I dont. 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. Steve also told police that Diane was still obsessed with her ex-lover Robert Knickerbocker, who had eventually put an end to their torrid love affair. Wasnt it speculative on their part? And thats fair enough. At the point Diane jumped into the car, her broken arm (resting in a sling in front of her) slammed into the steering wheel. The rest of the family? 2.Diane herself has stated that the shooter was outside the car and shot THROUGH the window, no blood spatter. Diane was instructed to reenact her response to the attacker who murdered her daughter. Hardly circumstantial or coincidental what are the chances that a bushy haired stranger, masked men, or someone that knew her (take your pick from Dianes ever shifting account) would have the exact same bullets matching to bullets from a gun owned by Diane ? But I am so tired of the enough time has been served and other criminals have been paroled. They are still part of their birth family. Page 35 of Case History. Makes no difference to me. She felt fulfilled when she was pregnant because she believedit was the road to unconditional love. Go reading US: The American Gulag, 26 Mar 2009 Exploding prison populations in the US serve a basic need of capitalism. (witness statement the gentleman who was behind her for at least 10 minutes). Despite the arrival of two daughters, Diane and Steves marriage was unstable, and Diane would often take the kids and leave their home, but would always eventually return home to Steve. 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. She folded it neatly around her arm. They are the ones who considered Dianes children as Small Sacrifices. No services are scheduled at this time. In this article, we can clearly see that Becky struggled and tried to justify her woes (maybe rightly so) by blaming it on her DNA. Do not take this so personally. She signed an affidavit to that effect and wanted the jury informed of it but it was never done. It was half baked escape plans that were more in her head than anything and that the media enjoyed blowing out of proportions. The implication was not only cruel, in the light of what Diane was suffering, it was also clear. 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? By the time the incident had happened, it seems as if the two had parted ways, with Diane becoming obsessed with him. But for what it is worth, I believe she tried to kill her 3 kids. She has an excellent conduct report and never reacted violently to any of the harassment from other inmates. View Cell Phone Number View Background Report. Wow. Not exclusively a USA trait, this happens also in many countries, but in a technologically advanced superpower like USA this attitude is more shocking, and maybe also more worldwide spread. The case is old and the blog dated, but it is never too late to respond. But the Parole Board refused to hear her. How ironic that the court and cops were so quick to believe Steve Downs, but he gave up on his own children after the tragedy. Diane had siblings and parents. 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. Not that Dianes mental health was not a factor in her letter, but it was definitely taken out of context in some instances. Her lover and former husband testified against her but it did not represent evidence but character assassination. Lived In Grand Rapids MI, Tempe AZ. So I start with that bit of history in mind. It was known as Manic Depression. 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. 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. She got an apartment and I was going to move in with her. 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. She did diagnose her as suffering from cyclothymic disorder and treated her accordingly. Its tiresome. They went after Diane at trial for tapping her foot when they played Hungry like the wolf. It was cited that she keeps her emotions close to the vest. Great blog post, thank you. Take your smugness elsewhere, at long last. It was also said at trial that the shooter would have been left handed, which was not the case for Diane. Wrong. In December 1979, she gave birth to her son Danny. They were in a difficult situation becausewithout evidence, they could notcharge her for the crime. You didnt know that?? It simply states the facts of the case. Further: Wonder about Justice in Nation with world wide highest prisoner rate. She should have had the lawyer of her choice and if they wanted to charge her with the crimes, they should have stuck with what evidence and circumstances they had. Yep, Downs who was found guilty in 1984, escaped successfully from the Oregon Womens Correctional Center in 1987 and was transferred to Jersey afterwards. Diane was known for her love of all animals whichshe treated with great care, and for her independent and wild streak. this is your 2nd quote which contradicts the first one .. Lets not forget that she was presumed to have fired a gun 6 times at close range within the confines of a small car. Yet in their mind, she was already guilty. It is my hope that Leslie Van Houten and Diane Downs are never paroled. I can only imagine to absolute horror of Leno and Rosemary LaBianca during their horrific murders. . If it was not such a high profile case, Diane Downs would have been paroled a long time ago: speculative, Ill stop there. They said she was going slow but the time at which she arrived seems to indicate otherwise. She did diagnose her as suffering from cyclothymic disorder and treated her