why didn't steve downs get custodyfair housing conference 2022
I guess he did not want too many people to know about the improprieties that happened in his courtroom: I guess? It does not contradict what I said, but what they said. After a failed marriage that got her a divorce from Steve Downs, she wanted to be with her lover. Christie and Danny have no contact with their father, and they have completed their education. John Kitzhaber, Governor of Oregon If not, why not? After asking her to have an affair, he kept vacillating between his wife and her. 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. And Steven was free to follow her lead or not. Litigating at the Supreme Court in . The circumstances surrounding the case were not enough to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. Modernism mixed with Medieval state of mind. I wasnt there and the records will never be brought to light as far as the child welfare case. 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. 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. 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. At the time, among 49 prisoners denied parole, the board had given only four inmates, including Downs, a 10-year wait. She never mentioned that before, and she doesnt mention the FBI agents name. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. The blogger continues, I am not one sided. 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. Not hard to go there. He knows as he was in court and must have photos. Years later, seven witnesses signed affidavits telling of a man named Jim Haynes continuing confessionthat he wasthe shooter, and his appearance boresimilarities to the sketch. When a unicorn and hungry like the wolf make their way into a court room during a high profile trial, its a red flag. Foote refused 30 to 50 reports by detectives of sightings or leads about the shooter but admitted reports from people in Arizona willing to badmouth Diane. If the answer is, revenge, then it has been achieved. ..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. Therefore, it is hard knowing where he is right now, considering his low profile of keeping away from the spotlight. Q. It was known as Manic Depression. In the beginning, detectives believed Diane's story, but they were not prepared for the actual story narrated by Christie, who survived the incident. (Yes in the 1980s a ten yr like myself was not as mature as say todays 10 yr olds. The judge instructed them to continue on to force a verdict. 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. The authorities believed that the children's father was not a good fit to look after the children after what they had endured when their mother tried to murder them. Also, their union was turbulent ever since the beginning as Diane was reportedly disappearing with her children for long periods. Danny has kept a low profile, and not much about his life like family, marriage, and children are in public. I recently found your website and have enjoyed it a lot. (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.. Just like Rule though, your blog is extremely biased, and reads almost as though she told you exactly what to write at times. She has come a long way. He is in his 70s now and his photo is not on his linkedin or anywhere I could find. I try to bring up the elements that were totally ignored. Children imitate their parents every move. Therefore, my understanding is that the original sentence is deemed indefinite with parole hearings every 10 years. Now in hindsight, seeing footage on youtube, especially the interview she did with the reporter Anne Jagger, the things she says and facial expression is exactly described in the bookhad to find the section in the book, but on that note, Anne rule did site that interview correctly. The fact that she drove there and it saved the life of two of her children should give anyone pause. Thank you Lise. I will agree that it was suspicious that Diane got away with one bullet in the arm, even if the injury was severe, but she was outside the car and many scenarios are possible to that effect. He gave temporary custody to Dr. Wilhite. That disinformation was alleged by Mr. Hugi the third day into Jim Jaggers defense and it was never objected to by Mr. Jagger . They rarely are, especially in the US. The notes taken daily by the nurses became a point of contention at trial. They are now leading their private lives as adults. Do not forget that she got letters of support from a warden and psychiatrist. They did not want reunification to keep their verdict intact. Meaning a trial where lying or failing to disclose exculpatory evidence by prosecutors is not happening. The lousy men in their lives never took a hit because after all, it was these witches fault. From the very beginning, the DAs office had their ducks in a row because in an unprecedented move, Judge 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. She was still trying to extricate herself from a bad relationship with Steve Downs and was in no hurry to repeat the mistake. It gave Anne Rule carte blanche to legally