Post by sclcookie on Jun 6, 2006 11:44:21 GMT -5
With daughter on death row, mother focuses on optimism
Don't hold your breath for a death-row confession.
At least not from Darlie Routier, the Rowlett mother convicted of fatally
stabbing her 5-year-old son, Damon, in a June 6, 1996, attack that also
claimed the life of her oldest son, Devon, 6.
Darlie Routier's mother, Darlie Kee, broke her silence Monday and told me
her daughter would never fess up, as police and prosecutors have beseeched
her to do.
"She'll never admit to something she didn't do," Mrs. Kee said. "Why would
she?"
Halfway through our hourlong telephone interview, Ms. Routier called her
mother from the Dallas County Jail, where she's being held. "It's Darlie
Lynn," Ms. Kee interrupted. "Hold on."
How often does she call, I asked, while Ms. Routier talked to someone
else. "For financial reasons, it's just once a day," Ms. Kee said. "It's
about $6 a call."
Through her mother, Ms. Routier declined to talk to me, citing advice from
her attorneys.
Frankly, at this point, I'm not sure what more Ms. Routier could say that
would do her any good or shed any more credible light on her case.
But imagine for a second that you are her mom. How do you hold it together
after all of these years? "I'm the mama bear trying to protect my baby,"
she volunteered.
"Mama bear" had a nervous breakdown three or four years ago and has been
taking prescription drugs to cope, she said. For a while, Mrs. Kee noted,
"we were all on Xanax and Valium" to combat anxiety and depression.
Right now, Mrs. Kee and other family members are pinning their hopes on a
federal writ of habeas corpus appeal. "I didn't expect this to get
overturned in Texas," Ms. Kee said. "But I think at the federal level is
where the good-ol'-boy system stops."
Ms. Routier's attorneys also are pressing for new DNA testing, which they
want to be done before the federal appeal is considered.
"We're hoping the [state district] judge will allow all the DNA that
couldn't be tested in '96, because they didn't have the technology, to be
tested," Mrs. Kee said.
"I think everybody is OK with that. You don't want to put somebody to
death with circumstantial evidence."
She went on to recount the problems she has with Rowlett police officers
who investigated the murders - from the way they handled the crime-scene
evidence to their acknowledgement that they quickly suspected that Ms.
Routier was responsible. (Police have steadfastly defended their handling
of the case.)
"Will we ever find out who did this?" she asked. "As long as the police
and no one else is investigating it, no."
I also wanted to talk to Ms. Routier's husband, Darin, but he didn't call
back. Jail records indicate he hadn't visited his wife since December, but
Mrs. Kee said the couple's trying to look after Drake, who was 8 months
old when his brothers were slain.
"She wants what's best for Drake," said Mrs. Kee. She called her daughter
an "amazing person" who's willing to allow her husband to move on and
remarry if that's in Drake's best interest.
Drake, now 10, is living with his dad - who's living with his parents in
Lubbock.
I did hear from Darin's mother, Sarilda Routier, who called Monday
afternoon to defend her daughter-in-law and her son.
"He's had a hard 2 to 3 weeks," she said, explaining why he wasn't doing
interviews.
Sarilda Routier said Drake "does seem to be doing OK."
"I hope he's doing as well as he appears. He enjoys going to see Mommy,"
she said, and you could hear the agony in her voice. "But it's just sad,
you know; he's never known her outside of that cage, outside of that box."
Mrs. Kee said Drake's parents have told him what happened and why his mom
is in jail. She said Drake often would kiss the glass separating him from
his mom.
Other family members, including Ms. Routier's two sisters, Dana, 26, and
Danelle, 23, still believe in Darlie's innocence, Mrs. Kee said. Dana is
more sensitive about the case, Mrs. Kee said, because it was her idea to
bring Silly String to her nephews' funerals - a move derided by those
suspicious of Ms. Routier a decade ago.
"She does not like to be talked about in the media at all," Mrs. Kee said.
"I'm sure she feels so guilty for bringing the Silly String. But she was
just a 16-year-old trying to make her nephews happy."
Mrs. Kee said she had thought about showing up with Silly String again
this year - if nothing else, just to show the media that the family won't
be cowed by unflattering, accusatory portrayals.
Instead, she went to the cemetery Sunday evening and placed a poem she had
written along with bright-colored daisies - blue, purple and pink - atop
the boys' graves.
On Monday, she left her home east of Dallas and said she won't return
until Wednesday - a day after the 10th anniversary of a crime that left 2
boys dead, a mother on death row and a family devastated.
