Her 7-year old daughter Cheryl died but her 3-year old son Danny and her 8-year old daughter Christie survived. I am not from USA, never have been there, but my impression is that in USA media are far more powerful than the justice system and rational thinking is crushed by easy emotional moods, stereotypes and a hunger for violence coated in a pompous moral attitude. Messed. In fact, Diane had consulted a psychologist after the tragedy and after months of consultation, she was never diagnosed as a sociopath. Despite all of this: that the attorney became a Foster Carer irrelevant, inflammatory, subjective and bears no reflection on the trial, or indeed the trial outcome. A slightly humorous observation is that you said, and others have, that James Haynes physically resembled the sketch. . The popular TV movie Small Sacrifices was based on Ann Rules book and it painted a horrid picture of the mother accused of shooting her children on Old Mohawk Road. 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. And Ann Rule said that the unicorn that was omnipresent in court was part of the premeditation. I appreciate this whole blog just want to give you a heads up. What?? He strung her along, played with both womens emotions, and after saying he would join her in Oregon, reneged and stayed with his wife. http://www.dianedowns.com/Dr.%20Jamison%20affidavit.pdf. 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. They were put in an impossible situation. The definition of deviant sociopath does not even exist in the DSM-HI, which is the official psychiatric diagnostic manual. Diane doesnt believe Rebecca is her daughter, rather a media puppet ran by Rule. http://sputniknews.com/us/20150620/1023613662.html#ixzz3djEXlSAC // The Prison State of America Dec 28, 2014 Chris Hedges, http://www.truthdig.com/report/item/the_prison_state_of_america_20141228 Yes, shes as guilty as Simpson. It would be about November 20th that you would have gone back with Charlene, what, the next day? BUT like you rightly explain, there was no real evidence of her guilt. They were in foster care for two years before the prosecutor adopted them. Ultimately, the blogger is entitled to their opinion as is everyone else. Robert Knickerbocker, age 60s, lives in Phoenix, AZ. The person leaned into the car. Lise do you know if the kids have ever reached out to the grandparents/family in the last few years? But you dont mention that she again has changed her story. So they did everything in their power to slant the media and the public in their favor. I guess he did not want too many people to know about the improprieties that happened in his courtroom: I guess? I guess Diane forgot to have that part engraved on the Unicorn. A reader told me that I should have a website with all the comments. Downs is said to have claimed that she spotted a bushy-haired man who waved down her car along the desolate road. I understand that the authorities were afraid to leave the two remaining children under her care if they thought she was guilty, but they could have been released to the grandparents or other blood relatives with supervised visits from their mom considering that she was not charged with any crime. It probably makes you feel so good. It is documented in the blog where I give the source In the 1996 Federal Petition, you can find the Anatomy of Brainwashing that can answer any question on this subject. Why on earth would anyone recommend leaving the kids with the grandparents? See more Show your support Send Flowers Send flowers or a gift to a service or family's home. If youre curious to know more about Robert, then we have got your back. Other names that Robert uses includes Robert A Knickerbocker. Leslie Van Houten is an example of a woman who probably will never see the light of day because of her high profile status. Christie Downs was eight-years old when she was injured and nine-years old when she testified. Christie NEVER said she didnt know who did it she was just unwilling or afraid to tell on her mother. Yes, dad relinquished his rights but he knew that they loved their grandparents and had allowed Diane to take them for a visit without telling the authorities. Therefore, my understanding is that the original sentence is deemed indefinite with parole hearings every 10 years. I dont know the woman. Something that would never stand in court now. I am just curious. I try to bring up the elements that were totally ignored. A trial should be based on facts and solid direct or circumstantial evidence. But you are right, some members of the jury and public had a reasonable doubt. This blogger thinks that if you had bothered reading the blogs that you just mentioned, you would know that I do not call anyone innocent. It kinda scared me, the thought that mommy could shoot me, like this mommy did. Some cases are so one sided that you feel like exposing or at least, discussing the other side. Her character was also too much on the forefront. And to try not to bash Dianes Downs character and stick to evidence instead. Her family members were quite capable of taking care of the children. The innocence project gets so many requests and they have limited resources. Only in Hollywood and in Ann Rules books, would you find such fantasy: Relevance? Foote then handled the juvenile docket and first encountered Downs when he ordered her two surviving children into state protective custody. And it is not like these two were white as snow. 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. Let others know about your loved one's death. AKA: Robert Knickerboc, Ruk K Knickerbocker, Robt Knickerbocker +12 more. I go through every new finding and I point out what was done at trial that did not respect due process. It should have raised a red flag concerning her mental stability or the possibility that more people were involved. Plus: California man uses Bitcoin to pay hitman to murder his ex; police accuse woman of abandoning baby found frozen to death in 1985; woman who may be victim of alleged D.C. serial killer identified; and Ghislaine Maxwell makes bid for lighter sentence. The family moved to Mesa, Arizona, and Diane and Steve worked at the same mobile-home manufacturer. 