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. Messed. A. Where to begin? I bet the records are and always have been sealed regarding this aspect of the case. This is to avoid the conflict of interest that we read about above. And their plan worked. If Diane was bipolar, the non-stop chatter would have been inherent to the situation. But you sure did comment like a true asshole, huh? Teams of people and detectives combed the area for months looking for the gun but it was nowhere to be found. Would you seriously be confident enough to present your findings you mention in your article to Diane Downs children? I agree. Your prayers were answered. They dont need to be adopted and have their entire identity changed. Wasnt Mr. F supposed to be a child molester? And some are even contradictory: shes mentally ill, but also not mentally ill; the site owner wants to focus on pure facts, yet ignore other facts; things happened in court, but those are irrelevant to what else what also happened in court, etc. You said that the absence of both prove she couldnt have been to shooter and you claim it takes real scrubbing to remove GSR. The DA that put away their mom is not an appropriate placement choice. I must humbly admit that I had not questioned the facts of the case before readily accepting this image of Diane as a cold blooded killer. That hurt our family deeply. Therefore, those jagged bones were floating in a cloth wrap, merely resting in a cloth sling. ABC MOVIE FOR TV Small Sacrifices 1989 Farrah Fawcett, Ryan ONeal. Oh 1 more thing I see a lot of comments on pro Diane web sights that say well she drove them to the hospital. Thanks again. She signed an affidavit to that effect and wanted the jury informed of it but it was never done. Ffs maybe u should go back to writing screenplays. It was cited that she keeps her emotions close to the vest. 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. The towel and a girl who had a stroke, was separated from her family and was constantly questioned without being recorded or accompanied by a loved one and testifying to facts that do not match the testimony of the forensic expert is not being reduced to conjecture? She said no mother would stop at 10 at night, in the dark, with three young children, to help a Bush haired stranger. http://www.manipulatedtrial.de/oregon_s_small_sacrifices_1603.pdf. In Rules book, Diane is portrayed as a horrible selfish mother but her family and friends saw another version; she lovedher childrendearly and worked hard to be a good provider. McPherron: And you had no contact with her . I know several foster parents and social workers. The implication was not only cruel, in the light of what Diane was suffering, it was also clear. I recently found your website and have enjoyed it a lot. The Halo TV show stars Orange is the New Black's Pablo Schreiber as Master Chief, with Californication's Natascha McElhone as Dr. Halsey. Steve and Diane Downs' children were adopted by Lane County prosecutor Fred Hugi and his wife, Joanne. Of course, because this is what she does when people put her on the spot and ask questions concerning her mother and the shooting. It sounds like this was not the case with Dianes children. I read the letter they sent to the Downs when they were fighting to see their grandchildren. I remember when it was in the news. I wanted to ask you something on this case. Foote denied the motion and declared you have an attorney, use him.. I will post it when I get it. 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? #corrupt. If the goal was to get rid of them, why didnt she emulate her lesser half in this matter? Check your inbox to be the first to know the hottest news. Don't get butt hurt. I found your blog to be very well written, informative and interesting. Most get through it fine, maybe some complications or pain, maybe even some post pardum. Tracy, I never said she was in the car. Her father also insisted shetry to help catch the shooter. After each of the kids was shot multiple times on that fateful day in 1983, Steve cooperated with the police completely. Ive not seen the movie or read the book. On May 19, 1983, Diane and her kids visited a friend to look at her new horse, and then went for a drive; not at all unusual for this family not living according to middle class rules. 20 female celebrities with black hair to follow in 2023, 10 most famous QVC hosts who were fired or left the channel. You need real evidence in court. Gun shot residue is not always present. Because Foote was already familiar with the case, the presiding judge assigned him the murder trial after Downs was charged with the shootings. The bio family should have been given the same opportunity to see the kids and demonstrate their ability to be the guardians. One could argue that this blog does not stick to what came out at trial. Diane found a full-time job with the U.S. Post Office in 1981, and was stationed in Chandler. So, were there any other attempted carjackings in the area that night? Youre right to say that a GSR is not always foolproof and between 10-20% of suicide GSR kits test negative for GSR. But showing no remorse is part of claiming her innocence and part of the vicious circle of parole hearings. Anne Rule might have inflamed the case with her book Small Sacrifices and her theory of the crime, but in reality, the case of Diane Downs was no small sacrifice. Rule sued the Seattle Weekly after they published the article titled , Ann Rule promotes her books as true crime stories so to this day, viewers believe that the book and the movie titled, This reminds me of what a jail counselor named Rachel Roth said at the trial of Debra Milke , They already had made up their mind that Diane was the perpetrator so they laughed off the idea of the , When I hear some people say that they would have liked to smack that smirk off Dianes face when she interacted with the cops or the media, I say. One of the jurors finally declared. As was his habit, Knick failed to take into consideration what Diane or his wife had to say on the matter. They would have welcomed them with open arms. When analysing this blog, look at three statements from the blogger: Diane Downs and Alice Crummins were considered sluts Instead of blaming societal problems and working at finding solutions, prison always seem to be their option. This whole case is flawed. 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. According to the State, ballistics evidence proved that Diane Downs was guilty. They did not like her attitude and she did not behave the way they expected a grieving mother to act. Even on a worldwide scale, the age of accountability is considered to be twelve years old. At the point Diane jumped into the car, her broken arm (resting in a sling in front of her) slammed into the steering wheel. I was also stunned that she took the reports of all of Dianes ( mostly married) ex lovers as absolute truth and never once questioned that they might have been lying and retrospectively minimising their feelings for Diane to protect themselves. She has been denied parole 2x and is up again in 2020. No OTHER reason. I went on ebay and ordered multiple stuff from the 80s, news footage, just to hear what she sounded like, because of all the talk in the book about her demeanor. Who are Steve Downs children? 