Prosecution Rests in Andrea Yates Trial

The prosecution rested its case in the Andrea Yates murder trial after Harris County Medical Examiner Luis Sanchez testified that bruises on her children showed they had struggled and died a slow death as they were being drowned in the bathtub.

Sanchez told the jury that the oldest of the children, seven-year-old Noah, struggled so hard that his fists remained stiff and over his head several hours after his death. The children all had bruises that were consistent with someone holding them down in the bathtub.

The defense, which claims Yates was suffering from severe postpartum psychosis and did not know that drowning her five children was wrong, plans to begin calling witnesses today.

If convicted, Yates will face life in prison. The state is not seeking the death penalty.

See Also:
Prosecution Rests in Yates Retrial

Background:
The Trial of Andrea Yates
Profile of Andrea Yates