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American Morning

Mother Indicted: Attorneys Ask for Competency Hearing

Aired July 31, 2001 - 09:05   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.
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: A Texas mother charged with drowning her five children has been indicted on murder charges. Her attorneys are asking for a hearing on whether she's competent to stand trial.

And CNN's Ed Lavandera has the details on that.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ED LAVANDERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): New legal maneuvers are developing in the case against Andrea Yates. A grand jury indicted the 36-year-old mother on two counts of capital murder. One count was for the death of 7-year-old Noah and 5-year-old John, the other for the murder of 6-month-old Mary. No indictments were handed down in the deaths of her other two children.

The mother is accused of drowning her five children in a bathtub. Police say she confessed to the crime when officers arrived at the Yates' suburban Houston home on June 20. there's still no word on whether Yates could face the death penalty, but her attorney has said he expects the prosecutor to seek the harshest punishment.

Since Andrea Yates' arrest, her attorneys say she remains in a psychotic state and unable to communicate effectively. Her defense team has asked for a court hearing to determine whether she's competent enough to stand trial.

RUSSELL YATES, VICTIMS' FATHER: She wasn't in her right frame of mind and I guess her, she had, you know, psychotic, you know, side effects with her depression that led her to do this. She wasn't, I mean she loved our kids, you know? Anybody that knew her knew that.

LAVANDERA: Andrea Yates is expected to make another court appearance on August 8. until then, she'll remain in the psychiatric unit of the Harris County Jail and under round the clock supervision.

Ed Lavandera, CNN.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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