The news that an affluent woman, physician, and prominent citizen could commit such heinous crimes shocked the community. Subsequent media attention was swift and widespread, including nationwide coverage. Johnson County Prosecutor Paul Morrison stated he would seek the death penalty.
Green spent months in the Johnson County jail awaiting trial. In April 1996, she waived her right to a trial for the deaths of two of her children, attempted murder of her husband and a third child, and arson. By accepting a "no contest" plea agreement, Green was given two concurrent "hard 40" sentences with no chance for parole. She was sent to the Topeka Correctional Facility, where she has resided in the maximum-security unit for the past four years.
My contact with Green began while she was still in the county jail. I corresponded with her by mail and phone for four years as I began the groundwork for a book on Green and her crimes. All along, Green had said she hoped for justice. In a letter written Feb. 5, 1997, Green said, "I find the concept of long-term plans pretty overwhelming still. Right now my hopes and plans are fairly simple -- to see justice done. If justice is done, I'll be out of here. Then I would hope only to be able to spend a fair amount of time with my surviving daughter, Kate. I would like the opportunity to get a job and support myself decently -- I certainly will never again see the lifestyle I once had, and that honestly doesn't matter to me. Being here certainly teaches you how little 'things' matter."
To help her find the justice she seeks, Green hired Wichita attorney Kurt Kerns. Kerns hopes to provide evidence that Green was incompetent when she made the plea agreement, thus allowing her a trial. On June 1, 2000, Green goes before District Judge Peter Ruddick in a hearing to try to rescind her original plea agreement. Kerns intends to show that the combination of medications Green was taking at the time would have left her unable to make such a decision.
"Well, (whether we have sufficient evidence) will be the issue that will be evaluated at the hearing," says Kerns. "The new evidence is essentially evidence that was there that no one discovered at the time -- the fact that she was on four different types of medications. There are also different problems to address. For one, the fact that there are some concerns with regard to whether she was even competent to make the decision or not. All of these issues are going to be evaluated by the court to see if, you know, she knew, at the time what she was doing (in making a plea agreement)."
Morrison thinks Kerns will have a difficult time providing sufficient evidence to warrant a trial. "Her attorney would have to convince the court that she was incompetent to plead. That's quite a burden," Morrison says. "I will be contesting that. She was very competent and knew what was going on. The plea bargain was an opportunity to escape execution, and she accepted the bargain. It's very common for prisoners to do this after they've been in prison for a while. They seek to escape their responsibility for the decision they made and get out. That's what she's doing."
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I don't think the taxpayers should have to take care of this lunatic. She definitely should have been executed, after what she did. Prison time is too good for her!
How terribly sad for the children who lost their lives because she betrayed their innocence and trust. This did not happen in a vacuum though. As others mentioned there were signs of mental illness, manipulation and abuse by this *mother*? and *healer*? for a long time prior to the deaths of these children.
I've seen situations where the people closest to the person do NOTHING. Sometimes it takes a neighbor, teacher, pediatrician or another less involved individual to report concerns for the well-being of children, if they seem fearful, injured, ill, or either parent is clearly is not in good mental health. It doesn't mean a mentally ill or abusive parent is a murderer, but children may still be suffering silently and severely and their lives may be in danger. We shouldn't hesitate to voice our concerns to 1-800-4-A-Child. I've called them on more than one occasion and they've always been extremely helpful about how I can either intervene or to verify if I should be concerned about a child's well-being. Also they don't require that you give your own personal information if you are concerned for your own as well as your family's safety.
I don't know if this could have saved the two children but just the fact that it might have been of help makes it worthwhile to report to authorities your concern about a child's well being and to be knowledgeable about signs that something is not quite right in a child's life. As for Deborah Green, she admitted to her own guilt - I don't understand what she considers 'justice' but being removed from society after murdering two children is the legal definition of justice. If she has some other definition of what should be done then she's not concurrent with current standard cultural and legal beliefs, this may define a delusion, or the lack of remorse and selfish behavior of a sociopath.
In either case, it should be cause for MORE concern about the lack of a 'safe' mind & conscience in this woman. Based on her own admission of the events that occured she's a danger to society and should never be released.
