The police DID fingerprint the car, from grill to trunk and in between. If they could not find the gun or any trace of a shooting on Diane, and you think shes guilty, it would mean she had an accomplice. It was a harrowing, shameful miscarriage of justice. I go fishing with a jurors husband. Her children deserved the whole truth and nothing but the truth. Robert resides in Tucson, AZ with Deborah. It is a research done on the case according to many sources. Almost immediately, police suspected that something was amiss. Nuts maybe, but not threatening. Mr. Jagger read the report and said, you were right. Once again, Diane said a lot of things. Anyway, it takes a good scrubbing with soap and water to get rid of gun powder residues and doing so with only one arm would be quite difficult. But in the case of DD, there were a lot of elements missing. It took months to get Christie to say that her mother was the culprit and that is when they arrested Diane. Considering the circumstances, it is difficult not to be a bit cynical about this grand gesture. It did not matter that they had no evidence; they did not like her attitude and she was going to pay for it: opinion, not fact A fact strongly denied by Diane and by the nurses reports. When a white attractive woman like Diane Downs appears on the scene while displaying seemingly unpleasant characteristics as a mother and a personality disorder, there is no telling what the media will do with the story. Speculative. Anyways. They have also lived in Watertown, NY and Scottsdale, AZ. They should have taken the time necessary to find enough evidence. The case was so one sided that it is about time some of us bring up the other side. The prosecutor and his wife adopted both children that survived and although the boy is paralyzed and in a wheelchair, they trived with their new parents. We identified 6 records related to "Robert Knickerbocker" in the state of Arizona. This was ridiculed countless times in the media, but frankly, it can be a very honorable endeavor, depending onhow you want to look at it. Clickhere to read about faulty ballistics.. There is her story, the prosecution case and the defense arguments. She has been in prison for so long that we dont know what her mental health situation is so it is a moot point for me. A very reasonable request that was rejected. Not that it matters, your opinion is about the case and not subject to geography. (her family confirmed that she had a mood disorder, possibly bipolar 2), So when Dr. George Suckow from the Oregon State Hospital in Salem was called as a States rebuttal witness and he made a professional diagnosis of Diane as histrionics, antisocial and narcissistic, he openly said in court that he interviewed Diane for 1 hour and read evidence presented by the state to make his diagnosis.. And he was found not guilty because his defense team played the race card in an area of LA where they did not trust the police and discussed EDTA and DNA ad nauseam to confuse the jurors. She claims the 13-year-old boy was also shot with a BB gun and taunted with racial slurs during a sleepover. Im from Australia and have recollections of this case. Almost from day one, Diane was perceived as a cancer they had to remove. Yes, isnt it shocking that some people would voice that a faulty investigation does not matter? So either way, it would not be so far fetched that someone said he was the shooter.A little investigation would not hurt. If she was the shooter, it had to be proven beyond a reasonable doubt. I was a patient of the doctor who worked so hard to save her childrens lives that night. Mainly because she is being kept caged due to her name recognition at this point, not her offense. If you had, you would clearly know that I do not claim her guilt or innocence. I agree. 4.Diane was NOT arrested for almost a year after the shootings the d.a. Being bipolar, she had no impulse control so it should not have surprised anyone. Do not take this so personally. I bet the records are and always have been sealed regarding this aspect of the case. Thats why Diane wouldnt agree to marry unless Knick first signed a premarital agreement that when they divorced, Knick would take nothing from their marriage. On her way to the hospital,she was followed by someone who said she was going slow, but Diane said she was driving fairly fast. The inconsistencies and obvious lack of evidence in this case should have called for a wider investigation instead of solely focusing on their prime suspect. The proverbial expression It takes two to tango applies here. Lori, I luv how you ended your comment Lets also remember that this is the US of A and we dont lock people up for being narcissistic, antisocial histrionic individuals. Robert Knickerbocker in Chandler, AZ Robert Knickerbocker may also have lived outside of Chandler, such as Gilbert and Tempe. Growing up, Diane had felt like an outsider and kids had been cruel towards her because of her real or imagined ugly duckling looks and demeanor. It seems that the Downs were totally ignored. Foote refused 30 to 50 reports by detectives of sightings or leads about the shooter but admitted reports from people in Arizona willing to badmouth Diane. She could not have been shot twice in the back while sitting up and have the bullet pierce her body to end up under the floorboard of the passenger side. There was no question in Dianes mind that Knick would take another mistress if she married him, and that hed move on again. Its a rather large part of the story. . I am interested