HOUSTON - In a dramatic turnaround from her first murder trial, Andrea Yates was found not guilty by reason of insanity yesterday in the drowning of her five children in a bathtub. Yates' chief attorney, George Parnham, called the new verdict:
"a watershed for mental illness and the criminal justice system."
Damn ... a watershed for mental illness is the phrase I was going to use as the sub-heading for the blog. Now I'll probably have to buy it from that attorney.
Aside from being a poor choice of metaphor, I don't know why the mentally ill needed a watershed moment, but apparently the criminal justice system does. In this instance, perhaps criminal justice is the biggest oxymoron of 2006. Unless you consider that justice has been given to the criminal, then it's just stupid.
I just don't get the "not guilty by reason of insanity" defense. Either she is guilty or not. Anyone who commits a crime is mentally ill in some manner, and if someone is so deranged that she drowns her own children, she doesn't deserve to go to a mental health facility. She needs to be incarcerated for life, which would have been her sentence if she were found guilty.
So, the criminal justice system has seen fit to put Yates in a mental hospital until she is "no longer deemed a threat", which is probably soon, since she has run out of children.
7 comments:
I think her husband is just as much to blame as she is. Here is a nice summary of all of the "warning signs" he witnessed:
http://www.therationalradical.com/dsep/0901/andrea-yates.htm
This list leaves out the part about her Dr. telling her not to have any more children.
He also was very upset when she was first in prison, following the murder of his 5 children, that they would not allow him conjugal visits so that they could have more children.
If she is ever released, I hope he is not allowed within 100 miles of her.
Another part of the story: The children's father, Rusty Yates, muttered, "Wow!" as he, too, cried.
I wonder what "wow" means? It could mean a lot of things. Perhaps he knows that she will be released eventually?
I'm so dissapointed in Texas!! They're the big capital punishment state....I expected more from them!!
She killed her five children of course shes insane...but that does not by any means give her a pass go....
a mental hospital/prison is hardly a pass. ever been in one? I have (as a visitor, just so's we're clear - lol). I'd rather be dead, honestly. the chances of her ever getting released, with this high profile case, are slim to none.
didn't rusty divorce her awhile back? i bet he's got a new wife and doesn't want her out, ever.
Yes, 'ol Rusty is divorced and re-married:
http://crime.about.com/b/a/253242.htm
I guess O.J. Simpson will re-marry someday too. Shouldn't there be some kind of registry for guys like there is for child-abuse offenders? Oh well ... consenting adults.
I don't know, forty-two, that Lady Penelope is pretty hot.
I guess when they get aroused, it's a real woody.
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