Nov. 28, 2025
"ANDREA YATES: WHEN POSTPARTUM PSYCHOSIS BECAME MURDER"
Reid Carter examines the case that changed how America views maternal mental illness. June 20, 2001, Houston. Andrea Yates, suffering severe postpartum psychosis, drowned her five children one by one in the bathtub. Noah, seven. John, five. Paul, three. Luke, two. Mary, six months. Doctors warned her and husband Rusty not to have more children—she'd had two suicide attempts, multiple hospitalizations. Rusty insisted on fifth child. Took her off medication. Left her alone despite doctor's orders. 2002 trial: guilty, life in prison. 2006 retrial: not guilty by reason of insanity. Now at mental hospital. The question: Mental illness or murder?
Join our new FB groups page here. Take the poll!
Join the Celebrity Trials community on social media! We're building a passionate group of true crime enthusiasts who love diving deep into the most shocking cases in America.
Follow us on Facebook and Instagram by searching "Celebrity Trials Podcast" on either platform.
You'll get exclusive behind-the-scenes content, breaking news updates on cases we're covering, and early alerts when new episodes drop. Our social media is where Reid Carter's hottest takes live, including reactions that don't make it into the show.
But more importantly, it's where YOU come in. Share your theories, debate the verdicts, and connect with fellow listeners who are just as obsessed with justice as you are. Did the jury get it right? What questions do you still have? Your comments and insights often shape future episodes.
We cover the trials that matter, but our community makes the conversation unforgettable. Come for Reid's signature cynical commentary, stay for the incredible discussions with thousands of true crime fans who get it.
WEBVTT
1
00:00:03.200 --> 00:00:14.119
Calarogus Shark Media. Good morning, I'm reed. Carter Friday, November
2
00:00:14.119 --> 00:00:18.000
twenty eighth, twenty twenty five, Black Friday, Hope you had
3
00:00:18.000 --> 00:00:21.719
a great Thanksgiving. Yesterday, June twentieth, two thousand and one,
4
00:00:22.079 --> 00:00:27.760
Wednesday morning, Houston, Texas, suburban Clear Lake neighborhood, Russell Rusty Yates,
5
00:00:28.079 --> 00:00:31.839
NASA engineer left for work at eight thirty am, kissed
6
00:00:31.839 --> 00:00:34.840
his wife Andrea goodbye, told her his mother, Dora, would
7
00:00:34.920 --> 00:00:37.359
arrive in an hour to help with the kids. Five
8
00:00:37.479 --> 00:00:43.320
children in the house Noah seven, John five, Paul three,
9
00:00:43.759 --> 00:00:48.960
Luke two, Mary six months old. Andrea had been diagnosed
10
00:00:48.960 --> 00:00:54.479
with postpartum psychosis, schizophrenia, major depression, hospitalized four times in
11
00:00:54.520 --> 00:00:59.320
two years, two suicide attempts. Doctors explicitly warned, do not
12
00:00:59.399 --> 00:01:02.119
have more children. Do not leave her alone with the kids.
13
00:01:02.439 --> 00:01:06.480
She is severely mentally ill. She is dangerous. Rusty knew
14
00:01:06.760 --> 00:01:10.519
he'd been told repeatedly, but he wanted a big family,
15
00:01:11.040 --> 00:01:14.760
as many children as God would provide, so they had five,
16
00:01:15.200 --> 00:01:19.519
and that morning he left Andrea alone nine forty eight
17
00:01:19.599 --> 00:01:23.000
a m. Andrea called nine one one, I need a
18
00:01:23.000 --> 00:01:28.920
police officer, Why just send someone? Police arrived ten minutes later,
19
00:01:29.359 --> 00:01:32.319
found four children laid out on the master bedroom bed,
20
00:01:32.840 --> 00:01:38.079
soaking wet, covered with a sheet. Noah, John Paul Luke
21
00:01:38.560 --> 00:01:42.879
all dead. Where's the fifth child? Officers walked to the
22
00:01:42.879 --> 00:01:48.480
bathroom found seven year old Noah still in the bathtub, floating, drowned.
23
00:01:49.680 --> 00:01:53.719
Andrea had systematically drowned all five of her children one
24
00:01:53.760 --> 00:01:58.200
by one in the family bathtub. Then called police, then
25
00:01:58.239 --> 00:02:02.439
called Rusty and told him to come home. Why they
26
00:02:02.480 --> 00:02:05.799
needed to be saved from Satan. I'm a bad mother.
27
00:02:06.439 --> 00:02:10.280
They were going to hell. Now they're with God. I'm
28
00:02:10.319 --> 00:02:15.240
read Carter. This is Celebrity Trials today. Andrea Yates the
29
00:02:15.280 --> 00:02:19.560
case that forced America to confront postpartum psychosis, mental illness,
30
00:02:19.840 --> 00:02:24.879
maternal infanticide. And the question was this murder or was
31
00:02:24.919 --> 00:02:33.159
this madness? This is Celebrity Trials. Andrea pa Kennedy was
32
00:02:33.199 --> 00:02:36.960
born July third, nineteen sixty four. Grew up in Houston
33
00:02:37.479 --> 00:02:41.960
High School valedictorian, went to University of Houston nursing degree.
