TX - Five Yates children drowned, Houston, 20 June 2001 *Insanity*

[RiverRat]

If only all of the other "sane" killers would call 911 to confess their crime....

 

[kk's mom]

I must disagree. I feel that Andrea Yates is a cold and calculated murderer who is using mental illness as an excuse for the premeditation and eventual methodic murders of her 5 children.

She knew for 2 years that she had thoughts of murdering her children and never once in her visits to the mental facilities or doctors did she mention this. She knew she had to murder them after Rusty left and her MIL came in 40 minutes. She did them from weakest to strongest and then called 911.

I have been called closeminded because of my views on this, but I stand by my thoughts and believe that Andrea Yates should be given the DP for what she did to her babies.

IMO, this was her out.

Those poor babies.

I agree with you completely :clap:

 

[Jeana (DP)]

I think Andrea Yates is the epitome of legal insanity. If there are to be any laws allowing for the recognition of insanity as a defense, they should apply in her case.

I agree with those who believe a mental hospital is the correct place for Andrea Yates to be incarcerated.

I agree 100% LP!

 

[Jeana (DP)]

I hope Rusty isn't allowed any conjugal-type visits. She needs help and I think he contributed to her mental illness.

Well, they're divorced, so he's out of the picture - finally.

 

[cinsbythesea]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/11144507/

Here's the MSNBC article from today. I'm generally not too fond of defense laywers but hers is tops in my book.

 

[2sisters]

I am probably going to catch hell for this but, isn't it weird that when a father kills his kids everyone is out for blood? There have been so many threads over a father killing a child and we want him to be put under the jail before trial but when a woman does this she is being excused for her behavior b/c of mental illness. If you get down to it ANYONE who would kill their child has got to be mentally ill in my book b/c there is no way a sane and loving parent could do that to their own child. I mean, Ted Bundy was menatally ill but that doesn't mean he didn't get what he deserved. I could never imagine drowning 5 kids one by one. I do hope she gets the help she needs and a fair trial all criminals deserve that( in some cases it's hard to think that but they do.) This topic has probably been covered so I'm sorry if i missed it by the way.

 

[bugs]

If only all of the other "sane" killers would call 911 to confess their crime....

This is so true!

 

[Jeana (DP)]

No matter what she is, she isn't dead and in the ground but those children are. If she's mentally ill then I hope she gets the help she needs. It wont ever be enough though b/c when she regains sanity she will have to think about what she did for the rest of her life and that will probably make her insane all over again.

This has been the vicious cycle of her incarceration at the prision mental facility. They give her meds and counseling and once she realizes the full ramifications of her actions, she retreats back into black dispair and depression. This will be recurring throughout her life. So, while she may change her physical location, she'll still be in the same place. She'll never been free to walk amongst us.

She's been in the prision mental facility since her arrest, so why anyone thinks that even if she's convicted in a new trial, anything will be any different, they've got another thing coming. She's most likely going right back to the mental hospital where she belongs.

 

[Jeana (DP)]

If only all of the other "sane" killers would call 911 to confess their crime....

Unfortunately "sane" and Andrea Yates couldn't be further apart.

 

[BrendaStar]

She's been in the prision mental facility since her arrest, so why anyone thinks that even if she's convicted in a new trial, anything will be any different, they've got another thing coming. She's most likely going right back to the mental hospital where she belongs.

But to put everyone thru a trial again to put her back in the mental hospital.......it sounds dreadful.

 

[bugs]

This has been the vicious cycle of her incarceration at the prision mental facility. They give her meds and counseling and once she realizes the full ramifications of her actions, she retreats back into black dispair and depression. This will be recurring throughout her life. So, while she may change her physical location, she'll still be in the same place. She'll never been free to walk amongst us.

She's been in the prision mental facility since her arrest, so why anyone thinks that even if she's convicted in a new trial, anything will be any different, they've got another thing coming. She's most likely going right back to the mental hospital where she belongs.

This is so sad. So all that thinks she should pay for what she did, well she is.

 

[Jeana (DP)]

But to put everyone thru a trial again to put her back in the mental hospital.......it sounds dreadful.

Yes. She'll be in a mental hospital, the only thing undecided is which one. I'm not sure the prision mental hospital was someplace I'd ever want to have to set foot, but since she has absolutely no money, she'll end up in a state run mental facility. To me, that sounds like hell on earth - FAR WORSE than prison, IMO.

 

[calus_3]

If I had my preference, I would juice Ted Kennedy up and let him drive her across the canal on the way to the hospital!

There isn't enough pain nor punishment for this woman!

