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CNN Live Saturday

Witness Describes Yates' Action as Determined

Aired March 09, 2002 - 22:48   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CATHERINE CALLAWAY, CNN ANCHOR: In a Houston, Texas courtroom today, a witness described Andrea Yates as determined and decisive after providing chilling details about her actions. The prosecution also put a sheriff's deputy on the stand to buttress its case that Yates knew she was doing wrong when she drowned her five children.

CNN's Ed Lavandera has more on the day's testimony.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KAYLYNN WILLIFORD, PROSECUTOR: This was something that used during the court, during the testimony about...

ED LAVANDERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Prosecutor Kaylynn Williford cluthes the doll used to show the jury how Andrea Yates gripped her five children to suffocate them in a water-filled bathtub. A pediatric doctor testified the Yates fought and struggled to stay alive. And they lost consciousness in about three minutes.

Prosecutors again hinted at the possibility Andrea Yates murdered the children to get back at her husband. The day after the drownings, jail guard Michael Stevens said he heard Andrew Yates say she should've only killed six-month old Mary, because as Yates put it, "Russell didn't want another girl, he wanted another boy for basketball team."

Defense attorneys fought back. They point out the jail guard didn't come forward with his story until two weeks before the trial started, seven months after the interview. The prosecution's high profile medical expert, Dr. Park Dietz says Andrea Yates planned the murders and knew it was wrong. Dietz says the trauma of drowning the children, getting arrested and going to jail pushed Yates into a psychotic state. Defense attorneys argue premeditation doesn't prove someone is sane.

GEORGE PARNHAM, YATES DEFENSE ATTORNEY: I just think that we'll be developed that all (UNINTELLIGIBLE) she was ill. And I think that all sides will acknowledge that she was psychotic.

LAVANDERA: Dietz left town without saying whether he thought Yates was legally insane on June 20. He says that's for the jury to decide.

PARK DIETZ: As nice as it's been in Houston, I'm happy to be returning to California.

LAVANDERA (on camera): Park Dietz is charging Texas prosecutors $500 an hour for his work. When the defense pressed for an exact total of how much he's made, Dietz would only say that the longer he stays on the witness stand, the quicker he'll get to make up his Enron stock losses. The point is, of course, the defense wants the jury to think Dietz will come up with any opinion if the price is right.

Ed Lavandera, CNN, Houston.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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