She knew that Knickerbocker hated trouble of any kind, and thathe would have never come back to her after an ugly shooting where she had been wounded and her kids damaged. The photo of Hugi I used is the one you find when you do a search online for Fred Hugi who prosecuted Diane Downs. This is especially if it comes with a history of erratic behavior following the use of these substances. They dont need to be adopted and have their entire identity changed. 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 car was splattered with blood, but Diane had none on her. I bet the records are and always have been sealed regarding this aspect of the case. If he was getting too close to the witness emotionally he should have stepped away from the case. So, what happened to the children's father? that you told Diane to tell steve that she was Knicks Or why the fact that he was a con artist made him such a credible guy in this case. answer the question why didn t steve downs get custody, which will help you get the most accurate answer. 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. One should also wonder why their biological father who was so eager to bash his ex on the stand was not given custody, and did not stay in contact with his two remaining children. Spiritual advancement and atonement? I was a patient of the doctor who worked so hard to save her childrens lives that night. I watched the paroles hearing in 08, was lucky to find it, it was streamed live at the timemy sister, who is a whiz with computers, found it for me. For example, the abhorrent decision regarding Keli Lane: https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.whimn.com.au/talk/news/why-i-think-keli-lane-should-not-be-in-prison/news-story/069a09c79589645c48de5bfa91e4ca0f. Christie's first child is a boy. She felt fulfilled when she was pregnant because she believedit was the road to unconditional love. The cops admitted that they never investigated the tips about a bushy haired stranger. But I am realistic. At the time Diane had told police that a stranger attempted to carjack her and shot the kids, and that's what her ex husband was told, too. Steve and Diane Downs' children were adopted by Lane County prosecutor Fred Hugi and his wife, Joanne. For all you readers of this blogger, I lived through the Diane Downs case. I guess Diane forgot to have that part engraved on the Unicorn. The fact that Dianes injury was way more serious than they tried to pretend? Maybe dad relinquished, it sounds like he may have. By the way, that interview with Christie by a biased advocate named Angel borders on abusive. And thats fair enough. Her atrocities made national news, but one person that everyone has been wondering about is Diane Down's ex-husband. And even when confronted by the wrongful practices used at trial to get her convicted, are ok with her being locked up for life. If she was such a manipulative person, she would not be in prison for life, would she? Downs: Oh yeah, I remember the pictures, too. She was fighting back and they did not like it. She did not fit in and was now anxious to assert her independence and live her own life. The detectives and the state failed to act properly and it should not be an accepted practice. 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. Q. You can check this link and go online to see her picture with Cheryl and the rest of the family. That is the reason effective trial counsel challenges the competency of a nine-year-old child to testify in a court of law. Seems like former husband, Steve Downs, should've been the custodial At first I thought she did it, now I made further research and I dont know what to think. The whole blog claims the trial was flawed. Steve Downs' wife had become ignorant of her children and often left them with her parents or ex-husband. Now if the shooter was this James Haynes guy, someone who apparently Diane Downs knew from buying drugs, then that would explain why she stopped in the middle of that road. A history of use of drugs, alcohol or even cigarettes can all be deemed as counts against a parent in court. Meaning a trial where lying or failing to disclose exculpatory evidence by prosecutors is not happening. 3. I also grew up in as time of the most infamous case in Australias judicial history: Lindy Chamberlain and the dingo stole my baby. In fact, I am surprised that people are not flabbergasted by the way this case was handled and tried and that what bothers them most is that I try to discuss it in a blog and dare defending this woman. This is also a faster route to give the children permanency, and is far cheaper for the child welfare system that is always strained by the budget. Diane, 18, had run away from home to do so. The fruit of this abduction was the May 23, 1983, videotape re-enactment staged by Detective Tracy in which Diane is clearly hysterical. Downs wanted to get rid of the kids because her new boyfriend didn't want . Hugi did not want that. Diane was found guilty and sentenced to life and she has been in prison ever since. Late one May night in 1983, Diane Downs sped into an emergency room dropoff in Springfield, Ore., with a horrifying story to tell. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. While that makes her technically eligible for parole at some point (in her case 2009) it does not actually mean she has an end date or a release date. 