BREAKING NEWS: Andrea Yates Not Guilty in Retrial
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Derek Ortt
HOUSTON, Texas (AP) -- Andrea Yates was found not guilty by reason of insanity Wednesday in the bathtub drownings of her young children.
The 42-year-old will be committed to a state mental hospital, with periodic hearings before a judge to determine whether she should be released.
If convicted of murder, she would have faced life in prison.
Yates' attorneys never disputed that she drowned 6-month-old Mary, 2-year-old Luke, 3-year-old Paul, 5-year-old John and 7-year-old Noah in their Houston-area home in June 2001. But they said she suffered from severe postpartum psychosis and, in a delusional state, believed Satan was inside her and was trying to save them from hell.
Yates stared wide-eyed as the verdict was read. She then bowed her head and wept quietly.
The jury, split evenly men to women, had deliberated for about 12 hours over three days before finding Yates not guilty by reason of insanity.
The jurors had not been told that she would be committed to a mental institution for treatment if found not guilty.
Prosecutors had maintained that Yates failed to meet the state's definition of insanity: that a severe mental illness prevents someone who is committing a crime from knowing that it is wrong.
An earlier jury had found Yates guilty of murder in her children's deaths, but that verdict was overturned on appeal because erroneous testimony. Prosecutors retried her on the same three counts of murder.
The 42-year-old will be committed to a state mental hospital, with periodic hearings before a judge to determine whether she should be released.
If convicted of murder, she would have faced life in prison.
Yates' attorneys never disputed that she drowned 6-month-old Mary, 2-year-old Luke, 3-year-old Paul, 5-year-old John and 7-year-old Noah in their Houston-area home in June 2001. But they said she suffered from severe postpartum psychosis and, in a delusional state, believed Satan was inside her and was trying to save them from hell.
Yates stared wide-eyed as the verdict was read. She then bowed her head and wept quietly.
The jury, split evenly men to women, had deliberated for about 12 hours over three days before finding Yates not guilty by reason of insanity.
The jurors had not been told that she would be committed to a mental institution for treatment if found not guilty.
Prosecutors had maintained that Yates failed to meet the state's definition of insanity: that a severe mental illness prevents someone who is committing a crime from knowing that it is wrong.
An earlier jury had found Yates guilty of murder in her children's deaths, but that verdict was overturned on appeal because erroneous testimony. Prosecutors retried her on the same three counts of murder.
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Derek Ortt wrote:from what I have heard about then case, which is limited, this was the correct verdict, from a scientific point of view.
Get this looney the help she needs. Hopefully the state does not fail her, as it often does many
I agree with you completely. The verdict seems to be the right one. Not guilty doesn't equal walking free.
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CajunMama
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JonathanBelles
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Derek Ortt
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PTrackerLA
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I'm very encouraged by today's verdict. It shows that there is justice in our system and that every jury isn't bloodthirsty.
You can't have justice in a system where everyone dismisses science as quackery, places automatic guilt, and thinks that every criminal should die.
It's a good day for America.
You can't have justice in a system where everyone dismisses science as quackery, places automatic guilt, and thinks that every criminal should die.
It's a good day for America.
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Skywatch_NC
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Skywatch_NC wrote:That's the strange thing about IN-sanity...
1) Hinckley knew he had a gun when he opened fire on Reagan, Brady, a secret service man and a police officer.
2) Yates knew she was forcing/holding her children underwater.
etc., etc....
Whether you knew what you were doing isn't the issue. Whether you were capable of logical judgment and knowing right from wrong is the issue.
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Stratosphere747
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The only problem is the fact that she could someday walk out free...
If they want to find her "not guilty by reason of insanity" then fine.
But she should be sentenced to a mental institution for the rest of her natural born life, not having reviews every so often to see if she has become "sane" again.
Sickest part was to hear that low life ex-husband of hers, describe their realtionship....
If they want to find her "not guilty by reason of insanity" then fine.
But she should be sentenced to a mental institution for the rest of her natural born life, not having reviews every so often to see if she has become "sane" again.
Sickest part was to hear that low life ex-husband of hers, describe their realtionship....
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Derek Ortt
the key is she is not guilty. If she is cured (and the way state hospitals are, that is unlikely) she SHOULD be set free. The issue as to whether or not she killed the children is not debated... its the issue as to whether or not she comitted MURDER, which involves the intent to kill and the ability to rationally determine that what she was doing was wrong at the time of the killing. The jury found these conditions were not met
That said, I did not listent to the entire preceedings, just going on what I have heard so far
That said, I did not listent to the entire preceedings, just going on what I have heard so far
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beachbum_al
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How does a jury found someone like her not guilty? Of course she is insane. Anyone who would do that to an innocent child has to be insane. Today is a sad day for five innocent children in heaven. The one person that they should been able to trust and have unconditional love from is found not guilty for a horrible crime she committed. Something is seriously wrong with our judicial system when someone like Andrea Yates is found not guilty. She might get away with what she did on earth but someday she will have to answer to someone else for her evil actions.
I look at my three children each day and thank the Lord for them. And then I think of her and what she did. I have one child in heaven and I can't even begin to describe what that feels like. I just don't understand someone like Andrea Yates. I would had given up my own life to save my son if I could had. She is a monster in my eyes.
And her husband. He is another mysterious, strange one. If my husband thought or was told by the doctors that I might be threat to our girls he would quickly make sure they were safe and I was getting help. Where was he? I know he has lost five children but how can he support the woman who murder them and still say he loves her.
I look at my three children each day and thank the Lord for them. And then I think of her and what she did. I have one child in heaven and I can't even begin to describe what that feels like. I just don't understand someone like Andrea Yates. I would had given up my own life to save my son if I could had. She is a monster in my eyes.
And her husband. He is another mysterious, strange one. If my husband thought or was told by the doctors that I might be threat to our girls he would quickly make sure they were safe and I was getting help. Where was he? I know he has lost five children but how can he support the woman who murder them and still say he loves her.
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gtalum
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beachbum_al wrote:How does a jury found someone like her not guilty? Of course she is insane.
There's your answer right there. Our system of laws considers insanity to be a defense of criminal behavior, such that when an insane person commits an otherwise criminal act, they are institutionalized rather than imprisoned or executed. Juries are morally and legally bound to act based on the law.
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rainstorm
gtalum wrote:It's not like she's going to be set free. Personally I find this verdict surprising, though.
she will be set free, just a matter of time. im sorry, but she drown 5 of her kids, the worst eveil there is on earth. i was totally disgusted at the reaction of her husband. those 5 lives meant nothing to either of them.
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