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CNN Live At Daybreak

Texas Child Killings: Hearing Set to Get Under Way

Aired June 22, 2001 - 08:01   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.
COLLEEN MCEDWARDS, CNN ANCHOR: We begin in Houston, where a hearing is set to get under way for the woman accused of killing her five children. Police are charging Andrea Yates with capital murder. Some details of the case are coming out.

The headline in today's "Houston Chronicle" says "Mother Described Methodical Drowning of Five Kids." The article says: "In what a police investigator described Thursday as a zombie-like fashion, Andrea Pia Yates told police how she methodically drowned her five children one by one in a bathtub."

CNN's Jeff Flock is in Houston with the latest on this case for us this morning -- Jeff.

JEFF FLOCK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Indeed, Colleen, none of this story has been very easy to hear or to report.

But, as you report, that's the headline this morning, the "Houston Chronicle" citing its police sources, apparently an investigator who has seen a videotape that police apparently made of the statement that Ms. Yates gave to them in which she apparently describes, in that methodical fashion, the way that she killed each of her five children -- the last two, the 6-month-old, Mary, the only girl, and then the 7-year-old, the oldest, apparently happening on that, and then himself trying to get away and being dragged back -- again, not very easy details to hear this morning.

Ms. Yates, for her part, will be here in this courthouse behind me in about a half hour's time. In fact, we're told about 20 minutes from now, she will appear in the courtroom, presumably, at that time, with legal representation, although at this point, we have not been able to run down exactly who will represent her. Her family had been about the business of that yesterday, attempting to get that all squared away.

Her husband emerged from their house yesterday. And if you take a look out there, we have some pictures of what has turned into a makeshift memorial. It's not too awfully far from the Johnson Space Center. That is where Russell Yates, Andrea Yates' husband, works -- the home there now with teddy bears, flowers, expressions of support.

A memorial fund has already been set up to perhaps help with the cost associated with the -- cost associated with the funerals that are to come for the five children. As for the husband, Russell Yates, have not yet seen him here at the courthouse this morning, but heard some from him yesterday as he talked to reporters about what had transpired over the course of the past 24 hours.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RUSSELL YATES, FATHER OF SLAIN CHILDREN: Fortunately, I kissed them all goodbye. I mean, that was, you know -- I remember I kissed every one of them goodbye, you know. So I was really happy about that. I mean, I could have -- you know, a lot of people I've seen that lose loved ones, you know, they end on a sour note.

You know, they have a big fight or something and then, you know -- but it wasn't that way. You know, we had -- you know, I hugged and kissed everybody goodbye before I went to work that day. And that's how I want to remember them.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FLOCK: One last note about what we know this morning, Colleen, about what'll transpire here in about 30 minutes. The local prosecutors will appear before the judge -- probably show probable cause. Although a magistrate found yesterday probable cause to hold her over, they'll redemonstrate that. And then her counsel will appear. But beyond that, nothing much else expected -- probably about five minutes worth this morning -- so not a whole lot here.

Now getting to the key issue, Colleen, which of course is the question of whether or not she perhaps was insane -- will that be the defense that will be mounted? Chuck Rosenthal, who is the elected prosecutor here in Harris County, will be charged with making the decision about what to pursue in this case.

Joe Owmby, who is the local prosecutor here, will, in about 30 days time, make a recommendation to Mr. Rosenthal about whether they ought to pursue the death penalty or not. And that's perhaps the key question. We don't expect an answer on that one today, Colleen.

MCEDWARDS: All right, CNN's Jeff Flock, thanks very much.

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