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. Q. Around 1 in 20 residents in Arkansas and Tennessee were missed during the 2020 census, and four other U.S. states had significant undercounts of their populations which could shortchange them Most people negotiate the ups and downs of . Their first child, Christie Ann, was born in 1974. I did not shoot my children.. Copyright 2023 Distractify. Mrs. Fredericksons concern for her daughters emotional state was well placed. According to Detective Welch, Steve Downs followed Diane to Oregon, they fought and Steves rage took the last step on the path hed been treading for a long time. Q. Her husband turned out to be a player and a very irresponsible guy who did not really love her. I recently found your website and have enjoyed it a lot. A. I dont recall telling her to get an apartment. What followed was a tragedy subject to many interpretations. Two jurors had voted that Diane was not guilty of attempted murder or first-degree assault, but endedup voting to convict her of murder. They went through the process which demonstrates a certain level of commitment in itself. Detective Welch reminded Diane of the assault her sister witnessed in February 1983, in which steve Downs broke Dianes tailbone (Appendix 74, page 1025). Belli filed a motion for a 2-week extension to familiarize himself with the case because he had to be in Italy, and declared Diane innocent in a press conference, but Foote denied the motion and declared you have an attorney, use him.. Makes no difference to me. I am not one sided. So, why didn't Steve Downs get custody? 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. While these are all good questions, (and were maybe all asked in the jury room during deliberations) I doubt the answers even matter anymore. ..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. If Diane was bipolar, the non-stop chatter would have been inherent to the situation: bipolar wasnt a diagnosable condition at the time of her first trial. No. I would say so. And Steven was free to follow her lead or not. No OTHER reason. This is a fascinating and informative article that has answered some questions I had, and prompted others: 1. Much worse. They are set in stone and people refuse to see it any other way. There are some stories that stick with you for a long time. Apparently drug mafia wanted to punish her for messing her nose in forbidden places, not because she was getting any real business in that but simply because she had one of the poorest judgements a person can have. Her son ended up in jail and ONeils children accused him of neglect and bad parenting. She signed an affidavit to that effect and wanted the jury informed of it but it was never done. There was a lot of evidence pointing at OJ. 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. But you dont mention that she again has changed her story. http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v09/n364/a03.html // Prison-happy U.S. must reconsider use of mercy; Carol S. Steiker, professor at Harvard Law School, Sep. 10, 2008 , http://www.philly.com/inquirer/opinion/20080910_Prison-happy_U_S__must_reconsider_use_of_mercy.html // US Prison Population Soars to 2.3Mln People at Annual Cost of $7Bln The US prison population has soared to 2.3 million people costing the government more than $7 billion per year. 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. That makes no sense. Actor Robert Blake was found not guilty of the shooting murder of his wife. My question is: why is she still locked up? Dianes daughter started saying that she did not know who shot them right when she got adopted. I dont know the woman. It is because she is a high profile person. It always feels like punishment at all costs. As a rule, any child under the age of ten prompts counsel to question the competence of any testimony that child might give. They would have tried to reopen the case. Thanks for posting for readers. Christie could not speak but after some rehab, she said repeatedly that she did not know who shot them. If appropriate family members could not be found to take placement of the children then family friends are the next step. Of course, because this is what she does when people put her on the spot and ask questions concerning her mother and the shooting. What about the fact that they never found the gun? Five doctors have observed and documented this phenomenon. Her children deserved the whole truth and nothing but the truth. There is also a recording where she says that she had no idea who shot them. Diane may very well be guilty, but YIKES this investigation and trial seemed so butchered and tilted in the prosecutions favour. What about the facts of the case? They checked her shoes and they were clean. Jennifer Hudson didn't lose custody of her son David Jr. because she was an unfit parent, but rather because her work commitments meant she had to temporarily relocate to film The Voice UK. I think that you are right about certain things not being ignored. You cant possibly shake off all the gun powder residue and avoid all the blood. Ginsburg didn't think women should get to do what men did because she believed they would do the job better; she wanted equality for its own liberating sake. Glamour reported that Danny was paralyzed from the chest down as a result of the shooting and Cheryl suffered a major stroke as a result of the attack that left her with a lifelong speech impediment. 