use these labels in her book and it stuck. To this day, his record is mixed; his law license was suspended for 6 months in 2011, and there was also talk of a suspension in 2015. If you read the blog, you will see examples of his lack of dedication. As it was getting dark and the young ones fell asleep in the car, their mother decided to head home. As I stated towards the beginning of my response, Im taking issue with the blog and the subjective language used. Judges are subject to certain ethical standards and have a duty to be impartial. So, how much do you know about him aside from this acting profile? Her family supported her. An attractive woman whose two children were killed in mysterious circumstances and the cops decided to go after her. I just read your opinion on the Pamela Smart case and the Scott Peterson case. It means you dont orphan the kids. There were days she was unhappy to see the staff and her family because she was very ill. That poor girl had a lot of bad moments where she would cry constantly or trigger the machines and to have defined this single incident as one of terror instead of excitement over seeing her mom was biased and self-serving. You have that part absolutely right, so why was this protocol ignored? 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. In fact, if someone was Hungry like the Wolf in this courtroom, it was a certain crime author who could already smell and taste the fortune coming her way after the publication of this juicy story. Just goes to show how difficult it is sometimes to find the truth. Not our place to decide. View theaffidavits. At the very least, she should have been released by now. Also, aside from her original mental state, which may or may not excuse her aloofness (doesnt prove shes a killer by the way! I know several foster parents and social workers. The court can just do an APR, Assignment of Parental Rights. This does not make her innocent. Also Im curious as to how you feel her repeated escape attempts should affect her deserving to be on parole. 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. Within a few weeks, the kids who had survived were placed in protective custody and were no longer in Steve's care. I never found a photo of James C. Jagger online. They were tons of witnesses that saw him at work. 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. I feel compelled to comment on this blog, because having recently read Ann Rules book, I feel exactly as you did. It was far fetched, unfoundedand convenientlyrelayedby Rule to boost the sales of her book. However, their marriage wasnt as great as they anticipated as Steve was a player and quite irresponsible and immature at the time. Any thoughts on that? A. I dont recall telling her to get an apartment. Instead, there is blood splatter on the ceiling of the car. 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? The fact that she was driving five miles per hour to the hospital says it all as a mother myself, I dont care how hurt or mentally damaged I was, I would drive that car 100 MPH to get my children to safety. 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). The next morning Diane appeared in the courtroom with a police report written by Detective Pond a year earlier, in which Ms. Patterson was sure Diane had gone nowhere near the bathroom the night of the shooting (Appendix 62). I think DD is guilty, but I also think her trial was far from due process, and that is the important issue. Up. McPherron: And you had no contact with her . Is it too late to respond to this? Actor Robert Blake was found not guilty of the shooting murder of his wife. How interesting. You said that the absence of both prove she couldnt have been to shooter and you claim it takes real scrubbing to remove GSR. Whether it tugs at your heartstrings or angers you to the core, these stories could have happened years ago, and they still take up space in your memories. As far as Hugi is concerned, it was a total conflict of interest. They never found the gun and she showed no signs of having fired one. I cant believe that it was allowed to happen, actually. Thats the problem with high profile cases. They both fainted when they saw their dead child, but it did not count. He still shouldnt have been allowed to adopt them while the appeals process was ongoing, if he had any role in those cases. Blood spatter is not an exact science, and is interpreted differently by experts. Im glad you continued to look for more information as time went on. But without proof, Diane couldnt implicate Steve Downs any more than she could shoot him as he violated a restraining order threatening to beat her AGAIN. Do you REALLY believe she expected them to live especially since she drove at less than 10 mph. I removed the dumb and crass part of your comment. In the end, it is scary how media becomes some kind of Roman circus where people is thrown in order to become a source of business. . There is also a critical shortage of Foster Carers internationally, so that the Hugis offered to take the children in could be viewed as altruistic. Diane Downs was one of the most infamous