Andrea Yates Gets a New Trial
Andrea Yates, the woman who drowned her 5 children in 2002 is set to be re-tried on the charges, a Texas Appeals Court has ruled. Yates conviction has been overturned because of false testimony by a key witness. The DA is obviously very confident that even after the retrial, he would get his convictions back. Yates claimed to be mentally ill and suffering from postpartum depression (where is Tom Cruise when you REALLY need him?). Apparently, the testimony given by a forensic psychiatrist is what turned the convictions over because he hinted that Crazy Yates could have watched an episode of "Law and Order" in which a women drowned her kids and got off on the mentally ill plea.
Just because I watch Scarface doesn'tmean I'm gonna go out and become a drug dealer and hook up with the Colombian gangsters does it? Does that mean if I did I could claim mental illness, because I surely would. Seems like everyone is "mentally ill" these days, right?
Conviction Overturned - CNN
Just because I watch Scarface doesn'tmean I'm gonna go out and become a drug dealer and hook up with the Colombian gangsters does it? Does that mean if I did I could claim mental illness, because I surely would. Seems like everyone is "mentally ill" these days, right?
Conviction Overturned - CNN
posted by Ms X at 12:17 PM
Comments:
Just because I watch Scarface doesn'tmean I'm gonna go out and become a drug dealer and hook up with the Colombian gangsters does it?
Tony Montana didn't really "hook up" with Columbians. He killed every Columbian he came across in that movie pretty much.
Tony Montana didn't really "hook up" with Columbians. He killed every Columbian he came across in that movie pretty much.
Actually, everyone is not mentally ill. In fact, insanity defenses are rare and just as rarely successful. In the case of Ms. Yates who had been in and out of mental hospitals for several years; I think it was a legitimate defense but under Texas law it didn't matter. It only required her to know what she did was wrong. I think it is unfortunate that (1) people mistakenly believe "not guilty by reason of insanity" means someone is getting away with a crime when often these people spend more time locked up than someone who is convicted of murder, and (2) such attitudes have made it far more difficult for people with legitimate, documented mental illness to be viewed as sick and not just criminal.
No one advocates that Ms. Yates not be held accountable for the deaths of her children, but at least acknowledge her mental health issues likely played a part and had they been properly treated she likely would not have committed the murders.
No one advocates that Ms. Yates not be held accountable for the deaths of her children, but at least acknowledge her mental health issues likely played a part and had they been properly treated she likely would not have committed the murders.
i was wondering about the comments thing too. and i totally agree with sb on upping her dosage of whatever wherever she may be.
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# posted by 
: 4:18 PM, November 09, 2005
: 4:18 PM, November 09, 2005