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. Click here to read the complaint. And they kept at her and made suggestions when she would not implicate her mom. 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. It is normally done (in fact in many jurisdictions, can ONLY be done) by going through the process in a different state or county then the one the applicant works with. I encourage you to read all the facts before being so sure that she was guilty or that she acted alone. Moreover, it was not a suicide case, but of a woman who supposedly shot herself in the arm and her 3 children several times. The car was splattered with blood, but Diane had none on her. . The best policy for Diane Downs would have been to remain silent, but she fought back and smiled at the wrong time and according to them, enjoyed the attention. This does not make her innocent. Police witness reports of strangers and confessions were suppressed or not pursued. From the very beginning, the DAs office had their ducks in a row because in an unprecedented move, Judge Gregory Foote who had denied access to the children by all blood relatives and given their care over to the State, was promoted from juvenile to senior judge to preside over the trial of Diane Downs. Diane ran away from her husband many times between 1976 and 1977, but with nowhere to go except her parents house, she would come back. I have nothing to gain and I am not making up songs and dances about a unicorn. Lise,,,,, yes you did. I did not shoot my children.. 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. Then feel free to correct the facts and to provide evidence to support them. The interpretation of blood splatter is different than no blood splatter. No conflict of interest there? And to say that her mental health has degraded is an understatement, but more reason not to keep her eternally incarcerated. I do not care if the bushy haired stranger made no sense or if they could not explain the why of the tragedy, I do not care if she was madly in love with a guy because all that counts is proof and evidence in a court of law, and there was definitely a reasonable doubt. I have plans to go hunting with the husband of one of the alternates.. They never found the gun and she showed no signs of having fired one. I say these things if I were on the jury. I know several people who know or knew both of the surviving children as well as Diane. Melvin Belli How things could have been different. I was curious as to what these requirements were, as I have not seen these online. This is an extremely tragic case and her children at the very least deserve justice. 2 years in foster care waiting to be legally free for adoption is not that uncommon even today. 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. Plus, you do not let a newly appointed judge to criminal cases, preside over a high profile murder case when he has no experience whatsoever and has already prejudged the defendant dangerous to her children. What they did to her daughter is unconscionable. Her arm was severely damaged, so shattered that she needed a graft from a hip bone. 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. Diane Downs had an affair with Roger Knickerbocker, a married man while she lived in Arizona. On a side note, what do you think of parole of Leslie Van Houton? Fingerprints at the crime scene were not produced by the State. Right?? It should have been investigated further. But in this case, she had no blood on her body or her clothing. Her children were obviously more severely injuredbecause being captive in the car while a shooter aimed at them gave them less of a chance to wiggle out of the situation than an adult outside the car. They were tons of witnesses that saw him at work. Thanks again. . I think it would give the blog more integrity and transparency. Facebook gives people. That single fact collaborated by a witness, convicts her for me. She waseighteen and soon realized that she had jumped from the fire into the frying pan. She never mentioned that before, and she doesnt mention the FBI agents name. It will not make me popular, but I dont mind. One of the important pieces of evidence was the absence of all but a trace of gunshot residue. The children had a father. My opinion of why Mr. Hugi adopted Christie and Danny was to seal their lips. Only in Hollywood and in Ann Rules books, would you find such fantasy. It deserved as much attention as a Unicorn, a song or all the other hearsay floating around because at least, they came from real people signing official documents. Even if the nurses notes indicated countless times that the children asked for their mother and enjoyed her visits, they cut them off from the only family they knew and loved; supposedly for their own protection. Its as if they cant control it. Then they just got shut out. If there is one thing Diane knew about her lover, is that he was fickle and did not like trouble of any kind. The fact that the children were in no way protected by Child Protection Services is undeniable. I am posting Jamesanswer: Yes the allegations were said and you cannot take back what was saideven if retracted 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. But I am so tired of the enough time has been served and other criminals have been paroled. How ironic. It is in the blog. Jennifer and Sarah Hart killed themselves and murdered their six adopted children in 2018 by driving their SUV off a cliff in California. Find 77 people named Robert Knickerbocker along with free Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok profiles on PeekYou - true people search. She had no priors and no history of violence in prison. Considering that the daughter she murdered will never get a second chance, it will never be long enough unless its for her entire life. A demonstration in court