Lucky Mom

Jun. 22, 2006

Andrea Yates - Insane or a Common Criminal?

By ANGELA K. BROWN, Associated Press Writer

HOUSTON - Attorneys began questioning 120 potential jurors Thursday for the second murder trial of Andrea Yates, the Houston mother accused of drowning her five young children in a bathtub.

As she did in her first trial, Yates, 41, has pleaded innocent by reason of insanity in the June 20, 2001, drowning deaths.

If convicted of capital murder, Yates will be sentenced to life in prison.

Yates' attorney George Parnham argues his client is mentally ill and maintains that severe postpartum psychosis prevented her from knowing that drowning her children was wrong. Prosecutors insist Yates doesn't meet Texas' legal definition of insanity: not knowing at the time that one's actions are wrong.

This is such an interesting topic as only a mother could possibly know what’s it like to have postpartum depression (sorry, Tom Cruise but no, you don’t know as much as you’d like us to believe you have special powers to).

But, is that why she drowned her five children, ages 6 months to 7 years? Regardless, would she be likely to re-offend? What if she has more children? Should she be 'allowed'?

5 Comments Posted (Add Yours)

1

Unfortunately, there are a number of people who shouldn't be 'allowed' to have children. That's a whole other issue. As far as Andrea, no punishment is adequate for her crime. And insanity is a given...of course she is messed up in the head or she wouldn't have done what she did...but I don't agree with the insanity ruling in any murder case.

2

jeeesssssss! I can't believe anyone could do such a thing! If I remember correctly she even had to chase the older ones down in order to drown them. you would think she'd have come to her senses at some point in all of that time. If someone is that sick they really should be locked up. How could she possibly go on? What a sad, sad situation. My heart just breaks for those little people. It must have been terrifying, and your own mother doing it? I just hate to think about this stuff. I wish they'd just drop the kids at my doorstep before they did stuff like this!

3

NO PUEDO CREER, UN ASESINO ES UN ASESINO, Y MAS CUANDO DE TUS PROPIOS HIJOS SE TRATA, NADAMAS DE IMAGINARME LA ANGUSTIA POR LA QUE PASARON ESOS PEQUEÑOS ELLOS SENTIRSE SEGUROS DE SU MADRE Y AL FINAL ELLA FULE SU VERDUGO, ESTO ES MAS HAYA DE LA RAZON HUMANA, MAS HALLA DEL SENTIMIENTO, DE AMOR, ESA MUJER NUNCA QUISO A SUS PEQUEÑOS, DE NO HABER SIDO ASI ELLOS ESTARIAN VIVOS. QUE EN PAZ DESCANSEN LOS ANGELITOS DE DIOS.

4

Dana - I've translated this (below) via an on-line service so others can read your comment. I'm sure it's not perfect but it does help in reading your words.

Thanks for commenting.
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I CANNOT BELIEVE, An ASSASSIN IS An ASSASSIN, And MAS WHEN YOUR OWN CHILDREN IT IS, NADAMAS TO IMAGINE ME The ANGUISH BY WHOM THEY PASSED THOSE SMALL THEY TO IN THE END FEEL SAFE OF HIS MOTHER And SHE FULE HIS TWIG, THIS IS MAS HAS OF The HUMAN REASON, MAS FINDS Of the FEELING, LOVE, THAT WOMAN NEVER WANTED To ITS SMALL Ones, OF NOT TO HAVE BEEN ALIVE ASI THEY ESTARIAN. THAT PEACEFULLY THE ANGELITOS OF GOD REST.

5

Here is a link to one of the articles that came out today. Andrea was found not guilty by reason of insanity.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060726/ap_on_re_us/yates_trial_25