(HOUSTON) (AP) - Andrea Yates' capital murder convictions for drowning her children were overturned Thursday by an appeals court, which ruled that a prosecution witness' erroneous testimony about a nonexistent TV episode could have been crucial.
Yates' lawyers had argued at a hearing last month before a three-judge panel of the First Court of Appeals in Houston that psychiatrist Park Dietz was wrong when he mentioned an episode of the TV show "Law & Order" involving a woman found innocent by reason of insanity for drowning her children.
After jurors found Yates guilty, attorneys in the case and jurors learned no such episode existed.
"We conclude that there is a reasonable likelihood that Dr. Dietz's false testimony could have affected the judgment of the jury," the court ruled. "We further conclude that Dr. Dietz's false testimony affected the substantial rights of appellant."
The appellate ruling returns the case for a new trial, although prosecutors said they hoped instead to successfully appeal Thursday's ruling.
"We fully intend to pursue a motion for a rehearing," said Harris County Assistant District Attorney Alan Curry, who argued the case before the appeals court. "Barring that, we'll continue to appeal to the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals. We still believe we have a good shot to prevail in appeal."
Jurors in 2002 sentenced Yates to life in prison in the 2001 deaths of three of her children. She was not tried in the deaths of the other two.
The defense's appeal cited 19 errors from her trial, but the appeals court said since the false testimony issue reversed the conviction, it was not ruling on the other matters. Among other things, Yates attorneys had claimed the Texas insanity standard is unconstitutional.
Prosecutors told the court last month there was no evidence Dietz intentionally lied and that the testimony was evoked by Yates' defense attorney during cross-examination. They also argued that Dietz's testimony wasn't material to the case and there was plenty of other testimony about Yates' plans to kill her children.
"We agree that this case does not involve the state's knowing use of perjured testimony," the appeals court said in its ruling. But the judges said prosecutors did use the testimony twice and referred to it in closing arguments.
A woman answering the telephone at Dietz's Newport Beach, Calif., office said Thursday there was no immediate comment from him or his firm. He had testified the episode aired shortly before the drownings, and other testimony during the trial had indicated that Yates watched the series.
The error came to light during the sentencing phase of the trial. State District Judge Belinda Hill refused a defense request for a mistrial but allowed the attorneys to stipulate to jurors, before they decided on Yates' punishment, that the program did not exist.
Prosecutor Joe Owmby said at the time that Dietz didn't tell him until after his closing arguments in the guilt phase of the trial that he was mistaken about the show.
"He was confused and made an error," Owmby said.
A wet and bedraggled Yates called police to her home on June 20, 2001, and showed them the bodies of her five children: Noah, 7, John, 5, Paul, 3, Luke, 2, and 6-month-old Mary. She had called them into the bathroom and drowned them one by one.
According to testimony, Yates was overwhelmed by motherhood, considered herself a bad mother, and had attempted suicide and been hospitalized for depression.
Prosecutors acknowledged she was mentally ill but argued that she could tell right from wrong and was thus not legally insane.
The case stirred debate over the legal standard for mental illness and whether postpartum depression is properly recognized and taken seriously. Women's groups had harshly criticized prosecutors for pushing for the death penalty.
Dietz is a nationally known expert who also took part in such high profile cases as those of Susan Smith, convicted of killing her two children in a South Carolina lake; serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer; and "Unabomber" Ted Kaczynski.
This is pathetic. A woman confesses to murdering her children and because some moron thought there was a similar episode of law and order the case is overturned? The American Justice system is truly pathetic. At least some asshole lawyer got to put this on his resume.
she did it. but was she guilty by reason of insanity (post pardum depression) or not.
my mom's a nurse, and has delt with mothers with PPD... a friend of her's had it and killed her dog! this is a serious thing... it makes otherwise good people into temporary psychos.
she did it. but was she guilty by reason of insanity (post pardum depression) or not.
my mom's a nurse, and has delt with mothers with PPD... a friend of her's had it and killed her dog! this is a serious thing... it makes otherwise good people into temporary psychos.
That isn't even an issue here. It was overturned because no episode of law and order exists where a mother drowned her children. I cannot believe any court would even listen to such nonsense.
Joined: Sat Oct 16, 2004 10:51 pm Posts: 14534 Location: Mesa,AZ
Kenny wrote:
she did it. but was she guilty by reason of insanity (post pardum depression) or not.
my mom's a nurse, and has delt with mothers with PPD... a friend of her's had it and killed her dog! this is a serious thing... it makes otherwise good people into temporary psychos.