strongly suggested: Suggested, not confirmed. I like your approach. I think that the time she has served and her good behavior made her eligible for parole. I will agree that it was suspicious that Diane got away with one bullet in the arm, even if the injury was severe, but she was outside the car and many scenarios are possible to that effect. All rights reserved. The role of Diane Downs was played by none other than Farrah Fawcett and her lover was played by Ryan ONeal who had been Farrahs love interest in real life. Not that it matters, your opinion is about the case and not subject to geography. Her next parole hearing will be in 2020. I research cases that in my opinion, were poorly tried. This whole case is flawed. There was a lot of evidence pointing at OJ. She talked to Diane for 15 minutes, there was thebizarre and partialOprah interview that was basically a lets bash Diane event and she wrote to Diane in jail to ask her what she thought of Hugi adopting her children. Diane had a few lovers, which Knick refused to acknowledge (Appendix 81, pages 1508, 1520). That testimony was left unchallenged by Mr. Jagger. Guilt or innocence no longer need to be debated in this case. The ghastly crimes were not perpetrated by a nameless, faceless stranger as she told police, but seemingly by Diane Downs herself. Is Diane really a threat anymore? The underlying basis of this article. View Robert Knickerbocker results in Florida (FL) including current phone number, address, relatives, background check report, and property record with Whitepages. She repeated it years later at school. They already had made up their mind that Diane was the perpetrator so they laughed off the idea of the bushy haired stranger. The problem was that they could not find the gun anywhere and they had nothing on Diane. 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. Have you actually read the transcript of the trial?? Other Locations Watertown, NY Scottsdale, AZ . I think that she has done enough time and should be released. Rule sued the Seattle Weekly after they published the article titled Ann Rules Sloppy Storytelling, but she lost and had to make restitution. If youre in charge of handling the affairs for a recently deceased loved one, this guide offers a helpful checklist. Moms were working more, we were becoming the latch key generation, as in we let ourselves in alone while still in elementary school.when I mentioned before about maturity of a 8, 9, 10 year oldwe loved playing outside on bikes, and playing with our dolls, boys usually had their action figures..lol.and we loved our moms, even if they were young and liked to go out and sent us to babysitters..the book and movie, Im quite sure, over did the situation..and Im sure there was more on both sides, the family of diane, diane herself, but well never know all the details. In fact, if someone was Hungry like the Wolf in this courtroom, it was a certain crime author who could already smell and taste the fortune coming her way after the publication of this juicy story. They did not like her attitude and she did not behave the way they expected a grieving mother to act. But there were discrepancies; the tool marks did not matchand the detective lied on the stand about it. I almost felt bad for her.that being she seemed so lost in her lies..she just hangs in limbo now. A slightly humorous observation is that you said, and others have, that James Haynes physically resembled the sketch.. Diane needs some serious spiritual advancement and atonement before she ever will have or deserve peace. One of the jurors finally declared. ANNE RULES BOOK IS A LIE, ,ALL MADE UP CRAP. It is my hope that Leslie Van Houten and Diane Downs are never paroled. I do not post rude comments. The parole board in Oregon was asking to provide reasonable cause to show she was not a danger to society and it had to be supported by a psychiatrists report or a Wardens letter and Downs provided both. So either way, it would not be so far fetched that someone said he was the shooter.A little investigation would not hurt. They are the ones who considered Dianes children as Small Sacrifices. She managed to jump in the car after getting shot in the arm. None of this is EVIDENCE of anything in regard to the murder trial, and not once did I read that it was. Ffs maybe u should go back to writing screenplays. So, were there any other attempted carjackings in the area that night? Run Bambi Run! Her father passed away in October 2017 after having fought relentlessly for her release. Whatever mental illness she has, has gotten worse with each hearing. But I think that in all fairness, many of them dont even know the details of the case and have watched Small Sacrifices instead. Downs said that she then faked throwing her keys out of the car into some bushes, pushed the gunman away, and got back into her car and drove as fast as she could to the hospital with her gravely injured children. Or that the sketch did not resemble the suspect enough? Her persona allowed them to build this ironclad narrative when in fact, it was far from definite. During the process of the termination (which can take the whole 2 years in question, with appeals) the court is mandated to find family to take the children. One of the more bizarre scenes in this farce of an investigation was about to unfold. He hired Jim Jagger on the 1st of June 1983, 11 days after the shooting. After all, she was conditioned this way. Mr. Downs must have had a bad feeling about Jagger because before trial: speculation Join Facebook to connect with Robert Knickerbocker and others you may know. Sometimes it takes until late in life for connections to be made again. What about the facts of the case? http://www.glamour.com/story/i-found-out-my-mother-was-a-killer-the-rebecca-babcock-story. Imagine the ones there for years. Robert Lee Knickerbocker 2013 Robert Lee Knickerbocker, died 2013. I am not her advocate, but I think she did not get due process. On June 17, 1984, a jury found Diane Downs guilty of murder and attempted murder. I wish she could get a new look. He actually was the one who suggested they become intimate after many friendly, platonic conversations. 