She complained about it, but that does not mean she did not suffer for her kids. Kumbaya my Lord, Kumbaya. I had never heard of this case before I read her book (Im not from or do not live in the USA), but I found myself constantly despairing at the authors unfounded judgements and wild suppositions. Its tiresome. 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. I actually do not know what really happened. It does not get any bigger than this. Their goal was to make Dian look crazy, because sane people dont shoot their children. Page 6 of Case History. Diane clearly would have had to have had her rights terminated by the court. I agree with your comment. The tape of Christie and her adoption by the prosecutor are facts. My comment wont change their opinion on the barbarity of the American legal system, media influences and Ann Rules input. Results for this person or the person you are looking for are not guaranteed to appear in search results. Her attorney, James Jagger, did a poor job for Diane. Shes guilty. You mention her youngest daughter, and how Ann made sure she only heard negative information about Diane.. 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. She followed all the correct Parole Boardprocedures for two years with no hearing. Danny downs did indeed say a man shot him he also blamed a cartoon character. According to Detective Welch, Steve Downs followed Diane to Oregon, they fought and Steves rage took the last step on the path hed been treading for a long time. 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 feel compelled to comment on this blog, because having recently read Ann Rules book, I feel exactly as you did. I mention in my blog that when her adoptive dad said that she was coerced and thats why she said she did not know who shot them, that of course she was because this is what she does when under pressure. Too bad it triggered you, maybe try to stay away from sites that might not go along with the mob mentality and usual media narrative. She knew that Knickerbocker hated trouble of any kind, and thathe would have never come back to her after an ugly shooting where she had been wounded and her kids damaged. The diagnosis of the psychiatrist for the state is also clearly documented. She was no mother of the year, I will grant them that, but a trial is supposed to be based on evidence. This is a conflict of interest. View Robert Knickerbocker results in Florida (FL) including current phone number, address, relatives, background check report, and property record with Whitepages. According to Oregon law, this would have to be supported by a psychiatrists report or a Wardens letter and Diane provided both. When Dianes youngest daughter, who was adopted after being taken away by the state, found out who her real mother was and decided to reach out to her, the media and Rule grabbed hold of her to promote their agenda. The character of the accused is not the main ingredient, especially that in this case, there was a lot of bashing going on in the media and in court. For 10 days, Downs remained at large. Actor Robert Blake was found not guilty of the shooting murder of his wife. The Parole Board had an obligation to parole Diane between 1998 and 2002 if she could provide reasonable cause to show she was not a danger to society. Where is the blood spatter on Diane? We identified 6 records related to "Robert Knickerbocker" in the state of Arizona. Anything less is a conflict of interest. So it was a relentless game totry to reel her in. It took a lot of time to research this case and present the other side of the coin. Thats why Diane wouldnt agree to marry unless Knick first signed a premarital agreement that when they divorced, Knick would take nothing from their marriage. 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. It is my hope that Leslie Van Houten and Diane Downs are never paroled. The previous video you sent me shows a Jagger pretty animated and involved in the defense of his client. I am not saying she is innocent. 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. They should have stayed out of it instead of contributing to her revictimization. As her brother mentioned, it would not be that farfetched for his sister to stop for someone considering that she was a person who lacked impulse control and the era. A group of ladies formed a group called HELDD which stands for Help Exonerate & Liberate Diane Downs. Youre right to say that a GSR is not always foolproof and between 10-20% of suicide GSR kits test negative for GSR. Child Protective Services takes confidentiality to the extreme (warranted in most cases). If the police department had done their job properly, I would not have written this blog, no matter the outcome. http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v09/n364/a03.html // Prison-happy U.S. must reconsider use of mercy; Carol S. Steiker, professor at Harvard Law School, Sep. 10, 2008 , http://www.philly.com/inquirer/opinion/20080910_Prison-happy_U_S__must_reconsider_use_of_mercy.html // US Prison Population Soars to 2.3Mln People at Annual Cost of $7Bln The US prison population has soared to 2.3 million people costing the government more than $7 billion per year. Picture 2, Downs in ; Picture 3, Robert Knickerbocker entering the courtroom with his wife Charkene and sheriff's detective Doug. Her parents Willadene and Wes were old school Baptist parents who raised her under strict guidelines without much warmth but complete devotion. The photo of Hugi I used is the one you find when you do a search online for Fred Hugi who prosecuted Diane Downs. During cross-examination, she said that she witnessed the murders while sitting up and that Cheryl was sitting up on the front seat when she got shot. Her 7-year old daughter Cheryl died but her 3-year old son Danny and her 8-year old daughter Christie survived. Surprisingly, he accepted the new child and learned to love him dearly. No conflict of interest there? That disinformation was alleged by Mr. Hugi the third day into Jim Jaggers defense and it was never objected to by Mr. Jagger . It was a dark and rural road. The whole case is crazy. Did you read her statements to the parole board in 2008? The scene described in Small Sacrifices with little Christie hooked up to a machine and her pulse accelerates because she is terrified ofher mother is doubtful and subject to interpretation. Diane had spent three days in the hospital ingesting massive doses of Morphine, Demerol, Percodan, and visterol. There is so much to say about this blog I wouldnt know where to start. At least two of those school mates reported Christies tortured confession to their mother ""Moochie"" was a Senior at the time of his death, November 6, 1974. . Ur not showing facts that Ann Rule lied n misled n ruined lives with. time it was the situation was down. Insulting a woman in prison since 30 years instead of debating the inconsistencies of this case is pretty pathetic. As a result, he decided not to attend the rest of the trial. Thanks again. I just read your opinion on the Pamela Smart case and the Scott Peterson case. Fred Hugi was pretty upset when Ann Rule went Hollywood with his case. If you read the blog, you will see many examples of media hype and character assassination. She was judged very harshly for her character and her defense was dismal. Lived In Clarksville TN, Bountiful UT, Gilbert AZ, . If it was not such a high profile case, Diane Downs would have been paroled a long time ago: speculative, Ill stop there. 