0. How one of them lied on the stand about ballistics? Her quest for love had landed her into an unstable and loveless marriage. The infamous murder story of 1983 was like an excerpt from a crime thriller, a mother doing the unfathomable. Teams of people and detectives combed the area for months looking for the gun but it was nowhere to be found. Mission accomplished: Relevance? Again thats opinion, and neither balanced nor objective. It no longer matters as far as the verdict, she was found guilty, but why no parole? It's not even known if he still resides in Arizona, where he used to live with Diane and their three kids. Steves surviving children had endured a horrifying experience performed by someone they loved and cared about. Nearly every point you make here was addressed and disproved or not even allowed into evidence. Like in their movies. Yeah, Ive noticed a lot of people thing Jim Jagger is Fred Hugi. The bio family should have been given the same opportunity to see the kids and demonstrate their ability to be the guardians. But I am realistic. Father of Diane Downs Remains Vigilant After 30 Years (VIDEO) Two wrongs do not make a right but illustrates that she should have never been coerced before, during or after the trial. The Pros and Cons of Getting Sole Legal Custody - Verywell Family The following article hopes to help you make more suitable choices and get more useful information So Diane did what she thought would bring her the deepest satisfaction in life; she became a mother. Danny was the product of an affair. People have always been wondering about Steve Downs, Danie Downs ex-husband. At Sophie Sergie murder trial, jury hears recordings of Steven Downs Then feel free to correct the facts and to provide evidence to support them. So it was a relentless game totry to reel her in. Every time, she said she did not know, they told her to think again and made suggestions. I personally disagree with that practice but it is common. It does seem time has done worse to her. I think that she has done enough time and should be released. Robert was a married man in Arizona with whom Diane had been having an affair, back when she was still living there. I think u need to read the facts. Q. It is possible that he still resides in Arizona, but exactly where he is or what he does, we dont know. It was obvious to the cops and the prosecution because they proceeded to get her daughter to testify against her because they had nothing to prove she was the shooter. There is so much to say about this blog I wouldnt know where to start. If personal diaries were to be believed, half of the population would be in great jeopardy. Back to DD, I think she suffered some kind of mental breakdown, her account of the facts was never reliable, all the case appears murky, which points to an incompetent handling of the situation by the police and justice system. The car was splattered with blood, but Diane had none on her. If it was not such a high profile case, Diane Downs would have been paroled a long time ago, considering her good behavior and lack of priors. You can check this link and go online to see her picture with Cheryl and the rest of the family. She signed an affidavit to that effect and wanted the jury informed of it but it was never done. Just state that at the beginning of the blog. Aint no one gonna tarnish my guys lol. Dianes story does not contradict that. By the time the incident had happened, it seems as if the two had parted ways . And if he really was attached to them and wanted to offer them a permanent home, it means he was unfit to be the prosecutor in this case. Is Diane really a threat anymore? I personally dont think she is innocent but that isnt the point. She was in solitary confinement for years and even escaped from prison once but was recaptured. 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 deviant sociopath.. It was Judge Footes first criminal case and it was against a woman whose children he had removed from her care even though she had not been convicted or sentenced; a conflict of interest and pure madness. One of the flaws was the relationship between the DA and the children. They often argued about their financial issues and fought over infidelities. During cross-examination, she said that she witnessed the murders while sitting up and that Cheryl was sitting up on the front seat when she got shot. During his travels, he visited prisons and spoke against this type of barbarism because his father was imprisoned for a debt of 40 pounds and 10 shillings when he was twelve years. The two kids who had survived the attack were placed for adoption and Steve was no able to care for them. I base a lot on what I see and hear from her in her own words in footage of a 28 yr old woman. Right?? Where is the blood spatter on Diane? why didn't steve downs get custody. I appreciate this whole blog just want to give you a heads up. She is still in prison. It was omnipresent in the courtroom as well as the Duran Duran song Hungry like the Wolf that supposedly was playing when the children were shot in the car. Who is Steve Downs? The story of Diane Downs' ex-husband I have worked in Child Protection for over 20 years and have extensive experience in this field domestically and internationally. Her mom is still alive and would love to have contact but respect that they wont. You cannot skip due process because of mob mentality. She states, I did not shoot my children and I cant say I did. The fact that the children were in no way protected by Child Protection Services is undeniable. We make them president!!!! Mr. Her older two children have remained out of the public eye. There is only one major problem with your scenario. Anne Rule made a big deal of a brass unicorn engraved with the childrens names that Diane had purchased. 