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. Later that year, Downs was transferred to a maximum-security prison in New Jersey, where authorities believed she would be less likely to escape because she knew no one there and would have no place to run. The fact that the DA adopted the children, since it was after the trial, is more of a gray area. Evidence from a ballistics expert. To Lisa Griggs Foote ruled in favor of the prosecution and against the defenseon most of the admissible evidence questions including all the nurses notes about Danny talking about a man shooting him but admitted Christies reports about her mother shooting her. 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 Mr. Jagger said it wasnt t enough to know a witness had lied, but she would have to prove it. There were good reasons to look at this mother, but the detective admitted on the stand that they stopped looking at anyone else after two weeks and the stranger on the road became a joke. Yes, Im sure this stranger wanted to kill her kids but only wound her, who, coincidentally, had a towel handy neatly folded on her wound. Maybe she wanted to buy drugs. The media keeps talking about several escapes, but there was only one. Clickhere to read about faulty ballistics. Robert Knickerbocker first came into the eyes of the investigators when, upon arrival at the hospital to visit her children after the incident, Diane phoned him looking extremely calm. Either way, it appears to be a conflict of interest. From the time Diane was a teenager, when a physician ordered visterol in an emergency room situation, it has been documented again and again that sedatives ingested while Diane is in pain, provoke a chemically induced hysteria in her. You simply are a rude individual looking for a reaction. By the way, Dianes parents mourn the loss of their grandchildren to this day. Its too late for me to call myself a murderer (when I am not) just to purchase my freedom. No one bothered with these details so I did. You need real evidence in court. Everyone in the world can believe something. If you have an opinion on drugging a child to make her talk, a judge presiding over a criminal case when he was in family court and removed the children from the defendants or the forensics, ballistic, etc. She has been in prison for so long that we dont know what her mental health situation is so it is a moot point for me. If thats what you want then dont pretend its anything but. $30k AVERAGE INCOME Our wealth data indicates income average is $30k. Robert resides in Tucson, AZ with Deborah. Do not forget that she got letters of support from a warden and psychiatrist. When the trial began, Christie Downs, then nine-years-old, had recovered the ability to speak and she provided extremely damaging testimony for the prosecution. 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. What matters to me is that her rights were trampled during her trial. I have watched her parole hearing. Exactly Libby why did they say during the trial that he saw his mom? So glad you wrote and provided this information. How.. they attacked him. It has nothing to do with the facts of the case. On July 21, she was recaptured less than half a mile away from the prison at a house with a group of men. 2.Diane herself has stated that the shooter was outside the car and shot THROUGH the window, no blood spatter. As time went on, Diane became the prime suspect, especially after Robert and her ex-husband, Steve Downs, both told authorities that she owned a .22 caliber handgun, the same type which was used for the shooting of the children. When analysing this blog, look at three statements from the blogger: Diane Downs and Alice Crummins were considered sluts Years later, seven witnesses signed affidavits telling of a man named Jim Haynes continuing confessionthat he wasthe shooter, and his appearance boresimilarities to the sketch. I felt there was something that should be done, but I was at a loss in how to cope with the Court that had given the children to the prosecutor and allowed false testimony to seal her fate. Anything less is a conflict of interest. People tend to forget that the group of young women hanging out with Manson were deeply engaged in serious drug use and totally out of their mind at the time. Diane was cooked the minute she walked in that courtroom. Sad situation. When your goal is to call me dude, insult my name and trash my blog, you can go on other sites who will love to spar with you while swallowing the old narrative of high profile cases. They never tried to reunite them with family. Not optional, kids should not be in limbo that long, but it happens all the time. Van Houten has made her choices and needs to own up to her actions and stop putting all the blame on drugs and Manson. Downs was constantly provoked by inmates because of the nature of her situation, and she never once attacked or defended herself in a violent manner. I actually do not know what really happened. At first I thought she did it, now I made further research and I dont know what to think. In a fairly good knot which would have taken time to do one handed and teeth. 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. Meaning it was unlikely she was the shooter. Movie scene alleging that Christie was scared. So the prosecutor adopted the kids? Dean has 2 jobs listed on their profile. So it was a relentless game totry to reel her in. Yes, Christie said she did not know who did it. 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. a clinical lab to Dianes not being herself the day the Detectives pressured Diane to accompany them, the fact is Diane was clearly suffering the residual effects of that chemical poison in her system. Robert came clean to his wife about the affair, and then, went on to help the police in their investigation. At the very least, she should have been released by now. Christie became the star witness against her mother and who could resist such a touching testimony? Did she act like a average person? 