Diane Payton is the mother and eventual murderer of her schizophrenic son Danny Payton.
History[]
Diane struggled to care for Danny while regulating his son’s mental illness. As he stopped taking his medicine due to adverse effects, he wasn’t readmitted for hospitalization. Diane gave Danny the keys to her car, as driving around would calm his nerves and his psychotic episodes. When voices started telling him to kill, it culminated in Danny running over his classmate, Emily Milius.
Diane stabbed Danny to death in their home, arguing she believed he’d harm someone else if he were still alive. Her niece, Wall Street lawyer Kay Hartley, took her defense pro bono, but it was argued Hartley was partly motivated by a career boost. When Diane testified she did her best to care for her son and avoid the dangers posed to him, the prosecution argued she not only didn’t call the police, but she gave Danny access to her own car when he decompensated.
Diane was found guilty of second-degree murder and imprisoned, much to the jury’s open reluctance. (L&O: "Mother's Day")