BIG SACRIFICES: A Consideration of Flawed Forensics Used to Convict Diane Downs

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November 14, 2013 marks the second in our “Crimes of the Century” series on flawed forensics. Spotlighted was the high profile murder and attempted murder conviction of Diane Downs, portrayed by the late Farrah Fawcett in the movie “Small Sacrifices”.

Diane Downs was convicted in 1984 of killing her 6 year old daughter and attempting to kill her 3 year old son and 8 year old daughter to woo a lover who reportedly did not want children. However, life appears to have imitated art for Diane in that the prosecutor’s case against her seems almost as fictionalized as the corresponding book and referenced Farrah Fawcett movie.

Tracking COC listeners through the Diane Downs case facts and circumstances is Diane’s brother, Mr. James Frederickson,and COC’s own Dr. Andrew D. Jackson. Does their presentation leave you with reasonable doubt that Diane killed one and attempted to kill two of her children?

Is It Science Or Sitcom?

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Our jaws are dropped and it’s only the first broadcast in our ongoing series, “FLAWED FORENSICS: The Science of Wrongful Convictions”. On September 19, 2013, your Crimes of the Century co-hosts began what will be a periodic examination of questionable uses and exclusions of forensic evidence in criminal prosecutions. Our initial guest in the series, former Deputy Sheriff Mark Lipton, leaves us struggling to make sense of his conviction for a violent assault when it seems that all available forensic evidence backs his repeated claims of innocence.