Cal

 

[Jeana (DP)]

I am probably going to catch hell for this but, isn't it weird that when a father kills his kids everyone is out for blood? There have been so many threads over a father killing a child and we want him to be put under the jail before trial but when a woman does this she is being excused for her behavior b/c of mental illness. If you get down to it ANYONE who would kill their child has got to be mentally ill in my book b/c there is no way a sane and loving parent could do that to their own child. I mean, Ted Bundy was menatally ill but that doesn't mean he didn't get what he deserved. I could never imagine drowning 5 kids one by one. I do hope she gets the help she needs and a fair trial all criminals deserve that( in some cases it's hard to think that but they do.) This topic has probably been covered so I'm sorry if i missed it by the way.

I've been on WS from almost day ONE. This is the FIRST time I've ever felt the insanity defense had merit.

She knows, and her attorney knows that she will NEVER be free to walk amongst society and they're not asking for that. They WANT her in a mental facility where she can get the help she needs.

 

[Lauren]

In my opinion, even with another trial. She will end up at a mental facility for the rest of her days. I am just glad Rusty is out of the picture. He was of no help to her.

 

[Jules]

I mean, Ted Bundy was menatally ill but that doesn't mean he didn't get what he deserved.

Ted Bundy was certainly not mentally ill. In fact, he was quite smart. Unfortunately, he was evil as well.

 

[Jules]

I'm going to copy belonw Mama-Cita's post from the other Andrea thread. She sums things up beautifully. (Jeana - if that's not ok to do, please remove her post - thanks!)

Mama-Cita: Sane people do not self-mutilate. Sane people do not go into catatonic states for several weeks at a time. Sane people do not attempt suicide multiple times. She was cuckoo, the ship had sailed, Elvis had left the building. Yes she called 911, but have you seen the text of the call? How could a sane person be talking so non-chalantly, "Umm, I just need the police to come." Sane would probably be freaking out at that point, "OMG WTH did I just do?!?!?!" If you have never seen a person who has completely lost touch with reality, then consider yourself blessed. I am a nurse and in psych wards have seen people whose "reality" is much different than yours or mine. Google search this case and read more about Andrea's state of being before the murders. If you still think she is sane after that, then I am not sure what insanity is. This woman was failed by her husband, by her family and by her doctors. She should have been institutionalized long before she had a chance to have the psychotic break that she did and kill her babies. Also, "talking about her problems" didn't require sanity in her case, just large doses of haldol to bring her back to reality.

 

[Marine Mom]

If I had my preference, I would juice Ted Kennedy up and let him drive her across the canal on the way to the hospital!

Cal

 

[Lauren]

I'm going to copy belonw Mama-Cita's post from the other Andrea thread. She sums things up beautifully. (Jeana - if that's not ok to do, please remove her post - thanks!)

Mama-Cita: Sane people do not self-mutilate. Sane people do not go into catatonic states for several weeks at a time. Sane people do not attempt suicide multiple times. She was cuckoo, the ship had sailed, Elvis had left the building. Yes she called 911, but have you seen the text of the call? How could a sane person be talking so non-chalantly, "Umm, I just need the police to come." Sane would probably be freaking out at that point, "OMG WTH did I just do?!?!?!" If you have never seen a person who has completely lost touch with reality, then consider yourself blessed. I am a nurse and in psych wards have seen people whose "reality" is much different than yours or mine. Google search this case and read more about Andrea's state of being before the murders. If you still think she is sane after that, then I am not sure what insanity is. This woman was failed by her husband, by her family and by her doctors. She should have been institutionalized long before she had a chance to have the psychotic break that she did and kill her babies. Also, "talking about her problems" didn't require sanity in her case, just large doses of haldol to bring her back to reality.

I agree. Until you have worked or been with a person who is mentally ill. You cannot know what will happen. They are people we see all the time. The person who you think is the town drunk/bum or a person who is high functioning it happens to all kinds. Mentally ill must be dilligent about their medications and keeping ALL their appts. I feel her insanity plea would be alot more believable than some of the others I have heard. I feel bad for those children. This did not have to happen.

 

[Only4Justice]

Hi All,

This case was the motivator behind my interest in true crime.

I am somewhat unsettled hearing that Andrea has been released from prison. Although I firmly believe she is mentally ill, I also believe she needs to be held accountable for the horrible senseless crimes she committed.

Although she even looks mentally ill to me (her eyes look kind of wild, IMO)....To see her free out in the sunshine outside the courthouse is not setting well with me.

I do agree with you, Jeana, if anyone fits the description of mentally ill, it is this woman. I have read alot about her case, and her condition before the murders. She was crying out for help, but no one picked up on it, or didn't want to be bothered.

I do believe she lives in a prison in her mind....if she comes back to reality she has to look squarely at what she did to her own children, and I wouldn't wish that on anyone.

_______________________________________

The above is my opinion only and I AM entitled to have one!