I'm from Indiana and was reading Bitter Harvest as we passed thru the Kansas City area. It is very slow reading, with a lot of repetition, but still hard to put down. Very difficult to believe that anyone thinks The Monster deserves time in jail. She needs to be eliminated from this Earth altogether. Money should not be spent keeping her alive. Regardless of her incompetancy, family, neighbors, co-workers, etc, should not have to worry that she may actually walk out of that prison a free woman. Way too much time and $$ being spent on room and board for monsters such as Debora Green.
I must add that Mike, for being such an intelligent human being, was sickeningly naive, and ignorant to continue letting Debora raise his children. Bizzare !
I agree with jenjoyknowles. This may have benn prevented if those around her had done more to find out why she acted as she did . why did her husband leave her with the children, when he himself knew that she was unstable? He got out and started a new life.he started a affair knowing that it was going to upset her. where was his concern for the children? This never should have happened. He left because he was looking for a women to meet his "NEEDS' that was not being met by his wife. He should have seen to the safety of his children. When she was commited he should have taken the children then.God
bless those poor children.
I also have to disagree as well. Sorry JenJoy. Anyone who premeditates triple murder is mentally imbalanced, however they still must be held accountable. I am an recovered alcoholic. I have experienced "black-outs." What she did to meticulous planning and action on her part. It is truly sad for their loss. I just finished the book I found on a donation table. Peace and love to all who read this. We all need it
The rule of law indicates Green had to know the difference between right and wrong - On February 12, 1996 the testing done on Green did not meet the legal definition of insanity.
Are we going to feel empathy for every person who is drunk and kills someone drinking and driving - they made the choice to drink. If you cannot act in a legal manner then dont drink - it is your choice and dont make excuses after.
I do however have to question why Mike Farrar trusted this woman with his children - the abuse she put them through - mentally - should have been stopped a long time before this happened. Also, as a pysician, he should have been able to detect a mental illness in this woman and provided her help and leave the relationship - not go on to have 3 children and tolerate years of dysfunction.
I do believe this was an act our of revenge -no medication, liquor or depression can take be foremost here - this woman set fire to her home which is one thing - but telling your child to wait for the fire dept - knowlingly that he would not make it out (her own words) has the act of a crime and the intent and she deserves to be given punishment and treatment.
It wil be a sad day in Kansas if Debra Green is ever reallist
Thank you d! I'm glad you chimed in. I don't know how anybody could feel one ounce of sympathy for this monster! May God bless Katie and her Dad. May her brother and sister rest in peace.
Debra deserves every bit of prison time she got and then some. This woman may be mentally ill but she was NOT insane by the legal definition as it relates to criminal culpability. Sorry JenJoy, but I have to disagree. She knew exactly what she was doing and her crimes were premeditated. Her husband tried to have her committed and she was pissed off and he left her and she wanted revenge. Her blackouts from drinking were her fault! Nobody poured that booze down this woman's throat.
I don't think anything is as simple as it seems. Yes a best selling book was published but at whose expense? I don't believe everything I read although Ann does use her writing skills quite well to tell a wonderful tale. This is a tragedy all around for everyone involved but I wonder why no-one came forward to law enforcement or children's services about what was happening in that home. Surely tragedy could have been diverted if someone had cared even a bit about those kids. Money and education doesn't free you from doing the right thing. It doesn't mean that you don't stick your neck out. Debora was a sick woman as indicated by the GFT test where she scored 35 out of 100. Ann Rand got a bit of the explaination of that test wrong in the book. Debora doesn' deserve prison she should be in a mental institution. The people to blame are the neighbors, friends and relatives who were close to the family but did nothing. Also it never was conceived that maybe the drinking made Deborah have a black-out (a common side effect). People in black-outs do things they can't remember even setting a fire.
I don't think anything is as simple as it seems. Yes a best selling book was published but at whose expense? I don't believe everything I read although Ann does use her writing skills quite well to tell a wonderful tale. This is a tragedy all around for everyone involved but I wonder why no-one came forward to law enforcement or children's services about what was happening in that home. Surely tragedy could have been diverted if someone had cared even a bit about those kids. Money and education doesn't free you from doing the right thing. It doesn't mean that you don't stick your neck out. Debora was a sick woman as indicated by the GFT test where she scored 35 out of 100. Ann Rand got a bit of the explaination of that test wrong in the book. Debora doesn' deserve prison she should be in a mental institution. The people to blame are the neighbors, friends and relatives who were close to the family but did nothing. Also it never was conceived that maybe the drinking made Deborah have a black-out (a common side effect). People in black-outs do things they can't remember even setting a fire.