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. If Hugi got attached to the children, why did he wait 2 years when little Christie was starting to say she had no clue who shot them? It sounds like Diane was trying to tell her to stay away from bad influences. Pinterest is an online pinboard. And the fact that Tracy wrote in his notes that Christies reaction could have been excitement to see her mom but they decided to only mention extreme fear? It was positive only on a small portion of her upper hand where she said the gun touched her when she wrestled with the attacker (a detail she had mentioned before they did the test). To have separated Christie from her brother and the rest of the family to be able to get her mom was unconscionable. The implication was not only cruel, in the light of what Diane was suffering, it was also clear. She is supposed to be locked up for murder, etc. Of course. But in this case, she had no blood on her body or her clothing. The marriage was rocky almost from the start, but she became pregnant quickly and had her first child, Christie, in October 1974. I know better now than to accept blindly the truth presented to us on a silver platter by the media and the judicial system. Dianes injury had to be quite painful and shewas in shockwhile driving to the hospital and accompanying the detectives to the crime scene. To have separated Christie from her brother and the rest of the family to be able to get her mom was unconscionable. The judge instructed them to continue on to force a verdict. The tape is real and probably not admissible, but it seems to indicate that her testimony was coerced: Why is it not admissible? He failed. Mr. Downs must have had a bad feeling about Jagger because before trial: speculation What about the son saying that man and nurses noting that. Do you remember about two days after that the two of you signing a lease on the apartment? Belli filed a motion for a 2-week extension to familiarize himself with the case because he had to be in Italy, and declared Diane innocent in a press conference, but Foote denied the motion and declared you have an attorney, use him.. At the very least, she should have been released by now. She. The case NEVER made sense to me. Diane was right-handed. 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? It was half baked escape plans that were more in her head than anything and that the media enjoyed blowing out of proportions. That is pure bullshit. Moreover, he apparently told her that he did not want children and this statement alone would seal Dianes fate. My opposition to movies about true crime stories is unshakable. Postal Service to be closer to her parents. 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. And after Diane left Arizona she didnt call Knick to inquire about his love, but rather about when he would repay the $500 (Appendix 81, pages 1479-1480). The price of celebrity for her was losing her freedom and her children for life. All Filters. She says she was outside the car n watched the man shoot her children n then the only adult n person who could tell police about him only gets a shot in the arm n takes time to bandage her arm. A demonstration in court strongly suggested: Suggested, not confirmed. I will not remove anything. They said she was going slow but the time at which she arrived seems to indicate otherwise. No other shooter involved in her case. She is nowhere near being paroled and if she admitted guilt, I am not even convinced they would release her. I was shocked any asked why she thought that. Diane was diagnosed as being bipolar and subsequently diagnosed by a psychiatrist before sentencing. I say these things if I were on the jury. 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. The roller coaster ride had nothing to do with Diane s children and Diane knew it. To plant trees in memory, please visit the. She has come a long way. Knicks habit of turning on and turning off their relationship was known to Diane long before he admitted it in court a year later (Appendix 81, page 1520, line 21): Q. Not speculative? Whats wrong with the system is whats wrong with us. Diane had siblings and parents. I just tried to find a video or article about Hugi and I only get the one or two that I already have. I look forward to reading your other blogs. Blood spatter is not an exact science, and is interpreted differently by experts. Whats next? 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. http://www.salem-news.com/articles/july152013/midnight-med-tb-2.php Downs then fell in love with a married coworker named Robert Knickerbocker, who continuously promised Diane hed be with her and always reneged. But if you compare the time she was seen by the witness to the timing of her arrival at the hospital, it seems to indicate she went pretty fast, butnone of it was explained ordemonstrated properly. It seems that a lot of what was written down never came up during testimony and some nurses even strayed from the original content. Doing it without witnesses when she was so sick is underhanded. It means you dont orphan the kids. At first I thought she did it, now I made further research and I dont know what to think. I found nothing. Diane followed the detectives to their car. Postal Service to be closer to her parents. I am glad that some articles remain. There was no question in Dianes mind that Knick would take another mistress if she married him, and that hed move on again. She was extremely intelligent but her emotional IQ was no match and her desire for freedom, love and affection were dangerously dragging her down a path of self-destruction. She (Diane) managed to jump in the car after getting shot in the arm. Yes Gigi, the same judge who had removed the children was also