34
00:02:42.319 --> 00:02:47.080
Worked as registered nurse, smart competent, caring by all accounts,
35
00:02:47.080 --> 00:02:51.400
a dedicated professional. She met Russell Yates in nineteen eighty nine.
36
00:02:51.479 --> 00:02:55.639
He was older worked at NASA as computer engineer, deeply religious,
37
00:02:55.960 --> 00:02:59.919
wanted large family, traditional marriage, wife at home raising chill
38
00:03:00.039 --> 00:03:04.280
ldren while he worked. They married April seventeenth, nineteen ninety three.
39
00:03:04.639 --> 00:03:08.919
Andrea quit nursing, became full time homemaker, got pregnant immediately.
40
00:03:09.319 --> 00:03:14.280
February twenty sixth, nineteen ninety four. First child, born, Noah Jacob.
41
00:03:14.919 --> 00:03:19.680
Andrea was thrilled. New mother, everything she'd dreamed of. But
42
00:03:19.800 --> 00:03:27.400
weeks after birth, something changed. Depression, overwhelming, sadness, intrusive thoughts.
43
00:03:27.759 --> 00:03:31.840
She tried to hide it, powered through, told herself it
44
00:03:31.879 --> 00:03:37.639
was normal new mother exhaustion. It would pass. It didn't pass.
45
00:03:38.159 --> 00:03:42.960
It got worse with each pregnancy. December fifteenth, nineteen ninety five,
46
00:03:43.520 --> 00:03:49.360
second child, born John Samuel, Andrea's depression intensified. Still functional,
47
00:03:49.599 --> 00:03:53.599
still caring for kids, but struggling dark thoughts she couldn't shake.
48
00:03:54.800 --> 00:03:59.479
September thirteenth, nineteen ninety seven, third child, born Paul Abraham,
49
00:04:00.000 --> 00:04:05.120
the depression became debilitating. Andrea stopped eating, stopped sleeping, started
50
00:04:05.159 --> 00:04:10.039
having visions, hallucinations, voices. But here's where it gets darker.
51
00:04:10.599 --> 00:04:14.400
In nineteen ninety seven, the Yates family encountered Michael Warrennecki
52
00:04:14.840 --> 00:04:21.199
traveling preacher unaffiliated with any church, extreme fundamentalist views. Rusty
53
00:04:21.279 --> 00:04:24.759
had known him from college. Waronniecki preached that women were
54
00:04:24.800 --> 00:04:29.480
inherently sinful, that children were born wicked, that bad parenting
55
00:04:29.639 --> 00:04:33.360
damned children to hell, that mothers who failed their children
56
00:04:33.399 --> 00:04:38.600
were instruments of satan. Andrea absorbed these teachings, internalized them,
57
00:04:39.000 --> 00:04:43.360
believed them completely. Warrenietsky lived in a bus, traveled the
58
00:04:43.360 --> 00:04:47.439
country preaching. Rusty was inspired, bought a bus from Warrenneki
59
00:04:47.879 --> 00:04:50.639
moved his family into a thirty eight foot converted bus.
60
00:04:51.000 --> 00:04:54.959
No more house, just the bus, three kids, two adults,
61
00:04:55.360 --> 00:04:59.199
tiny space, Andrea homeschooling the boys in the bus. The
62
00:04:59.279 --> 00:05:04.879
isolation in tensified Andrea's mental state, no friends, no support system,
63
00:05:04.959 --> 00:05:08.199
just Rusty, the kids, and Warren Yecki's teachings about sinful
64
00:05:08.279 --> 00:05:13.360
mothers and damned children. February fifteenth, nineteen ninety nine, fourth
65
00:05:13.439 --> 00:05:19.279
child born, Luke, and Andrea broke March thirtieth, nineteen ninety nine.
66
00:05:19.560 --> 00:05:25.439
Andrea swallowed forty or fifty trazodone pills her antidepressant suicide attempt.
67
00:05:25.800 --> 00:05:30.959
Rusty found her unresponsive, rushed to hospital ten daycoma survived
68
00:05:31.319 --> 00:05:35.839
upon waking Andrea was transferred to psychiatric unit. Doctor Eileen
69
00:05:36.000 --> 00:05:41.720
Starbranch diagnosed her with major depressive disorder severe prescribed medication
70
00:05:42.160 --> 00:05:46.879
began therapy. During hospitalization, Andrea filled a bathtub with water,
71
00:05:47.439 --> 00:05:52.680
sat beside it, staring, wouldn't say why. Staff intervened, drained
72
00:05:52.720 --> 00:05:58.199
the tub. Increased supervision. June seventeenth, nineteen ninety nine, two
73
00:05:58.199 --> 00:06:02.480
months after first suicide attempt, Andrea tried again. Kitchen knife
74
00:06:03.000 --> 00:06:06.800
held it to her throat. Rusty stopped her. Back to
75
00:06:06.839 --> 00:06:12.079
the hospital another psychiatric hold. July twentieth, nineteen ninety nine,
76
00:06:12.120 --> 00:06:16.199
Andrea was released. Doctor Starbranch met with Andrea and Rusty
77
00:06:16.319 --> 00:06:20.800
explicit warning, do not have any more children. Another pregnancy
78
00:06:20.839 --> 00:06:24.879
will guarantee future psychotic depression. She cannot handle it. It
79
00:06:24.920 --> 00:06:30.639
will be catastrophic. Rusty heard agreed, but privately disagreed. He
80
00:06:30.720 --> 00:06:35.160
wanted more children, believed God would provide, believed Andrea just
81
00:06:35.240 --> 00:06:41.160
needed faith. Warren Yetsi's teachings depression was weakness, spiritual failure.
