On a curious note, I used to see the psychiatrist that evaluated Diane at trial, Dr George Suckow of Salem, OR.
I found out later that I'm not crazy.
Damn shame, that.
I realize it's an old case, but it's also one of the most notorious in Oregon history. The short version is that Diane Downs killed one of her children and seriously wounded two others, then claimed she had been attacked. After she arrived at a hospital in Springfield, Oregon, staff were immediately suspicious, and it just got weirder from there.
For the whole story, go here: http://www.trutv.com/library/crime/n...s/index_1.html
FOR THE LATEST NEWS, SEE BELOW FROM TODAY'S OREGONIAN NEWSPAPER:
Diane Downs gets her first chance at parole Tuesday
by Michelle Roberts, The Oregonian Tuesday December 02, 2008, 9:30 PM
In a 12-page, handwritten plea to the Oregon Board of Parole, convicted child killer Diane Downs maintains she should be let out of prison because, among other reasons, her successful and unsuccessful attempts to break out display "a healthy attitude about society."
The three-member board is scheduled to meet next week to consider releasing Downs 24 years after she was convicted of killing her 7-year-old daughter and trying to kill her two other children outside Springfield in a shooting that inspired a true-crime book by Ann Rule and a made-for-TV movie starring Farrah Fawcett.
The hearing Tuesday, Downs' first opportunity for parole, is expected to draw such a large crowd that the board will meet in larger quarters in Salem. Downs will answer questions via closed-circuit television from the Valley State Prison for Women in Chowchilla, Calif., where she is housed.
"Of all the felonies on the law books, 'escape from prison' is the only one that indicates a healthy attitude about society," Downs writes to the parole board in a letter obtained by The Oregonian. "If you truly want to know what sort of prisoner won't come back to prison, your first clue is the prisoner who thinks more about being on the outside of this place than being 'well programmed' or 'adjusted' HERE."
ยป To read Diane Downs' letter in full and view past Oregonian stories about the case click here.Downs, 53, escaped from the Oregon Women's Correctional Center for 10 days in 1987 and was later transferred out of state. According to an Oregon Department of Corrections Dangerous Offender Report completed last month, she tried to escape from a New Jersey prison in 1989 and 1991, and in 1994 after arriving in California.
"I am NOT ashamed of my escape," Downs writes to the parole board. "At least I don't want to be here and will do everything I need to do so I don't come back."
The corrections report also indicated Downs tried to get drugs in 1985, had sexual activity with another inmate that same year -- which is against prison rules -- and has spent much of her time behind bars in "special housing units" because of her proclivity for escape attempts.
"Inmate Downs' escape history has been severe during her 25-year incarceration," the report states.
In her letter, received by the corrections department Monday, Downs disputes much of the report, calling it an "embellishment." She also takes issue with several minor incidents reported about her over the years, including an argument 23 years ago with a prison guard.
"I finally told her, 'you're an idiot and I can't think of anything you could teach me that I'd need to know,'" Downs writes. "No, it wasn't nice. But THAT is the truth. Neither her intelligence nor her spirit in any way spoke of The Creator."
Claudia J. Howell/The Oregonian/1984Diane Downs is led in handcuffs into the Lane County Courthouse on the first day of her 1984 trial on accusations that she shot her three children, one fatally.
In another section of the letter, she is unapologetic for speaking her mind.
"I don't change colors," she writes. "If I did, I'm sure this letter would be less offensive. I'm just not a politician. What you see is what you get."
Downs has never admitted to her crimes.
Downs was sentenced to a maximum of life plus 55 years in prison. She is eligible for a parole hearing because she has served 25 years, the minimum required in her sentence.
"If she is not paroled, the board can defer the case for no more than 24 months," said Nancy Sellers, the executive director of the Oregon Board of Parole and Post-Prison Supervision. "And that will happen every 24 months until she is released or until the end of her natural life."
In the letter, Downs does not appear to understand that 25 years is the minimum amount of time she can be held.
"Now how does the law say the board can hold me past a judicially imposed minimum because I was angry and rude when I arrived in prison 25 years ago?" she writes. "And I was! Had you been convicted of a crime you didn't commit, you'd be mad, too."
Downs also complained about the author of the prison report and others.
"I'll be doggoned if I lay down and let people falsely accuse me of things I haven't done so they can make names for themselves. ... They will be remembered!" she writes. "And in your heart of hearts, you know I'm telling it straight."
-- Michelle Roberts; michelleroberts@news.oregonian.com
Fortunately they won't parole her unless she admits to shooting the kids. Wasn't she put in a prison back east when she was captured after her prison break? I notice she is in Chowchilla now.///Just noticed that she was placed in NJ.
Wanna see my grandkids?