in the truth. All the years in prison probably made her way more disturbed than she ever was. It became judicial kidnapping to obtain a coerced confession: inflammatory Mrs. Fredericksons concern for her daughters emotional state was well placed. That she had no blood or gun powder anywhere when she allegedly shot at close range? On June 20, 2001, mother of five Andrea Yates drowned her children, who ranged in age from six months to seven years, in the bathtub at her home in Houston, Texas. Name: Robert A Knickerbocker, Phone number: (520) 293-1877, State: AZ, City: Tucson, Zip Code: 85705 and more information Her children were obviously more severely injuredbecause being captive in the car while a shooter aimed at them gave them less of a chance to wiggle out of the situation than an adult outside the car. By the way, this not a Diane Downs is innocent blog. It is a lets examine the facts of the case with hindsight and try to explain some of the inconsistencies and the role of the media and crime writers. And lets wonder why the US think that letting people die in prison is the answer when most civilized countries have reached other conclusions. I felt there was something that should be done, but I was at a loss in how to cope with the Court that had given the children to the prosecutor and allowed false testimony to seal her fate. 6. woman quot~ unquote, do you remember anything like that? In reply to Kit The details about the gun missing, the daughters testimony and the fact that she had no blood or gun residues are facts. How could they expect a normal mother/daughter reunion between a beaten inmate whose mental health had degraded and a daughter trapped in this insanity? Nobody had any reason for a conspiracy of this magnitude over a literal nobody. How asinine. 4. In the end, it is scary how media becomes some kind of Roman circus where people is thrown in order to become a source of business. So many of the cases Lise writes about on this blog either have no forensic evidence that supports the verdict or have very misleading forensic evidence that may or may not support the verdict, depending on who is interpreting it. I like the way you keep an open mind about Diane herself and what she may or may not have been going through mentally. The lawsuit against Ann Rule was thrown out as unfounded because after reading her book they could find no inconsistencies She sat thru the entire trial AND used actual court transcripts. Also, the title of the website clearly demonstrates an inherit bias. Find Robert Knickerbocker's phone number, address, and email on Spokeo, the leading people search directory for contact information and public records. I was being sarcastic. Ann Rule did not leave a great legacy as far as honest reporting goes, and she is not the only one to have commercialized a criminal case for personal gain. My beef is with the interference by the media, TV shows and Ann Rule They lied about the ballistics. The courts were divided in the 80s, family court, traffic court, criminal court, juvenile court I dont believe they ran out of judges to preside over them all. And when kids are hurt, emotions keep flowing endlessly. Theres a lot to be said here, still. It sounds like Diane was trying to tell her to stay away from bad influences. CANDLE HAS BEEN LIT CANDLES HAVE BEEN LIT, We are reviewing your submission. As far as Hugi is concerned, it was a total conflict of interest. In the 21st century, it's not just urns and gravestones anymore. It does seem time has done worse to her. Diane had siblings and parents. The most recent tape of her daughter is not admissible because it is never allowed to bring out tapes that were obtained this way. I will take a screen shot of the sketch. I appreciate this whole blog just want to give you a heads up. So they did everything in their power to slant the media and the public in their favor. I just read your opinion on the Pamela Smart case and the Scott Peterson case. I guess he did not want too many people to know about the improprieties that happened in his courtroom. Pinterest is an online pinboard. All Filters. And I care about the lack of evidence. I say these things if I were on the jury. but later you claim Diane was inside the car and shot the kids in the car and that that BECAUSE she was inside the car she should have had blood splatter on herso WHICH IS IT, I dont know which it is Libby. This website supports restorative justice, so of course it leans towards sentences that are not life without parole if it is supported by a warden and mental health specialists. I think that Van Houten was recommended for parole by a system that assessed that after 40 years, she was not a threat to society and a reformed woman. . View the profiles of people named Robert Knickerbocker. But my beef is with the interference by the media, TV shows and Ann Rule. Send flowers or a gift to a service or family's home. Nowadays, this insanity would never be tolerated. Robert was a married man in Arizona with whom Diane had been having an affair, back when she was still living there. We make them president. Yes, dad relinquished his rights but he knew that they loved their grandparents and had allowed Diane to take them for a visit without telling the authorities. I point out some obvious facts and discrepancies, and that due process was shoved aside because the state and the media presented a guilty image right from the start. I am a true crime junkie. I was always really bothered by that. Whatever mental illness she has, has gotten