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. To this day, there is not enough evidence to prove her guilt or innocence. On a side note, what do you think of parole of Leslie Van Houton? I feel compelled to comment on this blog, because having recently read Ann Rules book, I feel exactly as you did. I am also engaged in other wrongful convictions that have taken place within the US. 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. BUT the babies were put in Foster Care before any allegations were made Family has defended and backed Diane for her Innocence clearly from day one The state took them away from all family because family was and is the enemy 20 Celeb Parents Who've Lost Custody Of Their Children - BabyGaga I am glad that some articles remain. Page 35 of Case History. The harm done to families by unscrupulous district attorneys who bully children into falsely testifying against their parents has been recorded in a documentary called Witch Hunt by Sean Penn about Kern County (CA) District Attorney Ed Jagels. Press J to jump to the feed. That her child was basically forced to admit that she saw her mom shoot them? why didn't steve downs get custody - Arrowmtn.com She has been in prison for so long that we dont know what her mental health situation is so it is a moot point for me. She told ABC, The impact of Diane Downs being my mom has altered the course of my life so many times. 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. I am a strong believer that pregnancy can do serious harm to some women. 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 parole board in Oregon was asking to provide reasonable cause to show she was not a danger to society and it had to be supported by a psychiatrists report or a Wardens letter and Downs provided both. Being interested in a subject without bringing emotions to the table is always the most important step. Only in Hollywood and in Ann Rules books, would you find such fantasy. It sounds like this was not the case with Dianes children. She got an apartment and I was going to move in with her. I have plans to go hunting with the husband of one of the alternates.. Offers may be subject to change without notice. One of the more bizarre scenes in this farce of an investigation was about to unfold. This is Budhu's story, as told to Kelly Burch . Theres a lot to be said here, still. I do not have to put any statement advising people that I am about to present the neglected aspects of the trial. The previous video you sent me shows a Jagger pretty animated and involved in the defense of his client. 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. You are not the only one who thinks she is guilty and I know that getting their man at all cost is a popular mantra, but I disagree. They believed the testimony of her former boyfriends who were far from stellar individuals. It was the story of Diane Downs. 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. Now she claims she was dating an FBI agent at the time, was holding some top secret pictures for him, and she was on the road to meet someone to pass them off, at the instruction of her FBI boyfriend. She functions best in highly structured environments where she has a sense of control. http://www.dianedowns.com/Dr.%20Jamison%20affidavit.pdf. The weird behavior (laughing and joking in the shooting reenactment), bullets found at her home and the constant changing of her story only is icing on her guilty cake. How was DD able to get away from CK and get the keys back into the ignition without there being more attempts on her life? And what happened to her little daughter is beyond unethical. 'Leave It to Beaver' star Tony Dow explains why he wasn't allowed to She is nowhere near being paroled and if she admitted guilt, I am not even convinced they would release her. I dont know that it could get worse than writing an asinine comment on a restorative justice website that states that only respectful and constructive comments will be posted. Oh my. I did not shoot my children.. She waseighteen and soon realized that she had jumped from the fire into the frying pan. You left and you and Diane Downs spent an evening at a motel? My problem with the circumstances surrounding the crimes against these innocent children is that they were twisted by the media. And Im really not on the fence the little girl was coachedI believe the ex husband , his freinds, and her lovers were invalid either way. Right away, the police asked her to go back to the crime scene even thoughshe did not want to leave her children behind. Unfortunately, Danny Downs was permanently paralyzed from the waist down because of a bullet injury in his back. The Diane Downs' Case Was no Small Sacrifice - Crime Website 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. She was the prosecutions only hope. Now Diane Downs did not say any of this, but told a hard to believe story, and then changed it from one to two masked guys, etc. Mr. Downs must have had a bad feeling about Jagger because before trial: speculation I try to bring up the elements that were totally ignored. Wrong. Growing up, Diane had felt like an outsider and kids had been cruel towards her because of her real or imagined ugly duckling looks and demeanor. The jury verdict was guilty on all counts, but