as he keeps a low profile. If they could not find the gun or any trace of a shooting on Diane, and you think shes guilty, it would mean she had an accomplice. 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. Their life without parole sentences are a dime a dozen and so randomly used that it beats any notion of justice for all. She functions best in highly structured environments where she has a sense of control. Can you imagine your little boy growing up to beat to death (with his bare hands and boots) Is she referring to her ex husband? 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. In this article, we can clearly see that Becky struggled and tried to justify her woes (maybe rightly so) by blaming it on her DNA. So until today, people still don't know much about him, and his whereabouts remain a mystery. It is not a plus, but it is not a crime either. Dianewas jealous ofthe other woman, but Robert Knickerbockers wife said that she foundher rather friendly during their encounter. I cannot be more transparent than that and integrity was one of the missing pieces of the entire case. It can safely be presumed, other children told their parents, and that some of those parents reported the disturbing revelation to states Attorney, Prosecutor Fred Hugi. I think you may be right that she is likely still locked up due to her diagnoses of antisocial, histrionic and narcissistic, but again, no one would care and this crappy diagnosis wouldnt have been bought and paid for if not the high profile nature of the case. Late one May night in 1983, Diane Downs sped into an emergency room dropoff in Springfield, Ore., with a horrifying story to tell. 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.. So they did everything in their power to slant the media and the public in their favor. It isnt there all the time. Or be mentally ill. Yes, I usually answer the emails I get about the blogs. I would say so. Removing the children from her and presiding over her criminal trial? 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. They were tons of witnesses that saw him at work. At least two of those school mates reported Christies tortured confession to their mother However, he had no interest in taking care of Dianes children. The prosecutor and his wife adopted both children that survived and although the boy is paralyzed and in a wheelchair, they trived with their new parents. In her book, Ann Rule made sure to mention that running water was heard by a dispatcher when Diane was at the hospital; insinuating that she was washing her hands and getting rid of evidence. So, what happened to the children's father? I try to bring out the details that were ignored because Down was so unpopular. Much worse. As a result, he decided not to attend the rest of the trial. In fact, Knick admits Diane took that gold chain as collateral against a $500 LOAN she made to him. Likewise, Charlene had no intention of letting Knick divorce her (Appendix 81, page 1518, line 15). You do not refute any of the points I made in the blogs. There is so much to say about this blog I wouldnt know where to start. I couldnt get my hands on the book nor find anything in librariesso basically it was many years later I dove into knowing more about this case, that kinda haunted me. They are now leading their private lives as adults. How interesting. They were in a group home and he was getting unsupervised visitation with them. But I am more than willing to review any new info. I know several people who know or knew both of the surviving children as well as Diane. It kinda scared me, the thought that mommy could shoot me, like this mommy did. She had no priors and no history of violence in prison. They often argued about their financial issues and fought over infidelities. What got her convicted was two things the towel and Christie. Or can have an accomplice. Anything less is a conflict of interest. It simply states the facts of the case. In reality,the whole caseturned out to beno small sacrifice for Diane Downs, but it was a huge victory for the State, the media anda very lucrative deal for theQueen of crime fiction herself; Ann Rule. It is beyond belief that the State of Oregon allowed the prosecutor to adopt those children. You are right. No forensic evidence pointing to her, just conjecture based on how mothers should act. Plus, Diane could have never cleaned her clothes and her hair to remove blood and gun powder. ABC MOVIE FOR TV Small Sacrifices 1989 Farrah Fawcett, Ryan ONeal. They claimed to have found two lead cartridges in Dianes rifle at home that supposedly matched the ones used during the crime. 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. Maybe that her mom was obviously not well after spending her life in prison so it would have been a good idea to meet the Downss family quietly and get the jest of it. It was also said at trial that the shooter would have been left handed, which was not the case for Diane. He failed. Ffs maybe u should go back to writing screenplays. 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 , Anne Rule made a big deal of a brass unicorn engraved with the childrens names that Diane had purchased. Steve Downs Now: Where is Diane Downs' Ex-Husband Today? Update But saying that you are not very smart is useless. Become TUKO.co.ke ambassador get a branded T-shirt, hoodie or water bottle at our TUKO Shop! But why was the judge in family court hopping over to criminal court? Basically, I dont believe the site owner has produced enough proof of anything. I was a patient of the doctor who worked so hard to save her childrens lives that night. A fair trial is a right in this country, not a judicial suggestion. The Parole Board had an obligation to parole Diane between 1998 and 2002 if she could provide reasonable cause to show she was not a danger to society. It seems that a lot of what was written down never came up during testimony and some nurses even strayed from the original content. As was his habit, Knick failed to take into consideration what Diane or his wife had to say on the matter. A very reasonable request that was rejected. I had never heard of this case before I read her book (Im not from or do not live in the USA), but I found myself constantly despairing at the authors unfounded judgements and wild suppositions. The forensic evidence alone is absolutely weak. The proverbial expression It takes two to tango applies here. Her atrocities made national news, but one person that everyone has been wondering about is Diane Down's ex-husband. Mind you, it is before the trial. The US is a very strange bird when it comes to crime and punishment. Speculative. 