Did she act like a average person? As I stated towards the beginning of my response, Im taking issue with the blog and the subjective language used. Steve and Diane had three children, Danny, Cheryl, and Christie Ann. Fred Hugi looks nothing like Jim Jagger. 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. She was the star witness in her mom's prosecution and her testimony helped convict her. Being bipolar, she had no impulse control so it should not have surprised anyone. John Shea who played Fred in the TV movie Small Sacrifices even looks like him. Thats the problem with high profile cases. 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. Police witness reports of strangers and confessions were suppressed or not pursued. They were treated very badly in this matter. Devoting ur life to taking down a dead author is a waste of ur talents. There is her story, the prosecution case and the defense arguments. Im not saying I know for a fact in my mind shes innocentbut there is NOT enough evidence for her to be guilty. The last time I checked, it is my website and if you find it tiresome, no one is inviting you to stay or read the content; which you evidently did not read anyway. Thanks for posting for readers. The crucial point is that she is so void of emotion. I go through every new finding and I point out what was done at trial that did not respect due process. 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. Steve Downs had allegedly stolen this gun from a friend named Billy Proctor, but after it was found and the ballistics did not match, Bill suddenly remembered keeping it only for a day before exchanging it for another Ruger automatic at a gun show in Mesa; which now meant that the gun that Diane allegedly used to shoot herself and the children, was still apparently nowhere to be found. According to your own experience Lori, dont they try to give grandparents custody or at least access in cases comparable to this one? Like in their movies. What was the justification? She felt fulfilled when she was pregnant because she believedit was the road to unconditional love. This is not my scenario Tasha. I say these things if I were on the jury. But you dont mention that she again has changed her story.. Their haste to go to trial created this mess and lingering doubts. Yet that didnt stop Knick from asking Mr. Frederickson for a job and for Dianes hand in marriage (Appendix 81, page Case History Page 25). They never found the gun and she showed no signs of having fired one. I am publishing your comment because once in a while, I need to post the pitiful representation of true crime readers who made Anne Rule a rich author. The tape is real and probably not admissible, but it seems to indicate that her testimony was coerced: Why is it not admissible? This whole case is flawed. What mother takes her kids out at night and then stops for a stranger with her kids in the car? Steve Downes has voiced the Master Chief in the Halo games since his 2001 debut, and his voice has become synonymous with the character.However, despite Jen Taylor being asked to reprise her role as the . 1) Gunshot residue/blood splatter. After arriving at the nearest hospital where the nursing staff and doctors attended to the children, the police were called in and her parents arrived promptly. Of course, because this is what she does when people put her on the spot and ask questions concerning her mother and the shooting. Gun shot residue is not always present. If Oregonians were not all convinced at first, the media and the crown made sure they would be. I didnt know that. You can check this link and go online to see her picture with Cheryl and the rest of the family. 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. You indicated you were not going to get a divorce? Steve and Diane Downs' children were adopted by Lane County prosecutor Fred Hugi and his wife, Joanne. They came up with an explanation as to why this was the wrong gun but the jig was up. On May 19, 1983, Elizabeth Diane Downs and her three small children were shot on a country road near Springfield, Oregon. In 1991, David Brewer, a juror who deliberated Dianes fate in her 1984 trial, came forward to say he and another juror had decided to acquit Downs by the close of the States presentation. 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. Yep, Downs who was found guilty in 1984, escaped successfully from the Oregon Womens Correctional Center in 1987 and was transferred to Jersey afterwards. Unfortunately, there isn't much information about his whereabouts as he keeps a low profile. They should have stayed out of it instead of contributing to her revictimization. It seems that a lot of what was written down never came up during testimony and some nurses even strayed from the original content. The trouble reportedly took place a day earlier when Sean Preston allegedly was behind a locked bedroom door and Jamie broke down the door to get in and then "violently shook" the child, The. I changed the sites email recently to thetroublewithjustice@hotmail.com From reading the blog and my little understanding of this case, Ms Downs remains in custody as she is considered a dangerous offender. He then left !his second wife, Charlene, to cohabitate with (and propose marriage to) Diane. 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. lol. Fitness fanatic, 27, broke her spine lifting weights but didn't realise until she woke up the next morning unable to move - and why her terrifying injury should be a warning to all gym-goers 3. Thank you Lise. 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. After divorcing her wife, Diane Downs, in 1980, Steve was hardly part of their life. Offers may be subject to change without notice. By the time Danny was born, they were having intense arguments about infidelity that Steve got convinced that he wasnt his biological son. However, Steve later discovered that Danny wasn't his biological son and divorced his wife. He strung her along, played with both womens emotions, and after saying he would join her in Oregon, reneged and stayed with his wife. I agree that the phone call from Angel was totally inappropriate. Even though his wife shot their children multiple times, and the case was national news, he never surfaced and kept a low profile. The powers that be knew they had nothing on Diane so Christie became their sacrificial lamb. What happened to Diane Downs' husband? It did not matter that they had no evidence; they did not like her attitude and she was going to pay for it. Not optional, kids should not be in limbo that long, but it happens all the time. Her trial was speculative and based on so many fallacies. This is an extremely tragic case and her children at the very least deserve justice. 