there was a mixture of votes. The Case of Liysa Northon Who Said True Crime Does not Pay? Why Isn't Steve Bannon in Jail? Ask the Democrats. | The Nation I would like to believe this is the truth. Whenever your shoot a gun that many times and that close to the victims, theres going to be blood and powder residues. Is. I will talk to Dianes brother. She was fighting back and they did not like it. The fact that Dianes injury was way more serious than they tried to pretend? A. I dont recall telling her to get an apartment. Nothing in this blog claims Diane is innocent. Im from Australia and have recollections of this case. Transgender CeCe McDonald Out of Prison but Not Out of the Woods. Within a few weeks, a judge had placed the surviving kids, Christie and Danny, in protective custody. I removed the dumb and crass part of your comment. CK allowed DD to drive away despite the fact she could identify him and he had a gun? HUGE conflict of interest. And that is why Diane chose to murder her children to regain his affection. Who Wore it Better? I agree. At the time Diane had told police that a stranger attempted to carjack her and shot the kids, and thats what her ex husband was told, too. Thank you for presenting a side of the story & case apart from the usual narrative. This blogger thinks that if you had bothered reading the blogs that you just mentioned, you would know that I do not call anyone innocent. Otherwise you just want people to fill your echo chamber that agree with you, tell anyone else you obviously dont want to debate me.., then ban, then hope for people to agree. This was all logged in Christies hospital reports and is found in the Appendix of the petition filed in Federal Court in 1996 in the section Hospital Reports.. The timing of her arrival at the hospital should have been discussed and explained in more details. Diane said that Cheryl was laying down on the front floorboard with the passenger seat pushed back. It became more about despising Diane Downs than investigating fairly. Ive been trying to decipher her handwriting on the couple of pages she wrote to her daughter (misquoted on here somewhere is a highlighted If you love your little boy, youll take him far away from here- why is this being taken as a threat and not a warning?!). But you told Diane Downs to go ahead and get an apartment? I can make out I will ask you to take a good look at the people in your life. Moreover, it was not a suicide case, but of a woman who supposedly shot herself in the arm and her 3 children several times. One could argue that this blog does not stick to what came out at trial. I dont know how familiar she was with the area, but I do not think that it matters anyway. Maybe because of her notoriety and the victims were children. I point out some obvious facts and discrepancies, and that due process was shoved aside because the state and the media presented a guilty image right from the start. This blogger apparently believes anything she hears to support her inaccurate theory that Diane Downs was falsely accused and convicted. 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. Two jurors had voted that Diane was not guilty of attempted murder or first-degree assault, but endedup voting to convict her of murder. I worked for county government child welfare for a decade. They lied about the ballistics. A test for the presence of gunshot residue conducted on Dianes hands the night of the shooting, returned a negative result (Appendix 23). Wow. She also told media she became pregnant without Steve's "permission." 4 Steve has never spoken publicly about his ex-wife, Diane Credit: AP Where is Steve now? Jen Taylor . Any thoughts on how the detectives basically made up their mind right away in spite of numerous tips coming in? It was a harrowing, shameful miscarriage of justice. I am sorry but I got to laugh a little. The person leaned into the car. Diane was in the hospital for a bone graft from June 2nd until June 6th, 1983. This was very stressful. 1. The circumstances surrounding the crimes against these innocent children demand to be used as evidence.. My comment to you Lise is about your reply to a previous comment where you say Diane should have been released by now regardless of her statements. She followed all the correct Parole Boardprocedures for two years with no hearing. The fact that the accused in this case was atypical, makes her the perfect target. The definition of deviant sociopath does not even exist in the DSM-HI: Downs lawyer at the time should have objected as the term was non existent. 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. Lack of impulse control is also another symptom that might explain why a mother would stop at night to help a stranger flagging her on the road. Why on earth would anyone recommend leaving the kids with the grandparents? That poor girl. A conviction founded on lies is no conviction at all. Page 50 of Case History Her family members were quite capable of taking care of the children. Saudi Princesses in Captivity for More Than a Thousand and One Nights Are Tweeting the Blues, Having recently done research on the Liysa Northons case which was the subject of a book written by Ann Rule titled, Some 287 errors and falsehoods were documented by Liysa and verified by official sources. Its a dangerous proposition when a lack of due process becomes acceptable because they know she is guilty. The casing from the bullets exactly matched, just like a fingerprint, the bullets that Diane had in her home from her own gun which was never found.