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Andrea Yates Conviction overturned because of false testimony

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Originally posted by: Hardcore
That would explain it if she was suffering from it... but at the time, she was having an affair with another man (not something you do when you're in depression)... who dumped her because he didn't want all the baggage she had. She didn't just kill the kids because auditory hallucinations told her to. She killed her kids, made a lie that some black man did it, so that she would be free of the kids. She wasn't insane, she was very lucid, and had the nation on a man hunt for this supposed blackman.
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Hmm. I was thinking of susan smith. this woman's (andrea yates) behaviors following the murders don't seem (intuitively) consistent with a severe psychosis. But what do I know, I'm not a forensic psychiatrist.

At any rate, guilty or not, she does deserve a fair trial (as does everyone). I don't see how anyone could reasonably object to a re-trial if it can be shown that the dr's false testimony seriously prejudiced her case.

 
Don't worry folks, she won't be walking the streets. She's been heavily medicated for a long time, and will at least be in a psychiatric hospital until she gets a new trial. This kind of legal misstep happens all the time, this is just a high profile case.
 
Originally posted by: MikeyIs4Dcats
Originally posted by: MacBaine
Originally posted by: mrrman
another f up in criminal justice system
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Are you an idiot or just retarded?

The CJ system fvcked up because they are giving her a new trial because somebody lied on the stand?

This is the best part about our CJ system, you douchebag.
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if the PROSECUTOR would have done his job and verified the witnesses claims then this wouldn't have happened.
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exactly.

Lets hope that the retrial is also successful.

I would like to see that consultant psychiatrist charged with perjury.
 
Originally posted by: mrrman
Originally posted by: MikeyIs4Dcats
Fvcking douchebag liar! Now she gets to go free and await retrial.
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The part where its stating that she goes FREE is the f up....and UPS YOURS TO MacBaine
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Way to not read the article, champ. Doesn't say one thing about her going "free". She's getting a new trial.

Edit to fix mrrman's inability to quote.
 
And on the insanity defense, and the doctor in question, this from the court's decision:

"Five mental health experts testified that appellant did not know right from wrong or that she thought what she did was right. Dr. Dietz was the only mental health expert who testified that appellant knew right from wrong. Therefore, his testimony was critical to establish the State?s case. Although the record does not show that Dr. Dietz intentionally lied in his testimony, his false testimony undoubtedly gave greater weight to his opinion."
 
Originally posted by: HomeBrewerDude
Lets hope that the retrial is also successful.
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Successful defined as justice being done, whether that is a guilty or not guilty verdict, right? 😀
 
I read this as soon as it hit the wire and I'm appalled by it. They threw out an entire damn case because the supposed "expert" was incorrect in his statement about watching a similar crime on a television crime drama (Law and Order)? WTF is this world coming to? Hell, there were similar questions in the Martha Stewart case about a witness lying and no new trial for her. She sits in jail for taking money when this woman took 5 lives!!!
 
Originally posted by: Rogue
I read this as soon as it hit the wire and I'm appalled by it. They threw out an entire damn case because the supposed "expert" was incorrect in his statement about watching a similar crime on a television crime drama (Law and Order)? WTF is this world coming to? Hell, there were similar questions in the Martha Stewart case about a witness lying and no new trial for her. She sits in jail for taking money when this woman took 5 lives!!!
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So you don't want justice, you want blood. Just say it already.
 
Originally posted by: Skoorb
Irrelevant. She is obviously suffering from insanity. You just don't do something like that if you aren't.
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ANYBODY who kills five people is fvcking nuts. With that line of reasoning you would not be able to convict a serial killer of multiple murders. By definition they are freaking bonkers anyway. This is why the legal defense of insanity is a slippery slope. A normal person doesn't go on a killing spree.
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Eh, not everyone who kills 2+ people is insane. Think gang members: they may be stupid, but they're plenty rational.
 
Originally posted by: MikeyIs4Dcats
Fvcking douchebag liar! Now she gets to go free and await retrial.

Link
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dumbass, its a capital murder case. the courts will not let her "go free". You can be held without bond if you are charged with capital murder.
 
Originally posted by: MacBaine
Originally posted by: Rogue
I read this as soon as it hit the wire and I'm appalled by it. They threw out an entire damn case because the supposed "expert" was incorrect in his statement about watching a similar crime on a television crime drama (Law and Order)? WTF is this world coming to? Hell, there were similar questions in the Martha Stewart case about a witness lying and no new trial for her. She sits in jail for taking money when this woman took 5 lives!!!
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So you don't want justice, you want blood. Just say it already.
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Hey, asswipe! Get a grip. Did I call for a death sentence? Did I question anything with regards to the crime she committed other than stating that 5 children are dead at her hands? No. I am simply appalled that a case can be thrown out because a witness said he watched a show that he didn't. Does it call into question other parts of his testimony? Yes. Should it nullify the entire verdict as a result, probably not. Learn to read before taking a guess at my intentions.
 
I don't know how many of the folks here are parents but that post-partum stuff is very real. A lot women experience what is called "baby blues". My wife had it, they just go into a fog. You can't really explain it, it makes no sense. They just become unstable. I remember when my wife would just cry, for no reason, laughing one minute and the next minute like a fruit basket. It didn't last long like 2-3 weeks or so. I am not saying this was this woman's problem, but it is certainly not impossible for me to believe. That is some scary stuff.
 
Originally posted by: ViRGE
Originally posted by: Skoorb
Irrelevant. She is obviously suffering from insanity. You just don't do something like that if you aren't.
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ANYBODY who kills five people is fvcking nuts. With that line of reasoning you would not be able to convict a serial killer of multiple murders. By definition they are freaking bonkers anyway. This is why the legal defense of insanity is a slippery slope. A normal person doesn't go on a killing spree.
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Eh, not everyone who kills 2+ people is insane. Think gang members: they may be stupid, but they're plenty rational.
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She will not be seeking a release.

The prosecutors still have 2 murdered kids in reserve to charge her with if she ever gets out.

Who cares about their sanity, a murderer is a murderer.
 
I feel that Park Dietz would not have lied intentionally. He is well respected and helped found the FBI's BSU, and I do not think he would risk his integrity just to convict a person. He was obviously mistaken unless he admits otherwise, or if there is evidence that he intentionally lied. Dr. Dietz is well known in the CJ community, and I have a very hard time believing he'd have done this on purpose.
 
I could see insanity driving you to do maybe one kid....

after the second...some kind of alarm HAS to start goin off inside..

after the third.... I dont even know if a person has the strength to DROWN a 4th and 5th child..even if I was crazy I would think that something would stop me from doing all 5....

she made it all the way through all five kids...something else must have been goin on there besides insanity.

I think even an insane person would be able to figure out how absolutely, undeniably hideous it is to drown all 5 of your kids that way....

then again im not insane...so what do I know....

 
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