82
00:06:41.480 --> 00:06:46.759
Andrea needed to be stronger, pray more, trust God. November thirtieth,
83
00:06:46.959 --> 00:06:52.480
two thousand, fifth child born Mary Deborah. Rusty had urged
84
00:06:52.519 --> 00:06:57.240
Andrea to get pregnant. Again, despite doctor's explicit warning. Despite
85
00:06:57.279 --> 00:07:02.040
Andrea's fragile mental state, despite two suicide attempts in eighteen months,
86
00:07:02.879 --> 00:07:07.839
Andrea stopped taking Haldall, her antipsychotic during pregnancy. Baby Mary
87
00:07:07.959 --> 00:07:12.480
was born, and Andrea seemed okay, initially coping caring for
88
00:07:12.600 --> 00:07:17.360
five children. Then March twelfth, two thousand and one, Andrea's
89
00:07:17.399 --> 00:07:21.160
father died. She'd been close to him. The grief triggered
90
00:07:21.160 --> 00:07:26.480
complete collapse. Andrea stopped feeding Mary, stopped drinking water, cut herself,
91
00:07:26.480 --> 00:07:29.759
repeatedly scratched her scalp until it bled, looking for the
92
00:07:29.759 --> 00:07:34.199
mark of the beast, read the Bible, obsessively muttered to herself,
93
00:07:34.439 --> 00:07:39.439
stared at walls, became near catatonic. March thirty first, two
94
00:07:39.519 --> 00:07:43.240
thousand and one, Andrea admitted to Devereaux, Texas Treatment Center
95
00:07:43.560 --> 00:07:49.519
psychiatric hospital. Doctor Ellen Albritton evaluated her. Later testified she
96
00:07:49.639 --> 00:07:53.680
had declined to the point of nonfunction, just there a shell.
97
00:07:54.360 --> 00:07:59.040
Andrea was treated with Haldall again, improved, still clearly ill,
98
00:07:59.120 --> 00:08:03.319
but functional, could speak, could interact, still had delusions, but
99
00:08:03.439 --> 00:08:07.800
less severe. April twelfth, two thousand and one, Andrea discharged.
100
00:08:08.199 --> 00:08:12.959
Insurance only covered limited days. She needed longer treatment, but
101
00:08:13.079 --> 00:08:18.720
insurance said no, So home she went. Still psychotic, still delusional,
102
00:08:19.680 --> 00:08:23.879
but insurance said she was stable enough. She wasn't. May third,
103
00:08:23.920 --> 00:08:27.319
two thousand and one, Andrea filled the family bathtub with
104
00:08:27.399 --> 00:08:31.120
water middle of the day, just filled it, then sat
105
00:08:31.240 --> 00:08:35.480
beside it, staring. Rusty found her, asked what she was doing.
106
00:08:36.039 --> 00:08:39.840
Andrea wouldn't answer, just stared at the water. Back to
107
00:08:39.919 --> 00:08:45.080
hospital this time, doctor Mohammed said, treated her, prescribed Haldall again.
108
00:08:45.519 --> 00:08:50.279
Andrea stabilized, released May fourteenth, but on June fourth, two
109
00:08:50.360 --> 00:08:54.320
thousand and one, sixteen days before the murders, doctor said,
110
00:08:54.399 --> 00:08:59.440
discontinued Haldall. Why he later testified he was concerned about
111
00:08:59.480 --> 00:09:03.360
side effect that Andrea seemed stable, that she could manage
112
00:09:03.360 --> 00:09:07.039
without it. Andrea's family begged doctor Sayid to keep her
113
00:09:07.039 --> 00:09:10.840
on medication, told him she wasn't stable. She was still
114
00:09:10.840 --> 00:09:15.240
hearing voices, still having delusions, still scratching her scalp raw.
