your opinions on Andrea Yates. After drowning her five children, she was found guilty in Texas courts and sentenced to jail. Because of the need for a retrial, she has now been found "not guilty" by reason of insanity and will be committed to a mental hospital for treatment. , what is your opinions? critically think your position on this case and explain it and your reasoning.
2007-12-26 14:19:58 · 6 answers · asked by Josh A 1 in Politics & Government ➔ Law & Ethics
Yates WAS insane.
Compare her to Susan Smith who also claimed mental illness.
Yates had many documented episodes of suicide attempts & breakdowns.
Smith had many documented stories of deception.
Yates wanted to save her kids from Hell.
Smith wanted her kids out of the way so she could continue her affair with a man who didn't want to become a stepdad.
Yates called 911 to calmly tell them her kids were dead & she did it.
Smith claimed a black man hijacked her car with the kids in it.
Maybe Smith had some mental illness, but she knew what she was doing & is therefore responsable for her actions.
2007-12-26 14:32:13 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 4⤊ 1⤋
She wasn't in her right mind at the time. No mother in their right mind systematically drowns her kids, one by one, even when one of them is begging her not to.
There is a difference between what Andrea Yates did and what that OTHER wingnut (whose name escapes me at the moment, but she strapped her two sons in that car and let it roll down that ramp into a lake). There were contributing factors with Andrea Yates, and alarm bells going off for a LONG time, like severe depression coupled with some religion-induced psychosis. She had a history of post-partum depression after every baby she had, yet her husband kept LETTING her get pregnant or GETTING her pregnant instead of at least TRYING to use birth control).
I doubt a mental hospital will help Andrea Yates, but she doesn't need to be allowed out ever again.
Recently, in my town, a mother shot and killed her own BABY and then killed herself because she was suffering (apparently) from post partum depression. Her HUSBAND is the one who found them in their backyard.
2007-12-26 22:36:26 · answer #2 · answered by Resident Heretic 7 · 3⤊ 1⤋
Because of her history of paranoid schizophrenia and the weird yet clever nature of her actions (she was crazy enough to drown her children whom she loved, but clever enough to hide her intentions ahead of time) I am thoroughly persuaded that she was insane at the time. I think also that her husband and others had some responsibility in this, because they didn't care for her properly or make sure she took her medication, and they left her in charge of the children.
I do not think she is morally responsible for what she did. She is not guilty.
The fact remains, however, that she killed five children. She is a danger to others. There may be no way to make sure she is not a danger to others, or to herself. It is likely that she will have to be hospitalized for many years, perhaps her whole life. This is sad, but necessary under the circumstances.
I think that this is the correct solution to the problem; she should be hospitalized for life, if necessary.
I suppose there is a possibility of a new more effective medication; and she may become less dangerous over the years.
I feel sorry for her. But I expect that, when she's taking her medication or in a more rational state, she perfectly understands the need to be hospitalized.
2007-12-26 23:18:49 · answer #3 · answered by The First Dragon 7 · 3⤊ 2⤋
the insane thing is possible. after my wife had our 2nd, she lost it. combination of things that i do not fully understand, so i won't try to explain. she never hurt our kids, but she was afraid she might one day. it did not seem imminent, so we went with a form of treatment, that made me the full-timer at home. (we got lucky and it's working out great.)but the job was part of the therapy and she's well on the road to recovery. i'm not familiar about the circumstances around ms. yates, but i'm willing to give her the possibility that the first trial was bad, happens all the time (silly humans). and i'm also willing to give her innocent until proven guilty.
2007-12-26 22:33:09 · answer #4 · answered by daddio 7 · 2⤊ 1⤋
The husband should be prosecuted for being criminally negligent. He kept impregnating her, over and over again - even though she got more sick with each pregnancy.
There should be no insanity defense. She should spend life in prison and receive mental health treatment there.
2007-12-26 22:33:02 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 4⤊ 2⤋
I think they got it right second time around. She is nuts. That being said, she should be punished more harshly.
2007-12-26 22:32:16 · answer #6 · answered by grumpyoldman 7 · 3⤊ 1⤋