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. Moms were working more, we were becoming the latch key generation, as in we let ourselves in alone while still in elementary school.when I mentioned before about maturity of a 8, 9, 10 year oldwe loved playing outside on bikes, and playing with our dolls, boys usually had their action figures..lol.and we loved our moms, even if they were young and liked to go out and sent us to babysitters..the book and movie, Im quite sure, over did the situation..and Im sure there was more on both sides, the family of diane, diane herself, but well never know all the details. Kumbaya my Lord, Kumbaya. Lets not forget that she was presumed to have fired a gun 6 times at close range within the confines of a small car. Her son ended up in jail and ONeils children accused him of neglect and bad parenting. I am not sure. Exactly Libby why did they say during the trial that he saw his mom? The case of Diane Downs and her three children is one of those a horrible tragic case that people still think about 37 years later. I would love to hear your answers to them. How could Christie say anything but the things they told her to say with that kind of influence? I like to believe the best about people too but there are certain things that absolutely cant be ignored. Seriously. 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? 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. This case flew under my radar so to speak because it happened before my time. It became judicial kidnapping to obtain a coerced confession: inflammatory Steve Downs was the husband of the infamous child killer, Diane Downs. At what point during these meetings did she start calling him Dad? I do have to take issue with this article about Diane Downs. Steve made some piss poor choices when he had visitation with the kids after the shooting; he permitted them to go off alone with Dianne, when she was not supposed to have had any contact at all with the children. Conflicting reports say Downs also acted as a surrogate during her fourth pregnancy, giving birth to a daughter after her trial in 1984. May be the guy who says he did it. Who was Burt Reynolds married to when he died and who inherited his estate? People may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. It seems that everyone commenting just knows shes guilty, like you say. In her case it seems to be more a matter of punishment. A slightly humorous observation is that you said, and others have, that James Haynes physically resembled the sketch. 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. A demonstration in court strongly suggested: Suggested, not confirmed. So obviously, she was the prime suspect. The way this investigation and the trial were conducted only left me with doubts. After all, many cases of domestic abuse and even neglect do stem from alcoholism or drug abuse. But I think that in all fairness, many of them dont even know the details of the case and have watched Small Sacrifices instead. When they graduated from high school, the two reunited and rekindled their love despite their brief separation. That she had no blood or gun powder anywhere when she allegedly shot at close range? 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. The price of celebrity for her was losing her freedom and her children for life. Diane followed the detectives to their car. (Appendix 3). The poor jury went along and Jagger did not put much ofa defense anyway. 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. The gun is Def a big issue, the style of gun, whether it belonged to him or her, she Def had access to itthe child drew a picture of it, having large similarity to that gunbut it did always baffle me how she could find such a great hide for it in such a short period of time. Being bipolar, she had no impulse control so it should not have surprised anyone. She was interrogated without a representative from the defense and was not taped for the most part. 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 the state refusing to turn them over to the defense? So, were there any other attempted carjackings in the area that night? She threw her keys yet was able to take off right away?? 7 chilling clues in case of Diane Downs after she told cops a stranger It is called a conflict of interest. One of the important pieces of evidence was the absence of all but a trace of gunshot residue. But I know that there were major problems with this case. Below this letter see links to Salem-News.com articles about the questionable conviction of Diane Downs. The trial was a whole miscarriage, that seems undeniable. Also, aside from her original mental state, which may or may not excuse her aloofness (doesnt prove shes a killer by the way! Steve and Diane were married from 1973 to 1980, and during this time, they had three children. 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? Take your smugness elsewhere, at long last. 