115
00:09:15.759 --> 00:09:19.519
Doctor said, said she'd be fine. Sent her home, no howldall,
116
00:09:19.759 --> 00:09:24.759
no antipsychotic, just antidepressants that weren't working. June eighteenth, two
117
00:09:24.799 --> 00:09:28.679
thousand and one, two days before the murders, Andrea's mother
118
00:09:28.720 --> 00:09:33.080
in law, Dora Yates visited, found Andrea shaking, trembling, talking
119
00:09:33.080 --> 00:09:37.200
to herself. Andrea's head was nearly bald from scratching. She
120
00:09:37.240 --> 00:09:41.559
wouldn't make eye contact, barely responded when spoken to. Dora
121
00:09:41.759 --> 00:09:45.799
was terrified. Told Rusty something is seriously wrong. She can't
122
00:09:45.840 --> 00:09:48.159
be alone with the children. Someone needs to be with
123
00:09:48.200 --> 00:09:52.000
her every moment. Rusty agreed his mother would come daily
124
00:09:52.519 --> 00:09:56.840
help supervise, he'd stay close. But Rusty also believed Andrea
125
00:09:56.919 --> 00:09:59.840
needed to practice independence, that coddling her would make her
126
00:09:59.840 --> 00:10:02.159
way worse, that she needed to learn to handle the
127
00:10:02.240 --> 00:10:06.039
children alone, that tough love would help. Doctor Sayid had
128
00:10:06.080 --> 00:10:09.480
explicitly instructed Andrea must not be left alone with the
129
00:10:09.600 --> 00:10:14.399
children ever. She is dangerous, She is delusional, she has
130
00:10:14.399 --> 00:10:18.159
filled bath tubs with water multiple times. She has suicidal
131
00:10:18.200 --> 00:10:24.200
and homicidal ideation. Do not leave her unsupervised. Rusty knew this,
132
00:10:24.519 --> 00:10:28.960
heard it repeatedly from doctors, from his mother, from Andrea's family.
133
00:10:29.399 --> 00:10:32.960
Everyone told him do not leave her alone with the kids.
134
00:10:33.639 --> 00:10:36.000
On the morning of June twentieth, two thousand and one,
135
00:10:36.480 --> 00:10:40.039
Rusty left Andrea alone with the kids. Your tax dollars
136
00:10:40.080 --> 00:10:56.159
at work. June twentieth, two thousand and one eight thirty am.
137
00:10:56.399 --> 00:10:59.679
Rusty left for work, told Andrea his mother would arrive
138
00:10:59.679 --> 00:11:03.200
at night nine thirty am one hour. Andrea just needed
139
00:11:03.200 --> 00:11:06.000
to watch the kids for one hour. Andrea fed them
140
00:11:06.039 --> 00:11:09.480
breakfast cereal. The boys ate in the kitchen. Mary was
141
00:11:09.519 --> 00:11:12.200
in her high chair. Then Andrea walked to the bathroom,
142
00:11:12.519 --> 00:11:16.039
turned on the faucet, filled the bathtub nine inches of
143
00:11:16.039 --> 00:11:19.320
cold water, then went back to the kitchen. She picked
144
00:11:19.399 --> 00:11:23.080
up Mary, six months old, carried her to the bathroom,
145
00:11:23.600 --> 00:11:26.240
placed her in the tub, held her under the water.
146
00:11:26.879 --> 00:11:32.919
Mary struggled, kicked, then went still drowned. Andrea left her
147
00:11:32.919 --> 00:11:35.759
floating in the tub. Went back to the kitchen. Called
148
00:11:35.840 --> 00:11:40.360
Luke two years old, Come here, sweetie. Carried him to
149
00:11:40.399 --> 00:11:44.840
the bathroom, showed him the tub. Luke saw his sister floating,
150
00:11:45.200 --> 00:11:50.559
started crying, screaming. Andrea held him under. He fought, She
151
00:11:50.679 --> 00:11:54.120
held him down, he drowned. She lifted him out, laid
152
00:11:54.159 --> 00:11:56.600
him on the bed in the master bedroom. Went back.
153
00:11:57.000 --> 00:12:01.200
Called Paul, three years old. Same process, to the bathroom,
154
00:12:01.399 --> 00:12:05.200
into the tub. Paul saw his brothers, knew something was wrong,
155
00:12:05.480 --> 00:12:09.399
tried to run. Andrea caught him, held him under. He drowned.
156
00:12:09.840 --> 00:12:12.799
She laid him next to Luke on the bed. Called John,
157
00:12:13.480 --> 00:12:17.720
five years old. He was watching TV. Came when called.
158
00:12:18.120 --> 00:12:22.440
Walked to the bathroom, saw the bathtub, saw Mary still floating,
159
00:12:22.799 --> 00:12:26.960
started backing away. Andrea grabbed him, forced him into the water,
160
00:12:27.320 --> 00:12:31.720
held him down. John struggled harder than the others, stronger, older,
161
00:12:32.000 --> 00:12:35.399
fought for his life. Andrea held him until he stopped moving.
162
00:12:35.759 --> 00:12:40.559
Laid him on the bed with his brothers. Noah was seven, oldest, smartest,
163
00:12:40.759 --> 00:12:43.799
he'd been in another room. Heard the commotion, came to check.
164
00:12:44.000 --> 00:12:47.120
Walked into the master bedroom, saw his four siblings laid
165
00:12:47.159 --> 00:12:53.720
out on the bed, wet, still dead. Noah screamed, turned ran,
166
00:12:54.879 --> 00:12:58.080
Andrea chased him, caught him in the hallway. Noah fought,
167
00:12:58.440 --> 00:13:03.600
seven years old, fighting for his life, begging his mother, no, mommy, no.