Even if you're a temporary psycho, that's no excuse for drowning your children, or doing anything against the law. I think just about anyone has felt intense stress and temporary insanity, but some of us aren't so selfish as to think we're the only one that matters in this world.
"According to testimony, Yates was overwhelmed by motherhood, considered herself a bad mother, and had attempted suicide and been hospitalized for depression."
Big deal, I've met many people who have been overwhelmed by parenthood and consider themselves bad parents. I see no justification for insanity here.
_________________
John Adams wrote:
In my many years I have come to a conclusion that one useless man is a shame, two is a law firm, and three or more is a congress.
she did it. but was she guilty by reason of insanity (post pardum depression) or not.
my mom's a nurse, and has delt with mothers with PPD... a friend of her's had it and killed her dog! this is a serious thing... it makes otherwise good people into temporary psychos.
That isn't even an issue here. It was overturned because no episode of law and order exists where a mother drowned her children. I cannot believe any court would even listen to such nonsense.
Joined: Wed Dec 08, 2004 8:58 pm Posts: 1148 Location: Green Bay
$úñ_DëV|L wrote:
Kenny wrote:
she did it. but was she guilty by reason of insanity (post pardum depression) or not.
my mom's a nurse, and has delt with mothers with PPD... a friend of her's had it and killed her dog! this is a serious thing... it makes otherwise good people into temporary psychos.
Even if you're a temporary psycho, that's no excuse for drowning your children, or doing anything against the law. I think just about anyone has felt intense stress and temporary insanity, but some of us aren't so selfish as to think we're the only one that matters in this world.
"According to testimony, Yates was overwhelmed by motherhood, considered herself a bad mother, and had attempted suicide and been hospitalized for depression."
Big deal, I've met many people who have been overwhelmed by parenthood and consider themselves bad parents. I see no justification for insanity here.
Just a thought, but there could be different levels of overwhelmed. It's not like you're either overwhelmed or you're not.
_________________ When the last living thing Has died on account of us, How poetical it would be If Earth could say, In a voice floating up Perhaps From the floor Of the Grand Canyon, "It is done. People did not like it here.''
Joined: Mon Oct 18, 2004 12:35 pm Posts: 9621 Location: The Refuge
energystar wrote:
$úñ_DëV|L wrote:
Kenny wrote:
she did it. but was she guilty by reason of insanity (post pardum depression) or not.
my mom's a nurse, and has delt with mothers with PPD... a friend of her's had it and killed her dog! this is a serious thing... it makes otherwise good people into temporary psychos.
Even if you're a temporary psycho, that's no excuse for drowning your children, or doing anything against the law. I think just about anyone has felt intense stress and temporary insanity, but some of us aren't so selfish as to think we're the only one that matters in this world.
"According to testimony, Yates was overwhelmed by motherhood, considered herself a bad mother, and had attempted suicide and been hospitalized for depression."
Big deal, I've met many people who have been overwhelmed by parenthood and consider themselves bad parents. I see no justification for insanity here.
Just a thought, but there could be different levels of overwhelmed. It's not like you're either overwhelmed or you're not.
i can see being overwhelmed enough to kill yourself, but not ever enough to kill your children and not yourself.
_________________ And one day, I will understand computers and I will be the Supreme Being!
Joined: Wed Dec 08, 2004 8:58 pm Posts: 1148 Location: Green Bay
Anaranae wrote:
energystar wrote:
$úñ_DëV|L wrote:
Kenny wrote:
she did it. but was she guilty by reason of insanity (post pardum depression) or not.
my mom's a nurse, and has delt with mothers with PPD... a friend of her's had it and killed her dog! this is a serious thing... it makes otherwise good people into temporary psychos.
Even if you're a temporary psycho, that's no excuse for drowning your children, or doing anything against the law. I think just about anyone has felt intense stress and temporary insanity, but some of us aren't so selfish as to think we're the only one that matters in this world.
"According to testimony, Yates was overwhelmed by motherhood, considered herself a bad mother, and had attempted suicide and been hospitalized for depression."
Big deal, I've met many people who have been overwhelmed by parenthood and consider themselves bad parents. I see no justification for insanity here.
Just a thought, but there could be different levels of overwhelmed. It's not like you're either overwhelmed or you're not.
i can see being overwhelmed enough to kill yourself, but not ever enough to kill your children and not yourself.
She obviously wasn't thinking clearly, so rational thoughts need not apply here.