worse with each hearing. Consider offering these words of comfort if you're not sure what's appropriate. Ive been trying to decipher her handwriting on the couple of pages she wrote to her daughter (misquoted on here somewhere is a highlighted If you love your little boy, youll take him far away from here- why is this being taken as a threat and not a warning?!). I mean if a guy admits to killing children over and over, shouldnt we pay attention to that? Diane did not get a fair trial. He had an attorney, Fred G. Campbell Jr., send us a letter denying our request and telling us: You are legally, as well as factually, a stranger to them. Who does he think he is? Lived In Grand Rapids MI, Tempe AZ. He failed. How do you expect the daughter to have any fair understanding of the situation or any decent contact with Dianes family when the people who have been calling her mother a murderer and a monster are dragging her in the media spotlight in the hope of writing another book or getting a new scoop, but all one sided. If appropriate family members could not be found to take placement of the children then family friends are the next step. Justice is all that is left. They played the tape in the courtroom, and the fact that Diane did not break down but tapped her foot to the music, was supposed to be another proof of her guilt. Inflammatory and speculative Phone Number: (520) 293-QPFP +2 phones. DA Pat Horton declared early in the game to the local paper that the search for the bearded stranger was not very high on their priority list.. I care about the experts reports written about Diane because they know her situation and mental state. And Steven was free to follow her lead or not. My problem with the circumstances surrounding the crimes against these innocent children is that they were twisted by the media. According to your own experience Lori, dont they try to give grandparents custody or at least access in cases comparable to this one? Every single one. I do not have to state anything at the beginning of the blog. I agree. Her parents Willadene and Wes were old school Baptist parents who raised her under strict guidelines without much warmth but complete devotion. For all you readers of this blogger, I lived through the Diane Downs case. But I think that in all fairness, many of them dont even know the details of the case and have watched Small Sacrifices instead. Wrong. The case is old and the blog dated, but it is never too late to respond. And she should be allowed parole! Rule defended her right to earn a living and to tell her story. She has come a long way. This whole tale is just unbelievable. A second child, Cheryl, quickly followed in January 1976. Robert L Knickerbocker. Ann Rule promotes her books as true crime stories so to this day, viewers believe that the book and the movie titled Small Sacrificesdocument the true story of the Diane Downs case; in fact, it is a mix bag of truth, falsehoods, interpretation and plain fiction. And according to the law, she should have been released by now, independently of what she says or not. If there is a fair trial and sentencing, I usually dont write about a case, but high profile cases tend to need more scrutiny because emotions run high. So she could not have shot her kids at the distance determined by the state unless she changed her clothing and it did not come up at trial. While not evidence of guilt or innocence, it is certainly worth noting as part of the overall wrongs perpetrated during this fiasco of a trial and subsequent appeals. There is only one major problem with your scenario. Most importantly why would anybody shoot 3 children potentially fatally and leave the adult with a wound in her arm. Fingerprints at the crime scene were not produced by the State. Needless to say, you seem to have a problem with the American justice systemnot each individual case. It was half baked escape plans that were more in her head than anything and that the media enjoyed blowing out of proportions. But, as would be the case years later with both Stuart and Smith, the shocking truth eventually came to light that Diane Downs had allegedly lied about the deadly attack on her children. As soon as Diane was found guilty, Hugi demanded that Diane be evaluated by a psychiatrist before sentencing so they could declare her a dangerous offender and give her a stiffer sentence. Being a patient of the doctor who saved the childrens lives has nothing to do with the facts of a case. http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v09/n364/a03.html // Prison-happy U.S. must reconsider use of mercy; Carol S. Steiker, professor at Harvard Law School, Sep. 10, 2008 , http://www.philly.com/inquirer/opinion/20080910_Prison-happy_U_S__must_reconsider_use_of_mercy.html // US Prison Population Soars to 2.3Mln People at Annual Cost of $7Bln The US prison population has soared to 2.3 million people costing the government more than $7 billion per year. More often than not, Christie was interviewed by State Agents (Paula Krogdahl, Paul Alton, Steve Downs and Dick Tracy) within half an hour of having her Dilantin increased. The way this investigation and the trial were conducted only left me with doubts. Libby, I quoted what Diane said. I simply state facts that did not or would not come out at the time or blatant misconduct from a legal system that is supposed to be based on innocent until proven guilty. It was such a high profile case and she was found guilty by the media and the court so people are afraid to touch this one. Simply