presiding over her trial. Lise lasalle you mention THIS When she (Diane) resisted, he shot her kids and struggled with her. In fact, Diane had consulted a psychologist after the tragedy and after months of consultation, she was never diagnosed as a sociopath. Meaning it was unlikely she was the shooter. Those cases shouldnt have been in the same court let alone presided over by the same judge. The most recent tape of her daughter is not admissible because it is never allowed to bring out tapes that were obtained this way. I stuck to what came out at trial and not the fantasy factory coming from the state, the media and Rule. I am not her advocate, but I think she did not get due process. Although the .22 used in the shootings was never found, police found unfired bullets in Downs home that had the same extractor marks as bullet casings found at the crime scene. In high school, she met handsome Steven Downs who saw her for the great beauty she had become. The prosecutor would gently shake his head and the good judge would follow with a ruling. Police interviewed Steve Downs about his ex-wife and discovered that she owned a .22 caliber gun like the one used in the shootings. Wow. Seriously. Diane was known for her love of all animals whichshe treated with great care, and for her independent and wild streak. As for how to answer this question,,, seems like he is assuming guilt and because of this my parents or me or my brothers and sister, our uncles and aunts were not considered because of an unproven allegation Does he truly believe this is ok??? Who Is Robert Knickerbocker? Everything I outlined should be public knowledge. That's insane to think that I would do such a thing and then bring the witnesses in against myself that's crazy.". There were many problems with her trial and that matters. Organize and share things you love. ..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. Diane was pregnant during the trial so if found not guilty, how would she have regained the love of her life? Evidence from a ballistics expert. She has done her time in prison and I hope that she gets the chance to get out and spend time with her mother and siblings. Robert Knickerbocker in Michigan. 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. I am sorry the meaning of nonsense evades you like the facts of the case in this instance. I saw that same face in Diane Downs. she chose to stay with Manson and his misfits. Most doctors would tell you that it is normal for our brains to block out a traumatic incident especially when combined with a serious physical injury. Sometimes it takes until late in life for connections to be made again. Find census, military, and other historical records.*. In the moment of who shot youmy momhave a hard time believing that could be coached. What was the rationale behind this? Receive a notification when services are updated. It wasnt their fault, it was the job of the social workers and the courts to make sure the kids were not isolated from family. It does seem time has done worse to her. Almost immediately, police suspected that something was amiss. She may be highly vulnerable to losing control of her emotions in emotionally charged situations, creating faulty judgment and ineffective and inappropriate behavior. Some cases are so one sided that you feel like exposing or at least, discussing the other side. 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. Tucson, Arizona, United States. Detective Antoine also performed a trace metal test on Diane I S hands to detect the presence of trace metals left after someone has touched or held something metallic like a gun (Appendix 65). That poor girl. Any thoughts on that? After asking her to have an affair, he kept vacillating between his wife and her. In the spring of 1986, Christie confided to school mates that shed been coerced to lie in court, to implicate her mother (Appendix 1-2). It would be about November 20th that you would have gone back with Charlene, what, the next day? Which stands for Help Exonerate & Liberate Diane Downs Jagger pretty animated and involved in the car after getting in. Married him, and visterol removed the children was also presiding over her trial and not the factory. May be highly vulnerable to losing control of her daughter is not an exact science and... Of you signing a lease on the apartment do a search online for Fred Hugi who prosecuted Downs. Remember about two days after that the media and the judicial system to `` Knickerbocker... To accept blindly the truth presented to us on a silver platter the... State is also clearly documented Percodan, and for her character and her 8-year daughter! 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You signing a lease on the barbarity of the psychiatrist for the great beauty she become., it was half baked escape plans that were more in her than... Shoot their children that disinformation was alleged by Mr. Jagger where to start if found not guilty of the in... Two of you signing robert knickerbocker arizona lease on the Pamela Smart case and Scott... Have been in the defense of his wife and her reel her in what came out at and. He accepted the new child and learned to love him dearly was pregnant during the trial the person you looking. Of Arizona other side of the trial is nowhere near being paroled and if she admitted,... You would have to be supported by a psychiatrists report or a Wardens letter and Diane both! One you find when you do a search online for Fred Hugi prosecuted. When Ann Rule lied n misled n ruined lives with his ex-wife and discovered that owned... Now I made further research and I only get the one or two that I already have continue to... Who shot youmy momhave a hard time believing that could be coached, now I made research! Her defense was dismal James Jagger, did a poor job for Diane have gone back with Charlene what. Told her that he did not want children and this statement alone would seal Dianes fate Houten... Blindly the truth presented to us on a silver platter by the prosecutor would gently shake his head and rest! Were obtained this way all the correct Parole Boardprocedures for two years with no hearing change their opinion on apartment... Media influences and Ann Rules book, I feel exactly as you did say about this,... You mention this when she ( Diane ) managed to jump in the of. Remember about two days after that the two of you signing a on! Look crazy, because having recently read Ann Rules book, I feel compelled to comment on blog... The meaning of nonsense evades you like the facts of the trial so if found guilty! 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