_________________ When the last living thing Has died on account of us, How poetical it would be If Earth could say, In a voice floating up Perhaps From the floor Of the Grand Canyon, "It is done. People did not like it here.''
Joined: Mon Oct 18, 2004 12:35 pm Posts: 9621 Location: The Refuge
energystar wrote:
Anaranae wrote:
energystar wrote:
$úñ_DëV|L wrote:
Kenny wrote:
she did it. but was she guilty by reason of insanity (post pardum depression) or not.
my mom's a nurse, and has delt with mothers with PPD... a friend of her's had it and killed her dog! this is a serious thing... it makes otherwise good people into temporary psychos.
Even if you're a temporary psycho, that's no excuse for drowning your children, or doing anything against the law. I think just about anyone has felt intense stress and temporary insanity, but some of us aren't so selfish as to think we're the only one that matters in this world.
"According to testimony, Yates was overwhelmed by motherhood, considered herself a bad mother, and had attempted suicide and been hospitalized for depression."
Big deal, I've met many people who have been overwhelmed by parenthood and consider themselves bad parents. I see no justification for insanity here.
Just a thought, but there could be different levels of overwhelmed. It's not like you're either overwhelmed or you're not.
i can see being overwhelmed enough to kill yourself, but not ever enough to kill your children and not yourself.
She obviously wasn't thinking clearly, so rational thoughts need not apply here.
you're not thinking clearly, but you can devise a way as to kill all of your children. ok.
_________________ And one day, I will understand computers and I will be the Supreme Being!
she did it. but was she guilty by reason of insanity (post pardum depression) or not.
my mom's a nurse, and has delt with mothers with PPD... a friend of her's had it and killed her dog! this is a serious thing... it makes otherwise good people into temporary psychos.
That isn't even an issue here. It was overturned because no episode of law and order exists where a mother drowned her children. I cannot believe any court would even listen to such nonsense.
Joined: Wed Dec 08, 2004 8:58 pm Posts: 1148 Location: Green Bay
Anaranae wrote:
energystar wrote:
Anaranae wrote:
energystar wrote:
$úñ_DëV|L wrote:
Kenny wrote:
she did it. but was she guilty by reason of insanity (post pardum depression) or not.
my mom's a nurse, and has delt with mothers with PPD... a friend of her's had it and killed her dog! this is a serious thing... it makes otherwise good people into temporary psychos.
Even if you're a temporary psycho, that's no excuse for drowning your children, or doing anything against the law. I think just about anyone has felt intense stress and temporary insanity, but some of us aren't so selfish as to think we're the only one that matters in this world.
"According to testimony, Yates was overwhelmed by motherhood, considered herself a bad mother, and had attempted suicide and been hospitalized for depression."
Big deal, I've met many people who have been overwhelmed by parenthood and consider themselves bad parents. I see no justification for insanity here.
Just a thought, but there could be different levels of overwhelmed. It's not like you're either overwhelmed or you're not.
i can see being overwhelmed enough to kill yourself, but not ever enough to kill your children and not yourself.
She obviously wasn't thinking clearly, so rational thoughts need not apply here.
you're not thinking clearly, but you can devise a way as to kill all of your children. ok.
Killing is easy to do, no matter what frame of mind you're in. Who knows, maybe she was abducted by creatures from the planet Tralfamadore, who brainwashed her to kill her kids. I don't know what she was thinking at the time...and neither do you.
_________________ When the last living thing Has died on account of us, How poetical it would be If Earth could say, In a voice floating up Perhaps From the floor Of the Grand Canyon, "It is done. People did not like it here.''
Joined: Sun Oct 17, 2004 1:14 am Posts: 37778 Location: OmaGOD!!! Gender: Male
PJDoll wrote:
Kenny wrote:
PJDoll wrote:
Kenny wrote:
she did it. but was she guilty by reason of insanity (post pardum depression) or not.
my mom's a nurse, and has delt with mothers with PPD... a friend of her's had it and killed her dog! this is a serious thing... it makes otherwise good people into temporary psychos.
That isn't even an issue here. It was overturned because no episode of law and order exists where a mother drowned her children. I cannot believe any court would even listen to such nonsense.
I guess misinformation requires a retrial.
Shouldn't the misinformation be material?
What do you think YOU'RE a lawyer now too?
Yes, it should be. We don't know the context that this evidence was presented. It is the key legal issue involved.
*refuses to touch PPD discussion*
--PunkDavid
_________________ Unfortunately, at the Dawning of the Age of Aquarius, the Flower Children jerked off and went back to sleep.
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