Andrea Yates found not guilty in retrial.

[link|http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/07/26/AR2006072600322.html|Washington Post]:

Wednesday, July 26, 2006; 2:18 PM

HOUSTON -- Andrea Yates was found not guilty by reason of insanity Wednesday in her second murder trial for the bathtub drownings of her young children.

Yates, 42, will now be committed to a state mental hospital, with periodic hearings before a judge to determine whether she should be released. An earlier jury had found her guilty of murder, but the verdict was overturned on appeal.

The defense never disputed that Yates drowned her five children one by one in the bathtub of their Houston-area home. 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.

The verdict was a good decision that took too many years to be reached.

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.

The jury had not been told that if they found her insane that Yates would be committed to a mental institution for treatment. If found guilty of murder she would have faced life in prison.

"I'm very disappointed," prosecutor Kaylynn Williford said. "For five years, we've tried to seek justice for these children."

The Texas prosecutors need to join the 21st century with the rest of us... :-(

Cheers,
Scott.

Post #262,677 by Another Scott 7/26/06 3:20:21 PM Reply	Andrea Yates found not guilty in retrial. [link\|http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/07/26/AR2006072600322.html\|Washington Post]: Wednesday, July 26, 2006; 2:18 PM HOUSTON -- Andrea Yates was found not guilty by reason of insanity Wednesday in her second murder trial for the bathtub drownings of her young children. Yates, 42, will now be committed to a state mental hospital, with periodic hearings before a judge to determine whether she should be released. An earlier jury had found her guilty of murder, but the verdict was overturned on appeal. The defense never disputed that Yates drowned her five children one by one in the bathtub of their Houston-area home. 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. The verdict was a good decision that took too many years to be reached. 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. The jury had not been told that if they found her insane that Yates would be committed to a mental institution for treatment. If found guilty of murder she would have faced life in prison. "I'm very disappointed," prosecutor Kaylynn Williford said. "For five years, we've tried to seek justice for these children." The Texas prosecutors need to join the 21st century with the rest of us... :-( Cheers, Scott.
Post #262,679 by inthane-chan 7/26/06 4:31:53 PM Reply	I still think the husband needs to be tried for something.
Post #262,682 by Andrew Grygus 7/26/06 5:00:47 PM Reply	Texas Justice in the 21st century? Surely you jest, it's barely into the 19th. Don't mess with Texas - they're just a bit slow [link\|http://www.aaxnet.com\|AAx]
Post #262,683 by imqwerky 7/26/06 5:02:46 PM Reply	Aw, c'mon. Cut us some slack. At least they didn't hang her for witchcraft. Smile, Amy [link\|http://kevan.org/brain.cgi?Amy%20Rathman\|Pics of the Family]
Post #262,712 by Simon_Jester 7/26/06 10:12:15 PM Reply	But she weights the same as a duck!

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