168
00:13:04.919 --> 00:13:09.440
Andrea dragged him to the bathroom. Noah was strong, struggled, kicked.
169
00:13:10.080 --> 00:13:13.320
She forced him into the tub, held him under. Noah
170
00:13:13.399 --> 00:13:17.120
fought the longest, his mother holding him underwater, the woman
171
00:13:17.159 --> 00:13:21.639
who gave him life taking it away. Finally he stopped moving.
172
00:13:22.240 --> 00:13:25.679
Andrea left Noah floating in the tub, pulled Mary out,
173
00:13:26.080 --> 00:13:28.879
laid her in John's arms on the bed, covered all
174
00:13:28.919 --> 00:13:33.440
four with a sheet, then sat down, called nine one one.
175
00:13:33.600 --> 00:13:37.120
I need a police officer. What's the problem. I just
176
00:13:37.200 --> 00:13:42.559
need a police officer. What's wrong? Just send somebody. The
177
00:13:42.600 --> 00:13:48.600
dispatcher kept asking. Andrea wouldn't explain, just kept repeating, send someone.
178
00:13:48.960 --> 00:13:52.720
I need help. Then she called Rusty at work, you
179
00:13:52.799 --> 00:13:57.279
need to come home. Why it's time? I finally did it?
180
00:13:58.039 --> 00:14:03.840
Did what Andrea? What happened? It's the children? What about
181
00:14:03.840 --> 00:14:09.840
the children? Are they hurt? All of them? Rusty rushed home,
182
00:14:10.320 --> 00:14:13.720
arrived same time as police officers wouldn't let him inside
183
00:14:14.039 --> 00:14:18.480
crime scene. Five dead children, mass murder. Andrea was arrested,
184
00:14:19.200 --> 00:14:25.320
confessed immediately, gave full statement, detailed everything, how she drowned them,
185
00:14:25.559 --> 00:14:30.840
what order, why she did it, why they weren't developing correctly.
186
00:14:31.279 --> 00:14:34.080
I'm a bad mother. They were going to hell. Satan
187
00:14:34.200 --> 00:14:36.840
was inside them. I had to save them. Now they're
188
00:14:36.879 --> 00:14:40.080
with God. Now they're safe. The state will execute me,
189
00:14:40.480 --> 00:14:45.279
Satan will be destroyed. My children are saved. Postpartum psychosis
190
00:14:45.279 --> 00:14:51.240
with religious delusions. Doctor Philip Resnik, forensic psychiatrist, later explained
191
00:14:52.399 --> 00:14:56.799
Andrea genuinely believed she was saving her children, that drowning
192
00:14:56.840 --> 00:14:59.600
them was an act of love, that their souls would
193
00:14:59.639 --> 00:15:01.879
go to Hell heaven if they died young and innocent,
194
00:15:02.360 --> 00:15:04.480
but if they grew up with her as a bad mother,
195
00:15:04.960 --> 00:15:08.440
they'd be corrupted by Satan and damned to hell. In
196
00:15:08.480 --> 00:15:11.639
Andrea's psychotic mind, she murdered her children to save them
197
00:15:11.639 --> 00:15:15.480
from eternal damnation. And she believed the state would execute her,
198
00:15:15.559 --> 00:15:19.519
which would destroy Satan, which would complete the salvation. Make
199
00:15:19.600 --> 00:15:24.840
it make sense. The trials seven minutes February eighteenth, two
200
00:15:24.879 --> 00:15:29.840
thousand and two. First trial began Harris County, Texas. Judge
201
00:15:29.840 --> 00:15:35.159
Belinda Hill, presiding District Attorney Chuck Rosenthal prosecuting, seeking death penalty.
202
00:15:35.639 --> 00:15:39.480
Defense attorney George Parnham arguing not guilty by reason of insanity.
203
00:15:40.000 --> 00:15:43.720
Texas has strict insanity standard. Did the defendant know right
204
00:15:43.759 --> 00:15:46.720
from wrong at the time of the crime. That's it
205
00:15:46.759 --> 00:15:50.480
doesn't matter if you're psychotic, doesn't matter if you're hallucinating.
206
00:15:50.960 --> 00:15:55.360
If you knew killing was wrong, you're legally saying. Prosecution argued,
207
00:15:55.399 --> 00:15:59.039
Andrea knew, she called nine one one after new to
208
00:15:59.080 --> 00:16:02.200
hide it from Rusty, knew police would come that show
209
00:16:02.279 --> 00:16:06.679
she knew it was wrong, therefore legally sane. Therefore guilty
210
00:16:06.720 --> 00:16:11.759
of capital murder. Defense presented Andrea's psychiatric history, two years
211
00:16:11.759 --> 00:16:18.559
of hospitalizations, suicide attempts, doctor's warnings, medication failures, delusions about Satan,
212
00:16:19.159 --> 00:16:23.000
belief she was saving her children from hell. But prosecution's
213
00:16:23.000 --> 00:16:28.679
star witness was doctor Park Deets, forensic psychiatrist testified for prosecution,
214
00:16:29.200 --> 00:16:32.960
interviewed Andrea, concluded she was legally sane when she killed
215
00:16:32.960 --> 00:16:36.919
her children. Diets claimed Andrea was influenced by an episode
216
00:16:36.960 --> 00:16:40.639
of Law and Order SVU where woman drowned her children
217
00:16:40.799 --> 00:16:44.480
and was found not guilty by reason of insanity. Andrea
218
00:16:44.559 --> 00:16:47.240
watched that episode, Diets said, and copied it to get
219
00:16:47.279 --> 00:16:53.960
an insanity verdict. Powerful testimony suggested Andrea was malingering, faking psychosis,
220
00:16:54.320 --> 00:17:09.799
calculated the whole thing. March twelfth, two thousand and two,
221
00:17:10.200 --> 00:17:14.839
jury deliberated, returned verdict in less than four hours. Guilty
222
00:17:15.400 --> 00:17:20.880
two counts, capital murder. Penalty phase began. Prosecution sought death.