(source: Dallas Morning News)
Don't hold your breath for a death-row confession.
At least not from Darlie Routier, the Rowlett mother convicted of fatally
stabbing her 5-year-old son, Damon, in a June 6, 1996, attack that also
claimed the life of her oldest son, Devon, 6.
Darlie Routier's mother, Darlie Kee, broke her silence Monday and told me
her daughter would never fess up, as police and prosecutors have beseeched
her to do.
"She'll never admit to something she didn't do," Mrs. Kee said. "Why would
she?"
Halfway through our hourlong telephone interview, Ms. Routier called her
mother from the Dallas County Jail, where she's being held. "It's Darlie
Lynn," Ms. Kee interrupted. "Hold on."
How often does she call, I asked, while Ms. Routier talked to someone
else. "For financial reasons, it's just once a day," Ms. Kee said. "It's
about $6 a call."
Through her mother, Ms. Routier declined to talk to me, citing advice from
her attorneys.
Frankly, at this point, I'm not sure what more Ms. Routier could say that
would do her any good or shed any more credible light on her case.
But imagine for a second that you are her mom. How do you hold it together
after all of these years? "I'm the mama bear trying to protect my baby,"
she volunteered.
"Mama bear" had a nervous breakdown three or four years ago and has been
taking prescription drugs to cope, she said. For a while, Mrs. Kee noted,
"we were all on Xanax and Valium" to combat anxiety and depression.
Right now, Mrs. Kee and other family members are pinning their hopes on a
federal writ of habeas corpus appeal. "I didn't expect this to get
overturned in Texas," Ms. Kee said. "But I think at the federal level is
where the good-ol'-boy system stops."
Ms. Routier's attorneys also are pressing for new DNA testing, which they
want to be done before the federal appeal is considered.
"We're hoping the [state district] judge will allow all the DNA that
couldn't be tested in '96, because they didn't have the technology, to be
tested," Mrs. Kee said.
"I think everybody is OK with that. You don't want to put somebody to
death with circumstantial evidence."
She went on to recount the problems she has with Rowlett police officers
who investigated the murders - from the way they handled the crime-scene
evidence to their acknowledgement that they quickly suspected that Ms.
Routier was responsible. (Police have steadfastly defended their handling
of the case.)
"Will we ever find out who did this?" she asked. "As long as the police
and no one else is investigating it, no."
I also wanted to talk to Ms. Routier's husband, Darin, but he didn't call
back. Jail records indicate he hadn't visited his wife since December, but
Mrs. Kee said the couple's trying to look after Drake, who was 8 months
old when his brothers were slain.
"She wants what's best for Drake," said Mrs. Kee. She called her daughter
an "amazing person" who's willing to allow her husband to move on and
remarry if that's in Drake's best interest.
Drake, now 10, is living with his dad - who's living with his parents in
Lubbock.
I did hear from Darin's mother, Sarilda Routier, who called Monday
afternoon to defend her daughter-in-law and her son.
"He's had a hard 2 to 3 weeks," she said, explaining why he wasn't doing
interviews.
Sarilda Routier said Drake "does seem to be doing OK."
"I hope he's doing as well as he appears. He enjoys going to see Mommy,"
she said, and you could hear the agony in her voice. "But it's just sad,
you know; he's never known her outside of that cage, outside of that box."
Mrs. Kee said Drake's parents have told him what happened and why his mom
is in jail. She said Drake often would kiss the glass separating him from
his mom.
Other family members, including Ms. Routier's two sisters, Dana, 26, and
Danelle, 23, still believe in Darlie's innocence, Mrs. Kee said. Dana is
more sensitive about the case, Mrs. Kee said, because it was her idea to
bring Silly String to her nephews' funerals - a move derided by those
suspicious of Ms. Routier a decade ago.
"She does not like to be talked about in the media at all," Mrs. Kee said.
"I'm sure she feels so guilty for bringing the Silly String. But she was
just a 16-year-old trying to make her nephews happy."
Mrs. Kee said she had thought about showing up with Silly String again
this year - if nothing else, just to show the media that the family won't
be cowed by unflattering, accusatory portrayals.
Instead, she went to the cemetery Sunday evening and placed a poem she had
written along with bright-colored daisies - blue, purple and pink - atop
the boys' graves.
On Monday, she left her home east of Dallas and said she won't return
until Wednesday - a day after the 10th anniversary of a crime that left 2
boys dead, a mother on death row and a family devastated.
(source: Dallas Morning News)