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. The case is old and the blog dated, but it is never too late to respond. Yes, dad relinquished his rights but he knew that they loved their grandparents and had allowed Diane to take them for a visit without telling the authorities. I know better now than to accept blindly the truth presented to us on a silver platter by the media and the judicial system. Do you remember a couple of days after that, December I will take a screen shot of the sketch. And that is why Diane chose to murder her children to regain his affection. She signed an affidavit to that effect and wanted the jury informed of it but it was never done. It was omnipresent in the courtroom as well as the Duran Duran song, The judge instructed them to continue on to force a verdict. And they kept at her and made suggestions when she would not implicate her mom. Is there any update? Ive been to London to Fly the Queen ~ and Back to Collect Artifacts, Haleigh Cummings Was Once Lost but Now She Is Found, Meet Rene Acoby: In-House Female Dangerous Offender, Kelli Stapleton- A Mothers Wuthering Woes. Instead of blaming societal problems and working at finding solutions, prison always seem to be their option. The role of Diane Downs was played by none other than Farrah Fawcett and her lover was played by Ryan ONeal who had been Farrahs love interest in real life. 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. This does not make her innocent. I lived in Eugene, Oregon for years. 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. They seem to say she was like that from the very beginning so in my opinion, it should represent a mitigating circumstance instead of a longer sentence. I actually can relate to things she did and was like, especially chasing after a guy that dont want youi did one night stands during my chase..to try to get over himits was a dumb idea and really made things worse, but it made sense at the time. 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. Maybe because of her notoriety and the victims were children. She attacked her husband and ripped his neck open in a jealous rage (Appendix 81, page 1520), tearing from his neck the gold chain he still wore from his first marriage (a gift from his first wife). There is absolutely no evidence that Hungry like the Wolf was playing when Christie got shot but it is another detail they added to bring a dramatic element to this trial. All Rights Reserved. They rarely are, especially in the US. When she resisted, he shot her kids and struggled with her. Did Anyone Watch 20/20 Last Night? - Page 3 - Blogs & Forums - QVC I am sorry the meaning of nonsense evades you like the facts of the case in this instance. 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. They were in their care during the time Diane worked when she moved to Oregon. What followed was a tragedy subject to many interpretations. Despite all of this: that the attorney became a Foster Carer irrelevant, inflammatory, subjective and bears no reflection on the trial, or indeed the trial outcome. I am not biased. The fact that the children were in no way protected by Child Protection Services is undeniable. 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. Nobody ignored Dianes demeanor. Downs went on trial on Jan. 12 for a rape and murder that happened in 1993, when he . There were good reasons to look at this mother, but the detective admitted on the stand that they stopped looking at anyone else after two weeks and the stranger on the road became a joke. I mention in my blog that when her adoptive dad said that she was coerced and thats why she said she did not know who shot them, that of course she was because this is what she does when under pressure. 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. Mind: Wrongful convicted. The Case of Liysa Northon Who Said True Crime Does not Pay? Her other daughter and son were severely injured. But he overestimated the kind of people that would go along with this soap opera. Diane asked for proof that her ex husband was behind the shooting. Everyone deserves peace. Without the media blast and rush to judgment from the police and DAs office, we might have uncovered the truth. Too bad it triggered you, maybe try to stay away from sites that might not go along with the mob mentality and usual media narrative. As she walked away, Detective Welch called after her, If you dont testify against Steve, youre going to lose everything. Diane turned back to say, Show me proof, and walked away. She had one arm totally out of commission. Problem with that is Diane has said during an interview with detectives that the sketch looks nothing like what she described. It means you dont orphan the kids. I think DD is guilty, but I also think her trial was far from due process, and that is the important issue. But in this case, she had no blood on her body or her clothing. I mean, yeah, I can see the no contact order with Diane. Hysteria. And Steven was free to follow her lead or not. A conviction founded on lies is no conviction at all. Page 50 of Case History 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. 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. Gregory Foote who had denied access to the children by all blood relatives and given their care over to the State, was promoted from juvenile to senior judge to preside over the trial of Diane Downs.. There are no facts? It was the story of Diane Downs. The details about the gun missing, the daughters testimony and the fact that she had no blood or gun residues are facts. 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. But to convince this young and vulnerable girl to turn on her mother, they needed to isolate her from her family and work relentlessly on her confession.. 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. But she suffered from mental illness and the circumstances were traumatic. This unhealthy marriage survived and became a daily struggle. ..it is quite possible if she was tried in todays world, with the evidence they hadquite possible it would of went differently we been living in a society that pretty much demand 100% pure forensic evidence proven.

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