Should Andrea Yates have gotten the deathe penalty?

Question

Andrea Yates drown her five children one at a time in the bathtub at her home in Texas.

Answer 1

Absolutely. I was outraged when I heard the verdict. Scott Peterson got the death Penalty for killing Laci Peterson and their unborn child and Andrea Yates gets a not guilty verdict due to "insanity" because she claims that she was "possessed". COME ON!!! The evidence the defense had that claimed she was insane had big holes of uncertainty and was extremely questionable. Where is the legal system here???

Answer 2

I don't think people should be executed. I know that's a touchy thing. Perhaps my view would change as a result of the human response that occurs when you are a victim of a violent crime that warrants the death penalty...I don't know.

I think Andrea was definitely psychotic, and those poor, poor little children suffered for it. They should have been removed from her care while she was being held in limbo in her treatments with the psych doctors. Her husband, considering he was more rational than her, should have known this, I agree. She will still probably not be release until she is very old - what judge wants to be the person to free her when there is no psychologist or psychiatrist who can say, "Andrea Yates will not be a danger to herself or anyone else, I'm sure of that..."?? No judge wants that on her or her watch. Besides, I don't think she should be let out while she can still bear children, no way.

Answer 3

Andrea Yates suffered a nervous breakdown brought on by the tremendous responsibilities put upon her by her husband.

Home schooling, all household chores, errands, cooking, cleaning and laundry with no help while he went off to his job with adults, lunch hour, coffee breaks and come home to all the above being done.

She should be kept in an institution for the insane but her husband should do the prison time.

Answer 4

I think what she did was so incredibly horrible and sick, but she certainly was not in her right mind, I don't think she has a "right mind' left. She's insane.
The thing with her is I don't think she is a murder that will go out and kill more people. And plus she will not be released into the world again.
She has a disease. She felt that her children woudl all gorw up to be horrible people and she was saving them because if they died at such a young age they would go to heaven. She htought she was doing them a favor, she thought she was saving them from Satan.
She was insane. She should never have had her last child, the doctors warned her, after having her fourth child she suffered from Past Partum Depression but went on to have another.
Personally I think it is crueler to her to keep her alive, to have to live with herself. So those of you that are for the death penalty to punish her, if she has to stay alive, she has to live with what she did. And she is not somebody that still thinks what she did was o.k. she misses her children and feels horribly.
I am certainly not advocatiing for this woman, but she is very messed up and confused.

Answer 5

No. I don't believe in the death penalty. But also, she was determined to be insane at the time. I think this will bring post partum depression into the spotlight and greater care will be taken into preventing women from getting this. It's a scientifically proven chemical imbalance. Who's to say what any of us would do if something happened to our brains? I think that I could NEVER take someone's life, esp. my own children, but if something happens to my *brain* how can I know for sure? I am no longer in control of my thoughts and actions. That is the definition of insanity.

Answer 6

I think allot of things led up to what happened. Her Husband is also very much to blame. It's tragic but yes I do believe that she should have gotton the death penalty. Ever body here in America has million excuses why did this and why we did that. It's time that people get the point...If you do something bad your going to be punished. If you take a life, then you give a life.

Answer 7

Since it was probed that she was suffering from an extreme postpartum physicosis, I think it is worth to medically study her case and document it, to help in the future and hopefully find the help needed for women that suffer postpartum depression.

It is a difficult case, and certainly the children didnt deserve to die, however I dont think she is the only one responsible for her condition to get out of control. Her husband should have seen the signs of the illness and help. Mental conditions are serious, and cannot be overlooked.

Answer 8

No. The woman was and is mentally ill. Were it not for that fact, and the fact that her husband encouraged her to come off her meds, did not support her the way she needed, and also left her at home alone with those kids when it was very clear she was in serious trouble, then those kids might very well be alive today.

Answer 9

I don't agree with the death penalty, and I don't believe in using psychosis as an excuse for something as wrong as murder. Put her away for a very very long time. Better to live with the consequences in a cell for the rest of your life to think about it.

Answer 10

No, the death penalty is never appropriate, especially when one is found not guilty! Or are you not paying attention to the news?? Maybe YOU should get the needle for that, eh?