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. The mommy murderess pulled her car over the side of the road and shot her three young children in the backseat. So it was a relentless game totry to reel her in. Leaving out a lot of info that should be included and presenting a very one sided take on these things. It is said that they didn't go to Steve because he wasn't a fit father or well equipped to take care of children who had gone through such a traumatic experience. One of the important pieces of evidence was the absence of all but a trace of gunshot residue. She says she was outside the car n watched the man shoot her children n then the only adult n person who could tell police about him only gets a shot in the arm n takes time to bandage her arm. The person leaned into the car. I think that the US system is barbaric Diane nowhad the title ofdangerous offender. I've just seen that in Halo's new tv series, Steve Downes isn't going That poor girl. This video of Jagger absolutely looks like the photo that you find on search engines for Fred Hugi. so which one is it????? I agree about pregnancy and childbirth affecting women differently, and even having different effects for the same woman with different pregnancies. 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? 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. At the point Diane jumped into the car, her broken arm (resting in a sling in front of her) slammed into the steering wheel. They met for the first time in Moon Valley High School in Phoenix, Arizona. Christie was understandably all over the place and I agree that the way in which her statements were procured were very odd and seemed to be very coached. I know that most people think she is guilty. Diane now had the title of dangerous offender. Nobody ignored Dianes demeanor. That didnt seem right so we wrote a letter to Mr Hugi with a request for visitation rights. Transgender CeCe McDonald Out of Prison but Not Out of the Woods. Blood spatter is not an exact science, and is interpreted differently by experts. In 1984, the lead prosecutor in the Danie case, Fred Hugi and his wife, Joanne, chose to adopt the children (Christie and Danny). As she is incarcerated, her fate is already sealed, servicing her life sentence in prison. Ive done my research. Ann Rule promotes her books as true crime stories so to this day, viewers believe that the book and the movie titled Small Sacrificesdocument the true story of the Diane Downs case; in fact, it is a mix bag of truth, falsehoods, interpretation and plain fiction. And the state refusing to turn them over to the defense? Saying that I seem to be doing what I accuse Ann Rule of doing is kind of ironic because the point of this blog is to try to stay away from innuendo and fantasies like unicorns and songs that might have been playing or not during a tragic murder. Diane described the stranger that shot them on the road and a police artist came up with a sketch. Who is Diane Downs' ex-husband Steve and where is he now? Mission accomplished: Relevance? Thats the point. Of course. 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? Within a few weeks, the kids who had survived were placed in protective custody and were no longer in Steve's care. As for where he is now, we'll be honest, we're not completely sure. But you would know that if you had read the blog or info about the case. In her case it seems to be more a matter of punishment. 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. And because of this, they formed a profound connection that matured into a relationship. And yes, its your site, but dont act like a site is open for discussion if its not. They are still part of their birth family. I like your approach. Speculative. The point is our trials need to be conducted fairly and based on evidence. Are you looking for more information about Ryan Eggold? Not hard to go there. It seems like Steve and Diane were meant to be together. A demonstration in court strongly suggested: Suggested, not confirmed. Or maybe an upvote/downvote arrow for each. Not that Dianes mental health was not a factor in her letter, but it was definitely taken out of context in some instances. I personally disagree with that practice but it is common. Most doctors would tell you that it is normal for our brains to block out a traumatic incident especially when combined with a serious physical injury. 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 At the very least, she should have been released by now. I have simply bothered researching the evidence and in some instances, the lack of it. The reason she is likely locked up is because she was diagnosed with narcissistic, histrionic and anti social personality disorder, that makes her a very dangerous person (especially since she is a murderer). This does not make her innocent. 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. Diane had met all the requirements to be paroled. Diane was in the hospital for a bone graft from June 2nd until June 6th, 1983. The fact that she took the kids to the nearest hospital, andtwo of them survived kind offlies in the face of their murder at all costs theory. This case had many similarities to the Alice Crimminsstory. 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). She was the prosecutions only hope. Their goal was to make Dian look crazy, because sane people dont shoot their children. Page 6 of Case History. DA Pat Horton declared early in the game to the local paper that the search for the bearded stranger was not very high on their priority list.. I am interested in the truth. Christie was only eight, had suffered gunshot wounds and was in shock. I think that she has done enough time and should be released. 