murderers of the 1980s; the emotionally flat blonde was convicted of shooting her three children, killing one of them, along a roadway in Springfield,. After Diane got divorced from her husband in 1980, she had taken up a job at the U.S. postal service office, and that's where she first met him. Guilty or not, we should know better than to use the justice system as a psychic tool when theres not enough evidence. Basically, I dont believe the site owner has produced enough proof of anything. It would not benefit you, my children, or society for me to perpetuate that lie. It should be removed from the blog. CK was willing to take, or attempt to take, the lives of 4 people in order to steal their car. So, were there any other attempted carjackings in the area that night? Anyways, I was 10 years old when this happened, I stayed with my aunt and uncle a lot in those years, in which they watched A LOT of nightly news programs.lol most of it was like white noise to me, as I would play with my barbies on their living room floorbut I do remember this story. That testimony was left unchallenged by Mr. Jagger. 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. The chief prosecutor adopting the children beggars belief! The timing of her arrival at the hospital should have been discussed and explained in more details. Diane had consulted a psychologist after the tragedy and after months of consultation, she was never diagnosed as a sociopath. 1st, you came back from a trip? If she did have memories of the actual shooting, that would be very rare. Steve and Diane Downs' children were adopted by Lane County prosecutor Fred Hugi and his wife, Joanne. What about the son saying that man and nurses noting that. 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. I guess he did not want too many people to know about the improprieties that happened in his courtroom. You cant possibly shake off all the gun powder residue and avoid all the blood. Her other daughter and son were severely injured. The blog tries to bring balance and more objectivity to a case that was TOTALLY one sided and still is. In the spring of 1986, Christie confided to school mates that shed been coerced to lie in court, to implicate her mother (Appendix 1-2). You said yourself that the title was revealing. 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. Messed. The way this investigation and the trial were conducted only left me with doubts. Her parents Willadene and Wes were old school Baptist parents who raised her under strict guidelines without much warmth but complete devotion. 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. I simply state facts that did not or would not come out at the time or blatant misconduct from a legal system that is supposed to be based on innocent until proven guilty. Parker Schnabel's net worth in 2023: Is he the richest on Gold Rush? A. I believe Charlene and I had a big blowout around Thanksgiving and I left, called Diane. It always feels like punishment at all costs. Below this letter see links to Salem-News.com articles about the questionable conviction of Diane Downs. The whole case is crazy. Much worse. 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. She wanted a lawyer to defend her vigorously but the judge stopped her from getting good representation. Again thats opinion, and neither balanced nor objective. Ms. Downs makes every effort to avoid emotional stimuli in order to reduce the demands made on her. Tuko.co.ke featured an interesting article about the actor that has been in the industry for more than 13 years, starring in various great productions. Or can have an accomplice. Its too late for me to call myself a murderer (when I am not) just to purchase my freedom. They met for the first time in Moon Valley High School in Phoenix, Arizona. Diane had siblings and parents. And the fact that Tracy wrote in his notes that Christies reaction could have been excitement to see her mom but they decided to only mention extreme fear? 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. Brewer changed his mind. Would you know at what speed you are going if you were shot and driving with wounded children in the car? Of course, her mental health has deteriorated. I was always really bothered by that. Most importantly why would anybody shoot 3 children potentially fatally and leave the adult with a wound in her arm. Gun shot residue is not always present. Moreover, it was not a suicide case, but of a woman who supposedly shot herself in the arm and her 3 children several times. That was the extent of her investigation of Dianes side. 