accordingly. Robert was a married man in Arizona with whom Diane had been having an affair, back when she was still living there. Diane had consulted a psychologist after the tragedy and after months of consultation, she was never diagnosed as a sociopath. The board said that her mental or emotional disorder makes her a danger to society. When he said that he and his wife had reconciled he wasnt lying either, because, throughout the investigation and the trial in which Robert testified against Diane his wife stood by him. The proverbial expression It takes two to tango applies here. So should I put an addendum saying that Diane contradicted herself or was not satisfied with the sketch? YouTube is a video-sharing website where users can upload and watch videos, subscribe to user channels and leave comments. As a married man, the ball was in his court and he decided togo forit. I have worked in Child Protection for over 20 years and have extensive experience in this field domestically and internationally. I am not biased. They both fainted when they saw their dead child, but it did not count. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. Spending 35 years incarcerated with time in isolation and often as a target is not going to improve mental health. Diane was right-handed. 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. My question is: why is she still locked up? Exactly Libby why did they say during the trial that he saw his mom? And by the way, I wrote the blogs about Rule way before she passed. I had never heard of this case and fell upon several videos that had me completely convinced DD was a narcissistic psychopath. I would love to hear your answers to them. No conflict of interest there? And she laughed at it by saying it was healthy to want to join the free world, especially if you proclaim your innocence. Ways to honor Robert Knickerbocker's life and legacy. Downs brought authorities to the crime scene, where police found spent .22 caliber bullet casings, but could not find a weapon. Hed left his first wife to co-habitate with (and later marry) Charlene. But why was the judge in family court hopping over to criminal court? What is known for a fact, is, Prosecutor Fred Hugi took physical custody of Christie and Danny shortly after Christies confessions to her school mates, and he officially adopted them in the summer of 1986. 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. The bushy haired stranger that police had gotten a lead on worked at the country club he was at work at that time and had a sever speech impediment. I am posting Jamesanswer: Yes the allegations were said and you cannot take back what was saideven if retracted BUT like you rightly explain, there was no real evidence of her guilt. If the answer is, revenge, then it has been achieved. The question is of course, how can we determine guilt or innocence without a fair trial? Andthe DA adopted her other two children. You have that part absolutely right, so why was this protocol ignored? I saw that same face in Diane Downs. Many troubling elements of the case were discovered after the trial, but there was enough during the proceedings to be asking questions. After the shooting, Robert even came clean to his wife about the affair, and then, went on to help the police in their investigation. Dianes brother, James, sat in court one day andnoticed Foote looking at Hugi before ruling on an objection. The couple married in November 1973, when Diane was only 18 years old. A. Robert Knickerbocker in Tennessee We found 5 records for Robert Knickerbocker in Woodlawn, Saint Augustine and 2 other cities in Tennessee. You indicated you were not going to get a divorce? 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. Thanks for the link. And their plan worked. 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. Evidence from a ballistics expert. The whole case is crazy. 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. Past Addresses: Tucson AZ, Tucson AZ +2 more. View their profile including current address, phone number 480-307-XXXX, background check reports, and property record on Whitepages, the most trusted online directory. It was all about Charlene wanting KnickKnick ~wanting Dianeand Diane wanting a return to the peace she had before Knick asked his wife for a divorce. The ghastly crimes were not perpetrated by a nameless, faceless stranger as she told police, but seemingly by Diane Downs herself. Robert Willard Knickerbocker, 72. And the interrogations were not tapedand barelydocumented. Her case was too public and they are afraid of public backlash. I like to believe the best about people too but there are certain things that absolutely cant be ignored. They did a trace metal test to see if Diane had held a gun. The kind of TV series that they produce on high profile crimes will make sure to turn public opinion. Contemporary family finding principles argue that a child is best nurtured by parents, then immediate family members, extended family members, spiritual family (Godparents), close friends, etc. And how the letters became so bizarre, paranoid and psychotic that she told Diane to stop writing her. So not addressing the content of the blog and rambling about everything else while asking for a disclaimer is nailing it? A 1951 graduate of Johnson City High School and retired after 20 years from the United States Air Force. The family moved to Mesa, Arizona, and Diane and Steve worked at the same mobile-home manufacturer. I write about cases where due process is in question and important aspects were ignored or twisted. 