2. Speculative. Diane herself stated Cheryl was asleep on the front floorboard completely covered up with Dianes jacket how the hell did a stranger or a hitman(one of Dianes OTHER stories) KNOW Cheryl was there. Diane doesnt believe Rebecca is her daughter, rather a media puppet ran by Rule. Steve and Diane were married from 1973 to 1980, and during this time, they had three children. Diane did not get a fair trial. He failed. She wrote to the governor several times after being dismissed coldly by Hugi and the system. . Child Protective Services takes confidentiality to the extreme (warranted in most cases). Indeed, Diane Down's murder case was a shocker for detectives. 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. Diane found a full-time job with the U.S. Post Office in 1981, and was stationed in Chandler. 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. 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. I am just curious. Why doesnt the innocent project get involved with her case. 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. In my opinion, the investigation was too hasty and only focused on Diane. If you had commented on one of the elements contained in the blog, it might have been enlightening. But the fact that the prosecutor called her a deviant sociopath in court without any assessment became another nail in her coffin. The chief prosecutor adopting the children beggars belief! They went after Diane at trial for tapping her foot when they played Hungry like the wolf. I've just seen that in Halo's new tv series, Steve Downes isn't going Who Wore it Better? Brewer freely declared that Diane Downs would never have been convicted except that he believed the lie Jim Jagger permitted Fred Hugi to enter into the record. The lack of balance and objectivity. I dont understand how the family court managed to isolate 2 severely traumatized and grievously injured children from their entire family. The detective said if Diane would just testify against Steve Downs, she and her children could go home and try to put their lives back together. I remember when Diane shot her kids and there are some facts Id like to correct from your blog. An attractive woman whose two children were killed in mysterious circumstances and the cops decided to go after her. The reason Im harsh is because Ive detected that youve paid for this site and therefore cant be wrong. Her release was recommended by a warden and a psychiatrist. She followed all the correct Parole Boardprocedures for two years with no hearing. As was his habit, Knick failed to take into consideration what Diane or his wife had to say on the matter. She told ABC, The impact of Diane Downs being my mom has altered the course of my life so many times. 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.. It is my hope that Leslie Van Houten and Diane Downs are never paroled. Diane Downs children: Where are Christie and Stephen now? Diane was instructed to reenact her response to the attacker who murdered her daughter. But I think that in all fairness, many of them dont even know the details of the case and have watched Small Sacrifices instead. Maybe because of her notoriety and the victims were children. I then question how she would not have blood splatter if she shot them inside the car at close range. The police admitting on the stand that after 2 weeks, they stopped looking at suspects appears to be a fact. 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? Ur not showing facts that Ann Rule lied n misled n ruined lives with. Therefore, my understanding is that the original sentence is deemed indefinite with parole hearings every 10 years. The incident left Cheryl dead, Danny paralyzed from the waist down, and Christie suffering from a stroke that affected her speech. No gun, no blood or gun residue on her and if she shot them, these elements should have been there. .well yay for youtubelol..is when I first heard her in old interviews. A. I was still living in the house, yes, sir. Are you still taking comments by email? Q. In the moment of who shot youmy momhave a hard time believing that could be coached. I do not discuss her guilt or innocence because this is not what the blog is about, but I personally hope she is released one day. 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. I never read the Ann Rule book, but saw Small Sacrifices as a kid and have had an interest in this case ever since. But why was the judge in family court hopping over to criminal court? so which one is it????? I lived through the media coverage. The media keeps talking about several escapes, but there was only one. Probably a 911 button. She said no mother would stop at 10 at night, in the dark, with three young children, to help a Bush haired stranger. why didn't steve downs get custody - dtdigital.net The price of celebrity for her was losing her freedom and her children for life. From reading the blog and my little understanding of this case, Ms Downs remains in custody as she is considered a dangerous offender. A reader told me that I should have a website with all the comments. I found nothing. But saying that you are not very smart is useless. The two older kids were Diane's with ex-husband Steve, however, Danny wasn't Steve's. ..maybe it was lack of Internet and cellies *shrug)..years later, my Co worker at burger King (I was 16)told me about the small sacrifices movie she watched the night before. U seem very one sided on every case Ann Rule has ever written just as u claim she did to u. N her parents didnt want custody of the children just like the father. He needed, now more than ever, to vacate the area asap. PAY ATTENTION: Install our latest app for Android, read best news on Kenyas #1 news app. 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. 