The court based its reversal on false testimony by a prosecution witness, psychiatrist Park Deitz, who stated during her March 2002 trial that the killings occurred shortly after an episode of the NBC television show ?Law & Order? in which a woman drowned her children and later was acquitted by reason of insanity. (MSNBC is a joint venture of NBC and Microsoft)
Other witnesses testified during the trial that Yates watched the television series, allowing the prosecution to suggest that Yates had seen the show and used the plot to plan the murders of her kids by drowning them in the tub of the family's home.
Episode never existed
Jurors learned after Yates was convicted that the episode never existed.
?We conclude that there is a reasonable likelihood that Dr. Dietz?s false testimony could have affected the judgment of the jury,? the court said in its ruling. ?We further conclude that Dr. Dietz?s false testimony affected the substantial rights of appellant.?
Other witnesses testified during the trial that Yates watched the television series, allowing the prosecution to suggest that Yates had seen the show and used the plot to plan the murders of her kids by drowning them in the tub of the family's home.
Episode never existed
Jurors learned after Yates was convicted that the episode never existed.
?We conclude that there is a reasonable likelihood that Dr. Dietz?s false testimony could have affected the judgment of the jury,? the court said in its ruling. ?We further conclude that Dr. Dietz?s false testimony affected the substantial rights of appellant.?
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