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... running Her Five Children Found Sane To Stand Trial). Charges may ultimately be filed in the deaths of Paul, 3, and Luke, 2. Russell Yates and his mother, Dora Yates, testified for the defense stating that Andrea was mentally ill during the murders. Both stated that Andrea was a loving mother who became ill. The defense called an expert on postpartum depression in an effort to show that Yates poses no threat to society.
Her symptoms were triggered by the birth of her children. If she has no more children and stays on her medication, her symptoms will remain under control, states Dr. Lucy Purycar, a forensic psychiatrist (Cnn. com. Yates Sentenced To Life In Prison).
Prosecutors displayed the clothing the children wore when they died to the jury. They did this to show how much smaller they were to their mother. Defense attorney George Parnham contended there was no value to displaying the childrens clothing to the jury and that the sole intent of the prosecution was to inflame and prejudice the jury (COURT TV: Third Day Of Testimony To Begin In Trial Of Texas Mom). Judge Belinda Hill, a former prosecutor, sided with the prosecution and the clothing was entered into evidence.
Prosecutors also showed the jury 29 photos of the childrens dead bodies. One photo was of Noah floating face down in the bathtub. More photos were of bruises on their bodies. Lastly, another photo showed Mary being cradled in Lukes arm. A damaging statement to the defense from the prosecution stated that all the children, with the exception of Noah, could have been revived if medical attention had been given immediately.
The jury also watched a videotape confession conducted by Sergeant Eric Mehl. Andrea stated that her intent was to suffocate the life out of her children (COURT TV: Confession Heard In Drowning Trial). She said Noah suffered the most. Dr. Patricia J.
Moore, a medical examiner who performed autopsies on John and Mary, testified the childrens heads had small bruises, likely from someone holding them under water. Moore said John had a long brown hair, likely one of his mothers, clutched in his fist (COURT TV: Confession Heard In Drowning Trial). Andrea Yates was convicted on two counts of capital murder for the drowning of 6 month-old Mary and sons John, 5, and Noah, 7. The night before her sentencing, Yates penned a letter apologizing to her family and colonizing her five children.
I regret that my illness has brought me to a place where I was capable of killing my own children, she wrote (Clemetson, L, Gesalman, A. B. , p. 30). On March 18, 2002 while Russell Yates was in New York appearing on the Today Show, blaming the medical establishment and Andreas family was presumably home watching themselves on Good Morning America blaming Russell Andrea Yates stood virtually alone in a Houston courtroom while she was formally sentenced to life in prison. Yates was sentenced to life in prison in part because the prosecution made it clear that they would have no objection to such a decision (About. Andrea Yates: Trial Update). Andrea was sentenced to life in prison but will be eligible for parole after serving forty years.
She receives credit for the nearly nine months she has been in Jail since June 20. Typically, it takes the Sheriffs Department about two weeks to transfer inmates to a state prison. When she leaves, she will go for classification to one of five womens units at Gatesville, near Waco. The classification process, which includes a medical and psychiatric evaluation, can take up to 30 days. When classification is complete, she will either remain at Gatesville or go to another womens facility, depending partly on her mental condition, (Houston Chronicle.
com. Yates Faces Sentencing Alone). I believe that Andrea Yates was sane while she was drowning her five children in a bathtub. Unless Andrea suddenly had a nervous breakdown and drowned her children in a moment of insanity, then I would feel differently. However, she had stated that she had thought up the idea of murdering her children the day before she carried the act out. She had the intent.
Andrea had filled up a bathtub full of water, put one child after another into that bathtub, and held their heads under water while they struggled. Mary, the six-month-old baby was on the bathroom floor crying the entire time. Andrea had to chase Noah around the house and drag him into the bathroom. I believe that these events leading up to the murders, including the murders themselves proves that Andrea Yates was sane when she decided to murder her children. I have mixed emotions regarding the death penalty. I feel that since Andrea murdered her five children, she should not be able to keep her life.
However, I also feel that a life sentence in prison without the possibility of parole is the best kind of punishment. Andrea will sit in prison everyday of her life thinking about what she did to her children. A persons thoughts can literally drive them insane. I think this is the best type of punishment for Andrea Yates. I also believe that the husband of Andrea Yates, Russell Yates should hold some of the responsibility for the murders. He knew she had gone through postpartum depression following the birth of their fourth child that also involved two attempted suicides.
However he believed that she would be mentally healthy to care for their next and last child when they received the news that Andrea was pregnant for the fifth time. I believe that Russell showed negligence by acknowledging the fact that Andrea was mentally ill and allowing her to be alone with the children at the time of the childrens deaths. Most people believe that life in prison is exactly what Andrea Yates deserves. Others believe she should have received the death penalty. However one thing is for sure: she is going to pay the price for what she did to her children.
Free research essays on topics related to: postpartum depression, mentally ill, five children, death penalty, life in prison
Research essay sample on Life In Prison Postpartum Depression