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). Speculative. 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. She would have been released under strict conditions with the support of her family and under the care of a mental health specialist. 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. They had him micromanaged, and with the testimony of little Christie they were in business. And of course, she added her own brand of paranoia, which is to be expected considering her personality disorder and what she went through. Right after her first surgery, The Detectives were adamant that they HAD to have Diane right then to recreate the incident- unless of course, you have something to hide. 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.. Robert L Knickerbocker. WatchandWager will be operating harness racing at the Arizona Downs racetrack according to the terms of a newly signed deal. 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. 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. Do you remember about two days after that the two of you signing a lease on the apartment? High profile cases usually do not get the same treatment as regular folks. No OTHER reason. Im sure nothing I write will change that. Mr. Jagger failed to challenge that competency. Page 40 of Case History. so which one is it????? Robert K Knickerbocker. Thanks for posting for readers. 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. If he was getting too close to the witness emotionally he should have stepped away from the case. She was no mother of the year, I will grant them that, but a trial is supposed to be based on evidence. I am a strong believer that pregnancy can do serious harm to some women. They now have social media arenas reminiscent of the Romans cheering at the sight of a thumb down meaning there will be a bloodshed. It wasnt until Prosecutor Hugi said Dr. Jamison had labeled Diane a deviant sociopath that Mr. It may take up to 1 hour for your comment to appear on the website. She has come a long way. Like in their movies. 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. And he was found not guilty because his defense team played the race card in an area of LA where they did not trust the police and discussed EDTA and DNA ad nauseam to confuse the jurors. Any thoughts on how the detectives basically made up their mind right away in spite of numerous tips coming in? He said all the police needed was for Diane to bear witness against her ex-husband. Are we to believe that Proctors second gun was stolen with the bill and ID from the first gun that remained listed at the gun store? The way Christie was coached did not correspond to the reality of the direct evidence. Robert L Knickerbocker, 63. If personal diaries were to be believed, half of the population would be in great jeopardy. According to Diane, she then saw a man on the road flagging her and stopped thinking he needed help. She attacked her husband and ripped his neck open in a jealous rage (Appendix 81, page 1520), tearing from his neck the gold chain he still wore from his first marriage (a gift from his first wife). Whats next? He was interogated but, the police never had a reason to doubt him. A new trial would be out of the question, so to me, parole would be the solution. Ms. Downs makes every effort to avoid emotional stimuli in order to reduce the demands made on her. The lovely Farrah Fawcett who played in the movie Small Sacrifices was known for her epic battles with lover Ryan ONeil. Did she act like a average person? AKA: Robert Knickerboc, Ruk K Knickerbocker, Robt Knickerbocker +12 more. Her family supported her. She said a bunch of really stupid things in the media (my kids were lucky, not me gets the palm) and basically bury herself. No conflict of interest from a prosecutor adopting a defendants children 2 years after the fact? Downs was born in Phoenix, Arizona, in 1955 and attended Moon Valley High School where she met and fell in love with her future husband, Steve. A fact strongly denied by Diane and by the nurses reports. Clearly the social workers were working with the DAs office and taking advice on best interest of the children from them. What about the judge stopping a defendant from getting a new attorney? Evidence continued to pile up against Diane Downs. I find it interesting for you to observe this because it should be more scientific and empirical today than it was in the 80s, but is it really? The man you have listed as Fred Hugi is actually Dianes attorney Jim Jagger. Dean has 2 jobs listed on their profile. Just goes to show how difficult it is sometimes to find the truth. 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. Downs is said to have claimed that she spotted a bushy-haired man who waved down her car along the desolate road. Amanda Knox Is Not Far Behind! Have you actually read the transcript of the trial?? Just like Rule though, your blog is extremely biased, and reads almost as though she told you exactly what to write at times. The car was splattered with blood, but Diane had none on her. I couldnt get my hands on the book nor find anything in librariesso basically it was many years later I dove into knowing more about this case, that kinda haunted me. Nearly every point you make here was addressed and disproved or not even allowed into evidence. Were working with the sketch a man on the website consultation, she then saw a on! Been achieved reminiscent of the trial???????... 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