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. There were posters. On May 30, 1983, the McKenzie-Willamette Hospital Chaplain told Dianes father to hire an attorney because the State was going to take his grandchildren away. We could say that it was suggestive on his part, but considering how this trial was conducted, I tend to believe it happened. She. 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? She did not fit in and was now anxious to assert her independence and live her own life. 5. Her attorney, James Jagger, did a poor job for Diane. And the interrogations were not tapedand barelydocumented. Once again, Diane said a lot of things. That doesnt make it true. It no longer matters as far as the verdict, she was found guilty, but why no parole? According to Glamour, the motive given for why Diane shot her kids was thought to be because the married man she was seeing at the time did not want any children. Problem with that is Diane has said during an interview with detectives that the sketch looks nothing like what she described. Conflicting reports say Downs also acted as a surrogate during her fourth pregnancy, giving birth to a daughter after her trial in 1984. The roller coaster ride had nothing to do with Diane s children and Diane knew it. As a result, joint legal custody which means parents share in the decision-making 1 is becoming the default decision in many family court systems. The children had a father. But, their marriage was far from what either of them had expected. Wasnt it speculative on their part? Moreover, he apparently told her that he did not want children and this statement alone would seal Dianes fate. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZPLkIcSzftE&ab_channel=DianeDownsArchives. why didn't steve downs get custody. Instead, the person accused of attacking them and wanting them out of her life, fought for them. If you shoot at least 6 inches from a victim, you see what is around you in the car. 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. That makes no sense. He is in his 70s now and his photo is not on his linkedin or anywhere I could find. It simply states the facts of the case. It was positive only on a small portion of her upper hand where she said the gun touched her when she wrestled with the attacker (a detail she had mentioned before they did the test). why didn't steve downs get custody - Kerryandjessica.com Until the end of the trial. She waseighteen and soon realized that she had jumped from the fire into the frying pan. Because she was failing quite miserably at remaining pure and chaste, she was expelled after only a year, and thus, she returned to her parents home in Arizona. Everything I outlined should be public knowledge. Evidence from a ballistics expert. I care about the experts reports written about Diane because they know her situation and mental state. Diane was found guilty and sentenced to life and she has been in prison ever since. I like the way you keep an open mind about Diane herself and what she may or may not have been going through mentally. But, we cant help but notice that a few key individuals of her family, so to speak, didnt give those insightful interviews. It goes on and on. But I am so tired of the enough time has been served and other criminals have been paroled. I mention in the blog that Dianes mental health is in question so it is obvious that her encounter with her long lost daughter was going to be difficult. 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. Mr. Fair question. Where is the blood spatter on Diane? I have plans to go hunting with the husband of one of the alternates.. I hope they have. I do not have to put any statement advising people that I am about to present the neglected aspects of the trial. Mother of Diane Downs Asks Oregon Governor to Review Case and Diane downs. Then, they accused her of shooting her kids at close range. But I am realistic. 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. As a married man, the ball was in his court and he decided togo forit. Robert and Diane even decided toget matching rose tattoos, but as soon as the ink on her tattoo was dry, he refused to get his done. Instead of blaming societal problems and working at finding solutions, prison always seem to be their option. This video has Dianes attorney, Jim Jagger, at 1 minutes and 20 seconds that might have some good shots. Not speculative? No matter how much Ive read, or how many of her constant at the time interviews I watch on YouTube, the things that come from her brain to her mouth never cease to amaze me. I personally disagree with that practice but it is common. Yes, Christie said she did not know who did it. They did not want reunification to keep their verdict intact. I am a Mortuary science student, true crime fanatic, and have been following the Downs case since it happened. Someone said to me that any of us, if scrutinized under a microscope, would come out looking pretty bad. If not, why not? They were the small sacrifices. But I think that in all fairness, many of them dont even know the details of the case and have watched Small Sacrifices instead. Our laws are not written that way. I have researched the case and pointed out discrepancies and the fact that it was not the slam dunk that they were portraying. Or be mentally ill. She was no mother of the year and in the car when the kids got shot. For all you readers of this blogger, I lived through the Diane Downs case. May be the guy who says he did it. Plus according to an expert at trial, her testimony did not match the blood spatter analysis in the car. 2.Diane herself has stated that the shooter was outside the car and shot THROUGH the window, no blood spatter. In this Battle of Cutthroats, Who has lost their head? Thats why Diane wouldnt agree to marry unless Knick first signed a premarital agreement that when they divorced, Knick would take nothing from their marriage. So glad you wrote and provided this information. I will not remove anything. It was a fairly new science at the time so thats all it took to find him not guilty. Their first child, Christie Ann, was born in 1974. Plus, the circumstances of this charade were more than sinister. 20 Celeb Parents Who've Lost Custody Of Their Children - BabyGaga 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. 