Page 5 - Andreap Yates News Today

Because their mental illness is so severe it causes them either not to know what theyre doing or not to know the wrongfulness of what theyre doing. >> people often ask me, well, listen. why didnt she kill herself instead of drown her children? the kids would still be alive. the problem is, she becomes more and more ill with each pregnancy. the sicker you become, the less alternatives are available to you. >> while awaiting trial, andrea yates was placed in the jails medical facility and treated ...

Knew when i saw that jury what that verdict was going to be. >> we, the jury, find the defendant andrea p. yates guilty of capital murder as charged in the indictment. >> i was devastated. >> knowing how much andrea loved our children and how much they loved her and knowing that she would never have harmed them had she not been mentally ill, all right, i -- i view her, and i know its hard for people to see this, but i view her as a victim. i dont view her as a criminal. >> in the punishment phas...

Water, what was your intent? what were you about to do? >> drown my children. >> andrea yates never denied that she killed her children, but was she cold-blooded or desperately ill? by all accounts, she was a devoted mother, but her defense doctors say she became more desperate and secretive with each pregnancy. the crisis point came in 1999 after the birth of her fourth child. >> there were two suicide attempts in these pregnancies, and what she said to me was she didnt want to hurt her childre...

And certainly doesnt do anything for that woman, so i didnt do that. i wish they had a third trial. >> i find her quite sympathetic and not only do i think that shes not criminally responsible, but the fact that she has to live with what shes done and live childless and so forth and thats the tragedy and its not right. >> in the eyes of the state, andrea yates is now simply a patient. she is no longer considered a criminal. only andrea knows if she can ever forgive herself for her actions.

Argument was the questionable testimony given by park dietz, lead psychiatrist for the prosecution. >> theres never been an episode that has aired on "law & order" involving the park dietz testified about. we confronted park dietz about that, and he said he was mistaken. he must have been in vera. >> the appeals process would take months of meticulous preparation for multiple arguments, but in the end everything hinged on the dietz testimony. >> we had 19 points of error, and only one point was ...

And now the jury must decide. did yates know right from wrong when she drowned her five children in the family bathtub? >> all rise for the jury. the court has been advised the jury has reached air verdict. >> we, the jury, find the defendant, andrea p. yates, not guilty by reason of insanity. >> juror number 15. >> yes. >> juror numer 37. >> yes. >> juror number 52. >> yes. >> it had been five years, one month and six days since the tragedy. >> were all, you know, thrilled about the verdict. yo...

Horrendous, you will probably never leave a texas prison. >> it was a terrible personal tragedy that became a white hot media spectacle. >> she didnt want them to go to hell. >> captivating and horrifying viewers from coast to coast. >> did he know that his wife would be a danger to those five children? >> she did not show remorse. she did not show regret. she believed that she had arranged for her children to go to heaven. >> the murder case that shocked the nation and cast a harsh, new light o...

Because their mental illness is so severe it causes them either not to know what theyre doing or not to know the wrongfulness of what theyre doing. >> people often ask me, well, listen. why didnt she kill herself instead of drown her children? the kids would still be alive. the problem is, she becomes more and more ill with each pregnancy. the sicker you become, the less alternatives are available to you. >> while awaiting trial, andrea yates was placed in the jails medical facility and treated ...

With the thought of killing her child, and she made a suicide attempt rather than risk harming her child. >> and there was one psychiatrist who saw her who told her and rusty, dont have anymore children. you need to stop. >> here we are on our way home. what does that say, boys? it says, "congratulations rusty and andrea. its boy." thats so cute. giving us a little welcome home. yeah. >> just a year later, the yates were expecting their fifth child. e chevys are moving fast. ill take that malibu...

With the thought of killing her child, and she made a suicide attempt rather than risk harming her child. >> and there was one psychiatrist who saw her who told her and rusty, dont have anymore children. you need to stop. >> here we are on our way home. what does that say, boys? it says, "congratulations rusty and andrea. its boy." giving us a little welcome home. yeah. >> just a year later, the yates were expecting their fifth child. (growls) (man) thats a good look for you. (woman) that was fu...