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. And if you claim your innocence, it obviously creates a vicious circle of not showing contrition. The Case of Liysa Northon Who Said True Crime Does not Pay? One of them named Angel, called 15-year-old Christie on the phone. How one of them lied on the stand about ballistics? Accused of her side of the story what the state says how would it be possible for her to do what they presumed. It gave Anne Rule carte blanche to legally use these labels in her book and it stuck. Your entry has exceeded the maximum character limit. Everything I outlined should be public knowledge. UNLOCK PROFILE. Q. 4. Robert Craig KNICKERBOCKER was born on December 25, 1932 and passed away on May 15, 2015 in Tucson, AZ and is under the care of. 1st, you came back from a trip? There are documented cases of suicides where the person has no GNR, as well as murder cases. The crucial point is that she is so void of emotion. did he have eyes in the back of his head.???? If it doesnt matter to you, it should. I was being sarcastic. Removing the children from her and presiding over her criminal trial? There are 3 court records for "Robert Knickerbocker" in "Pima County". Mainly because the courts have to give every chance possible and all the services necessary to the bio family to try to preserve the relationship. The judge who took away her children presided over her criminal trial. The powers that be knew they had nothing on Diane so Christie became their sacrificial lamb: opinion, not fact You say she made more of a fuss about her arm than about the injuries her children sustained. View Robert Knickerbocker's record in Tucson, AZ including current phone number, address, relatives, background check report, and property record with Whitepages. I am glad you read it anyway and I appreciate your comment. Their goal was to make Dian look crazy, because sane people dont shoot their children. Page 6 of Case History. To listen to Christies taped conversation, click below. In the 1996 Federal Petition, you can find the Anatomy of Brainwashing that can answer any question on this subject. 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. I would like to see her released because I do not believe in life without parole for any inmate with no priors who had a good conduct while incarcerated. They did not want reunification to keep their verdict intact. ..maybe it was lack of Internet and cellies *shrug)..years later, my Co worker at burger King (I was 16)told me about the small sacrifices movie she watched the night before. she flat out says, they are saying Duran Duran made her shoot her kids!..Im like HUHOkay now this is my favorite groupstill is at 44yrs old.I had to investigate this. Like I said, the 2 years make it a bit more of a gray area. As a suggestion, I would love to see a like or dislike button for each comment. Having recently done research on the Liysa Northons case which was the subject of a book written by Ann Rule titled Heart Full of Lies,I came across some very interesting information about the Diane Downs case because Rule attended the trial and also wrote a book about the case called Small Sacrifices. I have worked in Child Protection for over 20 years and have extensive experience in this field domestically and internationally. Nowadays, this insanity would never be tolerated. Or maybe an upvote/downvote arrow for each. 2. Nothing came from Diane herself. He knows as he was in court and must have photos. She is still in prison. Dianes motive was simple, she wanted to remove her kids from the way so that she could be with Robert. Do you remember a couple of days after that, December She was interrogated without a representative from the defense and was not taped for the most part. Not an easy situation for him as I would imagine. So it would be logical to conclude that it would have left residues if anyone had shot at least 6 times. But for what it is worth, I believe she tried to kill her 3 kids. Devoting ur life to taking down a dead author is a waste of ur talents. More often than not, Christie was interviewed by State Agents (Paula Krogdahl, Paul Alton, Steve Downs and Dick Tracy) within half an hour of having her Dilantin increased. The definition of deviant sociopath does not even exist in the DSM-HI: Downs lawyer at the time should have objected as the term was non existent. Why arent you debating the faulty ballistics, and the fact that the gun they affirmed was used in the commission of the crime was not the right one? Just a thought. She was a first time offender who has shown no violent tendencies and is afflicted with a mental illness. What I believe doesnt matter at all. Gregory Foote who had denied access to the children by all blood relatives and given their care over to the State, was promoted from juvenile to senior judge to preside over the trial of Diane Downs.. It can safely be presumed, other children told their parents, and that some of those parents reported the disturbing revelation to states Attorney, Prosecutor Fred Hugi. So appropriate! Consider offering these words of comfort if you're not sure what's appropriate. I dont believe there was a CK. How asinine. Dianes father tried to hire Melvin Belli, but the judge refused to give him some time to prepare and come back to the US. (He WAS shot in the back remember). Too bad she did not interview Diane or her family. Caught in the act, Hugi declared that Christie only said that because she was pressed for an answer. It always feels like punishment at all costs. Police interviewed Steve Downs about his ex-wife and discovered that she owned a .22 caliber gun like the one used in the shootings. I will post it when I get it. That didnt seem right so we wrote a letter to Mr Hugi with a request for visitation rights. 2. If you listen to the recording, Christie clearly says I dont know who did it. She was asleep, thats why. 