20/20s coverage of Diane Downs and the actions that led her to be sentenced to life in prison is a good portrayal of what really happened. Yes, like many Americans, I think that the US system is barbaric. This blogger believes in the presumption of innocence and in the possibility of redemption. Dianes family could give you countless examples of the inaccuracies they found in her book. Speculative? Open ended sentences like this are meant to provide a means of control and public safety when considering dangerous offenders who may pose a continued risk to the public. Just similar stuff.and that I guess, makes it easy for me to see how that song could of fueled her up.never underestimate the power if a song..what feels intense and exciting to you, may not to another, but shoot, anytime I hear pink floyd run like hell.takes me right back 1991 in the heat of my chase..for me, I got the answers I wanted from 89 when my friend said that about the Duran song and it involved in that case. 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. Celebrity Author Covers Case Ann Rule wrote 'Small Sacrifices,' later released as a movie. why didn't steve downs get custody - dtdigital.net Mind you, it is before the trial. But in my opinion, it shows how Diane was disturbed and could also have found a better path in life if given the chance and the right support. The board said that her mental or emotional disorder makes her a danger to society. No way. Do not take this so personally. I cannot be more transparent than that and integrity was one of the missing pieces of the entire case. (witness statement the gentleman who was behind her for at least 10 minutes). 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. Her daughter told the media she watched Small Sacrifices several times. Diane, of her own admission, had plenty of affairs while she worked at the Post Office. She followed all the correct Parole Boardprocedures for two years with no hearing. The blogger continues, I am not one sided. (I know that wasnt brought up this time but it usually is.) In addition, the children were suffering life-changing physical and mental trauma, which would take years to heal. The powers that be knew they had nothing on Diane so Christie became their sacrificial lamb: opinion, not fact Im not arguing the facts of the trial, and Im not about to. John Kitzhaber, Governor of Oregon It was a harrowing, shameful miscarriage of justice. And, when she got assigned to the mail routes in the city of Cottage Grove, Oregon, as a part of her job with the U.S. postal service, he didnt have any qualms with her taking the children. 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. She is a monster and belongs in prison for the rest of her life. Knicks habit of turning on and turning off their relationship was known to Diane long before he admitted it in court a year later (Appendix 81, page 1520, line 21): Q. You said that the absence of both prove she couldnt have been to shooter and you claim it takes real scrubbing to remove GSR. 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. http://www.salem-news.com/articles/july152013/midnight-med-tb-2.php I also wish that Dianes children have a great life. But the Parole Board refused to hear her. answer the question why didn't steve downs get custody, which will help you get the most accurate answer. Diane found with him,the kind of relationship she had never known before: there was actually care and intimacy involved. I feel sorry for Diane too. In one of them, he knew her name and in another one, she had answered a call and been told to meet someone. The children should have been receiving therapy throughout. . Children under the age of twelve may cognitively grasp the concept of truth and lie, but lack the conscience which compels people to apply the concept to their lives, or the strength to maintain the truth when adults coerce her to lie. Just my opinion. So, why didn't Steve Downs get custody? The discovery that he wasnt his biological child made him leave the relationship. That is why people wonder why such a vital family member never gave the anticipated insightful interview. It wasnt their fault, it was the job of the social workers and the courts to make sure the kids were not isolated from family. 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. But if the blogger is arguing that the blog is balanced and objective, thats patently untrue. I hope this would never fly these days to separate wounded children from the only family members they have. (Yes, speculative). Two of the kids survived the shooting with life altering injuries, and one of the children died. And even when confronted by the wrongful practices used at trial to get her convicted, are ok with her being locked up for life. Diane and her family fought for them but were blocked from day one. That was the extent of her investigation of Dianes side. These are no facts its partial truths and conjecture. That says it all. Mr. Jagger read the report and said, you were right. But as usual, it was slanted in the worst possible way. They now have social media arenas reminiscent of the Romans cheering at the sight of a thumb down meaning there will be a bloodshed. What about the affidavits of the guy who confessed to several people? The timing of her arrival at the hospital should have been discussed and explained in more details. An attractive woman whose two children were killed in mysterious circumstances and the cops decided to go after her. Diane recanted the stories about her dad who vehemently denied them. Her 7-year old daughter Cheryl died but her 3-year old son Danny and her 8-year old daughter Christie survived. Without her daughters testimony and the lies about the gun, they could not have found her guilty in a fair trial. 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. And her mental health should definitely have been a factor to release her with follow up care. Her atrocities made national news, but one person that everyone has been wondering about is Diane Down's ex-husband. The unicorn, the song, her personality. At what point during these meetings did she start calling him Dad? No forensic evidence pointing to her, just conjecture based on how mothers should act.
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