Part 12: Darlie Routier on Death Row--Guilty or Innocent? You Decide
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So, after 12 years on death row, where exactly does the Darlie Routier case stand? Late last year, her defense team filed a motion to have new DNA tests conducted on evidence found at the scene. In this interview with David Schechter from WFAA-TV, Darlie says she hopes the findings will clear her name. I wrote to Darlie a couple of weeks ago. Nothing back from her yet but if I do, I'll post her responses to questions I had. I also contacted the website run by her mother Darlie Kee. I got a response back telling me to ask any questions I had, which I did but have yet to get a response back.
The long and short of it is this. If I was on the jury, I would probably have done just as they had, given the evidence. Her story doesn't add up. It doesn't mean she did it necessarily, but something is not right. I think the prosecution was misleading as well and that may have swayed the jury to the guilty verdict. I don't think the evidence was strong enough for the death penalty though.
What do you think?
WFAA-TV EXCLUSIVE:
A Rowlett mother placed on death row for the murder of her two sons has expressed hope that new DNA tests will clear her name.
The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals ruled Wednesday that Darlie Routier, who has always claimed a home intruder was the true killer, will be allowed to re-conduct DNA testing on items from the scene of the crime.
Routier's night shirt and a tube sock found in the alley are among the items that have been cleared for testing.
In an original test on the blood-stained tube sock, blood was determined to be from the boys. A third stain on the sock yielded no results.
Routier said she hopes the DNA tests will find another source of blood, other than her's or her two sons'.
But Routier will not be allowed to test a bloody palm print that was found on the coffee table, or the blood stains on the butcher knife investigators have said was the murder weapon.
Routier was convicted more than ten years ago.
Talking from jail, Routier said that new technology will prove that she is not a killer.
"Well, do you have that much time?" said Routier when asked how so many people, and the justice system, could have been wrong in her case.
When Rowlett police arrested Routier in 1996, they were certain they had it right. The prosecution said Routier stabbed her children, Devon and Damon, and then stabbed herself to cover it up. The jury agreed.
"I was there," she said. "I know that I didn't murder my children. I know I did not attack myself."
Wednesday, a judge ruled Routier's legal team can take a fresh look at hair and blood evidence. All that will be tested is evidence that, at the time, could not be linked to anyone in the house.
"Everything that I've said is a truth," Routier said. "And it's right there. It's just a matter of a person taking the time to really look at it."
The judge denied a request to a bloody fingerprint that could not be linked to anyone during original testing. Routier said there are two such fingerprints.
"To me, when you have two bloody finger prints that are found at a crime scene that don't belong to anybody that worked on the crime scene and don't belong to anybody that lived in the home, it pretty much tells you that somebody else was in the home that committed that crime," Routier said. "And for me, why am I still here?"
The judge's ruling said the case against Routier is still strong. But if new testing supports Routier's claim, it might be enough to sway a jury.
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Categories: Darlie Routier
Tags: Capital Punishment Darlie Routier Death Row
hi
its been a long haul for the routiers in these murders.now new evidence given in to the new judge on this case judge frederick biery that combined with the old evidence
is going to make or break the case for darlie routier or for the one who did the murders.since january 2009 new evidence on a rowlett neighbour of the routiers (william (bill) gorsuch) has come to light for the courts and put this man (bill gorsuch) into the hot seat as to being the unidentified intruder that broke into the routiers house that horrible night june 5-6th 1996.only a check between this suspects fingerprints (bill gorsuch) and the still unidentified fingerprints found at the crime scene will clear or convict this suspect (bill gorsuch) of these murders.
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If there is ANY doubt that this woman murdered her children, then ALL of the evidence should be re-examined or examined for the first time if it hasn't been.
DNA evidence has released many prisoners on death row who were convicted with NO reasonable doubt. Hmmmmmmm.......
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I am writing from Europe, where were do not have a death penalty; came upon this story by chance, looking up information about death penalties around the world. After reading the article and looking at both sides of the case I came to the following conclusions, thinking logically. First of all, the crime is unclear, Darlie could have done it, but then, maybe not. There is no clear evidence and that alone should make it impossible to sentence someone to death. Naturally, had a few neighbours seen her do it, or had she confessed it, I would agree with the prosecutors as the crime was the most hideous a mother could commit.
However; this is not the case and nobody knows EXACTLY what has happened. There could have been a clever intruder known or unknown to the family. On the other hand, she could have hired someone to do it, nobody knows. This uncertainty alone should be the reason to turn the death sentence into a life in prison to start with. Forensics has not proven anything in this case. Her behaviour DURING and AFTER the crime does not prove anything, since every person behaves differently after being exposed to such a shock. There are cases where people even started to laugh after someone in their presence was brutally killed, out of shock of course. What should be studied more carefully is her behaviour PRIOR to the crime as only that may offer clues to her guilt or innocence.
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