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. 5. She had been the bread winner for most of her marriage, and never wavered in her desire to bring financial stability to her family. Detective Welch reminded Diane of the assault her sister witnessed in February 1983, in which steve Downs broke Dianes tailbone (Appendix 74, page 1025). She s. And to say that her mental health has degraded is an understatement, but more reason not to keep her eternally incarcerated. In my opinion, the investigation was too hasty and only focused on 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. Diane was right-handed. 0. But saying that you are not very smart is useless. Too bad she did not interview Diane or her family. I then question how she would not have blood splatter if she shot them inside the car at close range. But the high profile nature of the case might hinder the process. Those cases shouldnt have been in the same court let alone presided over by the same judge. I was shocked any asked why she thought that. As for where he is now, we'll be honest, we're not completely sure. Theres a lot to be said here, still. By the way, Dianes parents mourn the loss of their grandchildren to this day. It did not matter that they had no evidence; they did not like her attitude and she was going to pay for it: opinion, not fact Her family supported her. Lets not forget that she was presumed to have fired a gun 6 times at close range within the confines of a small car. There was a lot of evidence pointing at OJ. This unhealthy marriage survived and became a daily struggle. If you read the blog, you will see many examples of media hype and character assassination. 4. No one bothered with these details so I did. So, what happened to the children's father? She folded it neatly around her arm. This blog is riddled with inconsistencies, suppositions and a lack of the most basic referencing (e.g. Additionally, homicide or assault victims shot by someone else can test positive for GSR. It is in the blog. Diane may very well be guilty, but YIKES this investigation and trial seemed so butchered and tilted in the prosecutions favour. Thanks again for bringing this to my attention. View theaffidavits. Her attorney, James Jagger, did a poor job for Diane. I also found it interesting that when he had visited Diane in prison, he had remarked a strange air about her; which did not mean guilt. Almost from day one, Diane was perceived as a cancer they had to remove. If there is one thing Diane knew about her lover, is that he was fickle and did not like trouble of any kind. It was a dark and rural road. Child Protective Services takes confidentiality to the extreme (warranted in most cases). Common sense will tell this Court, when Diane accidently slammed her mangled arm into the steering wheel of Detective Tracys car, it was ANYTHING but a laughing matter. She managed to jump in the car after getting shot in the arm. then later you ask how diane didnt have any blood splatter on her when she was inside the car when she shot her kids??? 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. After completing his education and their short-lived high school romance, Steve Downs would move on to join the navy. There is so much to say about this blog I wouldnt know where to start. These are no facts its partial truths and conjecture. But my beef is with the interference by the media, TV shows and Ann Rule. She repeated it years later at school. She got an apartment and I was going to move in with her. 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. Mr. Jagger said it wasnt t enough to know a witness had lied, but she would have to prove it. I had never heard of this case and fell upon several videos that had me completely convinced DD was a narcissistic psychopath. I didnt know that. I am glad you read it anyway and I appreciate your comment. Diane was cooked the minute she walked in that courtroom. Of course. 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. And I care about the lack of evidence. Blood spatter is not an exact science, and is interpreted differently by experts. I agree that the phone call from Angel was totally inappropriate. 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. 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. Also, he has never given television interviews about his family or ex-wife, who is now serving time in prison. It took months to get Christie to say that her mother was the culprit and that is when they arrested Diane. The two kids who had survived the attack were placed for adoption and Steve was no able to care for them. Mr. Downs must have had a bad feeling about Jagger because before trial: speculation 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. Gunpowder is one of the toughest stains around, when it comes to removing it from clothes. I agree with your comment. It's not even known if he still resides in Arizona, where he used to live with Diane and their three kids. answer the question why didn't steve downs get custody, which will help you get the most accurate answer. And by the way, I wrote the blogs about Rule way before she passed. Only in Hollywood and in Ann Rules books, would you find such fantasy. 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. 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 But the birth of little Danny did not make this bad boy change his stripes; he remained a cad and a destabilizing force in their lives. but later you claim Diane was inside the car and shot the kids in the car and that that BECAUSE she was inside the car she should have had blood splatter on herso WHICH IS IT, I dont know which it is Libby. Diane Downs is no exception. Christie became the star witness against her mother and who could resist such a touching testimony? I have simply bothered researching the evidence and in some instances, the lack of it. Brewer freely declared that Diane Downs would never have been convicted except that he believed the lie Jim Jagger permitted Fred Hugi to enter into the record. I agree on many points with your comment. Most importantly why would anybody shoot 3 children potentially fatally and leave the adult with a wound in her arm. This was the prosecution and conviction of (Elizabeth) Diane Downs who has now been incarcerated for too many years in one of Californias (overcrowded) State prisons. She was not in the car when her children were shot. Now if the shooter was this James Haynes guy, someone who apparently Diane Downs knew from buying drugs, then that would explain why she stopped in the middle of that road. I cant believe anyone even believes or even follows you. From reading the blog and my little understanding of this case, Ms Downs remains in custody as she is considered a dangerous offender.

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