This paper looks at the social background surrounding the trial. It examines the court ruling and questions whether Andrea
Yates was mentally incapable of understanding her actions or whether it was a cold blooded planned killing of her five children. The mental illnesses of
depression and
schizophrenia are discussed and it is described how Yates suffered from these in the past. This in an opinion paper where the writer feels that a wrong verdict was passed and mental illness was the cause of the killings.