By Jeff Crilley
THE STORY:
More than three years
have passed since the horrible killings
in a quiet, upscale Rowlett neighborhood
that left two young brothers dead. And
almost three years have passed since the
little boys' mother was convicted and
sentenced to death for that grisly crime.
Today, Darlie Routier
is a condemned woman. But she sits hopefully
in a Dallas County jail cell waiting to
find out if she'll get a new trial, because
of numerous flaws in the court reporter's
record of her first trial.
But even beyond courtroom
technicalities, Darlie Routier says she's
doesn't belong in prison, and she doesn't
deserve to die. FOX 4 News reporter Jeff
Crilley spoke with Routier in the first
on-camera interview she's given in more
than two years. She says she still doesn't
remember much about the night of June
6, 1996. She does remember that someone
attacked her sons as they lay sleeping
on the floor, and attacked her, too, on
the couch.
Author Barbara
Davis writes books about true crime
stories. She's even written a book on
the Routier killings, "Precious Angels",
which mirrored her beliefs (at the time)
that Darlie was guilty. But now, Davis
sees things differently. She claims the
prosecutors at Darlie's trial held back
key evidence (notably photographs) that
would support Darlie's claim that an intruder
killed her sons, not her.
Charlie Samford was
one of the 12 Kerr County jurors that
sentenced Darlie to die in February, 1997.
Liked the others, he was horrified at
the thought that a mother could kill her
kids. But now after 2 years, Charlie's
horrified with himself. Charlie told FOX
4 he claims he didn't see some of the
pictures of the injuries Darlie sustained
that June night in Rowlett.
Prosecutors say the jury
saw all the evidence, and they don't understand
how Charlie Samford could say he didn't
see the pictures of Darlie's bruises.
And they continue to maintain their case
is solid, and that they have the right
person in prison for the crime.
Will Darlie get a new
trial? Legal experts say that because
of the errors in the original trial transcripts,
she has a good chance of winning a fresh
start in court.
WHAT DO YOU THINK?
So you've seen the story,
and you've heard the evidence. What's
your verdict? E-mail us at kdfw@foxinc.com
or fill out this easy e-mail
form.
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Darlie Routier's family
and friends have set up an extensive website,
fordarlieroutier.org.
Another writer, local magazine
editor Christopher Wayne Brown, has written
a book proclaiming Darlie's innocence.
Check out mediatried.com,
if you're interested in buying the book.
The original book written
by Barbara
Davis, "Precious Angels"
is reviewed online at Amazon.com. |
