Andrea Yates to be released from prison?

[ReformedWretch]

HOUSTON - Andrea Yates' capital murder convictions for drowning her children were overturned Thursday by an appeals court, which ruled a prosecution expert witness gave false testimony at her trial.

Yates' lawyers had argued at a hearing last month before a three-judge panel of the First Court of Appeals in Houston that psychiatrist Park Dietz was wrong when he said he consulted on an episode of the TV show "Law and Order" involving a woman found innocent by reason of insanity for drowning her children.

After jurors found Yates guilty, attorneys in the case and jurors learned no such episode existed.

"We conclude that there is a reasonable likelihood that Dr. Dietz's false testimony could have affected the judgment of the jury," the court ruled. "We further conclude that Dr. Dietz's false testimony affected the substantial rights of appellant."

Jurors in 2002 sentenced Yates to life in prison in the 2001 deaths of three of her children. She was not tried in the deaths of the other two.

 

[blhowes]

Unbelievable.

So what happens to her now? Can she go back home and 'get on with her life'?

 

[VirginiaHuguenot]

 

[fredtgreco]

Originally posted by blhowes
Unbelievable.

So what happens to her now? Can she go back home and 'get on with her life'?

No. They will retry her, the psychologist will leave out that statement, and the jury will convict again. Think about it - would you be more or less likely to acquit or convict based on the fact that a doctor consulted for a TV show?

The potential change is that a plea would be had, to avoid the cost of another trial.

 

[blhowes]

Originally posted by fredtgreco
No. They will retry her, the psychologist will leave out that statement, and the jury will convict again.

Good.

Originally posted by fredtgreco
Think about it - would you be more or less likely to acquit or convict based on the fact that a doctor consulted for a TV show?

It seems it would have no bearing whatsoever, which is why I'm a bit surprised something like this could cause the verdict to be overturned.

I wonder what the other side of the story is. Why would the doctor fabricate his story?

[Edited on 1-6-2005 by blhowes]

 

[dkicklig]

In addition I believe they withheld prosecuting her for the other 2 children so they would have recourse in case this kind of thing happened.

 

[turmeric]

She was obviously involved with a cult - I wonder what kind, if any, of spiritual counsel she has been given. She needs to repent obviously, but has she gotten any kind of spiritual help?

 

[LadyFlynt]

Originally posted by turmeric
She was obviously involved with a cult - I wonder what kind, if any, of spiritual counsel she has been given. She needs to repent obviously, but has she gotten any kind of spiritual help?

Where do you get that idea?!

 

[PuritanCovenanter]

Maybe she was just Kooked out. My ex was headed there. That is why she doesn't get to see my kids. We weren't involved in a cult. Sometimes women just have a hard go of it after they have children. Sometimes childbirth is just hard on women. It effects them in weird ways.

FYI. I didn't abandon her. I was in it for better or worse. She left us.


[Edited on 1-6-2005 by puritancovenanter]

 

[turmeric]

I'm trying to remember the name of the preacher she was involved with - it sounds too much like someone else's name & I can't remember it.. but he taught some aberrant teachings about childrearing that she said made her think she should kill the children so they wouldn't go to hell. I wish I could remember the guy's name. And Puritancovenanter is right, some people just get whacked out after childbirth, it doesn't have to be a cult.

 

[LadyFlynt]

Also I think you all should consider that she had been prescribed psychotropic drugs (anti-depressents...which have been known to actually lead to greater depression in many ppl or violent reactions)...not only that...but they had her on 3x's the amount that she should have been given...

Fault lies with the Doctor's if you want to get right down to it. I also believe that yes, she should be punished...but I think all the varying factors should be noted...everyone just wants to point out that she homeschooled, had many children, and was emotional...no, I truely believe that these dangerous drugs had something to do with her thinking processes.

 

[Scot]

LadyFlynt wrote:

Also I think you all should consider that she had been prescribed psychotropic drugs (anti-depressents...which have been known to actually lead to greater depression in many ppl or violent reactions)...not only that...but they had her on 3x's the amount that she should have been given...

Fault lies with the Doctor's if you want to get right down to it. I also believe that yes, she should be punished...but I think all the varying factors should be noted...everyone just wants to point out that she homeschooled, had many children, and was emotional...no, I truely believe that these dangerous drugs had something to do with her thinking processes.

I don't know that much about her case but from what I remember, they had her on a experimental "cocktail" of those drugs. What a shame.

 

[PuritanCovenanter]

My experience is that these drugs just erase any conscience and start on the memory next. I know a few ladies that have been through this. Doctors are messing with stuff we are all going to regret.

 

[Ivan]

Originally posted by puritancovenanter Doctors are messing with stuff we are all going to regret.

I place no faith in doctors. I only go as a last resort. I have not been to a doctor in years and years.

 

[LadyFlynt]

Well, if they (the doctors) want to play (with drug cocktails) then they need to go play with monkeys...not men with families and mothers with young children.

 

[Scot]

I place no faith in doctors. I only go as a last resort. I have not been to a doctor in years and years.

They really shine when it comes to emergency care. Thank God for emergency room doctors. Other than that, I truly believe they cause way more harm than good when it comes to sickness and disease. I don't necessarily blame the doctors, it's the people that are supplying the information that is given to them as medical students. Drugs are big business.

I take my family to a chiropractor every month. If we have any problems we usually treat ourselves. If we still have problems, we go to a natural doctor. If we have an emergency, we'll go to the emergency room. I don't have a medical doctor.

 

[PuritanCovenanter]

I'm not trying to put down doctors. I would have been dead about 6 years ago if they didn't have the heart medications I need. I caught a viral infection that destroyed my heart muscle. I was put on a newer medication that helped my heart recover somewhat. If it wasn't for the diabetes medicine I take I would be on insulin. I am greatful for advances. Areas of the mind I question. There are no tests to prove a chemical imbalance. These guys are doing guess work. That is what scares me.

 

[Scot]

Doctors are messing with stuff we are all going to regret.

I travel and work with a Naturopathic doctor once a month. We constantly see people that need to recover from their original problem and then also need to recover from whatever drug they've been put on. It becomes a merry-go-'round. A drug for the original problem. Then another to cover the side effects of the first drug and so on. The cause is hardly ever addressed. People are just given a label or name for their problem then a drug to help mask it over which creates a new problem.

 

[SmokingFlax]

Quote:

"I wonder what the other side of the story is. Why would the doctor fabricate his story?"

My guess is that the doctor probably mis-named one the the several legal shows that are on the tube.

 

[LadyFlynt]

Originally posted by SmokingFlax
Quote:

"I wonder what the other side of the story is. Why would the doctor fabricate his story?"

My guess is that the doctor probably mis-named one the the several legal shows that are on the tube.

Sounds like his vanity to me...

 

[Arch2k]

Yates Found Not Guilty By Reason of Insanity of Children's Deaths

 

[govols]

That's a crying shame because ole sparky doesn't care if you're crazy or not. It doesn't discriminate. They should light er up like a christmas tree.