I wholeheartedly agree with you Yvonne. Those who condemn Mrs. Yates,
for the most part, are people whose families are mentally well, and who
don't have a clue as to mental illness.   I do, because I have friends
who have it.

Mike
mhcollis@pop..erols.com

-----Original Message-----
From: St. John's University Cerebral Palsy List
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Yvonne Craig
Sent: Monday, March 18, 2002 3:39 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Yates' case

As a mental health professional, I was shocked by what I have heard
about =
the whole case. I have heard she was suffering from post-partum
depression =
and other reports that she has schizophrenia (two vastly different =
diagnoses with different treatments but with some common features) - I =
don't know which is true. I also heard that on the advice of her doctor
=
her meds were stopped. If she was psychotic from either of those
conditions=
 and unmedicated, I cannot imagine how she was found guilty.  There
seems =
to be this misconception that a psychotic person is automatically =
disorganized and therefore would be unable to "methodically" carry out
the =
killings. This is just not true. This is a horrific tragedy and I feel
for =
the children and the family, but if she was psychotic at the time, she =
should not be held responsible for her actions legally. Her doctor
should =
be held criminally responsible for not providing appropriate treatment
and =
follow-up. Thank God she didn't receive the death penalty!=20

The way I see it, she was convicted based on misconceptions and biases =
against those disabled by mental illness. JMHO.

Yvonne