We have both worked very hard on this case, to make sure Mrs. Yates had a fair trial and that Noah, John, Paul, Luke and Mary became known to the public ? that the public would know how these children suffered at the hands of their mother.

The issue in this case is her criminal responsibility. We feel she is criminally responsible. That's what all the evidence shows us, and that's what the first jury believed.

I think there is always some hope that a case will resolve because this is painful for a lot of people to have to go through again. But, if it can't be resolved with a fair plea resolution, we have no other option except to go forth with a trial.

We do know that she killed five children; that it was very methodically and deliberately planned out. That's through her own words.

We have both worked very hard on this case to make sure Ms. Yates got a fair trial. Neither one of us would have done anything improper in this case.

Any communications that evidence a romantic or intimate involvement by Russell Edison Yates with another person prior to the murders are similarly relevant in that they will tend to shed light on the state of mind of the defendant prior to and during the murders.