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. I found your blog to be very well written, informative and interesting. And if she did it, she has served her time without displaying any violent tendencies whatsoever. Youre right to say that a GSR is not always foolproof and between 10-20% of suicide GSR kits test negative for GSR. We dont know what the Hugi family was doing during this time, probably seeing the kids regularly and getting licensed and approved to take the kids home with them. Maybe she didnt want to admit she was there for drugs, but you need a really tiny brain to worry about that in such a situation. There is a court sketch artists rendering of him in this video. Wouldn't I have made sure they were dead and then cried crocodile tears? Just before 11 P.M., Downs pulled her blood-soaked car up to the door of McKenzie-Willamette Hospital and screamed, Somebody just shot my kids! Cheryl, seven; lay dead in the front seat, and Christie, eight; and Danny, three; were sprawled in the back seat, clinging to life. Yet, that is exactly what the videotape showsDiane laughing hysterically about hurting her arm. It seems that everyone commenting just knows shes guilty, like you say. I can only imagine to absolute horror of Leno and Rosemary LaBianca during their horrific murders. The problem was, Diane has a long-documented history of adversely reacting to tranquilizing drugs. Mr. Let me tell you, it wasnt just the investigators and the prosecution that didnt believe herwe, Oregonians, (who ACTUALLY live here and watched what was happening) believe she is guilty. But showing no remorse is part of claiming her innocence and part of the vicious circle of parole hearings. It was very unfair to raise them away from their grandparents and other blood relatives. And Im really not on the fence the little girl was coachedI believe the ex husband , his freinds, and her lovers were invalid either way. Surely before Diane downs, there were other mothers who killed their kids..or allegedly did, however in 83 and 84 it made national news, nothing quite like it had come across the media world, which during that decade was really skyrocketing in sensationalismI believe is where it started, becoming less news and more entertainment. But in their defense, they were told at trial what gun was used by Diane to shoot the kids and it must have been very difficult to overcome the emotions brought on by the words of little Christie even if it was pretty obvious during her testimony that she was confused and unreliable. The inconsistencies and obvious lack of evidence in this case should have called for a wider investigation instead of solely focusing on their prime suspect. But the Parole Board refused to hear her. Plus according to an expert at trial, her testimony did not match the blood spatter analysis in the car. Phone . Wasnt he the stranger? No excuse there. Diane was diagnosed as being bipolar and subsequently diagnosed by a psychiatrist before sentencing. Why am I not arguing the facts of the trial? That disinformation was alleged by Mr. Hugi the third day into Jim Jaggers defense and it was never objected to by Mr. Jagger . Foster Carers says either Australia or England to me. The Downs incident occurred on May 19, 1983, when the 27-year-old mother insisted that she and her three children had been shot by a stranger on a deserted road in Springfield, Oregon. After asking her to have an affair, he kept vacillating between his wife and her. She felt fulfilled when she was pregnant because she believedit was the road to unconditional love. For all my life I have thought I was not that smart, but now I can tell myself, hey cheer up could be worse. That doesnt make it true. Anyways. Almost immediately, police suspected that something was amiss. I will talk to Dianes brother. I see that Downs had a parole hearing in late 2020 but I cant see the outcome. Just saw the video of Dianes parole hearing. I saw footage of Diane herself laughing during the re-enactment of the crime. No. Comments about the title of the website, the blogger, the bias, details like the word bipolar and when it was used when cyclothymic disorder was diagnosed by the person who treated the subject and there is an affidavit posted. Resides in Phoenix, AZ. The roller coaster ride had nothing to do with Diane s children and Diane knew it. Also, aside from her original mental state, which may or may not excuse her aloofness (doesnt prove shes a killer by the way! Susan, I dont know if there ever was a lawsuit against Ann Rule from the Fredericksons family. Her trial was speculative and based on so many fallacies. Some 287 errors and falsehoods were documented by Liysa and verified by official sources. This case had many similarities to the Alice Crimminsstory. And their plan worked. Wasnt it speculative on their part? 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. Her father also insisted shetry to help catch the shooter. She functions best in highly structured environments where she has a sense of control. Its a fact. Thank you Lise. The gun presented at trial being the wrong one is a fact. But due to a law enacted in Oregon after she first became eligible for parole, she can now only apply every 10 years. Of course, because this is what she does when people put her on the spot and ask questions concerning her mother and the shooting. According to Oregon law, this would have to be supported by a psychiatrists report or a Wardens letter and Diane provided both. They had high hopes for Dianes future and this bad boy was not part of it. He then left !his second wife, Charlene, to cohabitate with (and propose marriage to) Diane. Without her daughters testimony and the lies about the gun, they could not have found her guilty in a fair trial. But the high profile nature of the case might hinder the process. I asked her brother James an answer to your question. They sure forgot to tell us about her pulse racing during these sessions. She was the