223
00:17:21.680 --> 00:17:27.079
Defense begged for mercy, presented Andrea's mental illness, her lack
224
00:17:27.119 --> 00:17:31.440
of criminal history, the tragedy of it all. Jury couldn't
225
00:17:31.480 --> 00:17:34.880
agree on death penalty, sentenced Andrea to life in prison
226
00:17:35.000 --> 00:17:39.240
with possibility of parole. After forty years, But then two
227
00:17:39.319 --> 00:17:45.039
thousand and five appeal, Andrea's attorneys discovered something that Law
228
00:17:45.079 --> 00:17:50.279
and Order SVU episode doctor Deetz testified about never existed.
229
00:17:51.079 --> 00:17:56.119
No such episode. Deats was wrong or lying. The testimony
230
00:17:56.200 --> 00:18:00.000
was false, the jury relied on it, the conviction was tainted.
231
00:18:00.720 --> 00:18:04.359
Texas Court of Appeals overturned the verdict, ordered new trial
232
00:18:05.079 --> 00:18:10.039
July twenty sixth, two thousand and six. Second trial, same charges,
233
00:18:10.319 --> 00:18:16.200
same evidence, different jury, different outcome. This time, defense emphasized
234
00:18:16.240 --> 00:18:23.200
Andrea's psychosis more effectively. Multiple psychiatrists testified, detailed her delusions,
235
00:18:23.680 --> 00:18:27.759
her hallucinations, her genuine belief she was saving her children.
236
00:18:28.440 --> 00:18:32.359
Prosecution still argued she knew right from wrong. Still sought conviction,
237
00:18:32.920 --> 00:18:36.799
but without Dietz's false testimony, their case was weaker. The
238
00:18:36.880 --> 00:18:41.640
jury deliberated, returned verdict not guilty by reason of insanity.
1
00:00:03.200 --> 00:00:14.119
2
00:00:14.119 --> 00:00:18.000
3
00:00:18.000 --> 00:00:21.719
4
00:00:22.079 --> 00:00:27.760
5
00:00:28.079 --> 00:00:31.839
6
00:00:31.839 --> 00:00:34.840
7
00:00:34.920 --> 00:00:37.359
8
00:00:37.479 --> 00:00:43.320
9
00:00:43.759 --> 00:00:48.960
10
00:00:48.960 --> 00:00:54.479
11
00:00:54.520 --> 00:00:59.320
12
00:00:59.399 --> 00:01:02.119
13
00:01:02.439 --> 00:01:06.480
14
00:01:06.760 --> 00:01:10.519
15
00:01:11.040 --> 00:01:14.760
16
00:01:15.200 --> 00:01:19.519
17
00:01:19.599 --> 00:01:23.000
18
00:01:23.000 --> 00:01:28.920
19
00:01:29.359 --> 00:01:32.319
20
00:01:32.840 --> 00:01:38.079
21
00:01:38.560 --> 00:01:42.879
22
00:01:42.879 --> 00:01:48.480
23
00:01:49.680 --> 00:01:53.719
24
00:01:53.760 --> 00:01:58.200
25
00:01:58.239 --> 00:02:02.439
26
00:02:02.480 --> 00:02:05.799
27
00:02:06.439 --> 00:02:10.280
28
00:02:10.319 --> 00:02:15.240
29
00:02:15.280 --> 00:02:19.560
30
00:02:19.840 --> 00:02:24.879
31
00:02:24.919 --> 00:02:33.159
32
00:02:33.199 --> 00:02:36.960
33
00:02:37.479 --> 00:02:41.960
34
00:02:42.319 --> 00:02:47.080
35
00:02:47.080 --> 00:02:51.400
36
00:02:51.479 --> 00:02:55.639
37
00:02:55.960 --> 00:02:59.919
38
00:03:00.039 --> 00:03:04.280
39
00:03:04.639 --> 00:03:08.919
40
00:03:09.319 --> 00:03:14.280
41
00:03:14.919 --> 00:03:19.680
42
00:03:19.800 --> 00:03:27.400
43
00:03:27.759 --> 00:03:31.840
44
00:03:31.879 --> 00:03:37.639
45
00:03:38.159 --> 00:03:42.960
46
00:03:43.520 --> 00:03:49.360
47
00:03:49.599 --> 00:03:53.599
48
00:03:54.800 --> 00:03:59.479