Didn`t Farrah play her in a TV flick....tried to get rid of them because her boyfriend didn`t like kids.....Susan Smith anyone, or perhaps Satan
Having read the entire letter from the link Roger so kindly provided, I don't think we have to worry about ole hatchet face getting out anytime soon.
It's humorous in its narcassism. Nope, not my fault.
Downs now: Diane Downs prison mug shot
oh my god she is harsh looking...what a witch
OMG, who cast Farrah to play this barker?????? Boy, that was certainly a compliment!
My favorite part of Small Sacrifices was when they were taking her to prison & she shows up in those over the knee boots. The cop looks at her & says nice boots Diane, where'd you get em, catwoman.
Diane Downs and Casey Anthony = Sister from another mister
Karma really is a bitch - it came to her bigtime by biting her in the face.
oh man she looks like that kid in the movie Mask...sorry to say that about him
I saw her name as a thread and thought she might have died. Got excited. Oh well.
Love Ann Rule's books but Small Sacrifices was amazing. How someone could kill and/or injure their own children is ....beyond thought. Evil woman. Now i'll have the ELO song stuck in my head.
GOOD let her ROT and it looks like she is
Time marches on and it marched all over her face.
I have to note, I swiped that mugshot from the article Roger linked.
She's less than ten years younger than I am, IIRC.
DAMN.
In that pic of her she looks like she is in her late 60s
Hey, she is up for parole. Yikes.
Gentleman, be on the lookout for a new lady on the block...
The only block she should be on is C-Block IMHO.
Ann Rule...Rules!
http://www.nwcn.com/topstories/stori....280f65dd.html
Man! She is rough looking! Everytime I hear Hungry Like a Wolf I think of this bitch..
Downs
Here's to hoping that this old skank is NOT paroled and continues to serve out the rest of her natural life behind bars.....you can just see stone cold bitch still written all over her !
I will just never understand the mindset of women who kill their children because of a man. WTF is wrong with you? Do you feel so awful about yourself that the only way you can be happy is if a man loves you and you would sacrifice your children to get that love. That makes you a monster.
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
"I will be buried in a spring loaded casket filled with confetti, and a future archaeologist will have one awesome day at work."
What ever happened to the guy she killed for???
She was ugly even in the early photo. (IMO, she looked vaguely equine.)
What a wretch. Unadulterated evil.
Rot slowly, DD. You deserve it.
Can't believe they had Farrah Fawcett play her in the movie " Small Sacrifices ". Farrah is to pretty to play such an ugly hag.
Her dirtbag father really believes she is innocent
http://www.dianedowns.com/
This pisses me off. What kid would lie and say "My mom shot me and my siblings?" Not one.
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
"I will be buried in a spring loaded casket filled with confetti, and a future archaeologist will have one awesome day at work."
I wonder if her kids ever go and see her? cause sorry to say it is still their mom..poor kids! I hope them well!
Look at this bitch
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
"I will be buried in a spring loaded casket filled with confetti, and a future archaeologist will have one awesome day at work."
oh my god she really thought she was somthing...horrible woman...
Parole DENIED.
http://www.kgw.com/news-local/storie....2513dd69.html
I should note, up there^^^I said she was younger than me. She is actually 11 years older. YIKES though.
I was excited to see that her parole was denied but it's not surprising. She keeps changing the bushy haired stranger story or saying it was a conspiracy against her family. Right, what makes her so special that somebody would decide to kill/attempt to kill her children and frame her? She looks much older than 57 in her photograph. The article in the paper that I read said that Christie and Danny did not attend the hearing. I don't blame them, I'm sure they want nothing to do with her.
never mind keeping her in jail...just light the bitch on fire!
The ugliness in her soul shows in her face. Ugly eyes, ugly mouth and teeth. Her hair looks like filthy straw.
She is (and always was) REPULSIVE...
What a beast!!
IIRC, the guy she killed for stayed with his wife. Diane made him get a rose tattoo to match hers, and at the trial he showed that he'd gotten his wife's name tattooed under the rose. HAHA.
I seem to remember the guy bringing an STD home to his wife from Diane, too.
SO glad she got denied!!
That sounds right, WCG, about the tattoo and staying with his wife. Didn't she make some big deal about a gold chain as well?
If it is, it ain't too glamourous!
that's gotta be a really old picture.
I like her looks less than ten years older than me she makes me look young!
Oh, God, yes. Said he put it on her neck and said, "You wear this, cause you're my woman now". Then she went to AZ to return it and said she "couldn't take it off", and had him do it. Then she said she was going to do to him what he did to her, and put it on him and said "You wear this, cause I love you" or some such. It made me have desire of vomit, it was so obviously fake.