Deborah Green is a manipulator, period. She manipulated her husband, her children and pretty much anyone who was ever around her. It sickens me to hear her talk about wanting to be with her only living child, Katie. I can only imagine that Katie would not have any interest in spending time with the woman who killed her siblings and tried to kill her. Deborah made it extremely difficult for her children to have a healthy relationship with their father, Mike, by saying terrible things about him in front of the children. Her best interest clearly wasn't the children, it was herself. It's always been about her. She's a selfish being. I sincerely hope that Mike and Katie have mended thier relationship as father and daughter and she sees her mother as the manipulator she really is.
Deborah Green is a manipulator, period. She manipulated her husband, her children and pretty much anyone who was ever around her. It sickens me to hear her talk about wanting to be with her only living child, Katie. I can only imagine that Katie would not have any interest in spending time with the woman who killed her siblings and tried to kill her. Deborah made it extremely difficult for her children to have a healthy relationship with their father, Mike, by saying terrible things about him in front of the children. Her best interest clearly wasn't the children, it was herself. It's always been about her. She's a selfish being. I sincerely hope that Mike and Katie have mended thier relationship as father and daughter and she sees her mother as the manipulator she really is.
i was in prision with debra, trust me, she did it, she was just as hatefl in there as she probably was the night she did it.
i was in prision with debra, trust me, she did it, she was just as hatefl in there as she probably was the night she did it.
Ms. Green has a very convenient memory. Doe she not remember she also set fire to their othet home a few years previous to the fatal arson? She needs to own up and pay for her evil crimes. Those poor children! Spending her life in jail is too good for her.
Ms. Green has a very convenient memory. Doe she not remember she also set fire to their othet home a few years previous to the fatal arson? She needs to own up and pay for her evil crimes. Those poor children! Spending her life in jail is too good for her.
I'm reading the book, Bitter Harvest by Ann Rule and am halfway through it.
I'm glad that she is serving hard 40 years for the deaths of her two children. But do think that it should be 40 years for EACH of her children. Not just 40 for the both of them.
I wished Mike Farrar would have simply taken all of his children and left Debora years ago. I'm not placing blame on Mike for trying to make his marriage work, so his children wouldn't have a broken home. But just wished he would have taken the children and ran like a bat out of hell from that evil woman.
I'm reading the book, Bitter Harvest by Ann Rule and am halfway through it. I'm glad that she is serving hard 40 years for the deaths of her two children. But do think that it should be 40 years for EACH of her children. Not just 40 for the both of them. I wished Mike Farrar would have simply taken all of his children and left Debora years ago. I'm not placing blame on Mike for trying to make his marriage work, so his children wouldn't have a broken home. But just wished he would have taken the children and ran like a bat out of hell from that evil woman.
Deborah Green may be alive...but she is certainly not well. Five lives were ruined forever. I hope they can all find some peace.
Deborah Green may be alive...but she is certainly not well. Five lives were ruined forever. I hope they can all find some peace.
They should sit her down with a couple friendly detectives and let her have all she wants to drink and she'd blab.
There are still some questions which it would be nice to have answered.
They should sit her down with a couple friendly detectives and let her have all she wants to drink and she'd blab. There are still some questions which it would be nice to have answered.
I'm also shocked that she didn't receive the death penalty. Soooo many teens are being given the death penalty for stupid, violent acts that if anyone deserves a second look, it would NOT be her. Kids do vicious things and have no real concept of death and its finality. This woman was grown and these were HER children. The attitudes in these posts are the same attitudes that made the death penalty an option in the first place. And this will be the attitude of the jury! This. case and "Ms Green" really is going to lack in jury sympathy. We all live in the real world as adults and are very aware (medicated or not) of what choices she could have made before she set the house on fire and tried to blame on her spouse when her attempts to kill him failed. So why should anyone be surprised by these attitudes of the public who have families who sometimes divorce us, don't do what we want, steal from us, cheat on us and lie to our faces and yet we DO NOT resort to murdering them out of spite just becuz things don't go our ways. So if she or YOU are upset about our public opinions, well that's just too damn bad cuz guess what????... SHE EARNED IT!!!
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