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 remember when Diane shot her kids and there are some facts Id like to correct from your blog. Diane Downs changed her story so many times, even at her parole hearing. I have nothing to gain and I am not making up songs and dances about a unicorn. Unfortunately, he hasn't been as outspoken as people expected, considering the gruesome details of the crime committed by her ex-wife. She even became a surrogate mother to make money and provide two parents the opportunity to have a child. Nuts maybe, but not threatening. Interesting that the article has one of the same elements that Diane perpetrated when she drove to the hospital the night of the murders she made more of a fuss about her arm injury than she did about one of her kids dying and two of them being gravely and permanently wounded. Her release was recommended by a warden and a psychiatrist. One of the jurors finally declared we started as a group and finished as a group., He also said we dont want to put pressure on the group, we dont want to end up bickering. 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. Usually it isnt there but every once in awhile, it comes out. It sounds pretty fair to me. The trial was a whole miscarriage, that seems undeniable. He strung her along, played with both womens emotions, and after saying he would join her in Oregon, reneged and stayed with his wife. Diane Downs is no exception. They examined her clothes also. Her children were obviously more severely injuredbecause being captive in the car while a shooter aimed at them gave them less of a chance to wiggle out of the situation than an adult outside the car. Diane and her family fought for them but were blocked from day one. Movie scene alleging that Christie was scared. Wrong. Once again, Diane said a lot of things. And I care about the lack of evidence. I then question how she would not have blood splatter if she shot them inside the car at close range. Thanks again. According to Rule and the court, the unicorn was a memorial to her children that she purchased after premeditating their murder. They were traumatized and needed familiar faces to feel safe. She found out who her biological mother was when she was 11 years old, ABC reported. Someone can have an evil vibe and not be guilty of a crime. Even if I have no doubt that Hugi loved the kids, we have to wonder why he adopted them two years later just when little Christie started saying she had no clue who shot them. Her quest for love had landed her into an unstable and loveless marriage. The State had the same gut feeling and made sure she would pay. This case had many similarities to the Alice Crimminsstory. Just a thought. And Hugi seemed pretty sure he would get what he was asking for. Dianes dad died a year or two ago. It's not even known if he still resides in Arizona, where he used to live with Diane and their three kids. The Case of Liysa Northon Who Said True Crime Does not Pay? Also, the title of the website clearly demonstrates an inherit bias. Even more now with hindsight because of the gun and the fact that her daughter kind of recanted by demonstrating that if pushed, she will say what is expected of her. Diane recanted the stories about her dad who vehemently denied them. PAY ATTENTION: Click 'See First' under 'Follow' Tab to see Tuko.co.ke news on your FB Feed, Get the news that matters from one of the leading news sites in Kenya, Kenyans Share Hilarious Memes, Frustrations as KPLC Announces Nationwide Power Blackout, Xtian Dela's Mum Cries Bitterly As She Begs Son to Come Home, Says She's Not Seen Him in 4 Years, Linet Toto's Dowry: 7 Delectable Photos from MP's Negotiation Ceremony, Couple Lose KSh 3.4m on Their Wedding After Guests Don't Show Up: "So Heartbroken", Little Girl Begs Man on the Road for Money, Video Surprises Many, David and Rebecca Muir wedding, relationship, and family, Who is Lil Meech's mom? Its as if they cant control it. time it was the situation was down. That is the way she was brought up,especially at the demand of her rigid but verydedicated father. How asinine. The authorities believed that the children's father was not a good fit to look after the children after what they had endured when their mother tried to murder them. One could argue that this blog does not stick to what came out at trial. If not from her high profile status, she would already be out. By many accounts, her children adored her. Someone found guilty of a crime should have a sentence that can be served and not one that is contingent on the remorse shown. Likewise, Charlene had no intention of letting Knick divorce her (Appendix 81, page 1518, line 15). Danny said several times that a bad man shot them and it was written in the nurses notes, but never that his mother shot him. Everything was in the bag and ready for trial. Her power to manipulate is why she is where she is to begin with. more on crime HEARTBREAKING FIND The Office star's sister-in-law found dead 11 days after going missing 'DISGUSTING' The detectives took Diane to the crime scene and were able to retrieve shell cases on the ground where the incident happened. After the trial that convicted Diane Downs, Fred Hugi, the Prosecutor adopted Christie and Danny (they were in foster care for 2 years before he decided to adopt them), the two surviving children. Downs is a worthless as the day is long.. Maybe you should read the blog before commenting. I would love to hear your answers to them. There is only one major problem with your scenario. Diane has not been deemed an ongoing public threat that I am aware of. You simply are a rude individual looking for a reaction. Maybe she wanted to buy drugs. He had an attorney, Fred G. Campbell Jr., send us a letter denying our request and telling us: You are legally, as well as factually, a stranger to them. Who does he think he is? I am glad you read it anyway and I appreciate your comment. Not giving you free reign here. 