prosecutions only hope. That's insane to think that I would do such a thing and then bring the witnesses in against myself that's crazy.". After all, Cheryl Downs is basically serving a life sentence with no possibility of parole for her mothers crime. Ur not showing facts that Ann Rule lied n misled n ruined lives with. The fact that the judge who presided over the child welfare case and the criminal case was the same individual is absolutely a conflict of interest. I followed the trial. She had one arm totally out of commission. Our legal system is not perfect. It was the story of two troubled young souls trying to survive without a safety net. You seem to forget that even a few jurors started by voting not guilty on some of the charges. Diane now had the title of dangerous offender. Washing soda is your best bet: It includes, among its ingredients, the exceedingly corrosive carbolic acid. The grandparents were babysitting the children often and had several children who were well adjusted. 5. What a terrible injustice. Top 3 Results for Robert Knickerbocker in AZ 1 The best result we found for your search is Robert Knickerbocker age 60s in Phoenix, AZ in the Garfield neighborhood. Diane is not a killer or a liar! 132 records for Robert Knickerbocker. The previous video you sent me shows a Jagger pretty animated and involved in the defense of his client. 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. During a trial, we have to go with evidence only. Dilantin is known to cause mental confusion and you can check it online, but consider the dosage she was on and it needs no clarification. It took months to get Christie to say that her mother was the culprit and that is when they arrested Diane. I feel compelled to comment on this blog, because having recently read Ann Rules book, I feel exactly as you did. Women who were somewhat normal begore, get pregnant, have the baby, then drown it a toilet, kill or beat the the baby in the first year..shaking or other means..its less often then notbut better believe these type of cases are reported constantly now on social media. It is also very is to clean. 6. Or that they are not even curious about it. I bet the records are and always have been sealed regarding this aspect of the case. They did a trace metal test to see if Diane had held a gun. Once again, Diane said a lot of things. I know better now than to accept blindly the truth presented to us on a silver platter by the media and the judicial system. Those cases shouldnt have been in the same court let alone presided over by the same judge. But if the blogger is arguing that the blog is balanced and objective, thats patently untrue. I lived through the media coverage. Mind: Wrongful convicted. The board said that her mental or emotional disorder makes her a danger to society. It was omnipresent in the courtroom as well as the Duran Duran song, The judge instructed them to continue on to force a verdict. Clearly the social workers were working with the DAs office and taking advice on best interest of the children from them. In the nurses notes, she is described as in shock and unable to grasp the situation. Mr. Jagger read the report and said, you were right. What got her convicted was two things the towel and Christie. After the shooting, Robert even came clean to his wife about the affair, and then, went on to help the police in their investigation. ), Interesting suggestion. Dianes injury had to be quite painful and shewas in shockwhile driving to the hospital and accompanying the detectives to the crime scene. I am not biased. #corrupt. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Libby, I quoted what Diane said. All these years later, Diane Downs still maintains her innocence. Was that Annes fault as well? . you quoted what diane said as to what happened When she resisted, he shot her kids and struggled with her. If the police department had done their job properly, I would not have written this blog, no matter the outcome. But, Diane also claimed that Robert had told her that he was planning on leaving his wife and moving to Oregon to be with her. Not that Dianes mental health was not a factor in her letter, but it was definitely taken out of context in some instances. ABC MOVIE FOR TV Small Sacrifices 1989 Farrah Fawcett, Ryan ONeal. I changed the sites email recently to [email protected] I believe DDs case needs to be re looked at and all evidence reviewed. http://www.manipulatedtrial.de/oregon_s_small_sacrifices_1603.pdf. She's been imprisoned for nearly 35 years. Do you remember it would have been around say November 19th of 82 that you would have left Charlene at one time? By the way, this not a Diane Downs is innocent blog. It is a lets examine the facts of the case with hindsight and try to explain some of the inconsistencies and the role of the media and crime writers. And lets wonder why the US think that letting people die in prison is the answer when most civilized countries have reached other conclusions. Authorities confirm former fugitive, Leticia Smith was extradited from Mexico to California. But Diane couldnt do that. One should also wonder why their biological father who was so eager to bash his ex on the stand was not given custody, and did not stay in contact with his two remaining children: relevance? Unfortunately couldnt really do anything at that point, as the movie was not VHS yet, it only aired that oncein late 89. At what point during these meetings did she start calling him Dad? 