49
00:04:00.000 --> 00:04:05.120
50
00:04:05.159 --> 00:04:10.039
51
00:04:10.599 --> 00:04:14.400
52
00:04:14.840 --> 00:04:21.199
53
00:04:21.279 --> 00:04:24.759
54
00:04:24.800 --> 00:04:29.480
55
00:04:29.639 --> 00:04:33.360
56
00:04:33.399 --> 00:04:38.600
57
00:04:39.000 --> 00:04:43.360
58
00:04:43.360 --> 00:04:47.439
59
00:04:47.879 --> 00:04:50.639
60
00:04:51.000 --> 00:04:54.959
61
00:04:55.360 --> 00:04:59.199
62
00:04:59.279 --> 00:05:04.879
63
00:05:04.959 --> 00:05:08.199
64
00:05:08.279 --> 00:05:13.360
65
00:05:13.439 --> 00:05:19.279
66
00:05:19.560 --> 00:05:25.439
67
00:05:25.800 --> 00:05:30.959
68
00:05:31.319 --> 00:05:35.839
69
00:05:36.000 --> 00:05:41.720
70
00:05:42.160 --> 00:05:46.879
71
00:05:47.439 --> 00:05:52.680
72
00:05:52.720 --> 00:05:58.199
73
00:05:58.199 --> 00:06:02.480
74
00:06:03.000 --> 00:06:06.800
75
00:06:06.839 --> 00:06:12.079
76
00:06:12.120 --> 00:06:16.199
77
00:06:16.319 --> 00:06:20.800
78
00:06:20.839 --> 00:06:24.879
79
00:06:24.920 --> 00:06:30.639
80
00:06:30.720 --> 00:06:35.160
81
00:06:35.240 --> 00:06:41.160
82
00:06:41.480 --> 00:06:46.759
83
00:06:46.959 --> 00:06:52.480
84
00:06:52.519 --> 00:06:57.240
85
00:06:57.279 --> 00:07:02.040
86
00:07:02.879 --> 00:07:07.839
87
00:07:07.959 --> 00:07:12.480
88
00:07:12.600 --> 00:07:17.360
89
00:07:17.399 --> 00:07:21.160
90
00:07:21.160 --> 00:07:26.480
91
00:07:26.480 --> 00:07:29.759
92
00:07:29.759 --> 00:07:34.199
93
00:07:34.439 --> 00:07:39.439
94
00:07:39.519 --> 00:07:43.240
95
00:07:43.560 --> 00:07:49.519
96
00:07:49.639 --> 00:07:53.680
97
00:07:54.360 --> 00:07:59.040
98
00:07:59.120 --> 00:08:03.319
99
00:08:03.439 --> 00:08:07.800
100
00:08:08.199 --> 00:08:12.959
101
00:08:13.079 --> 00:08:18.720
102
00:08:19.680 --> 00:08:23.879
103
00:08:23.920 --> 00:08:27.319
104
00:08:27.399 --> 00:08:31.120
105
00:08:31.240 --> 00:08:35.480
106
00:08:36.039 --> 00:08:39.840
107
00:08:39.919 --> 00:08:45.080
108
00:08:45.519 --> 00:08:50.279
109
00:08:50.360 --> 00:08:54.320
110
00:08:54.399 --> 00:08:59.440
111
00:08:59.480 --> 00:09:03.360
112
00:09:03.360 --> 00:09:07.039
113
00:09:07.039 --> 00:09:10.840
114
00:09:10.840 --> 00:09:15.240
115
00:09:15.759 --> 00:09:19.519
116
00:09:19.759 --> 00:09:24.759
117
00:09:24.799 --> 00:09:28.679
118
00:09:28.720 --> 00:09:33.080
119
00:09:33.080 --> 00:09:37.200
120
00:09:37.240 --> 00:09:41.559
121
00:09:41.759 --> 00:09:45.799
122
00:09:45.840 --> 00:09:48.159
123
00:09:48.200 --> 00:09:52.000
124
00:09:52.519 --> 00:09:56.840
125
00:09:56.919 --> 00:09:59.840
126
00:09:59.840 --> 00:10:02.159
127
00:10:02.240 --> 00:10:06.039
128
00:10:06.080 --> 00:10:09.480
129
00:10:09.600 --> 00:10:14.399
130
00:10:14.399 --> 00:10:18.159
131
00:10:18.200 --> 00:10:24.200
132
00:10:24.519 --> 00:10:28.960
133
00:10:29.399 --> 00:10:32.960
134
00:10:33.639 --> 00:10:36.000
135
00:10:36.480 --> 00:10:40.039
136
00:10:40.080 --> 00:10:56.159
137
00:10:56.399 --> 00:10:59.679
138
00:10:59.679 --> 00:11:03.200
139
00:11:03.200 --> 00:11:06.000
140
00:11:06.039 --> 00:11:09.480
141
00:11:09.519 --> 00:11:12.200
142
00:11:12.519 --> 00:11:16.039
143
00:11:16.039 --> 00:11:19.320
144
00:11:19.399 --> 00:11:23.080
