Interview With Ken Wilhelm, Trish Deangelis
WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: In upstate New York, meanwhile, a mother diagnosed as a paranoid schizophrenic gets the maximum sentence for drowning her four-year old son in a bathtub and trying to kill her other son. Christine Wilhelm was sentenced to 50 years to life in prison. The judge also ordered that she not be in contact with her son, Peter, or her husband, Kenneth before 2056. For more, we're joined now by our national correspondent, Gary Tuchman, who is live inside the courtroom in Troy, New York. Gary, this is pretty shocking stuff.</s>GARY TUCHMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, it really is. And you just mentioned 2056. Christine Wilhelm will be 91 years old in that year. This is the courthouse where it all just happened. It lasted for about 45 minutes. Christine Wilhelm was convicted in the month of July of drowning her son, Luke, in a bathtub, and then trying to drown her son, Peter, but Peter escaped from the bathtub and ended up testifying against her in the trial that was held in this very courtroom. Well the judge said he would have no mercy on her, sentenced her to 50 years to life. And she will not be able to get out without parole until she is in her 80s. And with us right now is Christine Wilhelm's husband, Ken Wilhelm, also the district attorney here, Trish Deangelis. Ken Wilhelm gave a victim impact statement today. He testified against his wife during the trial. First of all, my condolences on the loss of your son.</s>KEN WILHELM, BOY'S FATHER: Thank you.</s>TUCHMAN: And I want to ask you first, how is your son, Peter doing? Five years old when he testified here, starting first grade tomorrow? How is he doing right now?</s>WILHELM: He's six years old and he's doing real well. And he's starting school now. He's very excited about it and nervous, but we tried to -- we pretty much sheltered him from the goings-on here, except for what he needed to be here for.</s>TUCHMAN: You said today when you talked before the judge, that your wife was basically a diabolical woman. I'm wondering if there was ever a time -- she was a diagnosed schizophrenic -- was there ever a time where you thought she was not guilty because of reason of insanity?</s>WILHELM: I can't say I felt that there was ever a time where I definitely felt that way. Initially, I wasn't sure what was going -- what happened. Eventually, it was probably when she made a phone call to the house.</s>TUCHMAN: Saying what?</s>WILHELM: Basically which --- where she knew a lot of stuff that was going on, present things, information.</s>TUCHMAN: Why do you think she did this?</s>WILHELM: I don't know exactly why. The only thing I've ever been able to come up with is from the information I have is something happened. She got very upset with the children. I think at that point maybe she -- like a lot of parents, lost control. It's not uncommon. That's the way most abuse cases happen. The parent loses control, does something where that, you know, without judgment. And then after that thing, after you know, you have to reap the consequences.</s>TUCHMAN: (Unintelligible) racking your brain to wonder how she could have done that?</s>WILHELM: Yes, well, the only thing I can come up with is possibly Luke was a little bit closer to myself, that there seemed to be bond there after a mere drowning incident with him down in Florida, where we used to live, and which I resuscitated him.</s>TUCHMAN: Trish, really quick, do you feel sorry for her at all because of her diagnosis?</s>TRISH DEANGELIS, K. WILHELM'S ATTY.: The jury found her guilty and the judge said I'm going to show you the same mercy that you showed Luke. The sentence in this case certainly fits the crime. It suggests (unintelligible).</s>TUCHMAN: Trish and Ken, thank you very much. We do want to tell you when Christine Wilhelm left the courtroom, she screamed at everyone in the courtroom, "Liars, all liars." Wolf, back to you.</s>BLITZER: Gary Tuchman, our heart goes out to Ken Wilhelm. TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com