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.. Kidnapped in broad daylight at home with her children present, she bravely made a 911 call, however a tragic mistake would seal her fate. I try to remain objective in spite of the media storm depicting the case in a certain way, which is not accurate in every aspect. And she would have been under supervision. I dont understand how the family court managed to isolate 2 severely traumatized and grievously injured children from their entire family. It is because she is a high profile person. These women did not show emotions and did not fold when asked to. View theaffidavits. I am a true crime junkie. My website is in the process of being migrated so it has no photos. But Ann Rules utterly biased account is an insult to investigative journalism and there seems to be very reasonable doubt here. I think that Van Houten was recommended for parole by a system that assessed that after 40 years, she was not a threat to society and a reformed woman. But I am realistic. By the way, that interview with Christie by a biased advocate named Angel borders on abusive. (I know that wasnt brought up this time but it usually is.) What this is evidence of is one more piece of the overwhelming amount of bias that was involved from the start of the case. A. Who Is Robert Knickerbocker? On June 2nd, 1983, Juvenile Court Judge Gregory Foote held a hearing to take Christie and Danny away from ALL blood family (thus isolating them). But without proof, Diane couldnt implicate Steve Downs any more than she could shoot him as he violated a restraining order threatening to beat her AGAIN. In hindsight Im sure the grandparents wish they had pursued visitation more aggressively. Meaning a trial where lying or failing to disclose exculpatory evidence by prosecutors is not happening. This case needed to be examined more thoroughly, but the mob mentality didnt allow it. The fruit of this abduction was the May 23, 1983, videotape re-enactment staged by Detective Tracy in which Diane is clearly hysterical. Im not saying I know for a fact in my mind shes innocentbut there is NOT enough evidence for her to be guilty. Any thoughts on that? I dont know either if she is guilty or not, but I believe there is a reasonable doubt surrounding the circumstances. The cops admitted that they never investigated the tips about a bushy haired stranger. Dianes dad died a year or two ago. (Yes, speculative). It gave Anne Rule carte blanche to legally use these labels in her book and it stuck. I am so tired of the victims being forgotten. Of course I saw movie first, then read the bookI wanted more, sadly early Internet days, there wasnt much out there, as far as info or video, picturesnothing really. It was cited that she keeps her emotions close to the vest. Speculative. A new trial would be out of the question, so to me, parole would be the solution. Her parents Willadene and Wes were old school Baptist parents who raised her under strict guidelines without much warmth but complete devotion. So move on. 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 The circumstances surrounding the case were not enough to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. Fred Hugi was pretty upset when Ann Rule went Hollywood with his case. This article is about due process and the legal right to a fair trial for everyone. From what we know about Becky, she had chosen a difficult path and Diane was trying to warn her. Downs was born in Phoenix, Arizona, on August 7, 1955, to Danish and English American parents Wesley Linden and Willadene Frederickson. But my beef is with the interference by the media, TV shows and Ann Rule. He could not during the marriage so he walked away. I personally disagree with that practice but it is common. 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). People can have a certain vibe and act out of the norms, but it does not make them necessarily guilty. Diane then replied, so, put her back on the stand and make her tell the truth. He said he would when it was his turn, but never did. They were in a difficult situation becausewithout evidence, they could notcharge her for the crime. Guilty or not, the case was handled with prejudice and many errors occurred. It does not contradict what I said, but what they said. I write about cases where due process is in question and important aspects were ignored or twisted. So imagine when you are troubled to begin with. Diane was known for her love of all animals whichshe treated with great care, and for her independent and wild streak. It seems they all went the easy way. Robert Knickerbocker was never a suspect or a person of interest in the case. When they recaptured her, she was very docile. CK was willing to take, or attempt to take, the lives of 4 people in order to steal their car. We could say that it was suggestive on his part, but considering how this trial was conducted, I tend to believe it happened. To this day, his record is mixed; his law license was suspended for6 monthsin 2011, and there was also talk of a suspension in 2015. The fact that the Hugis did so successfully is arguably proof of this. To this day, his record is mixed; his law license was suspended for 6 months in 2011, and there was also talk of a suspension in 2015. If you read the blog, you will see examples of his lack of dedication. As far as we know, Robert Knickerbocker, now in his 60s, is retired and living a good, simple life, in his hometown, Arizona, away from the prying eyes of the public. Modernism mixed with Medieval state of mind. The bio family should have been given the same opportunity to see the kids and demonstrate their ability to be the guardians. The two mental disorders that cause excessive talking are Bipolar Disorder and Schizophrenia. That hurt our family deeply. Barry Sheck and bis crew of investigators should get involved. Basically then at that I mean if a guy admits to killing children over and over, shouldnt we pay attention to that? A. I was still living in the house, yes, sir. I agree on many points with your comment. It seemed as if Diane Downs bizarre and tragic story was over when she was sent away to prison to serve her sentence, but on July 11, 1987, Downs escaped from the Oregon Women's Correctional Center in Salem. The diagnosis of the psychiatrist for the state is also clearly documented. Lived In Salt Lake City UT. She was no mother of the year and in the car when the kids got shot. This site is provided as a service of SCI Shared Resources, LLC. 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