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HOUSTON - A jury found Andrea Yates not guilty by reason of insanity in the drowning deaths of her young children in the bathtub of their suburban home.

I do believe she had to be insane to do this & as long as she spends a long time in a nuthouse, I'm fine with it.

I've always felt horrible for this entire situation. I do believe she is mentally incapacitated, yes. Hospitalization for the entirety of her life would probably be better than prison. It angers me that her dh just got her knocked up time and time again knowing she was severely mentally ill, that's just abusive, yet he doesn't have to take any responsibility for his role.

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* Let it not be said that no one cared, that no one objected once it's realized that our liberties and wealth are in jeopardy.

~Ron Paul

"If Tyranny and Oppression come to this land, it will be in the guise of fighting a foreign enemy."
- James Madison

I'm with veggiemom. I'm normally not a big believer in the insanity defense, but if there was ever a case that deserved it, it was this one. She was obviously mentally ill at the time, and had been for a long time. I'm just sorry no one got her help in time to save her children.

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I believe she was probably insane. I hope there is no chance that she could ever "be well" and get out. It is unforgivable what she did. My heart breaks for her children, I don't feel sorry for her at all.

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formally~momof2crazyboys

I don't know what to say. Yes, I believe she is mentally ill. And to that end, I hope that she gets proper treatment. Because it's clear that she never did before.

I think that her physicians and her husband should be held criminally liable in some way for the very reasons Mommamia stated.

It was a heinous, unforgivable crime however you look at it, and I don't think that there is a verdict or punishment that would satisfy.

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The whole aim of practical politics is to keep the populace alarmed (and hence clamorous to be led to safety) by menacing it with an endless series of hobgoblins, all of them imaginary.
-- H. L. Mencken

She had to be mentally unbalanced to do this, she did send strong signals during her earlier pregnancies she wasnt in full control

Prison would punish her harder than she will do herself, she needs help. Help for her wont bring her children back but neither will State Punishment.

I truely believe this is a case best left in the Lords hands.

Now for her husband just give me three minutes alone in a room with him, he should be neutered!!

Just my slightly unbiased opinion

Anne

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"When we know better we do better" Maya Angelou

I really don't like the defense for insainity. However, it's a really difficult thing to pull off in the courts, anymore because it is used so much. So, good for her. I don't think one should be labeled "not guilty" simply because they are unstable. Nonetheless, she was and people are. The thing that is odd to me, is that she had 5 children and her husband never noticed her instability? To claim insainity is not a temporary action - now if she had claimed she "snapped" it would be more believeable to me. She knew this act was wrong, obviously afterwards. She felt remorse, does that mean she was or was not insane? I don't know. Maybe she'd be a sociopath and in prision then.

When people generally use that defense - it is someone who has a past history of mental illness (Which perhaps she had). It bothers me that she killed 5 children and will be in a mental institution with the POSSIBILITY of getting out. While she will be continually evaluated, if she failed to meet the states definition in the first place, what will keep her in the institution for long enough?

What is long enough in this case? It's not that I think that she's NOT insane because I don't have enough background on the trial. However, I'm one for rehabilitation and if she stays in the mental instituion long enough - maybe it's the best thing. To me, though, it seems that if she felt a distinction between right and wrong in the crime than it isn't much of a question if she should be punished for the action which she knew was wrong. JMO

I agree, she was mentally sick, but the way her family and dr's did not pick up on it is scary. He husband should have seen something was not right and not gotten pregnant again and again if she was sick.
It is a very sad case. I hope she gets treated for this illness.

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We buy things we dont need,
with money we dont have,
in order to impress people
we dont like?
(Ramsey, D)

i agree she needs help too. i found it sickening that he said he stood by her and supported her yet went and divorced her and got remarried.

i could not agree more with this.