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. On June 2nd, 1983, Juvenile Court Judge Gregory Foote held a hearing to take Christie and Danny away from ALL blood family (thus isolating them). She took care of herself not her children. Leaving out a lot of info that should be included and presenting a very one sided take on these things. That single fact collaborated by a witness, convicts her for me. Shes where she belongs. There is so much to say about this blog I wouldnt know where to start. statement regarding the effects of the childrens medications while in hospital should acknowledge where the blogger obtained information about the side effects.). If you read the blog, it is because of the lie told by prosecutor Hugi that ignored the assessment of her therapist Dr. Jamison and was condemned by the psychiatrist that they were convinced to find her guilty. And it is not like these two were white as snow. The Lifetime channel constantly makes movies based loosely on the truth; this approach is an effective weapon aimed at swaying public opinion about high-profile cases. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. answer the question why didn t steve downs get custody, which will help you get the most accurate answer. It could have been very different at almost any other time or with any other attorneys or juries too. 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. A fact strongly denied by Diane and by the nurses reports. As for where he is now, we'll be honest, we're not completely sure. Fred Hugi looks nothing like Jim Jagger. And on this site, I mention that I take a restorative approach. I look forward to reading your other blogs. Unfortunately couldnt really do anything at that point, as the movie was not VHS yet, it only aired that oncein late 89. According to The Cinemaholic, Steve was found to not be a good fit to care for his kids who would need specialized care and had been through a very traumatic event. 20 female celebrities with black hair to follow in 2023, 10 most famous QVC hosts who were fired or left the channel. So obviously, she was the prime suspect. (This is why Foote was assigned the case. 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. The next day, on June 16, 1983, CSD terminated Dianes visitations with her children altogether. Page 10 of Case History. Anyway, it takes a good scrubbing with soap and water to get rid of gun powder residues and doing so with only one arm would be quite difficult. 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. Women who were somewhat normal begore, get pregnant, have the baby, then drown it a toilet, kill or beat the the baby in the first year..shaking or other means..its less often then notbut better believe these type of cases are reported constantly now on social media. I would also like to express my disbelief that the same judge presided over both the child welfare case and the criminal one. The discovery that he wasnt his biological child made him leave the relationship. Or maybe an upvote/downvote arrow for each. I am so tired of the victims being forgotten. It probably makes you feel so good. The two older kids were Diane's with ex-husband Steve, however, Danny wasn't Steve's. The police admitting on the stand that after 2 weeks, they stopped looking at suspects appears to be a fact. She could not have been shot twice in the back while sitting up and have the bullet pierce her body to end up under the floorboard of the passenger side. Go to the hate groups for that. Did u learn nothing?? 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. So, what is Steve's story? But the guy who said to several people that he was the shooter happens to resemble the sketch they came up with at the time for a reason. What matters to me is that her rights were trampled during her trial. They were in foster care for two years before the prosecutor adopted them. While these are all good questions, (and were maybe all asked in the jury room during deliberations) I doubt the answers even matter anymore. That is pure bullshit. The poor jury went along and Jagger did not put much ofa defense anyway. http://www.dianedowns.com/Dr.%20Jamison%20affidavit.pdf. On May 19, 1983, Elizabeth Diane pulled over her car by the side of the road in Springfield, Oregon and shot her children multiple times with a 22-calibre pistol. Oh 1 more thing I see a lot of comments on pro Diane web sights that say well she drove them to the hospital. It was also said at trial that the shooter would have been left handed, which was not the case for Diane. Not optional, kids should not be in limbo that long, but it happens all the time. But strangely, they took no photos of the crime scene and did not lift fingerprints from the drivers side of the car. If the media was anything at the time it was favorable towards her.