145
00:11:23.600 --> 00:11:26.240
146
00:11:26.879 --> 00:11:32.919
147
00:11:32.919 --> 00:11:35.759
148
00:11:35.840 --> 00:11:40.360
149
00:11:40.399 --> 00:11:44.840
150
00:11:45.200 --> 00:11:50.559
151
00:11:50.679 --> 00:11:54.120
152
00:11:54.159 --> 00:11:56.600
153
00:11:57.000 --> 00:12:01.200
154
00:12:01.399 --> 00:12:05.200
155
00:12:05.480 --> 00:12:09.399
156
00:12:09.840 --> 00:12:12.799
157
00:12:13.480 --> 00:12:17.720
158
00:12:18.120 --> 00:12:22.440
159
00:12:22.799 --> 00:12:26.960
160
00:12:27.320 --> 00:12:31.720
161
00:12:32.000 --> 00:12:35.399
162
00:12:35.759 --> 00:12:40.559
163
00:12:40.759 --> 00:12:43.799
164
00:12:44.000 --> 00:12:47.120
165
00:12:47.159 --> 00:12:53.720
166
00:12:54.879 --> 00:12:58.080
167
00:12:58.440 --> 00:13:03.600
168
00:13:04.919 --> 00:13:09.440
169
00:13:10.080 --> 00:13:13.320
170
00:13:13.399 --> 00:13:17.120
171
00:13:17.159 --> 00:13:21.639
172
00:13:22.240 --> 00:13:25.679
173
00:13:26.080 --> 00:13:28.879
174
00:13:28.919 --> 00:13:33.440
175
00:13:33.600 --> 00:13:37.120
176
00:13:37.200 --> 00:13:42.559
177
00:13:42.600 --> 00:13:48.600
178
00:13:48.960 --> 00:13:52.720
179
00:13:52.799 --> 00:13:57.279
180
00:13:58.039 --> 00:14:03.840
181
00:14:03.840 --> 00:14:09.840
182
00:14:10.320 --> 00:14:13.720
183
00:14:14.039 --> 00:14:18.480
184
00:14:19.200 --> 00:14:25.320
185
00:14:25.559 --> 00:14:30.840
186
00:14:31.279 --> 00:14:34.080
187
00:14:34.200 --> 00:14:36.840
188
00:14:36.879 --> 00:14:40.080
189
00:14:40.480 --> 00:14:45.279
190
00:14:45.279 --> 00:14:51.240
191
00:14:52.399 --> 00:14:56.799
192
00:14:56.840 --> 00:14:59.600
193
00:14:59.639 --> 00:15:01.879
194
00:15:02.360 --> 00:15:04.480
195
00:15:04.960 --> 00:15:08.440
196
00:15:08.480 --> 00:15:11.639
197
00:15:11.639 --> 00:15:15.480
198
00:15:15.559 --> 00:15:19.519
199
00:15:19.600 --> 00:15:24.840
200
00:15:24.879 --> 00:15:29.840
201
00:15:29.840 --> 00:15:35.159
202
00:15:35.639 --> 00:15:39.480
203
00:15:40.000 --> 00:15:43.720
204
00:15:43.759 --> 00:15:46.720
205
00:15:46.759 --> 00:15:50.480
206
00:15:50.960 --> 00:15:55.360
207
00:15:55.399 --> 00:15:59.039
208
00:15:59.080 --> 00:16:02.200
209
00:16:02.279 --> 00:16:06.679
210
00:16:06.720 --> 00:16:11.759
211
00:16:11.759 --> 00:16:18.559
212
00:16:19.159 --> 00:16:23.000
213
00:16:23.000 --> 00:16:28.679
214
00:16:29.200 --> 00:16:32.960
215
00:16:32.960 --> 00:16:36.919
216
00:16:36.960 --> 00:16:40.639
217
00:16:40.799 --> 00:16:44.480
218
00:16:44.559 --> 00:16:47.240
219
00:16:47.279 --> 00:16:53.960
220
00:16:54.320 --> 00:17:09.799
221
00:17:10.200 --> 00:17:14.839
222
00:17:15.400 --> 00:17:20.880
223
00:17:21.680 --> 00:17:27.079
224
00:17:27.119 --> 00:17:31.440
225
00:17:31.480 --> 00:17:34.880
226
00:17:35.000 --> 00:17:39.240
227
00:17:39.319 --> 00:17:45.039
228
00:17:45.079 --> 00:17:50.279
229
00:17:51.079 --> 00:17:56.119
230
00:17:56.200 --> 00:18:00.000
231
00:18:00.720 --> 00:18:04.359
232
00:18:05.079 --> 00:18:10.039
233
00:18:10.319 --> 00:18:16.200
234
00:18:16.240 --> 00:18:23.200
235
00:18:23.680 --> 00:18:27.759
236
00:18:28.440 --> 00:18:32.359
237
00:18:32.920 --> 00:18:36.799
238
00:18:36.880 --> 00:18:41.640