because I researched them. (520) 293-.css-1y2reja{color:transparent;position:relative;z-index:12;text-shadow:0.1rem 0.1rem 0.6rem #089FE4;}JPTD, aka Robert C Knickerbocker, Robert a Knickerbocke. My comment wont change their opinion on the barbarity of the American legal system, media influences and Ann Rules input. http://sputniknews.com/us/20150620/1023613662.html#ixzz3djEXlSAC // The Prison State of America Dec 28, 2014 Chris Hedges, http://www.truthdig.com/report/item/the_prison_state_of_america_20141228 This was all logged in Christies hospital reports and is found in the Appendix of the petition filed in Federal Court in 1996 in the section Hospital Reports. But you dont mention that she again has changed her story.. Robert Knickerbocker in Tennessee We found 5 records for Robert Knickerbocker in Woodlawn, Saint Augustine and 2 other cities in Tennessee. It would be about November 20th that you would have gone back with Charlene, what, the next day? Yes, I had to go and sign the lease, yes, sir. Diane Downs had an affair with Roger Knickerbocker, a married man while she lived in Arizona. Leslie Van Houten is an example of a woman who probably will never see the light of day because of her high profile status. I mention in the blog that Dianes mental health is in question so it is obvious that her encounter with her long lost daughter was going to be difficult. Right after her first surgery, The Detectives were adamant that they HAD to have Diane right then to recreate the incident- unless of course, you have something to hide. . When your goal is to call me dude, insult my name and trash my blog, you can go on other sites who will love to spar with you while swallowing the old narrative of high profile cases. ..maybe it was lack of Internet and cellies *shrug)..years later, my Co worker at burger King (I was 16)told me about the small sacrifices movie she watched the night before. If it was not such a high profile case, Diane Downs would have been paroled a long time ago, considering her good behavior and lack of priors. But she suffered from mental illness and the circumstances were traumatic. Diane had met all the requirements to be paroled. The problem with high profile cases is that the media, the DA, the cops and authors like Ann Rule dictate the narrative and it becomes almost impossible to look any other way unless you are a critical thinker devoid of emotions related to the case. She was interrogated without a representative from the defense and was not taped for the most part. They seem to say she was like that from the very beginning so in my opinion, it should represent a mitigating circumstance instead of a longer sentence. That testimony was left unchallenged by Mr. Jagger. There was never a real motive for the crime even if the State insisted that Diane wanted to be free to pursue her love interest; using her journals to support theirclaim. A demonstration in court strongly suggested: Suggested, not confirmed. She did it. They brought cakes and cookies and became friends so they were not going to fight over this. Rule sued the Seattle Weekly after they published the article titled , Ann Rule promotes her books as true crime stories so to this day, viewers believe that the book and the movie titled, This reminds me of what a jail counselor named Rachel Roth said at the trial of Debra Milke , They already had made up their mind that Diane was the perpetrator so they laughed off the idea of the , When I hear some people say that they would have liked to smack that smirk off Dianes face when she interacted with the cops or the media, I say. Ive not seen the movie or read the book. Dianes motive was simple, she wanted to remove her kids from the way so that she could be with Robert. Considering the circumstances, it is difficult not to be a bit cynical about this grand gesture: relevance? I would also like to express my disbelief that the same judge presided over both the child welfare case and the criminal one. Mr. Jagger failed to challenge that competency. Page 40 of Case History. During his travels, he visited prisons and spoke against this type of barbarism because his father was imprisoned for a debt of 40 pounds and 10 shillings when he was twelve years. But you are right, some members of the jury and public had a reasonable doubt. I saw that same face in Diane Downs. Strangely enough, a woman who was seen for 8 months by a psychologist and declared to be in shock and suffering from a mood disorder, would now be assessed by the State hired psychiatrist to confirm the label Hugi conveniently made up during trial. On May 30, 1983, the McKenzie-Willamette Hospital Chaplain told Dianes father to hire an attorney because the State was going to take his grandchildren away. , The lovely Farrah Fawcett who played in the movie, Anne Rule might have inflamed the case with her book, Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), The Diane Downs Case Was no Small Sacrifice. Has robert knickerbocker arizona LIT, we are reviewing your submission complete devotion shot of the American legal system media! To fight over this followed in January 1976 children over and over shouldnt! Too many people to know about the improprieties that happened in his courtroom a Diane is. Would not be so far fetched that someone said he was the shooter, is... Second child, Cheryl, quickly followed in January 1976 tape of her profile. Tapes that were more in her arm the facts of a woman who probably will never see the of. 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