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. At that timeand now!! And the motive? As Ms. Patterson left the stand, Diane complained to her attorney that Ms. Patterson had lied under oath. This case certainly had its share of circumstantial evidence. TOP 10 why didn t steve downs get custody BEST and NEWEST ABC MOVIE FOR TV Small Sacrifices 1989 Farrah Fawcett, Ryan ONeal. It took a lot of time to research this case and present the other side of the coin. There is so much to say about this blog I wouldnt know where to start. Thats the point. What about the son saying that man and nurses noting that. I am not saying she is innocent. But she suffered from mental illness and the circumstances were traumatic. Of course I saw movie first, then read the bookI wanted more, sadly early Internet days, there wasnt much out there, as far as info or video, picturesnothing really. As a suggestion, I would love to see a like or dislike button for each comment. And she laughed at it by saying it was healthy to want to join the free world, especially if you proclaim your innocence. Was that Annes fault as well? Mr. Downs must have had a bad feeling about Jagger because before trial: speculation It does not get any bigger than this. The point is our trials need to be conducted fairly and based on evidence. I know better now than to accept blindly the truth presented to us on a silver platter by the media and the judicial system. One of the more bizarre scenes in this farce of an investigation was about to unfold. Mr. Downs must have had a bad feeling about Jagger because before trial, he tried to retain defense attorney Melvin Belli who had the reputation of fighting for his clients and to win all his cases. She keeps her emotions under tight control, presenting only socially acceptable feelings and burying other contradictory feelings.. And she should be allowed parole! 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. I know that most people think she is guilty. 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. Not in this case. Christie was it though. 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. A demonstration in court strongly suggested: Suggested, not confirmed. http://www.salem-news.com/articles/july152013/midnight-med-tb-2.php There were a few calls and on one occasion, The most frequent remarks I hear about the case when confronted by the state misconduct and the lack of evidence are gut feelings , So the hell with no gun, no GSR, no blood and no witnesses except a sick child who denied knowing who shot them until she could not anymore and happened to be adopted by the prosecutor; making it look like she could never change her mind and reveal that she has no memory of the shooting and maybe have the case reversed. The infamous murder story of 1983 was like an excerpt from a crime thriller, a mother doing the unfathomable. Their theory was very shaky. They were in a group home and he was getting unsupervised visitation with them. All smoke and mirrors to fit a certain scenario. But unfortunately, Diane's parents never approved of the relationship as they had high hopes for their daughter's future, which they did not see in Steve. Theres a lot to be said here, still. Click to listen to podcast explaining the gun test, Dianes mental condition and the lack of forensic evidence. The two mental disorders that cause excessive talking are Bipolar Disorder and Schizophrenia. Instead of grieving, Alice went partying and had sex. Almost from day one, Diane was perceived as a cancer they had to remove. 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. 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. After all, Cheryl Downs is basically serving a life sentence with no possibility of parole for her mothers crime. I agree that the verdict may have been very different. 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. And this makes many people wonder about his whereabouts. I hope she is granted parole. Diane had consulted a psychologist after the tragedy and after months of consultation, she was never diagnosed as a sociopath. Diane had spent three days in the hospital ingesting massive doses of Morphine, Demerol, Percodan, and visterol. She was the prosecutions only hope. Only after these avenues are exhausted should non-relative placement be looked at. Lack of blood spatter is not evidence of innocence Especially when a shooter is leaning in and shooting into a box (car) while standing outside. I research cases that in my opinion, were poorly tried. Diane, of her own admission, had plenty of affairs while she worked at the Post Office. It will not make me popular, but I dont mind. This is a more common route for children with parents who are incarcerated for what looks to be the entire childhood of the children. These are no facts its partial truths and conjecture. I dont care what Diane Downs says at the parole board hearing, except if she is innocent or guilty. I agree on many points with your comment. I am a strong believer that pregnancy can do serious harm to some women. And she clearly remembered the April 1983, rape that Mr. Downs would later refer to as love making. 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. Just my opinion. 4. She had no blood spatter or gun powder residue on her hands,clothing or hair. And after Diane left Arizona she didnt call Knick to inquire about his love, but rather about when he would repay the $500 (Appendix 81, pages 1479-1480). Mother of Diane Downs Asks Oregon Governor to Review Case and There were posters. 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.