But if she's in the hospital...a state mental ward, she's not getting away with anything. Seriously.

I know. But...it feels like she is. And I worry that one day, after awhile of being on her meds, that she'll be released.

Well, FWIW, there are lots of people who don't fit any standard definition of insane who do awful things to their children, up to and including murder. Every day, and usually don't go to prison for it.

And this makes me just as angry.

the worst part of that whole story was that her husband knew she was coming apart at the seams and discouraged her from seeking help for it.

He also encouraged her to have Mary, the youngest, after her shrink told them that if she had another child, she'd go back to being psychotic.

Personally, I think he should have been charged with 2nd degree murder because of gross negligence.

The legal definition of insane is a lack of ability to discern right from wrong.

Right, but still? Doesn't make it any better for me. If you couldn't tell once, who's to say you won't be able to tell the difference again?

Go visit a state mental hospital. It's worse than prison, seriously.

I know they are. I've been. But she could be released.

She needs to be in a mental hospital because she's mentally ill.

I agree, but she should not ever have the chance of leaving. Ever.

People also get out of prisons.

With her original verdict, she would have been eligible for parole in 35 years.

I don't think there's much chance of her ever getting out. She's been medicated in prison for a while now and is still pretty far gone.

And she's 42. Even if she did one day get out its unlikely she could have any more children.

Her (now ex) husband put up the fight for the insanity ruling.

the worst part of that whole story was that her husband knew she was coming apart at the seams and discouraged her from seeking help for it.

He also encouraged her to have Mary, the youngest, after her shrink told them that if she had another child, she'd go back to being psychotic.

Which is why I consider him morally responsible. At minimum.

I don't do criminal law, so I won't analyze on that score.

I get that it's awful and I get that people want this woman locked up because she committed the act. But I get really, really pissed when people automatically assume that pleading mentally ill is a cop out of some sort.

People DO NOT get treatment for mental illness in prison--I can personally attest to this fact. Not even the most seriously ill people. They are a danger to themselves, other prisoners and prison guards and personnel. Shutting them away in a prison cell because they committed a crime doesn't make them not sick. Their illness tends to get a lot worse when left untreated and in the stressful situation behind bars.

I've dealt with a schizophrenic brother in prison. I had to fight tooth and nail to get him what little treatment he did get. He got worse when he was there. Had he been able to spend his two years in a mental hospital, that might not have happened.

The husband fucked up big, he definately bears some responsibility. But it seems as if he's taken responsibility in the ways open to him. He's remarried yet he is still caring for the ex wife he helped drive nuts. He really could act all self-righteous and walk away but he hasn't.

It's just tragedy on tragedy.

I feel strongly that insane people are not well-served by the prison system. (It's not designed for that, although heaven knows they try.) Putting an insane person in a mental hospital is the only appropriate -- ethical, practical -- thing to do. Putting someone insane into a prison is cruel and unusual punishment, and might be downright dangerous.

It is the responsibility of a mental hospital when acting as custodian on behalf of the state never to release someone who is not fit to be released. (Unless you're Reagan, and think that insane homeless people are good for the nation. t /bitter ) Prisons release the unfit all the time, when their prison terms expire.

Oh, x-post by someone who has been there and ate the t-shirt. What Cashmere said.

This is the part of the story that I find amazing. Rusty Yates divorced Andrea Yates after the children's June 2001 deaths and recently remarried. He said they are still "friends" and reminisce about the children.

WTF? Don't understand that.

She's not going to get out. Nobody is going to want to be the person who released someone who methodically killed four young children. Can't really comment about the verdict though. Without hearing everything the jury did, I really can't criticize them.